Ruhk Naming Ceremony

Ruh Island by Naelin

In the island of Ruh, tradition dictates for newborns to be named on their first year with an adjective chosen by their parents. There are often simple names that represent some physical aspect or personality trait of the baby, or even some projection of the parents' desires for the baby's life, such as "Pink", "Curious" or "Warm".
When the person reaches their 24th birthday, Ruhks consider for them to have reached the most important point of their maturity, and that they had developed their character enough to be defined as a person.
Following this belief, the Ruhk celebrate the Naming Ceremony of the young person on their 24th birthday. There, the RuhRic of their village will announce the person's definitive name after extensive analysis of their characteristics and achievements. The person will then carry this name for the rest of their life.
The definitive name is a verb extracted from a more ample idea or concept that the village's leader will explain during the ceremony. This concept is known as the person's "Character" and full name.
The structure of these "Characters" are the pronoun of the person, followed by the verb and its modifier, such as with He Watches The Birds or He Pulls Like a Magnetar.

Execution

Birthday parties in Ruh are usually big, laid back and cheerful. In contrast, naming ceremonies are solemn and serious affairs, considered the most important part of that person's life.
The village's RuhRic will prepare for the event weeks in advance, interviewing the celebrated person and their family, friends, and even unrelated neighbours to gather a detailed picture of the person's characteristics.
Most of the village will assist to the event, dressed in their best outfits. They will gather in the central plaza where they will set tables forming an almost closed circle, each of them contributing food to the celebration.
Depending on the season and the preferences of the birthday person, the centre of the circle can be filled with a bonfire where vegetables and meats will be roasted, with fruits and flowers, an effigy of the birthday person, or some other set of adornments to represent them
The first part of the event consists of a meal and socialising where alcohol or any other psychoactive is forbidden, as everyone is expected to be at the most lucid at the time of the naming.
The RuhRic will eventually position themselves in the open gap on the circle of tables and call the people to silence and attention.
The birthday person and their close family will be summoned to the centre of the circle, and the RuhRic will then narrate the story and achievements of the celebrated person, to then conclude it with a phrase that condenses that story and turns into the person's new full name.
After the name is announced, the ceremonial part of the event is concluded. The assistants will cheer and celebrate the new name by eating the alcohol-infused solemnity breaker, the traditional meal of the naming ceremony, to indicate that alcohol and psychoactives can now be consumed and that the proper party can start.

Flag of Ruh

Primary Related Location

Ruh Island

Related Ethnicities

• Ruhk