Combat ritual

The worship of Oal-Mer

This is the way for the Kukai to worship their god, Oal-Mer. It is a tradition that every follower of Oal-Mer must participate in at least once in their lives, as it represents the strength and the faith people have in their god.
Though this is part of a religious act, the combat rituals are also a great source of entertainment, with some of the most dedicated Mer being seen as athletes and even idols. This sporty tradition is one of the most iconic, if not the most, within the kukai culture. It is similar to Pro Wrestling and MMA.

History

The Kukai met their god, Oal-Mer, after exterminating the ancient predators that haunted them, the Pakai. Ever since, the kukai swore that no war or hunt would be made by the new Followers of Oal-Mer. This vow would remain a sign of their faith towards the guiding god of harmony.
The kukai sought to create a new ritual to worship their god, one in which they could display their strength and passion, but without harming any other creature. They came up with the idea of combat rituals, which consisted of one-on-one fights between the kukai, regardless of their occupation or talent. As this practice became more popular, the seed of a new profession would set its first roots (the Mer). However, not everyone was be able to fight against the most experienced kukai and the rituals would end with similar results most of the time. However, this did not change the fact that everyone participated in combats.
After seeing the determination and the faith of the kukai, Oal-Mer spoke to those "closer to the god" (the Nur) at The sacred lake, teaching them the ritual to make Sacred water. To this day, every combat ritual starts with both participants drinking this holy beverage, which grants them protection and allows them to fight without limit. It is not used for sparring combats, however, as the sacred water is considered a religious item to be used only during tournaments and special celebrations.

Execution

Combat Ritual

Prior to any tournament or official combat ritual, the Nur must acquire enough Sacred water by performing the proper ritual. This was traditionally done at The sacred lake, though other villages besides Oalmer and Pukamut may do it at a sacred water shrine. The process may take several hours, which is why the Nur perform the ritual a day before.
Combatants are called out from the crowd, usually by a hosting Nur during the first rounds and later on by spectators or the winning participants. When both fighters are set, they drink from the sacred water and then begin to fight. A single combat may anything from seconds to several minutes, depending on the experience and stamina of each participant. They should all end with a knockout, as this is the only visible way to know a fighter is defeated once they drink from the sacred water. In rare occasions, some kukai may simply give up if they consider their opponent is too strong, though this is perceived as an either boring or comical thing to do. As part of their profession, a Mer is strictly forbidden from giving up a fight. It is possible, however, that a fighter submits while being unable to escape from a hold; in a very similar way as in Pro Wrestling and MMA matches.
Because the loser gets knocked out almost every time, tournaments last for a whole year and don't use brackets. Instead, the kukai keep an "official" record of their own victories and defeats, which are used during the holy week to set up the final matches of the year.

Sparring

Because they cannot use the sacred water for this, the kukai train with many restrictions during sparring combats. For example, they may only be allowed to push their enemies outside of the arena, as it happens in sumo wrestling. They may also focus on submission holds and practicing very specific moves. The "kukai martial art", known as Merakai, is similar to Pro Wrestling and MMA combat. However, during sparring sessions the rules and limitations resemble those of Olympic wrestling.
Some of the most dedicated Mer may not actually participate in sparring fights, as they usually come up with their own training routine to improve specific parts of their body or fighting style. This has become somewhat of a tradition among the best fighters, specially for the apprentices/admirers of the legendary champion Onira.

Components and tools

Sacred water

The Sacred water is a religious item acquired by the Nur. It grants protection to participants during a fight, which also allows them to fight without any limits or restrictions.

Arena

Traditionally, a kukai arena is a circular area on the ground made from sand and bordered with relatively small river rocks, usually around 2.4m in diameter. Modern arenas are squared and still keep the sand. However, the arena of each village is unique and may even have their own rules or "combat styles". The oalmer arena is the closest thing to an official design, though it may have some slight changes from time to time to better fit the combats.

Participants

Nur

They are in charge of acquiring the Sacred water and calling out the first combatants for a ritual. They are also considered hosts and somewhat of an authority during celebrations, though their most important role is organization and taking care of the sacred water.

Mer

They are the ones to encourage others to participate combat rituals. If they get called out by someone else, they won't refuse to fight and are considered by the Kukai as great athletes, sometimes even idols. Those Mer who are specially dedicated to combat are always expected to participate in combat rituals and their matches are usually anticipated by their passionate admirers.

Lar

All of the kukai

As part of their cultural customs and tradition, every kukai must participate in a combat ritual at least once in their life. Because of how safe this practice is, it is hard to see a kukai refusing to fight once it is called out. Surprisingly, some of the best fighters in kukai history belonged to an unrelated profession. Some of the most talented fighters outside of the Mer are usually found within the Tat, Bat and Nur professions.

Observance

A celebration for combat rituals is made during the 48th day of each month. Fights taking place during that time will be considered as part of the score for each participating fighter of the ongoing tournament. This changes for the last month, Iga-pupaili, which only has 28 days. It is during the final days of this month that the Kukai celebrate the holy week, when all matches for the yearly tournament are setup.
Other combat rituals may take place at the last day of each week, though these are not considered for fighter scores as they are solely for training purposes. The 24th day of each month is usually reserved for this, but the kukai may ask a Nur for Sacred water if they are available and willing to do it. This practice is uncommon, but it is not seen as wrong if done in the right way.