What is Rites of First Pleasures

Rites of First Pleasures is a ceremony among the Cave people in which an experienced man takes a young woman's virginity and makes her a woman. Jondalar has been chosen for this ceremony many times because he is capable of giving the young woman pleasure during what could be a very painful act. Jondalar performs this ceremony with Ayla even though she has already lost her virginity and given birth because she never experienced the ceremony.