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 Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 6:08 pm
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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 6:10 pm
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.: razz ridal Information::.
General Information
Primarily, the Kukwama'Nyumbani is a pride of wanderers. The pride lands themselves are mostly populated by the young, whilst adults range out alone or in groups all over the Rogue lands. Some members are even generally forbidden from coming into the pride lands themselves. Why do they wander? Mostly for the purpose of expanding the pride's beliefs and in order to lure females back near the pride lands so they can bear young and increase the pride's numbers. It's a type of conquest, without really involving bloodshed. Simply a slow rise of numbers until one day in the far future, they will be spread across all the lands withing their range.
Located
In a valley surrounded by a crescent of mountains lives the Kukwama'Nyumbani. This terrain is harsh, the top tier mountainous and cold. It slowly slopes down to a second tier of plains. These plains are where the hunting, water, and most of the pride's social events are held. About the edges of the sloped plains are dens for members of the Pride below the higher pelt rankings. At the base of their mountain home lies the jungle. Considered dangerous, it's considered 'off limits', save for the Vijana'Mthani and Ambao'ni'Wewe.
Beliefs
Pelt Color
The pride believes in a ranking system by pelt color. Aside from the Queens, Elder, and King, there isn't much differentiation in the actual ranks of the pride, but those of "higher" pelt-colors are more respected etc. The ranking system goes as such:
White pelts are the highest pelt color. Pure white is often held in the highest esteem, though if a pride member is predominantly white pelted, they are still considered higher ranked.
Pale/Pastel colors come in second. These colors must also be the predominant color of the pelt.
Below the pale and pastel are the normally colored pelts. Anything slightly darker than pastels.
Darker versions of the colors, anything nearing the black spectrum come below that.
Finally, the lowest of the lows are black, and anything fading into black.
Names
Each and every cub/pup in the pride is born without a name. They are considered fairly useless, helpless, and generally looked down upon by older members until they have passed the Vijana'Mthani and earned their name. OOC'ly, their name is on their cert at cub-stage, but they will not be called by this name IC'ly until juvenile stage.
Elements
The pride believes that each member is associated with an element of some kind. This element can be anything the member is drawn to - from elements of nature to things like 'strength' or 'bitterness'. There will be a place on the pride cert for the element to be listed. OOC'ly, this may be listed at the cub stage, though officially it will not come into play until after the Ambao'ni'Wewe. It's also possible to wait until after this ceremony to choose the element and add it to the cert OOC'ly.
Relationships
There are four types of relationships that are accepted by the Queens and King. It is perfectly possible for any one pride member to have all four of these relationships with other (different) members of the pride at the same time. In fact, this is the ideal for any pride member, though it doesn't tend to happen very often.
Moyo Ukweli
This is the 'true love' ideal. Those who are in the Moyo Ukweli relationship are mated for life. Not that these are always the most perfect of relationships, no. Moyo Ukweli can often be nearly violent in their relationships, but nonetheless, there is something there that is not present in any of the other four recognized relationships. This type of relationship is the most common one for having cubs.
Washirika
This is the ideal of true friendship. It is often said that the two in this relationship are soul mates - though not in a romantic sense. Generally they balance one another out perfectly, often with one partner curbing the other's violent instincts or stupidity to keep them from harming themselves or someone else. It is believed that the Gods themselves meant for these pairs to be in such a relationship. This type of relationship should never result in cubs from the partners.
Katikati
This is usually a three-way relationship where the Katikati is a mediator of sorts between two other members of the pride. This third keeps the other two from becoming enemies, and it is often thought that if the Katikati didn't intervene, the other two would bring troubled violence where there should not be violence. This type of relationship should never result in cubs from the partners.
Haja'hasira
This is considered the relationship in which both parties feel as though they are made to hate each other, but the hatred has an underlying sense of lust or sexual tension. The two in this relationship thrive on the rivalry, and it is considered forbidden to kill one's Haja'hasira, as then you would no longer have the relationship. Cubs are possible in this type of relationship, though not as common as with Moyo Ukweli.
Non-Lions and Flings
Flings are not at all looked down upon in the pride, as it is usually what occurs. Males are encouraged to go out, find a female to breed with, and bring her back. The female can make a choice, after the litter is born. Leave the pride, or become a permanent member. However, females who are members of the pride must either wander or stay on the outskirts of the lower plains. They are not allowed actually within the pride lands, unless they are in the Kutunza Rank.
Non-lions are more than welcome within the pride's lands, under any rank they find themselves drawn to, aside from Queen or King. Familiars are encouraged to be the caretakers of the youngsters. If they are carnivorous, they often help with hunting and larger familiars sometimes help the Skauti in patrolling the jungle and going in to seek out lost cubs. All familiars help guide and teach the younger members of the pride.
Ceremonies
Vijana'Mthani - The Young Trials
This is one of the most important ceremonies in a young pride-member's life. During the Vijana'Mthani, cubs are sent out into the jungle to test their mettle. Though most dangers in the forest wouldn't threaten a grown pride member, they can be extremely dangerous for cubs. It's not uncommon for cubs to die or be injured during the Trials. If cubs make it back from the Vijana, they are considered 'real' members of the Pride, and finally get the honor of being called by their names.
Ambao'ni'Wewe
The Ambao'ni'Wewe is a ceremony hosted nearing the end of a pride member's juvenile years. The Queens come down from their caves to send the cubs out on a hunt into the jungle. This hunt is symbolic, as it's how the juves attain their 'elements' that they hold for the rest of their lives. The pride puts great stock in this. The dangers present in the Trials are still there, though these older pride members are a little more able to take care of themselves and death/injury isn't quite as likely.
Wakati wa Matakwa
(This will be a time of ORP in December, ending the evening of December 22)
This time is spent in the darkness of the longest night of the year. The Wakati wa Matakwa is the time of the longest night, for daylight is overcome, and the sun flees earlier from the sky. This is not a time to curse the darkness, but a time simply to accept the long night as a part of the great wheel of life. Take comfort in the knowledge that, though the night is long, the sun will return again on the morrow. When the day passes, the sun begins to remain longer in the day sky in its journey around the sacred wheel of the seasons. The week leading up to this day is a time that is held in reverence by all, and is a time where all, even the wanderers, come home to be with the Pride.
Wakati wa Roho
(This is a time of ORP in October, celebrated the week leading up to the day of October 31.)
With the approach of the Wakati wa Roho, the illusionary barrier between the spiritual and physical worlds becomes as a vaporous curtain, easily parted by a single breath. It need not be a time of fear. Instead, this day can become a time for remembering our loved ones who have gone before us into the world of spirit and honoring the years they shared with us on this physical plane. This is more of a family time for the pride, one of the four major holidays celebrated by the group.
Wakati wa Uzazi
(This is a time of ORP that begins on the first of May, and will last a week.)
This sacred holiday celebrates the light half of the year, which holds sway until the Wakati wa Ruoho, or the beginning of the dark half of the year. On this day the Goddess of Fertility is honored. The Goddess seeds the very air with romantic promise, so that every green thing, every animal is hard-pressed to ignore the fires of love which flicker within them. This is the biggest holiday within the pride. Even the females are invited up to the upper tiers of the plains to rejoice, be merry, and enjoy a festival of fertilty and...other things~.
Wakati wa Mengi
(This is a time of ORP that begins August 1 and will last for a week)
Wakati wa Mengi is the time of year of the collecting to store, the time when the sun begins to make its way toward the dark part of the year. The sun's energy, power and dominance is waning, and so, although it is a time of abundance, it is also a time of preparing for the arrival of autumn with winter approaching soon after. Any who are close to the pride lands are invited in to celebrate, though some groups of wanderers may be too far away and usually hold their own smaller celebrations.
Uchaguzi wa Mrithi
The choosing of the new pride rulers is an important ritual. When the Queens are near the end of their reign, they choose two females to succeed them. The King usually steps down with them, and the two new Queens decide on a male to be their King.
Other Holidays
These are other holidays honored by the pride, though there are not large pride-wide festivals held for them. Usually those within the pride lands celebrate them together, and any wanderers near each other tend to group up a little bit to honor the holiday.
Maadhimisho ya Mwanga (Imbolc)
(near the 1st of February)
This holiday marks the first stirring of life and light after the cold and darkness of winter. The first flowers are beginning to appear and the the pride celebrates the rebirth of nature. This is the time for individuation, as each pride member realizes their potential, and sets themselves tasks and challenges for the warmer months up ahead. This is a particularly good time for cubs of age to go through Vijana'Mthani.
Kuanza Maisha (Ostara)
(on the Spring Equinox - date will differ from year to year)
The equinox is a time both of fertility and new life, and of balance and harmony. Light and dark are here in balance, but the light is growing stronger. It is a time of birth, and of manifestation. The days grow lighter and the earth grows warmer. This is a time both of growth and of balance, and the pride may work on balancing itself. This is also the holiday that honors the Washirika relationship.
Kuanza Afya (Litha)
(on the Summer Solstice - date will differ from year to year)
At the Summer Solstice the sun is at its highest and brightest and the day is at its longest. This is a time of beauty, love, strength, energy, rejoicing in the warmth of the sun, and the promise of the fruitfulness to come. It seems a carefree time, yet in the knowledge of life, is the knowledge of death, and beauty is but transitory. Usually games involving a show of strength, such as tug of war, wrestling, etc. are appropriate here, and are often staged at gatherings. This holiday also honors the Moyo Ukweli relationship.
Kuanza Mwisho (Modron)
(on the Autumnal Equinox - date will differ from year to year)
The two equinoxes are times of equilibrium. Day and night are equal and the tide of the year flows steadily, but whilst the Spring Equinox manifests the equilibrium before action, the Autumnal Equinox represents the repose after action, the time to take satisfaction in the work of the summer and reap its benefits. This is almost like a lesser version of the Wakati wa Mengi festival, with smaller groups gathering to watch sunsets and remember the warm days of spring and summer even as winter approaches.
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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 6:12 pm
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.::Heirarchy::.
Mchawi'wa'Maisha Queen(s) - (2/2)
The pride is mainly matriarchal so far as rulers go, even though other females are normally prohibited from entering the main part of the pride's lands. There are always two Queens (both lions), who rule jointly.
Kale Council Elders - (0/6)
These are Elders who are considered wise and knowledgeable and thus have been chosen by the Queens to help them make decisions on pride-wide matters. There are only six at a time, though there is no set "term" for their service and they can be dismissed and new Kale chosen at the Queens' will.
Mkuu'wa'damu King - (1/1)
The Queens will choose one lion to be their King. He is more of a figurehead and stud than an actual leader, but his words may hold some weight with the Queens.
Ukurasa'wa'akili Heir - (???/???)
The offspring of the current Queens and King. Being Heir does not mean automatically stepping up to Queen/King when the current Queens step down. The Queens may choose any pride member to take their place, though they might be partial to their own cubs (assuming that said cubs aren't all darker-colored or idiots or something of that nature XD )
Kutunza Elder (0/Unlimited)
These are pride members who are too old, sick or injured to wander anymore. They are permitted to live inside the pride lands, although those of higher pelt color obviously get the better dens and so forth.
Msomi Wandering Teacher (0/Unlimited)
These members wander along with the Skauti and k**e'Mtafuta and teach any they come across about the ways of the pride. They are partly responsible for recruitment, along with the Skauti.
Kushikilia Mother (0/Unlimited)
Any female who is brought back to the pride and chooses to remain within the pride after her cubs are born. Kushikilia may either stick closer to the pride's borders or wander, so long as they are not currently nursing cubs.
Skauti Scout (0/Unlimited)
There are two main groups of Skauti. Those who wander, and those who stay closer to the pride lands. The majority are wanderers, and the primary recruiters for the pride. They seek out those who may be drawn to a life in the pride and try to encourage them to return to the pride lands with them and choose an element and rank. The Skauti who choose to stay closer to the pride lands are in charge of patrolling the borders of the jungle and sometimes going inside to fetch cubs/juves who have been gone too long - whether the younger members are alive or dead.
k**e'Mtafuta Female Seeker (0/Unlimited)
The males that choose the rank of k**e'Mtafuta are the males that wander outside of the Pride. Their job is to go out, mate with a female, bring her back to the pride, and allow her to have her cubs there. Their entire job is about the mating....Lucky males.
Chakula'Mtoaji Hunter (0/Unlimited)
They hunt for the food for the pride. Some tend to stay close to the pride lands (though on the lower tiers), while others wander with various groups to help provide food for them. This is a MALE ONLY rank.
Kuwinda Adolescent (0/Unlimited)
These young creatures are close becoming adults. They've gained their element on their cert, and are starting to learn the things they'll need to know to become full members of the Pride. They are also required to hunt for food for the YOUNGER generations.
Kuruka Juvenile (0/Unlimited)
The Juves have finally earned the right to be called by a name. After they are brought back from the Jungle, they begin preparing for their next Cycle, in which they gain their elements.
Kiwavi Cub (0/unlimited)
The Kiwavi are the no-names. At this age, cubs, pups, etc have yet to prove themselves in the eyes of the pride. Pride members in this rank will be called "Kiwavi (descriptive adjective here)". The adjective changes depending on who's talking/which Kiwavi they're talking to. Example: A blue cub with green eyes might be called Kiwavi Blue, or Kiwavi Green-eyes. Basically just some term so that IC'ly, it is clear which cub is being referred to at the time. |
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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 6:18 pm
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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 6:53 pm
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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 6:56 pm
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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 7:18 pm
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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 8:23 pm
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Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 9:24 am
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Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 5:33 pm
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Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2012 6:48 am
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Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 1:27 pm
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Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 2:25 pm
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Reply
