Culture
Greetings. I am S'park, here to speak about The Res' Selenoren.
Since the Selenoren is a private event, the text below describes the general ideas of the Selenoren. Many clans and individuals differ in implementation, administration, and celebration of the Selenoren. There are also many controversial issues surrounding the Selenoren.
At puberty, each Zabrak is given a series of personal challenges. These challenges are called the child's Selenoren. This event is extremely important in a Zabrak's life. Zabrak cherish Selenoren and never speaks about the challenges to non-Zabrak. Additionally, these trials are kept private from all outside the Parent-child relationship.
Rumors have spread throughout the galaxy describing harrowing events such as unarmed Zabrak children battling enormous beasts and acts of body mutilation to test courage or desire. Over the last several thousand years, a few outsiders have written books with these rumors and also describing rites of individual Zabrak. Consequently, these books are banned in most Zabrak villages and worlds, as they violate the sense of pride for and devalue the rites.
There are three paths the child may arrive at: successful completion of the Selenoren, failure of the Selenoren, and refusal of the Selenoren. The Selenoren consist of three challenges: a physical, mental, and social challenge. Each challenge is personalized, tailored to each child's best abilities and their parents' Selenoren.
Each parent uses their families' past Selenoren and the values held dear to the clan to choose the challenges for their children. Tradition holds that fathers administer the Selenoren to their sons, while mothers administer it for their daughters.
The physical challenge is said to be something such as a trial by combat, a foot race, lifting of immense cabers, or a gauntlet. The mental challenge would perhaps, be a riddle, a recitation of Zabrak history or poetry, improvisation, or completion of complex word games. These tests are given at any time, within 3 months of the Rising Festival. If a child does not pass one of these two tests, the parent has the ability to choose a different test before the Rising Festival.
Whenever a father doubts his child's readiness for the final challenge, he may evoke a stay of years, an indefinite period of time, in which he is allowed to help his child better learn what is required of an adult. Since the first two Selenor are seen as preparatory tests for the social challenge, the honor of the father and child is at stake at the final challenge.
The clan elders give the final Selenor publicly during the Rising Festival. All children eligible are tested together. The final Selenor could be a group hunt or possibly a group recital of music, depending on the talents of those involved. This last challenge is designed to test the child's ability to work with his or her clan-mates, as well as their ability to overcome social awkwardness or fear.
The completion of the Selenoren is the culmination of the Rising Festival. During the great feast that follows, the young Zabrak are marked by the clan tattoos. It has been seen that some clans also give the new adults a tattoo of the administering parent's choice. It is said that less traditional clans may even allow the new adult to choose a tattoo of his or her own, at that time. These tattoos take a few hours and are very painful, as the artist uses traditional Zabrak instruments. In addition to the tattoos, this ancient process can leave, at times, permanent scars, called Jataj.
It is very rare that a child fails their Selenoren. When a child fails their Selenoren, they are not tattooed. Instead, the clan markings are scared, are fro jataj, into the youth and the prefix ke added to his or her name. This prefix marks them forever a youth, neither child nor adult. This distinction is not viewed as a negative status, however. Other than the name prefix and fro jataj, the children are still considered members of the clan, and must act as such. However, failure does carry a certain amount of personal guilt at dishonoring the clan.
There are occasions when children refuse to take part in their Selenoren. By refusing, these children become Tlestri. Very little information is known about the Tlestri. The term Tlestri is Zabrak form of self-imposed banishment. These Tlestri participate in the Rising Festival and, in some clans, are celebrated equally with the other children. Details about the Tlestri are very confusing and undocumented, since most of the historical documents concern the Selenoren. Furthermore, the Tlestri information gathered for this document is also very controversial among Zabrak historians and clans.
After the festival, the Tlestri are never again allowed to sleep with the clan. Also, they may not receive clan tattoos. It is typical of a tlestri to stay awake the whole night, saying their goodbyes to their family and friends. The family of a Tlestri is limited as to what aid they may give their child. The following morning, each member of the Tlestri's immediate family offers them a parting gift, often food, a weapon, or perhaps a contact outside the clan where they may make a new start. From this morning onward, the Tlestri are not allowed to come within eyesight of their birthplace again, nor are they allowed to speak to anyone from their clan who is not an immediate member of their family. After the Tlestri leaves home, they are considered an adult and respected equally with the other young adults.
Since the integration of Old Republic peoples, Zabrak families have adopted or taken in several non-Zabrak children. These children are raised the same way as Zabrak children. They do not participate in the Selenoren. However, they are fully permitted to participate in the celebration and, are honored as adults. In some clans, these non-Zabrak are given clan tattoos, though this seems to be rare.
Ritual Tattoos
As according to Professor E'th Keldar 's Research:
The following information has been passed down many generations and may not be complete or accurate. Many clans and individual Zabrak differ in details of the Clan Markings (Tattoos). Over the last hundreds of generations, Clan Markings have begun to be slowly be removed from our culture and replaced with individual tattoos.
Little is known about the markings that cover Zabrak bodies. What is know is that these markings represent different Orders of Clans and status within those clans. As to what markings are associated with which clan, or even how many clans exist(ed) is unknown.
There has been a little documentation on the pride associated with these tattoo's however. It is said that a clan member would kill himself before he was allowed be be stripped of his/her markings. A common act carried out with captured members of a rival clan would be to strip the Zabrak of his markings and send him back to his town. Upon arrival at his home his fellow clansmen would take it upon themselves to violently kill the disgraced individual and then allow the town children to kick, stomp and mutilate the person. This is said to be done to instill pride within the children for their Clan and respect for their clans markings
On Iridonia, the facial tattoo is the mark of acceptance into your clan as an adult. Children who are of age and maturity (usually around 13-15 years old) go through a series of trials called the Selenoren. The child's parents must approve the start of the trials and design the trials to bring out the child's true character.
Each Selenoren is unique to the child, and must be passed in its entirety to the satisfaction of the parents and the clan elders in order to receive the clan tattoo. The tattoo is a ritual done with traditional instruments. The tattooing is very painful, and is considered the final trial the child must endure to become an adult and have full standing in the clan. The process usually leaves visible scars, called jataj, which are thought to be an additional mark of beauty.
Those who fail any part of the Selenoren but who do not refuse it are usually given chances to repeat the trials (within reason) until they are successfully completed. I have heard of children not passing a Selenoren within the required time frame, or of clans requiring first time passage, but I have never met anyone who did not pass. Those who refuse the Selenoren are cast out as weak and are refused tattoo. They are limited in employment and are considered Tlestri (literally "the weak ones"). Tlestri are not allowed to marry or hold leadership in the clan.
Off Iridonia, most Zabrak have facial tattoos, seen as a Zabrak custom. However, the process of receiving tattoo varies widely and the Selenoren is almost unknown off Iridonia. The practice of changing tattoo, tattoo color, etc.
seen here in the Outer Rim would be inconceivable to an Iridonian
Zabrak.
Since the Selenoren is a private event, the text below describes the general ideas of the Selenoren. Many clans and individuals differ in implementation, administration, and celebration of the Selenoren. There are also many controversial issues surrounding the Selenoren.
At puberty, each Zabrak is given a series of personal challenges. These challenges are called the child's Selenoren. This event is extremely important in a Zabrak's life. Zabrak cherish Selenoren and never speaks about the challenges to non-Zabrak. Additionally, these trials are kept private from all outside the Parent-child relationship.
Rumors have spread throughout the galaxy describing harrowing events such as unarmed Zabrak children battling enormous beasts and acts of body mutilation to test courage or desire. Over the last several thousand years, a few outsiders have written books with these rumors and also describing rites of individual Zabrak. Consequently, these books are banned in most Zabrak villages and worlds, as they violate the sense of pride for and devalue the rites.
There are three paths the child may arrive at: successful completion of the Selenoren, failure of the Selenoren, and refusal of the Selenoren. The Selenoren consist of three challenges: a physical, mental, and social challenge. Each challenge is personalized, tailored to each child's best abilities and their parents' Selenoren.
Each parent uses their families' past Selenoren and the values held dear to the clan to choose the challenges for their children. Tradition holds that fathers administer the Selenoren to their sons, while mothers administer it for their daughters.
The physical challenge is said to be something such as a trial by combat, a foot race, lifting of immense cabers, or a gauntlet. The mental challenge would perhaps, be a riddle, a recitation of Zabrak history or poetry, improvisation, or completion of complex word games. These tests are given at any time, within 3 months of the Rising Festival. If a child does not pass one of these two tests, the parent has the ability to choose a different test before the Rising Festival.
Whenever a father doubts his child's readiness for the final challenge, he may evoke a stay of years, an indefinite period of time, in which he is allowed to help his child better learn what is required of an adult. Since the first two Selenor are seen as preparatory tests for the social challenge, the honor of the father and child is at stake at the final challenge.
The clan elders give the final Selenor publicly during the Rising Festival. All children eligible are tested together. The final Selenor could be a group hunt or possibly a group recital of music, depending on the talents of those involved. This last challenge is designed to test the child's ability to work with his or her clan-mates, as well as their ability to overcome social awkwardness or fear.
The completion of the Selenoren is the culmination of the Rising Festival. During the great feast that follows, the young Zabrak are marked by the clan tattoos. It has been seen that some clans also give the new adults a tattoo of the administering parent's choice. It is said that less traditional clans may even allow the new adult to choose a tattoo of his or her own, at that time. These tattoos take a few hours and are very painful, as the artist uses traditional Zabrak instruments. In addition to the tattoos, this ancient process can leave, at times, permanent scars, called Jataj.
It is very rare that a child fails their Selenoren. When a child fails their Selenoren, they are not tattooed. Instead, the clan markings are scared, are fro jataj, into the youth and the prefix ke added to his or her name. This prefix marks them forever a youth, neither child nor adult. This distinction is not viewed as a negative status, however. Other than the name prefix and fro jataj, the children are still considered members of the clan, and must act as such. However, failure does carry a certain amount of personal guilt at dishonoring the clan.
There are occasions when children refuse to take part in their Selenoren. By refusing, these children become Tlestri. Very little information is known about the Tlestri. The term Tlestri is Zabrak form of self-imposed banishment. These Tlestri participate in the Rising Festival and, in some clans, are celebrated equally with the other children. Details about the Tlestri are very confusing and undocumented, since most of the historical documents concern the Selenoren. Furthermore, the Tlestri information gathered for this document is also very controversial among Zabrak historians and clans.
After the festival, the Tlestri are never again allowed to sleep with the clan. Also, they may not receive clan tattoos. It is typical of a tlestri to stay awake the whole night, saying their goodbyes to their family and friends. The family of a Tlestri is limited as to what aid they may give their child. The following morning, each member of the Tlestri's immediate family offers them a parting gift, often food, a weapon, or perhaps a contact outside the clan where they may make a new start. From this morning onward, the Tlestri are not allowed to come within eyesight of their birthplace again, nor are they allowed to speak to anyone from their clan who is not an immediate member of their family. After the Tlestri leaves home, they are considered an adult and respected equally with the other young adults.
Since the integration of Old Republic peoples, Zabrak families have adopted or taken in several non-Zabrak children. These children are raised the same way as Zabrak children. They do not participate in the Selenoren. However, they are fully permitted to participate in the celebration and, are honored as adults. In some clans, these non-Zabrak are given clan tattoos, though this seems to be rare.
Ritual Tattoos
As according to Professor E'th Keldar 's Research:
The following information has been passed down many generations and may not be complete or accurate. Many clans and individual Zabrak differ in details of the Clan Markings (Tattoos). Over the last hundreds of generations, Clan Markings have begun to be slowly be removed from our culture and replaced with individual tattoos.
Little is known about the markings that cover Zabrak bodies. What is know is that these markings represent different Orders of Clans and status within those clans. As to what markings are associated with which clan, or even how many clans exist(ed) is unknown.
There has been a little documentation on the pride associated with these tattoo's however. It is said that a clan member would kill himself before he was allowed be be stripped of his/her markings. A common act carried out with captured members of a rival clan would be to strip the Zabrak of his markings and send him back to his town. Upon arrival at his home his fellow clansmen would take it upon themselves to violently kill the disgraced individual and then allow the town children to kick, stomp and mutilate the person. This is said to be done to instill pride within the children for their Clan and respect for their clans markings
On Iridonia, the facial tattoo is the mark of acceptance into your clan as an adult. Children who are of age and maturity (usually around 13-15 years old) go through a series of trials called the Selenoren. The child's parents must approve the start of the trials and design the trials to bring out the child's true character.
Each Selenoren is unique to the child, and must be passed in its entirety to the satisfaction of the parents and the clan elders in order to receive the clan tattoo. The tattoo is a ritual done with traditional instruments. The tattooing is very painful, and is considered the final trial the child must endure to become an adult and have full standing in the clan. The process usually leaves visible scars, called jataj, which are thought to be an additional mark of beauty.
Those who fail any part of the Selenoren but who do not refuse it are usually given chances to repeat the trials (within reason) until they are successfully completed. I have heard of children not passing a Selenoren within the required time frame, or of clans requiring first time passage, but I have never met anyone who did not pass. Those who refuse the Selenoren are cast out as weak and are refused tattoo. They are limited in employment and are considered Tlestri (literally "the weak ones"). Tlestri are not allowed to marry or hold leadership in the clan.
Off Iridonia, most Zabrak have facial tattoos, seen as a Zabrak custom. However, the process of receiving tattoo varies widely and the Selenoren is almost unknown off Iridonia. The practice of changing tattoo, tattoo color, etc.
seen here in the Outer Rim would be inconceivable to an Iridonian
Zabrak.