Thiint

Thiint means "harvest" in Chiintxama, the language of the Xucat who celebrate Thiint. This name reflects its roots. When the last of the year's crop was in storage, they would spend a day and a night celebrating. Over time, religious elements and symbols naturally wove into the annual celebration until, like the Xucat lifestyle, it was inseparable from their religion, and now stands as a celebration of the world around them and their place in it.   As the night grew in popularity upon the farmers, their lords became jealous: they wanted to party, but they had no harvest to celebrate, no work to be proud of. At first, they were indignant of the holiday, but as it relentlessly grew, they adopted it as a time to eat and drink. To them, it is a celebration of wealth, of the blessings of their world, of the fact that they're superior.

When festivities begin, around midday, farmers change from their traditional work clothes into their clothes of celebration. The staple idea of the day is a time when the community comes together, eats a large meal, wears ceremonial hats, burns them, and dances.
However, different groups along the Xusinuphaapi River will celebrate differently. For some, celebrants might paint themselves in bright colors and midday, wash in the river at sunset, and become repainted with white to signify the fading colors of Skhag into the white color of Stagjak. They might scatter white petals on the ground to symbolize the coming snow, or drop flowers into the river to signify the fleeing fish and the fleeing fertility of the land, or to mimic a sunset, symbolizing the less light of each day, or the setting of the source of warmth and coming cold. Some might have specific, structured dances performed under the moonlight or around the hat-fire. Others might emphasize the aspect of rest more, and do almost nothing all day long besides eat and sleep. Each subgroup will celebrate to reflect whatever aspects of life are most significant to them.

The most important component for the celebration are the hats. No matter where along the river, celebrants wear significant hats. The lords might wear a flairing, colorful hat of the sun and of wealth, but for the farmers and peasantry, their hats carry much more meaning. Called dukphaak, they construct them of reeds and stalks from their crops. They are large and unbearable, the shapes of upside-down baskets. Not after very long into the day, they cast them into a pile to be burnt near sundown. The death of the flames will signify the end of the party. It symbolizes their burden of work, and their relief from it.
After the dukphaak, the next most important physical component is the food. Communities work together to contribute to the feast. Fish from the river is a common staple, a symbol of fertility and abundance. Other common parts of the meal are foods grown by the farmers.

Thiint officially begins on the day of the ninth full moon of the year (with the calendar beginning with the first month of summer), and ends the following sunrise. However, celebrations usually start around midday and last until a few hours after sunset.    For the upper-class counterpart, the celebration is simply one meal near the end of the day, where the participants will eat and get drunk until they fall asleep.