Spring Wings
What is the ceremony about?
A central point in the life of the valturo is the life and death cycle. The death part is when they offer up their bodies to the Divine Scavenger, and the life part is observed through the Spring Wings and Eve ceremonies. While the Eve ceremony is about the valturo themselves, the Springs Wings ceremony is about the nature that surrounds the valturo.
Who participates in the ceremony?
Anyone capable is there when the ceremony is conducted. Most of the valturos are just spectators, but there is a small group of valturos, called dancers, who participate in the ceremony. It is a great honor among the valturo to be selected as one of the dancers of the Spring Wings ceremony.
Parts of the ceremony
One is the dance itself, conducted by the dancers. This is not a dance commonly found on the Gibora and Muaclun continents. It is more of a presentation, as the most skilled valturo perform an aerial choreography of dangerous but beautiful maneuvers.
The ceremony is also about renewal. Part of the dancers’ responsibility is to scatter the seeds during their dance. It is also their responsibility to scatter parts of the Divine Scavenger’s body to rejuvenate the soil.
It is also part of the ceremony to bind the alcoral pieces on the new fruit trees. The dancers don’t do this, but rather a few other valturo, who are specialized in this activity. However, this activity is as vital as the scattering of the seeds.
Because of the timing of the ceremony, it is rare, but not unheard of, that the First Cry ceremony is held on the same day as the Spring Wings. It is an honor for the families participating in the First Cry ceremony. But it is also an honor for the whole nest that the Divine Scavenger graced the nest with his presence during the Spring Wings ceremony.
I find it fascinating that everywhere I go, there is a ritual, ceremony, festival, or custom that is connected to the renewal of life and nature. But they represent such different things for the various cultures
Comments