Every night, Umbajin stole something from his future. He had been raised in temple life. Destined to follow in the footsteps of his father, the great tribal singer, El'iaija. He couldn't remember a time when he had ever questioned his future before now. This was new. He closed his eyes to meditate, and he saw her face. He lit the candle on his altar, and he felt the spark of fire that danced in her eyes. He tried to quiet his mind, but he couldn't silence the joyous sound of her laughter. Suddenly there was a fork in the road that he used to believe would only lead to one inevitable destination. If he was to become a great tribal singer like his father, Umbajin would need a counterpart. A yin to his yang. A partner in song to balance the energies with him, but she was not that one. It was clear to him that she was not made for temple life. He was quite certain that she would wither and die if he tried to keep her in his world. She was a wild thing who needed to be free to fly among the stars, so where did that leave him? He couldn't say, so he did what he had done every night since the first time he laid eyes on the young woman who had captured his heart. Umbajin slipped out of the temple and gave in to the magnetic pull that drew him to seek her out, knowing that each step he chose to take towards his shining star would steal another piece of his future.
Purpose
Tribal singers hold all the wisdom and history of their tribe. Since the Bane'ile don't use a written language, these individuals retain all of the knowledge in the songs that they commit to memory and then sing to their people. They conduct rituals and ceremonies for a wide variety of occasions such as births, coming of age, joining in partnership, healing, and death. They are also responsible for ensuring that the tribal ancestors continue to be remembered and properly honored as well as keeping the lines of communication open between the living and the dead so that the ancestors may continue to be a part of the daily life of their tribe.
Qualifications & Training
Tribal singers must have an exceptional gift for music and singing as well as a greater than average capacity for retaining what they learn. They must also be willing to live a life of service to their tribe, putting the needs of others ahead of their own. Children who show aptitude are taken into the temple enclave where they begin to become acquainted with the requirements of being a tribal singer. After they have reached a certain level of maturity, and demonstrated that they are well suited to temple life, they may choose to become acolytes. At this point, their training will begin in earnest. Acolytes are instructed in meditation and movement techniques, the use of sound and vibration in balanced harmony, and they must master all of the songs and rituals of their tribe before they may advance to the position of tribal singer.
Social Status
Tribal singers are considered essential to the fabric of Bane'ile society, so they are highly respected and well cared for in every way. Those who distinguish themselves in talent and service to their tribe may even attain the rank of keeper of songs when they become elders which is the most well respected role among the Bane'ile.
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