Tuulammanulaasosa (Nonlit. 'In Tuulamma's Shade')

by Nimin N.

A tradition shared by most furoot ethnicities is the Tuulammanulaasosa, which loosely translates to ‘In Tuulamma’s Shade’. It’s a personal meditative ritual for self-care that can be practiced at any time of day by anyone but sees more frequent use by pre-adolescent furoot.
The ritual involves taking a break from daily life to go sit below your village’s Tuulamma tree. Once there, you can speak to it about whatever happens to be on your mind – good, bad, or in between – for as long as you need to. The pervading belief that the ‘life-tree’ loves all its rootkits unconditionally and listens without judgment plays a big part in the ritual’s role as an effective means of relieving stress and worry and providing comfort and calm. It's considered rude and disrespectful to approach someone sitting below the Tuulamma.
Though it's not necessary, many furoot will bring a gift with them to place at the foot of the tree before they leave. This is usually a mild herbal tea or a small collection of nuts and seeds.

Complications of the travelling lifestyle

It’s becoming increasingly common to see furoot more actively engage in galactic society, but being far removed from their Tuulamma has proven detrimental to many of them. Tests have been made to be in the presence of a different tree than the one that rooted them, but this will not relieve any of the symptoms they suffer.
The illness typically begin with symptoms similar to those found in depressive disorders and will increase in severity over time. Most furoot return to their birth homes within 3-5 years and it can take them over a decade afterward to fully recover. It’s not yet been determined if it's partially or fully psychosomatic, or if the furoot are to some degree symbiose-dependent on their Tuulamma.