Baleonology, the Balena’s religious institution, is rich
with rituals. Though one clearly stands out as not only the most important, but
one that outsiders may view as particularly interesting. The ritual is known as
Baleocide. To the Balena, Baleocide is not only the highest honor one can
achieve, but also it is seen as the culmination of a full life. Baleocide,
bluntly, is a ritual of sacrifice. The Balena live their entire lives dependent
on the Blue Whale. It is not only their sacred deity, but also their source of
sustenance. The Balena hold a clearly symbiotic relationship with the Blue
Whale. For every Blue Whale they hunt, they must sacrifice one of their own, their
elder.
Whenever a Blue Whale is successfully hunted, the Balena
know that the ritual of Baleocide will soon take place. Upon completion of the
hunt, the current village elder meets the hunters bringing in the body of the
Blue Whale in the center of the village. The reality of the situation is
bittersweet but the atmosphere is not somber, but almost celebratory. The
entire village, including those who were involved with the hunt, encircle the
Blue Whale and the elder. The elder does not speak, nor does anyone else. The
elder extends his arm and places his hand on the head of the Blue Whale. He
then takes a knife and cuts the first piece of blubber from the Blue Whale.
With this done, it signifies the beginning of the elder’s last meal. No words
are spoken throughout the meal. The following morning at dawn the villagers
assemble at the docks. The hunters who brought in the Blue Whale then escort
the elder from dry land to sea. They row out until they are nearly out of the
villager’s sight. The elder then stands and makes a small cut on the palm of
his hand. He lets the wound drip blood into the water and then waits. The elder
could be waiting only moments, or hours waiting for the Blue Whale to appear.
Once the Blue Whale arrives the hunters lower the elder into the water and
return to land. Once they return the past life cycle is complete and the new
one begins.
The Balena have this ritual to appease the Blue Whale. They
ultimately give back all they are to that which they have depended upon. The
ritual not only exemplifies their circular way of life and their symbiotic
relationship with the Blue Whale, but it also accomplishes showing the Balena
where their place is in this circle of life. It is a “good death” for the
elder, and all Balena hope to one day be able to sacrifice themselves as well
as the ultimate symbol for Baleonology.
The Balena’s institution of kinship and family is a communal
one. Almost every ritual in Balena culture is attended by the entire Balena
population. The Balena stress community and do not see family as limited by
blood lines. The birth ritual exemplifies this sense of community.
The birth ritual begins when the pregnant mother has her
first contraction. Immediately after this takes place she is escorted to the
birthing hut in the center of the village. The hut is small and circular. The
father, the elder, and several of the oldest women villagers join the mother to
be inside the hut. As for most Balena rituals, the remaining villagers encircle
the hut joined together by holding hands. This ritual lasts as long as the
mother is in labor and can be grueling for all parties involved. The mother is
clearly enduring the pain of giving birth and the villagers outside the hut
stand solemnly embracing each other for the duration of the birth. Once the
child is born the umbilical cord is cut and after the mother has a moment with
her newborn child, the elder takes the newborn outside. The elder then walks
around the edges of the circle slowly. The villagers, one by one, place their
hands on the head of the newborn. Once everyone has done so the ritual is
complete and the newborn is now considered to be brought into the world of the
Balena.
The Balena have this ritual to acknowledge that every
newborn is not only a product of the biological parents, but a product of the
entire community. Every member of the village will take part in raising the
newborn. Not only does this ritual accomplish emphasizing community upon the
Balena but it also accomplishes bringing the newborn into the community. A
newborn would not be considered truly Balena if this ritual did not take place.
The Balena’s institution for education has one distinct
ritual, the First Hunt. Once a child has reached the age of 12, they are
eligible to hunt. The ritual does not necessarily take place on the birthday of
the child. But once a child is 12, the next time the Balena deem it necessary
to hunt another Blue Whale, the child is brought along on the hunt. This ritual
can incorporate one child, or several children, depending upon how many
children have turned 12 and need to participate in their first hunt. The child
accompanies the hunters at dawn down to the docks. Harpoon in hand, the child
is the first to board the boat. The child stands with the senior hunter at the
head of the boat as they are rowed out to sea. The senior hunter directs the
boat until the Blue Whale is spotted. Once in harpoon distance the child speaks
aloud “may I one day be able to give back to you all of which I have taken”. The
child then thrusts the harpoon at the Blue Whale. If it is not a fatal blow,
the senior hunter steps in and finishes the process.
This ritual is done to show the child first-hand the reality
of the world they live in. To make them realize the totality of the situation
they live in and how exactly they take away that from which they hold sacred.
It accomplishes the final step of the passage from child to adult. Now
considered an adult, the child will be expected to contribute to their society
all that they have to offer.
The Balena are not a hierarchical society per se, but they
are lead by their village elder. Upon completion of the last hunt, and
Baleocide, the current elder takes on the position of leadership. The elder is
no longer allowed to hunt and therefore the next ritual takes place. The ritual
is simply known as the Circular Harpoon. Like many Balena rituals, this one is
held in the center of the village. The elder is joined by the youngest member
of the village as they are encircled by the rest of the villagers. The elder
holds his harpoon in his left hand as the child stands to the elder’s left
side. The elder then speaks aloud “as my hunting days are over so are yours
beginning”. The elder then hands the harpoon to the child and the ritual is
complete.
The ritual is a product of the Balena’s circular way of
life. It is done to bring life full circle back to its beginning again. It
accomplishes two things. One, it signifies the elder’s transformation from an
ordinary member of the village to elder. And two, it signifies the beginning of
the child’s transformation to hunter and adult.
One of the most significant rites of passage in the Balena
culture is the transformation from childhood to adulthood. The process of
becoming an adult is a lengthy process. The beginning is marked formally by
time. Once a child turns the 11 the process begins. The Balena do not celebrate
birthdays by gift giving traditionally. But if a child has not been handed down
a harpoon by the village elder by the time they turn 11, they are given one on
their 11th birthday. The night of their 11th birthday the
villagers assemble in the center of the village. The child stands along side
the elder in the middle of the circle. At this time if they do not yet have a
harpoon the elder presents one to the child. The elder then leads the child
around the inside of the circle, slowly passing each of the villagers. The
elder then returns to the center and the child then steps outside of the
circle, physically separating themselves from the rest of the Balena. This
marks the separation. The villagers disperse and the child is then lead by the
senior hunter to a small hut located near the docks distant from the rest of
the village’s structures. The child may be living in this hut alone now or with
other children who are in the middle of their transformation from childhood to
adulthood. For the next year, this is where the child will stay, separated from
the rest of the village. They are in a liminal state. They are no longer
considered children, exempt from daily tasks of the village, and they are not
yet adults who contribute to all the daily tasks involved in sustaining the
Balena way of life.
During this transformation process the child, or children,
have no contact with the rest of the Balena are exempt from any other ritual
taking place within the community. The only member of the Balena that they are
in contact with, besides the others in the process of becoming adults, is the
senior hunter. For the next year they will be taught all the tasks necessary to
the Balena. Practicing and honing their skills so that once they reach
adulthood they will be able to be functional members of the society. They are
taught to use a harpoon, to butcher and prepare the Blue Whale, and most
importantly, they are given daily lessons regarding Baleonology and the
circular and symbiotic way of the Balena life. They watch every hunt and
Baleocide from a hilltop, not only paying attention to the hunting process, but
looking through a third person’s point of view at the circle of life itself:
the hunt and death of the Blue Whale, the sustenance it provides the Balena,
the sacrifice to the Blue Whale, and then back to the beginning.
During this liminal stage, whether one of the children is
beginning their first day of the transformation or finishing their last, they
are equals. There is no structure here, no difference, they are all one and
none. They are all participants in this transformation but not considered
children or adults.
Once they turn 12, they are not immediately reincorporated
back into the village as adults. They are now only eligible to be. They must
wait for the next hunt to take place. Once it is necessary for the Balena to
hunt another Blue Whale the child then leaves their hut and joins the hunters
down at the docks. They participate in the ritual of the First Hunt. Once they
successfully finish the hunt they are lead back to the village by the senior
hunter. The elder assembles the villagers in the center of town circularly
around the fresh kill. The child then passes through the perimeter of the
circle and joins the elder along side the Blue Whale. It is at this point that
the transformation is complete. The child is now an adult and will now have to
contribute their life to sustaining the lives of other Balena.