Ritual Classification

The Balena’s institution for relgion, Baleonology, has one distinct ritual of Baleocide. Simply defining Baleocide as a ritual doesn’t do it the justice that it deserves. Though Baleocide could be classified in more than one way, Baleocide is primarily a rite of exchange and communion. Rites of exchange and communion, bluntly speaking, are a “this for that” exchange. Essentially, Baleocide matches this criteria. After a successful hunt, the Blue Whale that has been brought to the center of the village is met by the elder. At this point the exchange occurs. The Balena receive the Blue Whale for sustenance, and in turn sacrifice their elder back to the Blue Whale. In order for the Balena to survive, they must give back to whom from they have taken so much. The essence of the symbiotic relationship that the Balena have with the Blue Whale clearly can be seen as a rite of exchange and communion.

The Balena’s institution for kinship and family also has a rather distinct ritual, the birthing ritual. As for most rituals, the birthing ritual could very well be classified in numerous ways, but to the Balena, it is primarily a protective ritual. During the birthing ritual, the entire village encircles the birthing hut. This is a powerful symbol. Not only does it represent the Balena’s circular view of life, but it also represents a protective circle. The Balena stay circling the birthing hut throughout the entire duration of the labor. This circle protects both the mother and the infant. It functions to make sure that the mother does not have any complications during birth and also that that the infant is healthy upon birth. The infant is born into this protective circle and this circle, the community, will serve to protect the infant throughout it’s life. To ensure that it does not succumb to the harsh environment and to make sure that it does not lose touch with the ways of the Balena.

The most important ritual in the Balena institution of education is the First Hunt. This ritual serves as an ideological ritual, but more specifically, it is a rite of passage. Rites of passage serve to move an individual from one place or status to another. This rite of passage moves the Balena from child to adult. For over a year, the child shows great attendance to process during this liminal state between child and adult. The First Hunt is the culmination of this process, of this rite of passage. After this rite of passage, when the child has become an adult, they are seen in a new light. They will now be depended upon by the community and have to give all that they are to their society.

The Balena’s social structure is exemplified in the ritual of the Circular Harpoon. This is an ideological ritual as well, but this ritual can be best classified as a rite of intensification. Rites of intensification serve to reinforce the values and norms of a culture as well as to preserve the continuity of the past to the present. This rite helps maintain that continuity. There may be differences of age in the Balena, but there are no gaps between the past and the present. This rite demonstrates this by the very simple yet symbolic act of the elder giving his harpoon to the youngest member of the Balena. In a sense, the elder gives the young Balena his/her knowledge, experience, and beliefs all at once during this gesture ensuring that everything that the elder was will be preserved in this young Balena.