At the age of 12, all Dalmite youngsters go through a Rite of Passage, which marks their entrance into adulthood. Prior to this time, the youngsters paint their bodies with various colors of the forests. During the Rites of Passage, these colors become permanent and the child is tattooed with various patterns, which help him or her to blend almost flawlessly into their environment.
Dalmite Marriage
There are many customs surrounding pair bonding or marriages between Dalmites. One such custom that many Dalmites view as “traditional” and many tribes still perform today involves obtaining the approval of the woman’s mother. When a young man and woman fall in love, the hopeful groom will go live with the girl and her parents for one month. The mother observes the man’s dedication to his training and how hard he will work for her daughter. If the mother gives her approval of the man at the end of the month, a simple ceremony will be performed where the mother blesses the marriage between the man and her daughter. He will then be brought into the family and the couple will be allowed to live there and receive support for a period that could last several years if all involved wish. If, however, the mother does not approve of the pairing, the couple, if they choose to stay together, will receive no support from the girl’s family. Many times under these circumstances the couple will run off and join a different tribe where they need no approval, or rarely, the couple may go live with the young man’s family.
This custom is usually only performed the first time a bond is made. Rarely do Dalmites marry for life; two or three bonds over the span of a lifetime are quite the norm, with more than that not considered uncommon. The second and subsequent times around, mutual consent is usually good enough to form a pair bond, or depending on the tribe, they may perform some small ritual or ceremony. Much as Dalmites like to search for the best at wrestling events, they like to search for the best partners as well, which is one reason why they may switch partners frequently. This frequent switching is also one reason why only the mother’s approval is sought the first time around: the father may not always be living with the mother and daughter.
Although some Dalmites may go through several marriages, separation is usually not viewed as a negative or even a trying time. Most separations are on good terms and many continue to be friends even after splitting up.
Many Dalmites prefer never to marry at all, instead choosing to focus on and hone their skills of the forest. Marriage does not affect the social standing of members within the tribe. However, marriage is often used to build alliances between tribes and clans. Due to the matriarchal structure of the culture, marriage is not socially required to raise children. Most women are single mothers at least part of the time, either due to the decision not to marry or due to the dissolution of the marriage. Fathers usually take an interest in their children although the relocation to another tribe may sometimes hinder the relationship. Some fathers will take their male children with them when they leave a tribe with the mother’s permission.
Birth and Death
When a Dalmite is born, Zaolla, the Goddess of Birth is thanked for her blessing and the family holds a celebration, inviting family and tribal members to share the joy of the new baby. A sapling is planted in the woods, a gift to Elaen in return for her blessing on the child as well as a reminder that this child will protect the forest during his or her lifetime. A child will be given a token deity who will follow and protect them during their childhood. After the Rites of Passage, the child will spend several years exploring their spirituality, eventually choosing their patron God or Goddess, who will guide them during their adult life. Often this choice has more to do with the profession they choose rather than some inner calling.
Just as the passage into adulthood is an important milestone in the life of a Dalmite, passage from life to death also marks a natural progression. Death is accepted as inevitable among the Dalmites and ceremonies honor this return to Kainna. Adralis, the Lord of Death, carries the soul of a person from the unconscious state of death and raises them toward Kainna. It is her choice as to whether the person deserves to be returned to live as a spirit of the forest or whether they remain forever in a dark and dead void.
When a person dies, his body is carefully prepared for burial. It is smeared with green and yellow paints, to represent the forest and the light. Then it is carefully wrapped in leaves and grasses. During a special ceremony, the body is hoisted into the branches of a tree where the first children of Kainna shelter it until the Mother receives the soul. The body remains in the tree for several weeks and is ravaged by scavengers and insects that return the flesh to the forest, maintaining the balance between the living and the dead. The bones are then buried beneath a tree in the forest; often the sapling planted at the birth of the deceased although any tree can be used. In this way, the spirit of the person remains in the forest.
It is believed by the Dalmites that a spirit world inhabits the living forest, unseen by mortal eyes. Some people have reported gentle touches by their ancestors or whispered words of encouragement at times of need. Some even claim to see their ancestors in the twilight of the forest, their reflection in the eyes of the woodland creatures or in the bark of a stately tree.
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