Creating Holidays #6: Travel

[Minibit]

Travel can be a big part of culture, whether you stay within your borders or not. It's not unusual for religions to have a mecca, or holy site which is important to visit. From a secular perspective, journeys can symbolize change and transformation. People travel to learn, to gain new experiences, to see things and people, to prove themselves, and sometimes simply to get from one place to another. Primitive cultures may be nomadic and move with the herds, too.

Whether it's a coming-of-age journey or going home for the holidays; a means to enlightenment, or an educational tradition, your challenge here is to create an event for which travelling is a necessity.

Use the form below or free write a scene about a character making this journey.

Holiday Name:
When is it celebrated?
Who celebrates?
What is done to celebrate?
How old is this holiday?
Has this holiday changed much from its roots?
Where do the festivities take place?
Is there anything it is taboo to do on this holiday?
Do people dress differently for this holiday?
Is any kind of decoration traditional?
Are any colours, symbols, or icons associated with this holiday?
Are any spirits or deities associated with this holiday?
Is it an important/widespread celebration, or a smaller affair?
Are there any foods or drinks associated with this holiday?
Do any natural events coincide with this holiday (ie: an eclipse)?
Reason for the journey:
Do people travel solo or in groups?
Is the journey made on foot? Through the air? In a caravan? Overseas?
Is there a set destination or destinations?
Should anything be taken along or brought back?
Are any traditional actions performed along the way? (Planting a tree, prayers at a temple, getting a tattoo, a test of courage)
Are those who are unable to travel independantly (old, sick, disabled) excused?
Is the journey typically dangerous?
Do family or loved ones accompany?
Do minors travel? If so are they accompanied by a guardian?
Are there any ceremonies for the setting out and/or the return?
Does the traveller(s) carry any sign to show the nature of their journey? (Certain clothes or jewellery, face/body paint)

Other Creating Holiday Exercises:

Seasons!
Death!
Food!
Protection!
Costumes!
Travel!
Animals!
Time!
Parents!
Invention!
Gifts!
Inebriation!
Superstition!
Religion!
Miracles!
Birthdays!
Manliness!
Games!
The Future!
Purification!
Flowers!

 

[Elflady]

Name of the event: Iliantuk an Qonvue (Journey to the Rifts)

Reason for the journey:
A young man or woman who wants to be the next Aranjan chieftain or the child of the current leader must travel to the Rifts of Death (Qonvue n' Tskuk) and return with the bones of a predator.

Do people travel solo or in groups?
Solo.

Is the journey made on foot? Through the air? In a caravan? Overseas?
On foot through the jungle and down the steep sides of the deep crevices forming the rifts.

Is there a set destination or destinations?
Yes, the Rifts of Death in the eastern part of Peikanja.

Should anything be taken along or brought back?
Weapons and some supplies are taken along and to have the journey acknowledged the man or woman must bring back some skeleton bones from a predator.

Are any traditional actions performed along the way? (Planting a tree, prayers at a temple, getting a tattoo, a test of courage)
No, although some may pray for luck and strength from Kuvna the Goddess of Chaos.

Are those who are unable to travel independantly (old, sick, disabled) excused?
Only those who aspire to become chieftain will do this journey, anyone not in perfect health and strength can survive it either.

Is the journey typically dangerous?
Yes, may are those who have not returned.

Do family or loved ones accompany?
No.

Do minors travel? If so are they accompanied by a guardian?
No.

Are there any ceremonies for the setting out and/or the return?
If a person return successfully then a large feast is thrown in celebration and afterwards the person begins to carve his or hers weapon from the bones brought back. When that is done the final test awaits, getting the weapon blessed by Kuvna, something equally dangerous as getting the bones themselves.

Does the traveller(s) carry any sign to show the nature of their journey? (Certain clothes or jewellery, face/body paint)
No, the point is to succeed with you own strength and cunning not with any outside help, real or imagined.