Golam Life Celebration
History
The Golam peoples along the Western edge of the Inner Sea long ago worshipped Elder Gods and Skinchangers as well as many spirits. It was considered unlucky to name a child at birth since the first months were hard and names link to identities. A named infant might then become a persistent ghost if the Name was spoken since it has no notions of behavior or direction, while unnamed it joins the Gods in the underground kingdom. Golam sensibility seeks to give no ground for the entry of bad luck, evil magics and malicious spirits.
It is unwise and inauspicious to have an unlucky number of the day of the week linked to a person as a birthday, much less to call attention to it for misuse by evil mages and malicious spirits, as is done in some backwards Countries. Birth is a good thing but full of ill luck, and best not recognized until certain of no harms and imperfections or risk of name producing unguided ghost called to a Name. Because of the Moons positions and faces, the Lodges of the Days and the Numbers of the days giving unlucky and auspicious dates and times, and such details giving ground for evil magics to control or curse a person, We Golam observe the births of a quarter as the third Festival day of the Solstices and Equinoxes. The Festivals are times of luck and well wishing. The Third Day being an auspicious number, with direction, and the preceding, the event and the following. In addition, with the celebration of Anniversary of Life we change the unlucky Four periods of Festival with a Fifth for Lives Celebrated.-Okom Cyof, Master Golam Philosopher."Ways of the Wise" Yr 203 Imperial.
Execution
The Celebration is observed with uneven numbers of guests and celebrants because even numbers indicate stasis and indecisiveness, inauspicious conditions. The best numbers are 3, 7, 9 and multiples of these numbers. Birth, while a happy event, is surrounded with bad luck and opportunities for evil spirits. Actual day ( which may be auspicious or inauspicious) or things like afterbirth leave one open to attack and manipulation by evil magics and spirits and are kept secret to avoid the attention of evils and bad luck. Likewise Golam celebrate the Life Year instead of Birthday to distract the evil spirits and hide the celebrant from bad luck.
Participants
Life Celebration will likely have several people of a family having celebrations at the same time and it is of course expected for them to show up, unless an inauspicious number of attendees or celebrants is likely. Traditionally the house Elder God might also be celebrated to bring the numbers into good luck. Since the Empire has banned the pagan worship of the Elder Gods, the modern tradition is to bring in a mirror to reflect a celebrant or guest to bring the numbers to beneficial numbers. The Memory of the Dead is celebrated elsewhere and it is bad luck to mention the dead in a Life Celebration. The feast will include noodles that represent long life. Honey cakes for sweetness in life. It is common to give the Celebrant a coin as a symbol of luck with Wealth. Priests are asked to give blessings for health and fortune.
Observance
On the evening of the Third day of the Quarterly Festivals, families and villages or neighborhoods gather to Celebrate Life Year. Small gifts are given to children, and by adult Life Celebrants and honey cakes eaten. Torches and a bonfire are lit to drive off the darkness and keep a bright and warm year ahead. Dancing and songs continue into the early hours.
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