Basic Hoolian Culture (A Current Work In Progress)

[Stooge]

I'll try to compile as complete of a guide as I can- Please do feel free to correct me if I'm wrong about something, as I'm going partially by memory and partially by research.

Introduction

While it is impossible to clump all of Hoolian culture together, as the Hoolian world is composed of many, many diverse species of owls who are separated by geographical features, allegiances, and beliefs, it is possible to link them together through a core set of underlying themes and beliefs that they tend to share, except in the most rare of cases. In the beginning of this guide, I will attempt to address these aspects of Ga'Hoolian culture, while later on I will try to pick apart the Idiosyncracies and tendencies of different groups and populations.

Ceremonies

Ceremonies are key events in an owl's life which represent their progression from adolescent owls to adult owls. These ceremonies, more akin to celebrations, are obviously wide ranging for many reasons, as they are goals for an owl to aspire to and reach when they are young so that they have the skills needed to survive when they are older. The ceremonies will be in order and I will give a brief summary of each of these ceremonies. There are a few exceptions that I will list here that are not common, rather practiced among a group or faction.

First Seeing- When an owlet first opens its eyes and sees the world around it.

First Insect/Worm- When an owlet eats its first insect/worm.

First Down- When an owlet begins growing its first down.

First Meat- When an owl eats meat for the first time.

First Molting- When an owlet first molts.

First Fur On Meat- When an owlet first eats meat with fur.

First Bones- When an owlet eats meat along with the bones in the meat.

Branching- Practice worth noting that teaches young owls how to fly by hopping from branch to branch.

First Flight- When an owl first flies.

First Prey- When an owl first catches prey on its own.

First Moss- An owlet/owl goes out and finds soft mosses to line their hollow with.
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Exceptions (Ceremonies)

Numbering/Naming- Practices carried out by St. Aegolius and the Pure Ones respectively. An owl is given a number that replaces their name, effectively wiping their identity in the former, and in the latter, a practice in which an owl joining the Pure Ones would be given a new name by the High Tyto.


Tupsi- A sadistic killing ritual practiced by the Pure Ones to admit owls into the higher ranks of the Pure Ones, wherein an owl has to kill someone close to them, a family member, friend, etc. Notably an acronym for "Tytonic Union Pure Special Initiation."
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Celebrations

    Celebrations are commonplace in the owl world, and are celebrated for a variety of reasons. I will list the holidays in order of occurence from the beginning of the owl year to the end of the owl year.

Founder's Night- First and last holiday of the owl year, celebrating the longest darkness of the year, and begins on twilight of the shortest day. Orignially called Long Night by those in the Northern Kingdoms, but the owls of the tree renamed it for Hoole, who was born on Long Night. At First Lavender, owls emerge from their hollows and take to the skies for a tween-time flight. This leads into various flying contests. Colliering contests are performed if the conditions are right. The winners of the contests are crowned with a wreath woven from vines and shoots of the Ga'Hoole tree, reminding all to be humble. A hunting contest also occurs, to celebrate the spirit of lochinvyrr, as taught originally to Hoole and then subsuquently to Coryn. A few select owls are chosen to participate, and the hunters compete to see who can get the quickest kill, largest prey, and quietest approach. After the hunters returb, they are treated with much gratitude. A feast is held after this, wherein the raw prey is shared by all owls as a reminder that they have only been able to survive through the sharing of resources. Owls return to flying and dancing, and at daybreak most of the owls are exhausted and go to sleep.

Owlipoppen Festival- Takes place on the night of the first full moon after Founder's Night. Effigies of owls are constructed out of various materials such as down, molted feathers, and twigs, and are pushed out to sea on a raft with the hope that they will take any bad luck for the coming year with them. The night before the festival, the owls construct the raft with sticks, twigs, and dried vines. On the night of the festival, owls gather and place their owlipoppen on the raft. The "Good Luck Song" is sung and when the tide is right an owl designated as the "Lucky Owl" will push the raft into the sea or river. Owls will take to the skies and hoot and holler as loud as they can to give any bad luck a proper send-off. The 'Lucky Owl" for next year is chosen at the end of the festival.

Egg Festival- Takes place on the first equal-night of the year, when the amount of day is equal to the amount of night. It marks the beginning of spring, the time when eggs are laid and the next generation comes into being. It is a quietly celebrated festival.  Things done to celebrate vary by region and species. However, calling songs are always sung, and some owls put egg shaped stone in their nests, symbolizing their wish for a healthy and robust brood of chicks.

Scroomsawikken- Celebrated on the first full moon after spring's equal-night. Owls remember the deceased in a bright and happy tone. Owls return to the sites of their loved ones' final ceremonies to pay their respects. Some owls will offer flowers, bits of food, and furs to make the deceased more comfortable in Glaumora. Often there is singing and dancing at these sites to bring joy to the ones they love. At the Great Tree, candles are lit in the Great Hollow to pay tribute to the deceased.

Nimsy Night-  Takes place on the shortest night of the year and celebrates the coming of summer and an occasion for welcoming back the darkness.  Also a time to usher in the warmest months of the year, when prey is abundant and flying is the most enjoyable. For Nimsy Night, everything is decorated in green. The leaves of maples, oaks, and sycamores reach a bright and verdant shade during this time of year. Owls string these leaves together to make garlands and wreaths which are placed over hollows and nests. They are thought to bring good fortune and health. Some owls even dye their primaries green. The best known practice on Nimsy Night is the picking of herbs, a tradition that has endured since ancient times. Owls believe that herbs are at their most potent and have miraculous healing powers on the shortest night of the year, therefore the herbs are picked on Nimsy Night to dry and use throughout the year. A feast accompanies Nimsy Night, and while not as grand as those of Founder's Night or the Milkberry Harvest Festival, it is still a wonderful one. At the Great Tree, a snail bake is traditionally held on Nimsy Night.

Milkberry Harvest Festival- This festival only occurs at the Great Tree. Milkberries are picked during the Copper-Rose rain, as they are ripest and plumpest then. Ripe berries can be crushed and brewed into tea, or made into stews, cakes, and loaves of fragrant bread. Dried berries serve as snacks, and are highly nutritious and are a good source of instant energy. The harvest begins on the second equal night of the year and all classes  and practices are cancelled for 7 days.

Punkie Night-

Balefire Night-
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General Practices

General practices are essentially what they mean, practices that don't quite fit into one category or another, but still are common, whether among a particular group or the whole Hoolian world.

Flint Mop- A Guardian practice of assigning punishment to an owl, usually menial work to benefit the tree.


Chaw Chop- A Guardian practice of dropping an owl from their chaw indefinitely. Less common and much more serious than a flint mop, and extremely humiliating as well.

MORE TO BE ADDED