The Culture and Traditions
Similar to Arenia and Aya, Prezian and Kurian culture places great importance in hunting practices and social rituals, though unlike in Arenia the old ways are still proliferate. Hunters were not only the main source of food to a Hataman’s people but also guardians against the overhunting of what little resources they could acquire. Stalkers, much different from the breed of criminal, instead filled a vital role in not only feeding a tribe through the Great Journey, but cultivating the ecosystem when they were forced to settle as they reached the Morze Lez and were enforcers of this order, spiritually ordained by Speakers. In the present day, especially in rural areas and nomadic clans, the Stalker continues to be an important member of the community that provides food and hides, as well as enforcing Sankcja.
Hunting also has a spiritual significance to Kariebans, not just a practical one, that should never be understated and is an important factor in the life of a Stalker. In order to properly take a life certain rituals had to be observed before, during, and after the kill to insure that the quarry did not suffer and that it would not seek revenge as a spirit. At the onset of a hunt it was common practice to offer a prayer to Bogwilka, both for their success and for Her to see to the spirit of the fallen animal. Years of training are required under a mentor, and when the new Stalker is deemed ready they would undertake a ceremony lead by a Shylarovan Speaker who would bestow upon them Bogwilka’s protection in their future hunts. At the conclusion of a hunt before processing the carcasses one final prayer was offered for the slain animals.
Farming’s advent brought about change in the necessity of hunting as it was no longer the sole means of survival along with foraging. Now able to be more selective about their game of choice, Hatamans and Stalkers began to tighten further on what animals are Sankcja, approved for hunting, for different times of the year to maintain the population of game in their territories. The most important animal to be Sanckja is the Prezian Bison, and as such it became a widely celebrated cultural holiday known as Polowanie that is still observed all over Karieba to this day. Sankcja is usually timed carefully for most prey in order for their populations to be regenerated, but there are also certain animals that are forbidden to be hunted at all times of the year, no exceptions. Many of them are predators like wolves and lions or animals with significant importance like all breeds of Horses. Additionally the word Sankcja spread to the lexicons of cultures all across Terota to refer to periods of approved hunting, even if some places don’t really remember where it came from.
Polowanie
On the eve of the 29th of Finvera just before the Spring Equinox, Stalkers from across Karieba gather in whatever city or town they live nearest and participate in a ceremony lead by a Shylarovi Speaker. The Speaker would bless the gathering and lead the singing of songs honouring Bogwilka the Wolf God, patron of Stalkers and guardian of Animals. While these songs are still sung in the modern time, the blessing and dedication has been modified in larger cities along the coast due to Cicloist monks leading the ceremonies instead.
After the ceremony the Stalkers return home to prepare, form teams, and rest so they may rise early to begin the hunt at first light. The goal of this hunt is to be the first to bring down a Bison and return it to the center of the settlement as the first kill of the season that will feed the populace. The slain Bison is then dressed and the meat used to feed as many people as it can in a large feast, and the Stalker who won the competition is honoured during the meal. They are given the Hataman’s seat at the table for the festival as well as the adoration of the people of the town. There are historical records of various Stalkers having been landed as well, though this is at an Opiekuns discretion and is not standard practice. As you can tell the ceremony and event of Polowanie is to recognize and reinforce a Stalkers role in society, so some may feel pressure to give a decent performance to justify to both themselves and their community of their position.
When Stalkers go looking for Bison there are two varieties of bison that exist in Karieba: the common Prezian Bison, and the rare Great Steppe Bison. While they are seldom seen, if a Stalker manages to successfully find and hunt one of these megafauna for Polowanie it is an achievement that will forever immortalize them as one of the greatest at their profession. Usually a Helicopter will be used to transport the Great Steppe Bison to be processed, and is a spectacle that many gather to see as it was a sign of good luck and easy times ahead as well as a reminder of where they have come from.
Modernization and the Path Forward
Despite Karieba being seen as a backwater during the Nohkaal Era, with very limited modernization efforts, after the Great War and the destruction of the Arenian Empire the people of Karieba were able to carve their own path. Spurred on by the Imperial 1st Army’s sacking of Keskellen, many voices have risen up stating a lack of faith in the conservative governments because of their resistance to modernization and the development of important institutions, leading to reform and the Kariebans own industrial revolution in the mid 2340’s.
Industrialists from Dla Ziemi in the Sejm claim that clinging to these traditions that make the development of cities and infrastructure slow is hamstringing the Federation, while most Szałwia Deputies are unwilling to concede ground and believe that continuing too rapid a change would result in a loss of the cultural identity of Karieba and destabilization of the ecosystem. Deputies that are a part of Dla Ludzi try to find a happy medium trying to maintain the balance of the land and preserving their cultural identity, and still striving to keep the country relevant in the Post-War Era.
Modern firearms as well have changed the landscape of hunting, putting the practice of using spears or other melee weapons in the hunt into antiquity, and with the modernization of the Federation comes better access to such weapons. Stalkers and Hatamans have had varying reactions to the use of firearms for Sankcja hunting, with some allowing for limited use and others outright banning their implementation all together. They view the ease at which a person can hunt with a firearm as concerning as it not only diminishes the role of the Stalker, but makes the enforcing of Sankcja much more difficult. The Sejm attempted to resolve the issue, making anointed Stalkers official keepers of the law within the jurisdiction of their clans territories, and tightening the proliferation of firearms. Unfortunately, soldiers off duty, mercenaries, as well as other armed organizations within the Federation have hunted off of Sankcja with the firearms issued to them. This has led to clashes with Hataman’s in the area leading to the deaths of soldiers and Stalkers alike, which was egg on the face for the Sejm, but also ignited further heated discourse on hunting.
Generally, hunting is not an activity viewed to be done purely for pleasure, as not only historically were Bogwilka and her Stalkers said to punish those who hunt beyond their need, but hunting laws have existed for centuries with harsh penalties for breaking them. Many Kariebans still believe to this day that animals are far closer to equals to Aethrin than in post-industrial Arenia, and the justice system reflects this: unsanctioned killing of an animal is murder in the eyes of the law. Self defense exceptions naturally apply, but any hunting done off Sankcja, hunting of endangered or forbidden species, or young animals is met very quickly with the same sentence for murder in that territory. Even in the unlikely event of an acquittal, ostracization by one's community is nearly guaranteed. There have always been those who ignore these laws and traditions but only now do they try to justify their acts as the march forward, even if squarely in the minority.
Many of the Nomadic Clans are fearful of a future where they lose the support of those in the settlements and that one day they will simply stop caring about these important traditions, prompting Hataman's and Stalkers from Clans all over to make their own public campaigns to keep connected with their sedintary sibilings. Most aren't hardliner anti-industrialists, though they certainly exist, but instead champion ideas to find proper compromise with industry and development and promote ecological policy with scientists centered around public health and enviormental concerns. This is primarily done via public speaking in person or on the radio, as the majority of Kariebans are still illiterate. This approach has proved to be very effective, maintaining popular support with the people, and even some Hataman's have been able to get their Stalkers into the chamber of the Rada to speak to the Deputies and the nation. So despite the Karieban Industrial Revoultion, the traditions remain ever present on the minds of everyone no matter their status.
