|
There is an ancient ritual in Daleth concerning the dead, called the Dance of the Dead. The custom of the Dance of the Dead now only takes place in the rural areas, in close-knitted societies. When a partner of a member of the social group dies, the social group gathers a twozmenoth after the funeral for the Dance of the Dead. They give a break to the mourning partner, who can laugh and dance without being accused of having forgotten about the dead partner. The gathering usually involves large amounts of food and even larger amounts of alcohol. In many cases the mourning partner is allowed to take advantage of the situation and has sexual intercourse with one or more of the party-goers. It is considered to be good for the physical well-being of the mourning person, and a service for him or her that does not involve love or the promis of a new relation. Due to the sexual aspect, a Naglan influence of this custom is unthinkable. Most "ancient rituals" in Daleth are considered relics of the Naglani culture, this is not. After all, if a Naglan "shares bodily fluids" with someone, he or she is married to that other person. The Sudzi have no ritual that is related to the Dance of the Dead, so that connection is ruled out as well. The Ainahawair are considered to be rather asexual. This makes it a riddle where the custom came from. Some say it might be something from the Giants, others say the custom can't be that old. There are signs that in earlier times the coffin of the dead was actually taken into the party, and a dance was performed with it, thus giving the ritual its name "Dance of the Dead". Related topics:
|