|
|
| (9 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown) |
| Line 2: |
Line 2: |
| | flag=http://www.nationstates.net/images/flags/uploads/the_eternal_kawaii.jpg | | | flag=http://www.nationstates.net/images/flags/uploads/the_eternal_kawaii.jpg | |
| | region=[[Anime]] | | | region=[[Anime]] | |
| − | motto="IYAAAA!!! GOJIRA!!! GOJIRA!!!" | | + | motto="We are Cute, You are Happy" | |
| | map=No map available. | | | map=No map available. | |
| − | language=[[English]] (with numerous and possibly<br>badly used [[Japanese]] terms) | | + | language=[[English]] (with numerous<br>and possibly badly used<br>[[Japanese]] terms) | |
| − | capital= | | + | capital=Sanrio City (destroyed) | |
| − | population=Very large and growing. | | + | population=Recently decimated by ''kaiju'',<br>but still growing. | |
| | currency=the Unico | | | currency=the Unico | |
| − | leader=The Eternal Kawaii | + | leader=The Prophet,<br>aka Speaker-With-Kittens,<br>aka Voice of the Cute One |
| | }} | | }} |
| − | == Editor's Note == | + | |
| | + | ==Editor's Note== |
| | | | |
| | The [[nation]] formerly known as the Holy Otaku Church of the Eternal Kawaii has recently undergone a catastrophic reformation. Its new government, the Diaspora Church of the Eternal Kawaii, is currently in a state of flux. As such, the sections dealing with Kawaiian history and governmental organization may not contain the latest information. Readers are advised to contact their nearest Kawaiian representative via the NSUN for updates. | | The [[nation]] formerly known as the Holy Otaku Church of the Eternal Kawaii has recently undergone a catastrophic reformation. Its new government, the Diaspora Church of the Eternal Kawaii, is currently in a state of flux. As such, the sections dealing with Kawaiian history and governmental organization may not contain the latest information. Readers are advised to contact their nearest Kawaiian representative via the NSUN for updates. |
| | | | |
| | The sections referring to Kawaiian culture are deemed accurate. Further information on this subject can be obtained by contacting the nearest Kawaiian representative. | | The sections referring to Kawaiian culture are deemed accurate. Further information on this subject can be obtained by contacting the nearest Kawaiian representative. |
| − |
| |
| − | ==A Brief History of The Eternal Kawaii==
| |
| − |
| |
| − | The nation referred to as "The Eternal Kawaii" is unusual among NationStates for being almost a pure theocracy. To understand its government, one must first study the history of the Church of the Eternal Kawaii in its various forms, since the two institutions appear to be synonymous. Historically, there have been three recognized forms of government, know respectively as the (pre-historical) Primitive Church of the Eternal Kawaii, the (until recently) Holy Otaku Church of the Eternal Kawaii (aka '''HOCEK'''), and the (current) Diaspora Church of the Eternal Kawaii.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ===Prologue -- The Sanrio Kittens===
| |
| − |
| |
| − | According to Kawaiian mythology, before the Cute One placed Man on earth, there existed in the spirit world thirteen clans of Divine Beasts: the Rat, the Ox, the Tiger, the Rabbit, the Dragon, the Snake, the Horse, the Sheep, the Monkey, the Rooster, the Dog, the Pig, and lastly the Cat. When Man arrived on earth, the Beasts took pity on the primitive and ignorant creature, and each of them (unknown to the others) came down from the spirit world to take turns educating him. Armed with their knowledge, Man became powerful enough to challenge their authority. Realizing what had happened, the Divine Beasts took council, and debated whether to destroy Man before they were usurped. All but the Cat agreed Man should be destroyed. This saved Man but doomed the Cat. The Beasts' council decided that instead, they would depart Earth and return to the spirit world, except for the Cat. Its clan was ordered to stay behind and keep tabs on Man.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | This is supposedly the origin of the creatures known as "Sanrio kittens." Not much else is known about them, other than they are worshipped as avatars of the Cute One by the Kawaiians. They apparently originated in the lands of the Eternal Kawaii, on and around Mount Sanrio, a tall mountain near the center of the Kawaiian homeland that is regarded as the home of the Cute One. Physically, they resemble small, bipedal and slightly anthropomorphic kittens. They are apparently intelligent, but since no scientific study has been made of them, noone is really sure if that is true or how intelligent they may actually be. To the Kawaiians, it's a moot point, since they're considered divinities and what thoughts they may have are ineffible.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ===The Primitive Church of the Eternal Kawaii===
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Little is known of the origins of the Eternal Kawaii. However, the current theory is that the body of religious beliefs that make it up arose from a primitive combination of nature- and ancestor- worship. It was apparently poly- or pan-theistic, with belief in multitudes of divine/spiritual beings that resided in natural phenomena. Chief among these were the Sanrio kittens, who were worshiped as deities. It was during this period that shrine-worship was developed. Natural phenomena (such as mountains, waterfalls and other unusual geographic features) were believed to house spirits, and shrines were built for people to go to and pay reverence to them. Also, because such features represented an intersection between the spirit world and earth, it was at these shrines where homage was paid to one's ancestors.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ===The Holy Otaku Church of the Eternal Kawaii===
| |
| − |
| |
| − | The second phase in the religious development of the Eternal Kawaii was the formation of the ''otaku'' ("zealots"), and the transition from a poly- or pan-theistic worldview to a monotheistic one. According to HOCEK doctrine, the Cute One revealed Itself approximately 5700 years ago and established a priesthood to direct worship of Itself. (Most historians dispute the antiquity of this origin, but all sources tend to agree that the HOCEK existed in one form or another throughout the Eternal Kawaii's recorded history.) It was during this period that the body of religious customs and laws that guide Kawaiian society were laid down.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ====HOCEK Doctrine====
| |
| − |
| |
| − | The central doctrine of the HOCEK was the veneration of all things cute, and the maintenance of a constantly happy frame of mind. As a result, the church/government focused much attention on areas such as the environment, entertainment, youth culture, etc. Its most striking feature was a thoroughly repressive moral code. Drugs (including tobacco) were banned, alcohol was allowed to be drunk only in prescribed religious rituals, pornography and anything suggesting it were not permitted in public spaces, and nearly all common vices (with the noted exception of gambling) were illegal and carried serious penalties. Most significantly, HOCEK teachings held sexuality to be a taboo subject, to the point where even casual public displays of affection were regarded as scandalous.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | '''''"Cuteness",''''' whether physical or natural, was prized with religious fervor, which was reflected in the nation's strict dress codes and environmental laws:
| |
| − |
| |
| − | * Gracious Speech and Behavior: People exhibiting indecorous dress, speech, or behavior were shunned by the Kawaiian population as ''ecchi''. Unpleasant topics such as violence or crime were considered unfit for public discussion and were regularly suppressed. A UN report on Kawaiian society once described public life there as "one long and very formal tea party."
| |
| − | * Shrine Culture: One of the primary ways the Cute One interacted with man, according to HOCEK teachings, was through nature. The primitive pan-theistic nature spirits were now recognized to be Manifestations of the Cute One, and the sacred buildings set up to venerate them became houses of ''otaku''-led prayer. This led to the development of the ''nekomusume'' ("cat-eared girls", named for their traditional headgear), or "shrine maidens". The ''otaku'' were a strictly male organization, the ''nekomusume'' was its female counterpart: while the ''otaku'' led the faithful in worship, the ''nekomusume'' tended to the physical needs of the shrines.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | '''''"Happiness",''''' the second aspect of HOCEK doctrine, was featured in the government's focus on entertainment and youth culture. The arts, sport, and other "beautifications of society" were frequently government-sponsored. The doctrine was also reflected in the nation's legal system. HOCEK teachings regarded crime as the outcome of unhappiness, which was caused by alienation from the Cute One. Accordingly, in lieu of a normal prison system, offenders were commonly sent to re-education camps, where they were taught to be more "in tune" with The Cute One.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ====HOCEK Organization====
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Because of its secretive nature, the true organization of the HOCEK was never known, but it appears to have been a complex, multi-tiered priesthood. Its leadership, known as ''otaku,'' were ranked by degrees, the lowest being 1st, then 2nd, and so forth. The highest degree of otaku was unknown; however, the public rarely came into contact with higher than a 3rd degree otaku. ''Otaku'' never referred to themselves by name; all government pronouncements were said to be "declarations of the Eternal Kawaii."
| |
| − |
| |
| − | The day-to-day affairs of the Eternal Kawaii's government were decided and conducted through a series of HOCEK "conclaves". There were numerous conclaves, the most important of which were:
| |
| − | * The Conclave of Peace, concerned with national defense.
| |
| − | * The Conclave of Wisdom, concerned with youth education and running the nation's extensive system of re-education camps.
| |
| − | * The Conclave of Joy, concerned with internal security.
| |
| − | * The Conclave of Friendship, concerned with diplomacy and commerce.
| |
| − | * The Conclave of Beauty, concerned with the environment and culture.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ====The Happiness Police====
| |
| − |
| |
| − | This large, quasi-governmental organization was (and remains) probably the most visible and best-known (or most notorious) group within The Eternal Kawaii. It developed in parallel with the HOCEK to enforce its numerous moral rules, and to ensure that ''ecchi'' people were kept from interfering with the rest of society's happy frames of mind. Its members constist mainly of athletic, martial arts-trained teenage girls dressed in brightly colored seifuku ("sailor suit" -style uniforms) and carrying large wooden mallets. They are feared and respected by the populace, both for their cuteness and piety and for their nearly unlimited and arbitrary powers of arrest and detention. (More mundane criminal activity is handled much more discreetly, with suspects disappearing off the streets in order not to disturb the public happiness.)
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ===The Kawaiian Apocalypse and the Fall of the HOCEK===
| |
| − |
| |
| − | On Himechan 5 of the 1189th Moon of the Fire Tiger (in the [[The Eternal Kawaii#Appendix: The Kawaiian Calendar|Kawaiian calendar]], corresponding to the [[Wikipedia:Gregorian Calendar|Gregorian]] date 24 November 2006), the HOCEK's millenia-old rule over the people of the Eternal Kawaii came to an abrupt and terrifying end. The history of the apocalyptic events surrounding that date is still being written, but a few points are known and agreed upon:
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ; Rough Diplomatic Relations with Omigodtheykilledkenny : The NationState of [[Omigodtheykilledkenny]] (OMGTKK) had for some time engaged in a low-level propaganda war against the HOCEK, accusing the church of promoting religious extremism and seeking weapons of mass destruction (WMD). How much of this was a legitimate concern, how much was merely intended to pacify the Kennyite population, and how much was based on a personal feud between the two nations' [[United Nations|NSUN]] [[List of Ambassadors to the United Nations|ambassadors]] is still being debated today.
| |
| − | ; The Exploding Penguin Controversy : In the Moon of the Water Tiger (about one year before the apocalypse) reports of unusual behavior among penguins in OMGTKK prompted speculation by the HOCEK government on whether it was related to a Manifestation of the Cute One. An ambassadorial mission was sent to that country with orders to investigate the phenomena. This led to accusations by the Kennyite government that the Kawaiians were spying upon them, possibly to obtain intelligence on the production of weapons of mass destruction.
| |
| − | ; The Kittens' Revolt : A month later, the Sanrio kittens, who for as long as anyone could remember had lived peacefully side by side with the Kawaiian people, suddenly rose up and began attacking buildings, automobiles, and every other man-made object they could get their paws on. This led to considerable distress and no small amount of property damage, since it was against HOCEK law to harm a Sanrio kitten regardless of the destruction it was causing. Numerous attempts at coaxing the kittens away from the Eternal Kawaii's cities were tried, until an unnamed junior ''otaku'' hit upon the blindingly obvious solution of going up to one of them and asking it nicely to leave. No explanation could be determined for the kittens' bizarre behavior. In restrospect, however, it is commonly believed by the Kawaiians that it was some kind of warning of the events that were to come.
| |
| − | ; The [[History of Antarctic Oasis#The Kitten Revolution|War with Omigodtheykilledkenny]] : During the midst of the kitten crisis, Kennyite [[President of the Federal Republic|President]] [[Manuelo Fernanda]] decided to up the stakes by launching an attack upon the Eternal Kawaii. Using the kittens' destruction as cover, the Kennyite forces launched waves of high-altitude exploding penguin bombers to prolong the chaos, giving them time to insert teams of [[Omigodtheykilledkenny#Kenny Armed Forces|Stripper Commandos]] to harass (and thoroughly embarass) the Kawaiian military forces while gathering "evidence" of Kawaiian involvement in the production of WMD. The war ended when international diplomatic and military pressure was brought upon the Kennyites to cease their attacks, followed by an armistice hammered out by the two feuding NSUN ambassadors.
| |
| − | ; The Weapons Inspection Regime : Part of the armistice agreement included provisions to allow the NSUN to send inspectors to factories and military facilities in the Eternal Kawaii. In theory they were there to assure the NSUN that the HOCEK was keeping its promise not to develop WMD; although some UN observers noted that the heavy presense of Kennyites in the inspection teams suggested they were there to collect intelligence on the Kawaiian military.
| |
| − | ; The Kawaii Bomb : It is at this point the history of events becomes murky, and speculation replaces hard evidence. It is believed that the HOCEK, chafing under the undignified terms of the armistice, had in fact reneged upon the terms of it and were developing WMD in secret. Noone is sure what the HOCEK scientists were working on, but on Himechan 1 of the 1189th Moon of the Fire Tiger, the HOCEK announced that it had abrogated the armistice with OMGTKK, expelled Kennyite [[Kenny Diplomatic Service|Ambassador]] [[Jack Riley]] (whose whereabouts are a mystery to this day), and was now an official nuclear power. Four days later, disaster struck.
| |
| − | ; The Coming of Lord Gojira and the Rout of the Eternal Kawaii : Kawaiian mythology speaks of many demonic as well as heavenly creatures, and chief among these is Gojira Ku'tulu, Lord of the Hosts of Kaiju, Scourge of the Cute One. Described as a 100 meter-tall fire breathing behemoth, the demon was a regular part of Kawaiian folklore. On Himechan 5, those folktales became reality when Lord Gojira emerged from the harbor of Sanrio City and began laying waste to the city. The monster was soon joined by other similar creatures, the ''kaiju'', who wrecked havoc thoughout the Eternal Kawaii. Despite the best efforts of the Kawaiian military, within two weeks civilization within the Eternal Kawaii was smashed.
| |
| − | ; The Fall of the HOCEK : Their cities in flaming ruins, the Kawaiian people who had survived the monsters' onslaught fled into the countryside, where they discoved the ''otaku'' had fled before them and were hiding out in the stately mansions owned by the senior HOCEK leadership. As the crisis deepened with no relief in sight, the survivors rebelled (politely) against their church leaders and had them deposed.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ===The Diaspora Church of the Eternal Kawaii===
| |
| − |
| |
| − | With the end of the HOCEK, Kawaiian civilization fell back on its primitive roots, primarily family ties. Kawaiian culture had always been semi-tribal, with day-to-day affairs decided within individual families and clans. The HOCEK had over the centuries bonded the various tribes into a single nation, but without the ''otaku'' to guide them it became clear that the nation was disintegrating. It is possible that Kawaiians could've disappeared from history were it not for a single individual: the former HOCEK Nuncio to the NSUN.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ; The Prophet : About a month after Lord Gojira's initial attack, the former HOCEK NSUN Nuncio was working within his homeland to organize the surviving peoples' efforts to dodge the still-rampaging ''kaiju''. On Jouchan 2 of the Moon of the Earth Rabbit (33 days after the attack), he apparently had some kind of religious experience. Exactly what happened is a matter of speculation, but according to Kawaiian witnesses he discovered he could speak with, and understand the speech of, the normally inscrutable Sanrio kittens. He was accordingly hailed as a Prophet, and was quickly recognized by the desparate people as their new leader. (A possible deciding factor was the endorsement of the new Prophet by the still-organized Happiness Police, who put themselves at his service to enforce his word as Law.)
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ; The Patriarchs : The new Prophet's first act was to put some semblance of order into what was left of Kawaiian society. Working with the family structures available to him, and after conducting a census to see which had survived the monsters' onslaught, he determined there were about 60 remaining clan/tribal groupings. Selecting the senior members of each clan, he declared them tribal patriarchs, naming them after the months of the Kawaiian calendar, beginning with the Wood Rat and on to the Water Boar. These patriarchs, sworn to follow and interpret the Law handed down by the Prophet and to support the Happiness Police who enforce it, are the foundation of the current government of the Eternal Kawaii.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ; The Exodus : Realizing the ''kaiju'' attacks were not ceasing, the Prophet's second act was to declare the exodus of the Kawaiian people from their homeland. A plea was put out through the new NSUN Nuncia of the Eternal Kawaii, the Prophet's young niece, who began working deals with various foreign powers to host Kawaiian tribes in exile. As of publication, this process is still ongoing.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ==A Rough Guide to Kawaiian Culture==
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Despite the massive changes to the structure of the Kawaiian NationState recently, Kawaiian culture has for the most part been unchanged:
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ===Church, Family, Self: Kawaiian Identity===
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Kawaiian children were traditionally taught to think of themselves as a member of the HOCEK first, their family second, and then finally as an individual. With the fall of the ''otaku'' and their replacement by the Prophet, this system has continued. Alliegance is owed first to the Prophet and his Law, then to one's Patriarch and elders, and only finally to oneself. This form of communal thinking colors every aspect of the believer-citizen's life, and affects their attitudes toward civil rights, which often seem strange and contradictory to more individualistic cultures among NationStates.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ====Believer vs. Non-Believer====
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Kawaiian society has largely been isolationist over the centuries; it was HOCEK policy to restrict their peoples' contact with foreign cultures. That, and the recent unpleasant events resulting from contact with Omigodtheykilledkenny, have forged a strongly xenophobic streak within the Kawaiian mindest. However, the former HOCEK doctrines of "cuteness" and "happiness" still exist within the framework of the Law handed down by the Prophet. The result is a rather chilly formality towards foreigners. While Kawaiians will not show overt signs of hostility towards foreigners, only with the greatest of effort can a non-believer be accepted among them, and even then they will always be viewed as an outsider.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ====Family Matters====
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Even when the HOCEK in its early days adopted monotheism, the earlier practice of ancestor worship was never fully suppressed. Instead, HOCEK teachings presented one's departed ancestors as "intercessionaries" with the Cute One. Veneration of one's ancestors became an integral part of worship, with prayers to the Cute One directed through them.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | This practice, continued today under the Law of the Prophet, is the foundation for one of the most powerful forces within Kawaiian culture--the taboo against illegitimacy. The belief that only one's lineal ancestors can intercede for one with the Cute One makes it a requirement that one be sure who one's lineal ancestors truly are. This has resulted in a heavily formalized set of rules regarding the family.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ;Separation of the Sexes : Co-habitation in the Eternal Kawaii is, of course, absolutely forbidden. Indeed, any social situation which could even hint at an illegitimate sexual relationship is frowned upon. This has resulted in a strongly sexually-segregated scociety, starting with separate classes in school for boys and girls and continuing on to separate career paths for men and women. (The concept of "men's work" and "women's work", far from being considered sexist and discriminatory, is a commonly accepted notion.) Even such mundane things such as restaurants and public transportation are often divided into "men's", "women's" and "family" sections. Medicine in the Eternal Kawaii is also a divided affair, with physicians trained to heal members of their own sex exclusively.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ;Dating and Marriage : Because the average Kawaiian rarely comes into contact with a member of the opposite sex outside of their family, the process of dating and marriage is a complicated and heavily regulated affair. Both dating and marriage are regarded as sacred institutions, with several degrees of socially-approved relationships from casual friendship to man and wife. The Kawaiian view of marriage differs somewhat from other cultures in that it is not considered a private union between individuals. That is, the Kawaiian marriage contract is not between man and wife; instead, it is between man and wife as the first party and their families as the second party, with surrounding society as witnessess. Most marriages are arranged affairs, and in fact it is not unusual for Kawaiian children to be "married" to one another to secure family alliances. These child-marriages do not become official, of course, until the would-be husband and wife reach their ages of majority, but they are formal unions nonetheless.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ; Family Rights and Responsibilities : The veneration of one's ancestors extends in a certain fashion towards one's living relatives. Kawaiians are extremely respectful of their elders and in turn expect a far greater degree of respect and obedience from their children than other cultures. For example, Kawaiian law has no concept of "juvenial delinquency". Since children and youth are considered morally incapable of committing all but the most minor of crimes (depending on their judged maturity), they are allowed few rights and correspondingly few legal responsibilities. In the event of crime involving youth, responsible adult family members are judged criminally liable for that youth's actions.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ; Adoption and "Children of the Cute One" : The relgious requirement to venerate one's ancestors results in an odd quirk of Kawaiian culture--an aversion to practice of adoption. Kawaiians believe that only one's blood relatives can raise a child properly, since it is blasphemous for a non-lineal descendent to ask for intercession with the Cute One. Under HOCEK law, in rare and unfortunate case where a blood relative could not be found to raise an orphan, the child was expected to be raised by ''otaku'' as a "Child of the Cute One." With the removal of the otaku, this practice (among many others) has been taken over by the ''nekomusume''. It should be noted that the attacks of the kaiju have sadly resulted in many orphans, and far more "Children of the Cute One" exist today than at any time in Kawaiian history. How this will affect Kawaiian family culture in the future is unknown.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ====The Kawaiian Individual====
| |
| − |
| |
| − | The Kawaiian religious principle of "cuteness" has resulted in a heavily ritualistic society. In order to fully express their devotion to the Cute One, the Kawaiian individual strives to live in harmony with Its creation. A common expression in the Eternal Kawaii is "the right person, in the right place, at the right time."
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ; The Right Person : Striving for harmony with the Cute One starts with maintenance of one's body. Accordingly, Kawaiians maintain strict standards of physical purity, including:
| |
| − | *'''''Personal Hygiene''''' - Kawaiians maintain extremely high standards of personal hygiene, both for religious reasons and to cope with the fact that they commonly live in close quarters with each other. There are prescribed ritual bathing and cleaning practices for practically every situation they encounter.
| |
| − | *'''''Temperance''''' - Drugs of any kind are forbidden in the Eternal Kawaii. Alcohol is an exception, but its consumption is only done in the context of relgious ritual.
| |
| − | *'''''The Jihi Code''''' - Kawaiians practice a form of dietary restriction, known as jihi, or "mercy", that regulates the kinds of foods they eat. It is a complex set of rules, similar to kosher or hallal laws, that forbid various animals from being consumed and place restrictions on how an animal must be tended, captured and slaughtered to render its flesh ritually clean. Under HOCEK rule, this was regulated by a special Jihi Authority. One result of the collapse of the HOCEK is a drastic decline in the amount of meat consumed by the average Kawaiian, since he or she needs to confirm for themselves that the animal they're eating conforms to the code. It is expected a new Diaspora authority will be established as the Kawaiian exodus proceeds.
| |
| − | *'''''Life, Death, and Nature''''' - Even in death, a Kawaiian is expected to be in useful harmoney with nature. Accordingly, Kawaiians do not bury or cremate their dead. Their funeral practices are similar to the ancient Zoroastrian Persians: the deceased are carried to the tops of tall towers, and there exposed to scavenger birds. However, in uniquely Kawaiian fashion, after the body has been consumed, the bones are allowed to bleach in the sun before being collected and used to make tasteful, if somewhat macabre, decorations for the funeral tower.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ; The Right Place : The destruction of the Eternal Kawaii by the ''kaiju'' has resulted in one drastic change to its peoples' religious practices. With one exception, there are now no longer any shrines at which to worship the Cute One. To deal with this, the Prophet in his third act declared that henceforth, prayers may be conducted at any location set apart and ritually purified (usually a simple matter of roping it off and laying down rugs) for the purpose. To ensure unity, the Prophet reconfirmed the ancient pratice of praying towards Mount Sanrio, decreeing that it should be done from any place on earth a Kawaiian may find themselves. The one execption is the Shrine of the Manifestation, located in the NSUN [[Strangers' Bar]]. It was the only shrine to survive the ''kaiju'' rampage by virtue of it being located outside the traditional land of the Eternal Kawaii. This shrine has become a center of pilgrimage for expatriate Kawaiians.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ; The Right Time : In addition to worshipping in the right place, Kawaiian religion prescribes praying at the right time of day and the right day of the week:
| |
| − | *'''''Daily Prayers''''' - Since ancient times the Kawaiians recognized seven "sacred times" during the day: dawn, sunrise, mid-morning, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and twilight. This has been formalized in the Greater and Lesser Prayers, times when all work ceases for worship. The Greater Prayers--sunrise, noon, and sunset--are expected to be practiced as a group, while the Lesser Prayers may be performed individually. Under the HOCEK, the prayer times were marked by public announcements; this practice has become less frequent during the exodus but is expect to revive as Kawaiian communities become settled in exile.
| |
| − | *'''''Sabbaths and Holidays''''' - The Kawaiians have a variation of the weekly sabbath, a day or days set apart from normal activity for the higher purpose of worship. It's fairly complicated; its details are included in the following appendix.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ====Appendix: The Kawaiian Calendar====
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Like nearly every other facet of Kawaiian culture, the calendar they use is devised for ritual purposes, to keep track of important times of worship. It is a purely lunar calendar (ie, it keeps in synch with the phases of the moon rather than the seasons of the solar year).
| |
| − |
| |
| − | '''''Months of the Year''''' - The calendar is based on a cycle of 60 lunar months, considered five years of 12 months each. Each month is named after the 12 Divine Beasts (excluding the Cat, who was denied re-entry into the spirit world), and the five sacred elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Iron, and Water. The cycle is as follows:
| |
| − |
| |
| − | First Year Second Year Third Year Fourth Year Fifth Year
| |
| | | | |
| − | Wood Rat Earth Rat Water Rat Fire Rat Iron Rat
| + | ==A Brief History of the Eternal Kawaii== |
| − | Fire Ox Iron Ox Wood Ox Earth Ox Water Ox
| + | :''Main article: '''[[History of The Eternal Kawaii]]''''' |
| − | Earth Tiger Water Tiger Fire Tiger Iron Tiger Wood Tiger
| + | |
| − | Iron Rabbit Wood Rabbit Earth Rabbit Water Rabbit Fire Rabbit
| + | |
| − | Water Dragon Fire Dragon Iron Dragon Wood Dragon Dragon
| + | |
| − | Wood Snake Earth Snake Water Snake Fire Snake Iron Snake
| + | |
| − | Fire Horse Iron Horse Wood Horse Earth Horse Water Horse
| + | |
| − | Earth Sheep Water Sheep Fire Sheep Iron Sheep Wood Sheep
| + | |
| − | Iron Monkey Wood Monkey Earth Monkey Water Monkey Fire Monkey
| + | |
| − | Water Rooster Fire Rooster Iron Rooster Wood Rooster Rooster
| + | |
| − | Wood Dog Earth Dog Water Dog Fire Dog Iron Dog
| + | |
| − | Fire Boar Iron Boar Wood Boar Earth Boar Water Boar
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | (Note that this is a similar cycle to the Chinese 60-year one.)
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | The Moons of the Rat, Tiger, Dragon, Horse, Monkey, and Dog have 29 days, the others have 30. The exceptions to this are the Moon of the Wood Monkey, which has 30 days, and the Moon of the Wood Dragon, which has 30 days unless the number of the five-year cycle is divisible by 6. (With the exception of the naming convention, this calender is similar in design to the Islamic tabular calendar, which is also based on a 30 lunar year cycle with 11 leap-days.)
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | '''''Days of the Month''''' - Each month is divided into four seven-day weeks, with 1 or 2 extra days between the second and third weeks. Because Kawaiian folklore regards the Moon as female, the weeks are named after her "stages of life": Himechan (little girl), Jouchan (maiden), Kachan (mother), and Bachan (grandmother). | + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | The names of the days in the month are as follows:
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | 1st Week 2nd Week Midpoint 3rd Week 4th Week
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | Himechan 1 Jouchan 1 Fullness Kachan 7 Bachan 7
| + | ==A Rough Guide to Kawaiian Culture== |
| − | Himechan 2 Jouchan 2 (in 29-day months) Kachan 6 Bachan 6
| + | :''Main article: '''[[A Guide to Kawaiian Culture]]''''' |
| − | Himechan 3 Jouchan 3 Kachan 5 Bachan 5
| + | |
| − | Himechan 4 Jouchan 4 or Kachan 4 Bachan 4
| + | |
| − | Himechan 5 Jouchan 5 Entering Fullness Kachan 3 Bachan 3
| + | |
| − | Himechan 6 Jouchan 6 Leaving Fullness Kachan 2 Bachan 2
| + | |
| − | Himechan 7 Jouchan 7 (in 30-day months) Kachan 1 Bachan 1
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Note that the days in the first two weeks (called Tsukihime) count upwards, while the days in the latter two weeks (called Tsukidono) count downwards.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | The sabbath days are:
| + | |
| − | *Himechan 1
| + | |
| − | *Jouchan 1
| + | |
| − | *Entering Fullness (in 30-day months)
| + | |
| − | *Fullness (in 29-day months)
| + | |
| − | *Leaving Fullness (in 30-day months)
| + | |
| − | *Kachan 1
| + | |
| − | *Bachan 1
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Note that this gives a 2-day holiday at the new Moon, a one day holiday at each quarter-moon, and a 1-2 day holiday at the full Moon. Oftentimes the "7ths" as well as the "1sts" are taken as holidays, especially Jouchan 7 and Kachan 7, giving a 3-4 day holiday at the full Moon.
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | From this, one can easily understand the timing of many important Kawaiian ceremonies. Weddings, for example, almost always take place on the full Moon. Coming-of-age ceremonies take place on Jouchan 1, the first quarter, retirement ceremonies at Kachan 1, the third quarter, while both funerals and baby showers are held at the new Moon, at Bachan 1 and Himechan 1 respectively.
| + | ==Appendices== |
| | + | * '''[[The Jihi Code]]''' (information on Kawaiian dietary laws) |
| | + | * '''[[Kawaiian Calendars]]''' (information on Kawaiian holidays and date-naming conventions) |
| | + | [[Category:Nations active in the United Nations]] |
The sections referring to Kawaiian culture are deemed accurate. Further information on this subject can be obtained by contacting the nearest Kawaiian representative.
