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-= Raft Holt Culture =-

Important Policies | Appearance | Culture | Environment | Magic | Joining the Tribe

Life upon the sea...

The Rafters are a big family. Everyone stays together but they are not a pack like wolfriders are. The Elders of the tribe are respected and listened to, pips and younglings are treasured and taught in best possible way by both parents and tribe alike. Everyone shares in the everyday work and chores about the watery holt, taking part in repairing weapons and nets, in gathering and preparing food, or otherwise caring for the tribe as a whole. They gather shells and sea-vegetables, as well as fruits and leaves for use as food and on the rafts that serve as the tribe's water-borne homes.

The Rafters have social gatherings often due to seasonal hunting and gathering. The hunt of the White-belly (big whales), for instance, only happens during the certain time the White-belly travel up the coast and to the north. A group of five to ten hunters and scouts will be sent out during this period to bring in a catch of three to four White-bellies, which will feed and provide the tribe with meat, hide, fat and bones. The group will be away from the Holt for as long as two weeks, returning to a Festival. During this time mollusks, scallops and other such shellfish are collected due to season growth as well. That will be the task of those remaining in the Holt. This is one of the most traditional and biggest of the Rafters many Festivals. There are usually stories told on the beach, swimming contests, collecting contests and spear throwing contests, punctuated by dancing and feast.

Recognitions and lifematings are reasons to celebrate too, though some choose to keep it a quiet celebration. Dance and feast usually mark this occasion, where the Chief or Elders of the tribe will perform a ritual, bonding the elves for all to see. Gifts may be given on this occasion and good wishes from the tribe-members. When a pip is born, he or she is to be presented to the tribe in a ritual where it receives its first name. Gifts and wishes are given to the newborn and a feast follows to celebrate the addition to the tribe. The parents, closest kin, Elders or the Chieftain, based on the feel of the pip - gives the name.

The Rafters have soulnames already in the womb. This will be determined and the parents will know the instant the pip has it. This is because Rafters are strong and frequent senders, they rarely speak and so soulnames come early and stay, there is no need for search.

Even so, there is the Coming of Age Festival. As Rafters are pureblooded elves, they have the ability to live a long and active life, though the lifestyle with natural threats usually ends it before they reach their 1000th turn. At age 450+ an elf is considered an Elder and is often sought out for advice or the occasional story. Young elves are not considered adult until the age of 25-30, and only then they are still young adults, still learning. But coming to that age brings a celebration, where the parent, closest kin or the Chieftain presents the member to the tribe, giving him or her a position within the tribe among the adults. During this celebration, it is custom that someone in the tribe gives the member a test to enforce their right to call themselves adult. This can be anything from hunting a reef-manytooth (small shark), to swimming a certain length within a given time. A Rafter does not reach their full status of adult until age 100 turns.

When a of the tribe member dies, the tribe again gathers for a ritual to pay respect to the dead. The dead is brought out in a raft by the closest kin or the Chieftain, cut to bleed and given back to the sea. Although a sad event, a feast is held afterwards where the dead will be remembered by stories and presentation of living kin.