Kandar Birthdays
The Kandar are known for being cheerful and colourful folk despite the horrors of the lands they walk in, and the way they celebrate birthdays are no exception. They are one of the few cultures to celebrate every passing of the year for every one of their people. With food never being particularly abundant in Kandar it doesn't play the same role as in many cultures, though is still a focal point of the observances.
History
Though the origins of many of the intricacies of their birthday celebrations are unknown, some small tweaks have been seen over the years. For instance, tea is a relatively new and rare thing amongst Kandar Wanderers, having only started to be traded with them for the last hundred or so years. Similarly, the lighting of a bonfire is a relatively recent addition as the numbers of dangerous creatures are lowered and more plants begin to grow in the wastelands.
Execution
The day starts with little fanfare, though in more recent times it had become common for the celebrants to start their day with a drink of sweet tea from Antarak or Anvulmar. Throughout the day the celebrant doesn't have to work and instead spends the day giving out small tokens that they had made throughout the course of that year to friends and family members for minor celebrations, or every member of the camp for major celebrations (the two-year-olds, of course, are exempt from this and the duty falls on their family members instead). These small charms and tokens are worn for as long as they last by those who receive them, adding to the Kandar's general cheerful appearance and only taken off when hunting. In turn, those who receive tokens will gather some food specifically for the celebrant.
As evening falls they will light a bonfire and hand over their food for a small feast to be created for the celebrant. While it is prepared and cooked, the celebrants will dance around the fire accompanied by music and singing, and sit in a circle around it when the food is done. While symbolically the food is only for the one celebrating their birthday, the act of them sharing some between those celebrating with them is just as symbolic, even if in practice they still eat the majority of it.
For major celebrations, they will also receive presents after eating, usually larger and more practical than the usual given charms. Though there are no ritualistic gifts for coming of age, it is common to be given gifts such as weapons and their own tent for their coming of age.
Participants
For most birthdays, the only celebrants will be families and close friends of the individual celebrating, though it's not unusual in smaller camps to have most everyone take part. In larger camps and for important birthdays, such as when they survive to 2, come of age at 16 and reach 30, the entire camp will take part, including the guards who rotate in and out.
