The Boy's Pilgrimage

"It makes me well up to see Ezayrmi all dressed up and dancing. Even if she spends a lot of time scowling at me, i do think she makes me a happier man. All five of them do."

— Venad Sistolfyi

  One of the many Ganréod epics is the Boy's Pilgramage, often used by outside scholars as the archtypical example of Chershe Theatre.  

Plot

3 boys become men. One of the many rituals pertaining to Coming of Age is to go on a Pilgrimage to Nowhere. Well not exactly nowhere, the tradition route is to Ochochowfoéb and back home. Nonetheless, the 3 boys (Senéediesiré, Iryeb, Pazeshé) embark on a tale of love, betrayal and self-discovery.  

The Dance of the 3 Sisters

The most iconic scene is perhaps the Dance of the 3 sisters. Played with a tango-adjacent rythm, it occurs towards the middle of the play. Senéediesiré (often shortened to Senée), Iryeb and Pazeshé pair up with 3 "wine maidens" - the firey Ishansenó, gentle Nwizaashu and playful Shézshóbansa.   While costumes are often pieced together from what is owned plus fabric scraps, the 3 girls' dresses are often commissioned from Ógóóshwisa or Tarcos or for less well of communities made for the ocasion.  
 

Sóndoshor's Play

Written in Venad Sistolfyi's Journals, kept in Uganic for his personal reflection   It's the new moon of Sherayigoncha (Month 8 of the Chershe Calendar). And while the whole community fusses about Ébiéeshéza, pilgramiages, fishing and performing The Hunter's Wife, we finally get to see the fruits of my girls' labour: a full Boy's Pilagramage.   Echa and me just sat this time. Well Echa's too young to play for that long, and Chenya wouldn't allow her anyway. She'd probably get bored halfway through too, not fun when the girl's barely four. Ie and another girl were sharing the Bémbénsézéena. Good for everyone's sake - that girl gets distracted by the slightest change in the breeze; she kept grinning back at me like a Luze Cat.   Dona's proudly plays the Eynsasényfe. She always has but to watch a girl, who mostly keeps a distance from me which is fair - a man, a foriegner, takes the place of your father, I'd feel the same - fills me with glee. While our household is 3 proud musicans, Ezayrmi is highest source of joy all decked in red and dancing about the Sheyema é Sóndoshor. I pray to whatever Gods there may be - lawful Kastav, fates, sun god, or Sisters - that they have a special fate for that girl - her future is teeming with oppurtunity and squandering it in a matron is a waste.   All this to say, getting drunk around 400 or so grand folks, daughters in toe, and a lot of food, does make a man truly happy. I hit the bed a very greatful man. I feel, too, it has put anxious Sóndoshor