Rituals Contribution

Maintenance

For the Anokótan the First Fall ritual maintains structure by keeping village bonds tight. Those who have surplus food share with the villagers who do not have enough to eat. This ensures there will always be enough food to go around and everyone in the village can depend on one another. The First Fall ritual establishes social bonds that allow everyone to survive. The Element Nation Battle is a ritual that maintains military strength by encouraging warriors to train and master their element skill. This is necessary in order to protect the nations from opposing element nations. The battle promotes armed forces that keep other nations at bay. The Religious Retreat ritual maintains structure because it is a rite of passage that allows the youth of a village to announce they are ready for marriage but only after proving sufficient in their element skill. This ritual prepares the young villagers for adulthood and grants them access to marriage. The First Full Moon ritual maintains marriage ties for the Anokótan. This permits the youth to find a partner and allows the parents to oversee the dating. This ritual is where young people decide who they will marry which is key to the Anokótan because married couples have children and this allows nations to thrive. Marriage is what builds villages and cements unity.

Perpetuation

Religion is very important to the Anokótan because it ties everyone to their elemental ancestors. Practicing and mastering an elemental skill is a way of life for the Anokótan. The Element Nation Battle reminds the Anokótan of their roots, how the elements were cast to a new planet for fighting with each other. The battle celebrates their history of conflict and struggle. The First Fall festival is a continuance of the kindness that Akena showed to the elements after they were banished from their home planet. Everyone shares food and pays homage to Akena who showed the elemental ancestors kindness and mercy by giving them humans to keep them busy from fighting. They dance and practice their element as a way to remember their past. Marriage is used to pass the traditions and history of each family. The marriage rite of passage is used to test the strength and will power of the newlyweds. This is done to show how the elements had to survive and work together when they were first brought to their new planet. Marriage also exemplifies the fact that the nations are divided because only people of the same element nation can marry. All of these celebrations, battles and retreats are used to bind the Anokótan to their ancestors and history. Each tradition is a way to celebrate their lineage.

Ideologies

            All of the rituals represent the norms and values of the Anokótan. The Anokótan believe that one must master change, conflict, peace and wisdom in order to fully understand the element they are born to. The battle represents conflict, marriage represents change, religion represents wisdom and family represents peace. These are the values that the Anokótan are founded on. The rituals support these norms and values because it instills what culture is for the Anokótan and how it was shaped. The First Fall ritual is about sharing and building with your family. The Anokótan put a special emphasis on family because unity is what keeps everyone safe and fed. If there were a division within a nation they would fall apart or be taken over by other nations. Families, villages and nations must be united and take care of one another. The Element Nation Battle keeps nations on guard for war. At anytime a war between nations could start and every nation must be ready to battle. The Anokótan understand that conflict is necessary for growth. Marriage is about changing in social status, in order to do this a person must know their history and show they are prepared for adulthood. Once married a person must contribute to their society by hunting, farming, military allegiance or child rearing. Before marriage the only expectation is element mastering after marriage they are adults and must conduct themselves in that manner.  The Religious Retreats are used to impart the knowledge of the element and help a child master their element. This is where they learn what it is to be apart of an element nation and what role they play in the family. For the Anokótan religion and education are one in the same, a child must master their element before they are even suitable to be eligible for adulthood.