Feast of the Sun
On the day after the winter solstice, Tanishites hold a huge festival to honour the sun god, Entu. It celebrates the sun as the source of all life and as the sacred ancestor of the king. It is held on the winter solstice because it represents the renewal of the sun as from this point on, days will get longer again. In the ancient past, this was the first day of the new year, before The Old Calendar was adopted.
Though the primary, state-sponsored festivities take place in Zedda, most towns and villages throughout the kingdom have their own celebrations on a smaller scale. Within Zedda, the main streets are lined with circles of linen cut into spirals and then dangled along ropes between buildings. These spirals are a symbol of Entu, and larger cities that can afford such decorations do likewise. Smaller villages make their decorations from braids of grass held in a spiral shape with a bit of thread.
The decorated streets mark the course of a procession at dawn. The procession consists of the local priests of Entu (or any priest in small, rural areas without a designated priest for every god), significant government leaders, soothsayers, soldiers, musicians, someone leading a Camelops that will be sacrificed (or smaller, less important animals in poorer areas), and a gaggle of children waving ribbons on the ends of sticks who want to join in. The procession will ultimately end at the temple or nearest shrine, where the priest will sacrifice the animal in the name of Entu and the soothsayer will read the fortune of the new sun from the entrails.
After the procession, the rest of the day is taken up by music, dancing, street festivals, and ultimately a huge feast at individual family homes.
This day also marks that day that non-monetary tribute is due to the capital. Tribute of gold, silver, textiles, slaves, gemstones, etc., from across the kingdom is presented before the king in waiting on this day. Every 6 years in Zedda, The Ascension to Rekeh begins on this day, with the sacrifice chosen and presented to the king.
Related Ethnicities
