One in the Wilds
This was the second ritual undergone by new adults in the Marahum, after the Forging of the Ha'awel. The new adult member of the community would set off into the wilderness, and spend anything from one month to a year wandering alone, learning independence, meditating to commune with The Tousoula for guidance, and making connections with other settlements .
The majority of participants would return after four-to-six weeks, bearing a new name and often a newfound confidence. Those who stayed away longer tended to be the more adventurous, those with wanderlust, or particularly ardent worshippers of the Tousoula. There was also a tendency for the community to view those who had stayed away for more than four months with particular respect, which encouraged some to do so.
While a risk, elders felt that this ritual both encouraged a respect and appreciation for one's home, as well as creating strong and confident clan members. Before embarking, the participants would of course learn how to survive and how to defend themselves, and it was not often that someone failed to return.
The majority of participants would return after four-to-six weeks, bearing a new name and often a newfound confidence. Those who stayed away longer tended to be the more adventurous, those with wanderlust, or particularly ardent worshippers of the Tousoula. There was also a tendency for the community to view those who had stayed away for more than four months with particular respect, which encouraged some to do so.
While a risk, elders felt that this ritual both encouraged a respect and appreciation for one's home, as well as creating strong and confident clan members. Before embarking, the participants would of course learn how to survive and how to defend themselves, and it was not often that someone failed to return.
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