Many rituals in Takanir life provide ongoing cultural
structure. This sort of cultural continuity, embedded in ritual and symbol, is
paramount to maintain the ideologies and customs within a culture. For the
Takanir, structure is upheld because of the deep social expectations in
everyday life. Consider the Takanir religious ritual on the first of every
month. Specifically held to honor the beloved Zebra god, and a trump to any
other social or physical occurrence, the religious celebration on the first of
every month provides the utmost structure to all of the rituals to come. Every
individual goes out to prepare for the bonfire, and upon returning wears the
colors of their personal animal dignitary. This imperative social action,
linked to a religious expectation and pressure (if you will) provides a link
between the two, so as to create a deep feeling of necessity. To worship the
Zebra god is not only an individual action for oneself, but also a community
action. It is not only the right thing to do; it is the Takanir thing to do.
Apparent in most every other ritual, such as a marriage, and celebrations of
Takanir political structure, are the colors of the animal dignitaries.
Marriage, in and of itself, allows the structure of Takanir beliefs to persist.
By marrying, as previously mentioned in posts before this one, women take on
the man’s dignitaries. Upon having children, the Takanir believe that every
child upon being born must be touched and prayed over by every community member
seven days after birth. This provides a deep feeling of communitas as well as
an entrance into Takanir social current. Social cohesion occurs around the
collective mentality that children must experience such a welcome into the community.
This religious and social implication furthers on the Takanir rite of passage
for both girls and boys. By the age of ten, a Takanir child goes out into the
woods to prove his faith in his personal dignitary. Thus engaging in religion ensures one’s social
position. Celebrating what it means to be Takanir is perhaps the most important
structural ritual, because to be Takanir is to understand the favor and love
from the Zebra god ranging from past to present. Many old chants and songs are
sung, paints of dignitaries are worn, and the understanding of the Zebra god’s
continuing favor is celebrated. The religious and social structures in
marriage, birth, and government allow for the flourishing of Takanir culture.
All
Takanir rituals allow the perpetuation of Takanir culture. Because the
community is so involved with each other in birth, marriage, politics, and
religion, everyday life allows cultural reproduction. In birth, for example,
every member of the community must pray over and touch the newborn seven days
after his or her coming into the world. This enduring practice allows the injection
of a culture to take place in the beginning of all Takanir life. In marriage, the entire village prepares a meal
for the couple and engages in the marital ceremony. While the couple is on
their “honeymoon” of sorts in the marriage hut, a house is built collectively
for the newlyweds. Even politically, the idea of government for the Takanir is extremely
cohesive. All of the animal dignitaries are celebrated and another year of
favor from the Zebra god and Takanir peace are observed. The ideas and norms of
Takanir life such as equality and non-violence are revered and deeply
encouraged. Religious ceremonies on the first of every month also have cultural
repercussions because nothing is more important than such a ritual. All Takanir, from birth to death understand
the significance of the beginning of each month; it dictates their very style
of life.
Norms and
ideologies of Takanir life, lastly, are clearly reflected through ritual behavior.
The religious ceremony on the first of each month in which little ritual structure
is included allows for more individualistic, personal relationships with the
Zebra god. This displays the imperative nature of equality in Takanir life;
religious hegemony is considered detrimental to society. (Please note that when
I refer to a “lack or ritual structure”, I do not mean to imply that structure
cannot manifest itself within the Takanir institution of religion. I only mean
to acknowledge the lack of hierarchy or successions of power that many
religious ceremonies encompass). Within birth, the idea of a unified community lifestyle
is present. This idea of social cohesion built around the collective social
mentality that every community member must actively greet and pray for the
child is indicative of a community norm. Perhaps blatant in a Takanir rite of
passage ritual is the social norm associated with specific ages. Before turning
ten in Takanir culture, a child will have a dream and be sent out into the
woods to prove his faith and trust in his given animal dignitary. This unique
ritual certainly shows how religious and social ideology makes itself known in
Takanir culture. Marriage rituals also appear to imply Takanir ideology in the customary "transfer" of animal dignitary from husband to wife. It implies not only a gender dynamic of roles, but also the intermingling of religious and social roles. Not only do men seem to "lead" marital relationships, men and women assume a connection between their roles as children of the Zebra god and their roles and husbands and wives. Politically, ideas of non-violence and equality are very apparent in new year rituals. The Takanir do not partake in wars but they also believe in the equality of all Takanir and all their animal dignitaries. (When I speak to equality, I do not mean to suggest that there are not assumed gender roles that may or may not leave social gaps. I bring up equality only to identify the lack of barriers between men, women, and the Zebra god).
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