Arbeito

The custom of Arbeito translates to "life story" in the various languages of Nawaquivo. It is an integral part of the funerary traditions of the islanders, held after a person has been buried, where all who knew them gather and recount stories and tales from the life of the deceased.

History

In the Nawaquivoan religion, the goddess Yaabi is the deity of dreams, stories and ancestors, as well as the prime deity who presides over the passing of a soul into the afterlife. She travels in a small canoe across the waters that bear the souls of the dead towards their ordained afterlife, conversing with the spirits she encounters, asking them about their lives and recording the stories they tell so that they may be remembered forever. For the still-living Nawaquivoans, arbeito is their way of venerating Yaabi and honouring the lives of those who have passed on, as well as serving as catharsis for the living, who have a chance to share fond memories they have of their departed loved one.

Execution

An arbeito is typically begun with a short eulogy to the deceased by a Yaabian priest or acolyte, before inviting others to share their own memories and stories. Usually, this is begun by those who knew them best in life such as their spouse, children or siblings, but eventually is opened up for any of those gathered to share. The story-telling is often punctuated with songs, music, dancing and drinking, turning what might be a sombre occasion into a celebration. When alcohol begins to flow, it is common for attendees to begin sharing humorous stories about the departed, and laughter is not discouraged during an arbeito.
It is considered impolite to not share at least one memory one might have, no matter how short or banal it might seem, with the exception of course one happens to be a complete stranger to the deceased. In this case, one should toast or praise the stories thus far told. Most disrespectful however is to take advantage of an arbeito to insult or air grievances about the deceased, as the tales raised during the ceremony are supposed to honour the memory of the dead as well as provide comfort to those close to them. To insult the dead during the arbeito is thought to weaken the deceased's spirit as it makes its way along the Procession of Souls towards the next life, making it susceptible to malignant entities that might then prey upon them.

Components and tools

There are no official tools or iconography necessary in conducting an arbeito, merely a space large enough to accommodate all those in attendance. Most arbeitos are communal affairs, and are commonly held in the batey, the large rectangular plazas that most Nawaquivoan islanders builder their settlements around.

Participants

Yaabian priests typically begin arteibos, after which they typically listen and record the stories they hear told during the ceremony. An arteibo can nominally be conducted with only a single attendant along with the priest, though this typically only occurs if the deceased was particularly disliked by their community, or if they were a traveller whom few knew well.

Related Ethnicities

• Siroken
• Tanigua