Verd'goten
History
The verd'goten was the name of the traditional rite of passage in Mandalorian culture in which a Mandalorian youth was accepted as an adult. Young Mandalorians began training in military and survival skills under the tutelage of a parent, typically at the age of eight years old. The training lasted until the child reached the age of thirteen, at which time they were tested on their acquired skills in fighting and surviving with the verd'goten. Upon passing the trial of the verd'goten, the Mandalorian was considered legally an adult and had earned equal treatment in Mandalorian society. It was customary for fellow Mandalorians to share a drink with and toast the new Mandalorian adult upon the completion of their verd'goten.
If the first child is a son, parents usually wait until the child is eight years old before they have another child. This is to ensure that the first child can accompany his father and be trained to prepare for his verd'goten at age 13. Afterward, the father will be free to train another son. If the firstborn is a girl, the couple often tries for a son soon after. The mother is usually responsible for the training of girls if a son is eventually born or adopted into the family. If the family however only has girls, the father takes on the burden of training the eldest daughter for her Verd'goten. Both daughters and sons must participate in this ritual as it establishes that both daughter and son are prepared for life as an adult in the Manda community. Regardless, training always starts with the mother, and training of children to be warriors is a joint effort.
Execution
The child is often prepared with weapons and a small supply of food before they leave the settlement to survive in the wilderness on their own. When the supplies run out, the child must learn to survive on what he or she has left and what nature offers to them. The verd'goten is considered a failure if the child is unable to survive in the wilderness and returns to the settlement empty-handed. Given the nomadic nature of Mandalorians, it is up to the child to return to the parents should the base camp move from one location to another.
Observance
When a Mandalorian child reaches the age of thirteen.
Related Ethnicities
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