The apellaia () were the offerings made at the initiation of a young man (kouros) at a meeting of a family-group ( "phratria") of the northwest Greeks. Apellaios () is the month of these rites and offerings, and Apellon (, Doric form of Apollo), is the "megistos kouros" ("The great Kouros").
The brotherhood, the phratry, controlled the access to civic rights. There was a three-day family-festival, with initiation ceremonies, not concerning the state. The father introduced his young child, then again as a child ("ephebos") who would become a grown-up kouros, and the husband his wife after the marriage. The three-day festival of the northwest Greeks was called Apellai, and was similar with the Ionic Apaturia. The three relative offerings of Apellai at least in Delphi were "paideia" (for child), "apellaia" (youth), and "gamela" (marriage; "gamos" in Greek).
According to Plutarch: "It was a custom for those who from children were initiated to grown-up "kouroi", to go to Delphi and offer there the hair of their head to the god (Apollo). Theseus went there, and he only shaved the forepart of his head." "Apollo is the unshorn Phoibos." A similar offering was made in the Apaturia, which was called "koureion" (from κείρω "keiro", "cut, esp. hair"). and corresponds to "apellaion" ()
Notes.
 ;templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" / ;