A Nazi membership with commitment and consequences

Also a membership, with quite different consequences

A Dogon ceremonial mask

Matriculation at Oxford University

A ritual (or a rite) is a set of actions people do. In a ritual, the actions are important because every action stands for something. Each ritual of a type is done in a certain way.Danger might be involved in carrying out the ritual. When the ritual has been performed successfully, it is often followed by a celebration.