Ritual Process

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 11^th birthday. The night of their 11^th 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.