Kunamata ((Koo-nah-mah-tah))
Kunamata is the religion worshiping the goddess Kunaka. It is found primarily in it's origin place of Pokugara, though it has spread a bit from the edge of the The Cosancoga Desert.
Kunaka is never described, perhaps purposefully, though the goddess is associated with freshwater, vegetation, sunlight, and the oases.
The deceased faithful are frequently incinerated, their ashes gathered and laid to rest in a small oases south of Pokugara. Here the ash settles to the bottom and is spread around the shore where plants and animals flourish from the ashes. This is viewed as allowing the People of the Waters to rejoin their goddess.
Cosmological Views
Kunamata proclaims that the Pokugarans, named in ancient texts as the People of the Waters, once lived in a paradise unrivaled: a place where no one died, where they lived in harmony with the animals, and there was never any lack of food or water. Unfortunately, their goddess Kunaka warned them of a coming end to their world and their way of life. She led the People of the Waters out of their lands and led them into a vast desert, where they could witness their old world be consumed by titanic monsters, obliterated entirely. Kunaka led them to a dip in the land and commanded her people to build their new lives here, but the people were astonished: how could they live with no food, no water, no animals, and no plants? Their goddess admonished them for their lack of faith before assuring them she would provide for them, but that they must also provide for each other, that their greatest strength was found together. With her final words said, she laid herself to rest in the land and became one with it, water filling the earth, the harsh sand becoming rich black earth, and flora and fauna springing to life amongst the oasis.
Ethics
Kanaka's last words in the old texts are held in high regard, bidding every practitioner to highly value the community, one's family, and one's friends. The community comes before everything else, even the well-being of highly influential people are considered lesser in comparison.
Worship
Kunamata is just as much about community as it is its association with water or the oases. As such, worship of a practitioner involves taking water from the oases, drinking it and washing one's body with it, and performing community service, in whatever form that may take. It is viewed as embodying Kanaka and performing the good deeds the goddess would have done if she were able.
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