Qncerixi - the Tabaxian Coming of Age (kin-sare-IKS-ee)
The Qncerixi is the Tabaxi coming of age ceremony for all children, male or female, who turn 12 years of age. It involves a gathering of stories, and the ritualistic relating of those stories to their elders.
History
For centuries, Tabaxi have engaged with a sense of wanderlust in their young adulthood. This wanderlust is encourage by the clans, and is accompanied by a strong desire to learn and experience the world.
Because they believe one is only ready to begin this journey from their home when they are open to the ideas of experiences other than those they have seen in their home, the Qncerixi evolved to provide assurance to the elders in the clan and to the youngster that they were ready to face the world and collect their stories.
Because they believe one is only ready to begin this journey from their home when they are open to the ideas of experiences other than those they have seen in their home, the Qncerixi evolved to provide assurance to the elders in the clan and to the youngster that they were ready to face the world and collect their stories.
Execution
In the days and weeks leading up to their 12th birthday, Tabaxi adolescents are instructed in how to recognize, gather and relate stories. Since Tabaxi are often born as twins or even triplets, often the siblings will participate together.
On the morning of their birthday, the child is woken early, having packed supplies the night before. They are brought to the outskirts of their settlement and led partway into a denser section of the jungle. From there, the child must make their way through the growth to one of several traditional clearings some miles away. At nightfall they make their camp, and the next morning they meditate on what stories mean, both from the past and into the future.
During the day, most of the participants receive a vision of some kind, from the distant past of either their race or one of another's. The child then spends the next several days reflecting on this vision of events from the past as more visions are given to them.
After a week in the jungle, the child returns to their family. After a day's rest, the clan gathers in the storytelling area of the camp to hear the child's grand tale. He or she relates the story, pulling together elements from the visions, their meditations, reflections on their families' lives and stories and sometimes pure fiction. If they succeed in crafting a story deemed worthy, a great feast begins, and soon the Qncerixi draws to a close with the child now considered to be a mature man or woman.
In cases of siblings, more is expected of them to collaborate and even more elaborate stories are woven by sharing their narratives.
On the morning of their birthday, the child is woken early, having packed supplies the night before. They are brought to the outskirts of their settlement and led partway into a denser section of the jungle. From there, the child must make their way through the growth to one of several traditional clearings some miles away. At nightfall they make their camp, and the next morning they meditate on what stories mean, both from the past and into the future.
During the day, most of the participants receive a vision of some kind, from the distant past of either their race or one of another's. The child then spends the next several days reflecting on this vision of events from the past as more visions are given to them.
After a week in the jungle, the child returns to their family. After a day's rest, the clan gathers in the storytelling area of the camp to hear the child's grand tale. He or she relates the story, pulling together elements from the visions, their meditations, reflections on their families' lives and stories and sometimes pure fiction. If they succeed in crafting a story deemed worthy, a great feast begins, and soon the Qncerixi draws to a close with the child now considered to be a mature man or woman.
In cases of siblings, more is expected of them to collaborate and even more elaborate stories are woven by sharing their narratives.
Components and tools
Usually only the Tabaxi child's own paws are allowed to be used to accompany the verbal narrative. In rare cases, depending on the circumstances, a small prop such as a stick or a leaf may be used to represent an element, but nothing more. The ritual is designed to test a Tabaxi's early storytelling skills to the limit.
Participants
All the Tabaxi's family members, close friends and sometimes elders in the tribe will attend the storytelling finale of the qncerixi ritual.
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