Olian Birthdays and coming of age

In the Olian provinces the Ahu Cairns of the shaman druid is where most important ceremonies occur. The public presentation takes place in front of the home of the parents with the Druid's supervision and of opening and closing chant. First presented to the House Totem, then Emperor via a small Phoenix statue, and then the Village Totem. It is expected that adults of a small village will pay respects and prayer of blessing, asking their own Totems to guard and guide the child. This is followed by a Gifting ceremony.

"Today we present the Lodge Founder a new child to follow the way of the Patron. We present the new child to the Village Totem and the Emperor, so they may be known and protected. "

Invocation on Introducing a new child.

Traditional

Later birthdays start in the village square before the village Totem pole and the Emperor's phoenix on the top. There is typically animal Totem facepainting. There is bowing and offering with prayers. Then a circuit of the market before greeting the house Totem. The family then has a meal of favored treats and offers guests cakes or small pies.

"The day of birth is marked as an anniversary of entering the world. There is a special meal with cakes or pies and favored morsels. A greeting is given to the Clan Totem and the village as well as greetings to the ancestor ghosts. The Emperor is praised and a toast given. The Olia foolishly believe that their spirit Totems and the Emperor protect the young from evil influence and that days of birth bear no special hazard for ill luck."

-Okom Cyof, Master Golam Philosopher. "The Peoples of Shores" Yr 205 Imperial.

Execution

The First Birthday is 3 days after the birth. In this ritual the child is presented to the Family Totem to be recognized.  The Emperor's invocation was added after Imperial annexation.

Participants

For the initial and annual birthdays, the Shaman/ Druid starts with the clap and clasp hand prayer position. They incite the chant of invocation and burn smelly herb smudges. Once the way is clear and the spirits paying attention, the parents will perform the newborn presentation or the annual greeting and asking for blessing. Offerings and prayers are made. The Druid closes the ceremony or leads to the next stop where the presentation, prayers and offering may be repeated. The Druid will perform the closing chant and strike the wood pegboard drum three times. The druid will also watch for signs of message for the child or parents from the Totems. To celebrate births a Gifting occurs after the druidic ceremony.  The annual birthday celebration is not observed with Gifting.
At coming of age the child will go to the Ahu Cairn for three days of meditation and prayer. They must find their spirit guide personal Totem which may be an aspect of the House or Clan or sometimes a different one. They will also draw three tokens from the Druid's bag that represent choices of path - they may be a small anvil for smithing, a fish for fisher, a spear for hunter, a plow, shoe, a rolled up scroll, or sword or other item suggesting a line of work. Sometimes it is a sign of luck, or spent Arcane Crystal. At the end they formally Take the terms of the Totem that grants luck and occasional assistance in placing things in accord with it's nature: a weapon, a place to hide, a needed tool. Family and Village totems also act to protect the village and Family by use of The spirits powers, and provide a sort of low level awareness so that anyone under the common totem of House or village may be located by general direction or a person may have a 'feeling" about something another wants.

At the end of the initiation the youth undergoes bathing and grooming and the 4th day is a Gifting ceremony for family and clan hosted by the youth come of age.  They will have spent the year in preparations.

Totems are high ranked archetype of The spirits for plants and animals. They represent the ideal form and high concepts of the thing. The clans, houses (numaym) and villages have patron Totems. Individuals may have Aspect Totems - these are lower ranked Totems that represent subspecies, varieties or aspects of the Totem. The Hidden Hare. The Thunder thump Hare. The Mad Hare. Summer or Winter hare.

Spirit powers may include :

• Animal control: the spirit can lightly ride - directing behavior or observing thru the subject of the Totem's type.
• Augment: may increase or decrease another’s ability score.
• Armor: 1 pt for every 1 Essence spent.
• Blast: Directs attack at a distance - it may be fire, lightning, swarms of bugs, or thorns, teeth or claws - something appropriate for the spirit.
• Confusion: loss of direction sense, shifting shadow and lights making navigation and telling friend from foe difficult.
• Isolation: victim enshrouded with aura of invisibility, intangability and silence.
• Materialize: spirit takes physical form

Related Ethnicities

• Olia