Seris comming of age ceremony
The comming of age ceremony or Śaumomoko( for boys) and Śanamoko( for girls), lit. To become a man/ a women. Its one of the most important events in the life of any seris boy or girl. In which they cease to be seen as boys or girls by society, becoming adults with all the benefits and consequences that this means,regarding to the law, for example.
Its origins are very old, predating the foundation of the Empire itself. And its pretty much the same regarding your class, it would mostly be the same no matter if your are the Imperial prince, a member of the warrior class, the son or daughter of a merchant or a peasant. Without this ceremony one could not integrate legally into adult society and of course its adulthood would be doomed as he or she hasn't performed the sacred ceremony tha, among other things, asks the gods for their protection and blessing.
The ceremony has very similar rituals to others perfomed by other davidovian peoples on the same ocassion, as they share a common pantheon and there were the same people millenia ago. But the meaning and most of the ritual is very unique to the seris world.
History
The tradition for a comming of age ceremony in the seris world is very old. Some people believe that it predates the foundation of the Empire, when the country was divided into various kingdoms.
It began as a relatively simple ceremony in which the boy or girl made a sacrifice on the main temple of the city or town and then an speech was given by the father or mother welcoming the boy or girl to adulthood. But, as centuries passed by, the ceremony became more complex and ritualized, but despite that, it continues to be a very proud momments for the youngsters and their families. The first description of the ritual as we know it today dates back from the 4th century BP, when literature starts to be more abundant.
Execution
The date of the ceremony should be stablished via divination, usually consulting the local oracle. After the date is stablished, the family select the honoured guest who will gave the speech at the ceremony, usually a friend of the family. When the day arrive the boy or girl is dressed by the parents with a white tunic, then they go to the local temple when the family members an friends of the teenager are waiting. Here, the boy offers both his childhood toys (meaning that he ceased to be a child) and the first facial hair after his first shaving. In case of the girls they offer their toys too and the dresses they wore during their childhood.
Then the ceremony continues with a prayer recited by the priest in which he asks to the two main gods, Abina and Tyr to be the guardians of the new adult and to give him/her wisdom in their future life as an adult. Then the honoured guest pronounce his speech that usually says something like this:
"Now you have become and adult, this is the beggining of your new life. Your parents, the rest of your family and your friends are very proud of you and all wish you luck, sucess and a prosperous life and that you may someday assist to this very same ceremony being so proud of your children as your parents are proud of you today. Behave yourself properly, achieve moral excellence and respect the gods, and protect your loved ones these are the advices that i gave to you on this day. Many years to you!. And then the rest of the spectators shouts many years to you!!.
Finally the parents also give an speech showing their love and affection to their child and then the latter bows two times in front of each one of them and thanks them for their love and education through these years. The ceremony ends with a banquet in the house of the new adult full of music and dance.
Usually this ceremony is pretty much the same regarding social class, but it shall be noted that regarding to the Namru, the warrior class of the country another element is added to the ceremony. This time, after the ceremony at the temple and the banquet, the boy, in company of his father and the honoured guest (usually a high ranking namru who is a friend of the family) goes to the city square or the main square in the neighbourghood and in front of everyone has to execute a criminal sentenced to death, usually beheading him with the sword that it has been given to him as a gift, simbolizing his entry into the country's military elite. Although this tradition might seem a bit radical of traumatizing it has a lot of meaning. As the child is expected to become a warrior he must be used to kill and also, as the Namru are seen as guarantees of peace, justice and order, they have the right to execute any criminal sentenced to death with their own sword.
Components and tools
As it has been mentioned, the most important elements are the white tunics worn by the boys and girls, then the toys, or at least some of them (because tradition says that some might be kept so that in the future they will someday give them to their children), that are going to be "sacrified at the temple".
And in the case of the members of the Namru class, also the sword that is going to ge given to the boy that simbolizes his entry into their ranks and his future live as a warrior.
Participants
The most importants of course are the boy or girl that is about to become an adult, their parents and the honoured guest, usually a friend of the family or sameone respecfull among the community. The brothers and sisters of the teenagers are also present as well as the rest of the family, usually grandparents, uncles and aunts, cousins, even friends of the protagonist of the ceremony can attend to it, always in company of their parents if they hadn't became adults yet.
Observance
It depends of the answer of the oracle, usually they're performed in spring or summer. When days are longer and there are more sunny days. Nobody wants this wonderful, one in a lifetime ceremony to happen on a rainy day!.
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