Lost Isles- Religion of the Megi of Sumil Kai


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	Religion of the Megi of Sumil Kai . .

	Creation Myth In the beginning there was no World, there was Nothing. Nothing stretched out across everything, and encompassed everything there was and everything that had ever been. There was no Time. There was no Place. There was only Nothing. Into all this Nothing came Something. The Something was small at first, and barely took up any space in the middle of all the Nothing that there was. But the Nothing was Black, and the Something was Yellow, and the Nothing was empty space, and the Something was a spark, and it burned a little bit, and as it burned, it expanded, becoming more and more Something all the time. Out of the Nothing came a Speck of Dust. The Nothing was Nowhere for it, and soon it found the Something, which was by now burning brightly in the center of all the Nothing. And the Speck basked in the glory that was the light and the heat from the Something. And the Speck began to grow too, spinning happily around the Something. The Speck became Blue, with bits of Green. The Speck fell in love with the Something, and the Something fell in love with the Speck, and the Speck called the Something Ramati, and the Something called the Speck Maraya. Maraya and Ramati span and danced with joy in the center of all the Nothing, and all they knew was happiness and love for each other. Where they were was Everything, and outside of where they were was Nothing. Ramati looked down from above, and Maraya looked up from below. In time, they had three triplet daughters, Malani, Pratawan, and Camaya. Malani was very strong and tall and liked to run and jump and play and fight. Pratawan was very wise and intelligent and spent all her time studying and thinking. Camaya was very beautiful and loving and spent all her time dreaming. One day, when they were still little girls, Malani, the eldest, said to her sisters that there was not enough room in the center of Everything. She said, that while they stood on the surface of Maraya, Ramati was oppressing them from above, and they would have more space if he were not so close. She said she would take her spear and push Ramati further away, so they would have more room. Her sisters argued with her that they had plenty of space, since Pratawan liked to sit quietly and think, and Camaya liked to lie down on the ground and look up at Ramati and dream. But Malani would not listen. She waited and watched until her sisters slept, and then she took her spear and pushed Ramati far away. Instead of Ramati filling the space above him he was now only a small yellow ball in the distance. He still burned with love for Maraya, and Maraya still traveled around him, but she grew much bigger in the new space she had out a little bit away from Ramati. During the days, Ramati and Maraya could still look at each other with love, but during the nights Ramati went away into the Nothing, and Maraya was alone, except for her three daughters. As the three girls grew bigger, so did Maraya. And she missed Ramati. She cried every night, until soon she was nearly covered with water, but for a few little spaces. Her tears became the ocean, and the skin that she had left that was not underwater became the islands and the continents. Soon she flung her daughters away from her, wanting more room, and despairing of the distance that Ramati had travelled. Malani she kept the closest, and Pratawan was next to her, and Camaya was out the furthest, so that she could look out at Ramati and dream. During the days the girls could still walk on her surface, but at night she made them sit in the Nothing so that she could quietly mourn for Ramati. Maraya became colder, and eventually she became the world. Her three daughters became the moons, and Ramati became the sun. Camaya was lonely, and she sat up every night crying. Her tears were little drops of fire. Her breath filled the middle of the Nothing with air, and her tears spun away from her into the middle of the air and hung suspended in the darkness, glowing and twinkling, and became the stars. Malani restlessly stalked the islands and the continents every day, poking at the earth with her spear. The earth bled a little at times, and from these holes and scars came the trees and the flowers and the plants. Pratawan pinched off little pieces of clay from the earth and made figures. With her hands she built a tiger, a buffalo, a monkey, a bird, a fish, a bee, a snake, and a crocodile. She set them down on her mother, the world, and breathed life in them, and they became the creatures of the forests and the ocean. And this is how the world came to be. Korak, Gatari, Kerawu, Balang, and Jalati When the Three Sisters were young, they were not so wise and smart and beautiful and strong as they were later. Every morning, their mother took them to visit her brother, who lived away on the other side of Ramati. Her brother was called Korak, and he knew about Everything, and he knew about Nothing. Korak was very wise, and he spent every morning teaching the girls things. Malani was very strong, and she liked to run and hunt. Korak taught her how to run fast, how to swing from her arms, how to hold a spear, and how to shoot a bow. Pratawan was very smart, and she loved to know about the nature of the world, and where things came from, and why things happen. Korak spent many hours teaching her about the ways of the world. Camaya had little interest in these things, but she liked to learn about manners, and art, and beauty. And she obeyed her uncle, so she listened to the things her uncle taught. Her favorite part of the day, though, was in the afternoon, when they would visit Korak's wife, Gatari. Gatari was a dancer, and she danced across the heavens every night, and sang songs to the stars, and played music for her husband. Gatari taught Camaya how to dance, and how to show off her beauty. Gatari’s brother Kerawu was a farmer. In the mornings he tilled the soil, and showed the plants how to grow, and watered them, and pruned them. He made many new flowers and plants from the few that grew. When he walked, bees buzzed around him, for they loved his sweet, flowery smell, and he built little houses for them, and they gave him honey in return. Kerawu watched Gatari and Camaya dancing, and he fell in love with Camaya’s beauty and grace. He wooed her with honey, and draped her with flowers, and she became his wife. When the world was much older, Gatari had a little boy, Balang. Korak taught Balang much about the world, and Gatari instilled in her beloved son a love of music and art. But he was lonely in the skies, and his grandmother Jalati made him little friends out of wood and paper. Balang used to spend hours making up stories, having battles and acting out dramas with his little friends. In time Balang taught the Megi how to make puppets, and how to use them. The Story of the Sumil and the Megi Pratawan played every day with the animals she made. She let them play together, and they made more animals, and then more. Her very favorites were the monkeys. Pratawan decided she would experiment with different groups of monkeys, and see what she could make of them. One group of monkeys she took to her uncle Korak, to learn more about the ways of the world. They grew long hair as they spent many hours studying, and they learned all about the ways of the world. Korak taught them how to run and jump and swing on their arms, and they grew tall and beautiful. They sat at the feet of Pratawan and spoke to her often about the world and why things were. This group of monkeys became the Megi. Another group of monkeys she gave to her sister Malani, who was lonely playing and hunting and running by herself. Malani taught them how to sing, how to run, how to hunt boar and buffalo, and they became her favorites. This group of monkeys was short and fierce, and became the Sumil. A third group of monkeys she left alone. These monkeys swung in the trees, and played, and chattered to each other, and these are the little monkeys you can still see in the forests of Sumil Kai today.
	The Gods and the Goddesses Ramati is the Father. He is the god of the sky and the sun, and represents the Virtues of Honesty and Honor. Not so many stories are told about Ramati, but it is acknowledged that the world would not be without his warmth and light and the love he bore Maraya. Ramati’s discipline is Astronomy. Ramati is associated with the tiger, and his symbol is the sun. He is honored on the first day of every week. Good. Maraya is the Mother. She is the goddess of the earth, Oheia, and represents the Virtue of Generosity. Her disciplines are Architecture, Agriculture, and Cooking. Maraya is the earth, the soil, the rocks, the volcanoes, and everything walks on her surface. Maraya is associated with the buffalo, and her symbol is a green and blue disc. She is honored on the second day of every week. Good. Malani is the Crooked Maiden. She is the goddess of the moon Bemos, and represents the Virtue of Courage. Her disciplines are Sports, Hunting, and Battle. Many stories are told about Malani, as she is the embodiment of everything violent on Sumil Kai, but also of strength and bravery. She is the beloved of both the Spears and the Sumil. Malani is associated with the crocodile, and her symbol is a spear. Malani is the first daughter of Ramati and Maraya, and her younger sisters are Pratawan and Camaya. Neutral. Pratawan is the Wise Maiden. She is the goddess of the moon Miris, and represents the Virtue of Wisdom and Intelligence. Her disciplines are Mathematics and Science. While Pratawan was not married, her love and wisdom created the animals and the people that walk on the world. Pratawan is associated with the monkey, and her symbol is an eye. Pratawan is the middle daughter of Ramati and Maraya, and her sisters are Pratawan and Camaya. Good. Camaya is the Beauty. She is the goddess of the moon Telia, and represents the Virtue of Love. Her disciplines are Healing and Oceanography. It is said by day she floats in the ocean, and gazes up at her father, and by night she sits in the heavens, and gazes out at the stars. Camaya is associated with whales, dolphins and fish, and her symbol is water and anything associated with water. She is the third daughter of Ramati and Maraya, and her sisters are Malani and Pratawan. Camaya is married to Kerawu. Good. Korak is the Teacher. He is the god of the planet Sene, and represents the Virtue of Respect & Courtesy. His disciplines are Education and Literature. Korak taught the Three Sisters, and later the Megi, about the nature of the world, and also about Everything, and about Nothing. Korak is also associated with the wisdom of the aged. Korak is associated with the cobra, and his symbol is a pen. Korak is the brother of Maraya, and the husband of Gatari, and the father of Balang. He is honored on the third day of every week. Good. Gatari is the Dancer. She is the goddess of the planet Sareys, and represents the Virtue of Mental Clarity & Order. Her disciplines are Art, Dance, and Music. Gatari taught the Three Sisters, and later the Megi, about how to play instruments and how to achieve bliss through dance. She is associated with the parrot, and her symbol is a star. Gatari is the wife of Korak, the mother of Balang, and the sister of Kerawu. She is honored on the fourth day of every week. Good. Balang is the Puppet Master. He is the god of the planet Kodia, and represents the Virtue of Happiness & Humor. His disciplines are Play and Leisure. Balang built the first puppets and taught the art of puppetry, and the telling of tales through puppet shows, to the Megi. He is associated with the butterfly, and his symbol is a puppet. Balang is the son of Korak and Gatari. He is honored on the fifth day of every week. Good. Kerawu is the Famer. He is the god of the planet Asir, and represents the Virtue of Productivity. His disciplines are Agriculture, Beekeeping, and Animal Husbandry. Kerawu was the first to till the land and keep bees, and he taught the Megi how to care for the land and how to care for animals. Kerawu is especially beloved of the Spades. He is associated with the bee, and his symbol is a spade. He is honored on the sixth day of every week. Kerawu is the brother of Gatari and the husband of Camaya. Good. Jalati is the Craftswoman. She is the goddess of the planet Undrea, and represents the virtue of Patience & Self-Discipline. Her disciplines are Embroidery, Spinning, Dyeing, Carving, and all kinds of crafts. It is said that Jalati has a great tapestry which represents the lives of all the creatures in the world, and it is she who weaves them into the pattern that is fate. Jalati is respected by all Megi, but she is also feared, and is generally not beloved. She is associated with the spider and the kera beetle, and her symbol is a needle or a loom. Jalati is the mother of Kerawu and Gatari. She is honored on the seventh day of every week. Neutral. Amausia is Nothing, or Final Death. She is the beginning and the end of everything. She is the goddess of the planet Erres, and represents the Virtue of Humility & Modesty. Her disciplines are the Preparation of Dead Bodies and Speaking with Spirits. Amausia is the Nothing that existed before Everything came to be, and is the Nothing that everything will pass to in the end. She is associated with worms, salamanders, and lizards. Her symbol is an empty circle. Amausia is the mother of Maraya and Korak. Evil.
	Death Death is a time of ritual, and also a cause for celebration among the Megi. It is important to send the dead person on to the Gods with great fanfare, so that the Gods will know that he was well liked. The preparation of bodies is important, as they will be present for the entire funeral celebration. One of the craft houses near the outer perimeter of the wall is dedicated to storing, preparing, and interring the body. Bodies are carefully washed and wrapped in sweet-smelling cloths until the interment. Funerals take place in special pavilions built in the outer circle of the city, near the gates. They are accompanied with elaborate feasts, often lasting up to a week, at which the dead body presides, and the favorite dishes of the dead are served. Everyone remembers the deceased and everything he did, whether good or bad. They speak to the corpse as if it was alive and physically present. Loud music is played every night, and boisterous shouting, whistling, and other noise making should fill the funeral pavilion from dusk till dawn. At every funeral, young girls dressed in special costumes dance a solemn dance, which represents the story of the spiral of existence, and the life of the deceased. The family makes offerings to the gods in the pavilion, at the temple, and at the deceased’s house shrine. Megi bodies are interred in enormous trees outside the city. Each family has its own grove, in which the towering trees are located in a circle. The center of the circle always has swings, benches, and other things for visitors, and the souls of the newly departed, to enjoy. For each body, a vertical space is hollowed out near the base of a tree, with great skill and care so as not to harm the tree. The body, wrapped in its robes, is put standing upright in the cavity, which is then plugged up with a wooden stopper carved with the likeness of the individual. In this way, older graves will have effigy figures at a great height, and more recent graves will have a figure nearer to ground level. More than one body may be interred in the same tree. The soul is not considered free to pass on in the spiral of existence until the tree is sealed with the body properly interred in it. Then, the body and the soul are not thought to be connected. The souls are thought to climb the tree up to the sky, before they pass on to visit Jalati. Those who have led an especially virtuous and correct life will pass on to the Center, but this is very rare. Otherwise, the soul will go and sit at the feet of Jalati, as she sits and sews and weaves her tapestry in her gray place. As every creature is about to be born, she chooses a soul out of those assembled with her, and weaves a thread for them into her tapestry, and it passes back into the world. The Spiral of Existence Every creature in the world is part of the spiral of existence, from the lowly worm, to the peaceful buffalo, to the ferocious tiger, to the Sumil, to each individual Megi, whatever her position in life. It is believed that the most important thing for each individual to do in its life is to follow the path of its life as best as possible. This path is set at birth, by Jalati weaving on her tapestry, and the most important task of a Megi child is to discover her intended life’s work, and to live her life correctly according to the Virtues taught by the gods. Every soul is understood to be following a path on the spiral. During successive lives, the soul returns to the world to live again, and will travel upwards on the spiral if the past life was successful. The spiral represents the soul’s journey from the basest existence, outside, in Nothing (everything came from Amausia in the beginning), to, hopefully, final bliss in the Center of everything. The gods themselves live in the Center, with the exception of the willful Malani, Jalati, who holds the fate of all in her hands, and Amausia, who struggles against the rest of the gods in the battle for human souls. This basic philosophy permeates Megi culture, and is the reason for many facets of their lives, from their lack of interest in eating meat, their refusal to cultivate and kill silk worms, to the careful and loving way they care for their domestic animals, seeing themselves more as caretakers than as owners, and their lack of aggressiveness against other creatures, except in matters of defense. This is why you will rarely see a traditional Megi hunting, unless the animal could be thought to endanger the lives of the community or the other creatures around it. The spiral is best represented as a three-dimensional figure, with the outside being the lowest point, and gradually rising up to the highest point in the center. Megi cities and temples themselves represent the spiral of existence in their basic form, and a two-dimensional spiral is a sacred symbol that decorates much of Megi art and craft. It is possible to slip downwards on the spiral as well as to travel upwards. Individuals who live outside of the will of the community and the Eleven Virtues; those who are destructive, willful, lazy, stupid, hateful, etc.; and especially individuals who are exiled from the community, are understood to be traveling backwards or downwards. A Megi who lives a very bad life is understood to have fallen off the spiral. These souls are not expected to return to the world after death, and will instead be absorbed into, and annihilated by, Aumasia. The Eleven Virtues The gods teach eleven virtues that every Megi tries to follow: 1. Wisdom & Knowledge 2. Love 3. Honesty & Honor 4. Generosity 5. Happiness & Humor 6. Mental Clarity & Order 7. Patience & Self-Discipline 8. Courage 9. Humility & Modesty 10. Respect & Courtesy 11. Productivity Adherence to these virtues guarantees one’s ascendance upwards towards the Center. Holy Days Holy days for the Megi are tied to astronomical occurrences. The most important days have to do with confluences of the moons and various planets. The Circles of the Sparks The Sparks have different circles, or concentrations. Each group of Sparks is concerned with the disciplines and concerns of a particular god, or group of associated gods. However, all Sparks recognize the power and importance of each and every god in the pantheon, and it is impossible to be a good Megi without recognizing the holiness of each. All Sparks revere Korak, as they are all teachers, with the Temple serving as a school for children in the morning, as well as a place of worship. The Blue (or Sky) Sparks, centered in Balang Kang, are extremely concerned with astronomy and mathematics. These Sparks are particularly interested in the teachings of Ramati and Pratawan. The Green (or Forest) Sparks, centered in Ulara Kang, are largely concerned with biology, and zoology. These Sparks are particularly interested in the teachings of Maraya and Malani. The Gray (or Ocean) Sparks, centered in New Kalara, study the weather and the ocean. These Sparks are particularly interested in the teachings of Camaya. The Yellow Sparks are distributed in all three cities, and study botany, herbs, medicine and healing. These Sparks are particularly interested, also, in the teachings of Camaya. The path of a performer is a rare and special one for adults. Musicians play a large variety of instruments, mostly percussion, usually in groups of three to thirty-three musicians. The dancers are primarily female, and their slow, rigidly stylized dances are said to bring the dancer near to a state of bliss, like that which will be found at the Center. Other performers enact elaborate morality and historical plays using puppets, usually to musical accompaniment (drama using Megi performers is not done, in favor of these puppet shows). All professional performers are members of the Purple Sparks, and this group is interested in the teachings of Gatari and Balang. It is rumored that there is a group of White Sparks who worship Amausia and whose precepts run counter to many of the teachings of traditional Megi religion, but if these Sparks exist, they are very secretive and not much is known about them. Clerical Life The path of a Spark is a life much like any other in Megi society. Sparks live at home, marry, have children, serve as Speakers, trade with Spades, eat with their families or in restaurants, and travel to study or provide aid to other cultures. Sparks do not have to dress differently from other Megi unless they are performing a ceremony. The duties of a Spark vary by individual. The sarwar, or head of the temple, spends very little time on religious ritual, since his time is usually devoted to managerial duties. Some Sparks devote nearly all their time to research. A Blue Spark may spend most of his time observing and recording the movements of the stars, a Gray Spark may spend a great deal of her time recording wind speed and tides, or a Yellow Spark may devote his days to studying the properties of various herbs when mixed, or burnt, or dried. Other Sparks spend nearly all their time teaching, either a particular discipline, or, for various children, they may teach nearly anything. Certain of these Sparks do not really need to belong to a circle, since they are not really devoted to one particular discipline, besides teaching, but choosing a Circle is observed as a formality and is a necessary part of joining the Sparks as a full member. Blue, Green, and Gray Sparks may travel for research. Blue Sparks may be interested in observing the stars from a distant position, or examining the mathematical formulae of a scholar of another race on a distant island. Green Sparks enjoy observing animals of other islands and recording their knowledge in their great biological tomes. Gray Sparks like to travel and observe sea life and weather phenomena on other islands and on the sea. Yellow and Purple Sparks, however, travel often to bring their skills to other cultures. Yellow Sparks are interested in healing, no matter the patient, and Purple Sparks are interested in bringing the traditional Megi stories, as performed in their puppet shows and dances, to other cultures. Both of these circles do not really have a central temple, since their members travel widely. Every Temple has at least one representative of each circle, in order to keep its children and observances well rounded. Sparks from other cities often take up temporary residence at a Temple, in order to fulfill the duties of that circle in that city. Clerical Organization Each circle of the Sparks has a titular leader, who is usually one of the oldest Sparks in that circle. The leaders of the circles usually serve until death. The titles of these leaders include the term Grandfather or Grandmother, denoting respect, and the name of the circle… so Grandfather Blue is the leader of the Blue Sparks, and Grandmother Purple is the leader of the Purple Sparks. This is a sort of honorary position, as most religious practice is fairly individual, but they may be consulted on matters of intellectual debate. Each Grandmother or Grandfather is expected to choose her or his successor before she dies. Each temple also has a leader, whose duties are largely administrative, who is known as the sarwar. The sarwar is chosen from among all the Sparks serving in the Temple. The sarwar communicates with families about arranging ceremonies, and makes sure that there are Sparks of the right circle on hand for every occasion for which they are needed. The Sarwar also contracts with the Spades for supplies, and the Spears for labor, as necessary. The sarwar is generally chosen by consensus, but will be chosen by vote if consensus cannot be reached. Sarwars serve a three-year term, and usually go on to be Speakers after their term is complete. Serving as a Sarwar is important, but is generally regarded as more of a duty than an honor, since Sparks in this service have little time for religious practice. The oldest member of each circle in a Temple will normally be consulted if necessary, and these Sparks serve as deputy sarwars of sorts on occasion. Other than the Grandparents, and the Sarwars, there are no real ranks in the clergy. A Spark is either a full Spark, after the age of fifteen, or is a chela serving out her apprenticeship. Everyday Worship Religious observances are an important part of Megi life. Every home and place of business has a shrine, which is usually a niche carved in the wall, a shelf on the wall near the ceiling, or may be a small platform placed on the floor. Each shrine is dedicated to a particular god, and is decorated with items that are thought to please him. For instance, a drawing of a sun might be hung at the back of a shrine for Ramati, a miniature spear might be placed in a shrine for Malani, a bowl of salt water for Camaya, or a carved bee figurine for Kerawu. Shrines are erected for all the gods except Amausia, and there may be more than one in a building, but there is never more than one in a room. Fresh food, leaves, flowers, rocks, and nearly anything can be left as offerings on the shrine. It is usually the job of they youngest person in the house to check the shrine every morning and change the offerings if necessary. It is often a source of great amusement for adults to see a doll, a pile of rocks, or a frayed piece of blanket that a child has chosen and arranged with great care on a shrine. Ceremonies are held every day at dawn and dusk in the temple. Each day of the week belongs to a succeeding god, or goddess, although the Three Sisters do not have their own days and are honored at every rise of their moons. Amausia is not usually honored at the Temple, although occasionally separate ceremonies may be performed for her in the forest. This certainly makes for a great many ceremonies, but some may take only a few minutes, and Balang’s ceremonies are usually puppet shows, which are greatly entertaining to youngsters, and Gatari’s ceremonies are usually musical performances or dances. No one is required to attend ceremonies, but they are social occasions, and most Megi attend temple at least three times a week, although elderly Megi and children and adolescents may attend more often.