Tilgish Annual Blessing for One's Birth

The impoverished Tilgish know how to throw a party. Their favorite of the celebrations is when a member of the tribe turns another year older. No matter the age, they celebrate it because the tribe wasn't sure they'd make it another year without getting off the wasteland planet, Ziln.

History

by Freepik

Tilgish birthdays used to be much more extravagant. Though, not to the level of the Khuzgish before they left. Once the Great Exodus happened, everything that the Tilgish knew about life changed. Suddenly there was scarcity and having to learn to be self-reliant. While the material side of the celebration changed, the enthusiasm for the event did not. Every birthday for this dwindling population is important and a reason to hope that they will survive to leave the desolated planet.

Execution

The celebrant is allowed to sleep in until the noon meal if they like. Though young ones are usually too excited to do so. They have the day off from hunting and chores. The tribe picks up the slack for them. When they wake up, the head of the household prepares a sand bath, and they get an extra scrubbing so their blue skin glows. In the case the celebrant is the head of household, the tribe's chief does the honors. The best clothes are given to the celebrant to wear. The tribe shares colorful ornaments passed down in each family, which were taken from the abandoned homes of the Khuzgish in most cases.

by Good Ware

Next, at breakfast (or lunch) they are given an extra cup of water to start their day refreshed. This is the one material gift from the tribe, for everyone must sacrifice a little of their water for the celebrant. On a desert planet with one spring and lake - water is rationed carefully. The celebrant is allowed to do as they please until the final phase of the day.

Before supper, they recieve the blessings from their family. Each member composes a wish for health, happiness, and long life - at least enough to see the day they leave Ziln. Then the family goes to the gathering place in the center of the village to recieve a blessing from the elders as they eat a communal dinner.

by Eucalyp

After the meal, the whole tribe gathers to sing songs of celebration and protection as they gather bits of copper infused flint, called Marka. These are smashed together to make green sparks in the darkness as they dance and sing to scare away the Stinging Centipedes. Finally, the group settles down to view the evening sky and watch for the largest falling star as they pile together under thier tattered blankets.

Related Ethnicities