Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Back Story

Oh and Ah are brothers that live in the tribal village Ohgrahdop. Oh is the older brother and Ah is the younger brother. Oh’s mask is the surprised looking mask that looks like he is saying “oohhhh”. Ah’s mask is the happy looking mask that looks like it is saying “aahhhh”. They can’t talk. None of the villages can. They all communicate with grunts and through their life’s narrator. For some reason they can understand and hear his voice, and do things that he says. They think he is some sort of God but really he is just a narrator.

It is custom to have bone piercings all over their bodies to identify different families. Each family member has the same bones in the same places. When a female weds a male the female will change her bone piercings, matching her husband’s as a sign of commitment. You get your piercings at the age of 20 years. Once you get your piercings you get to make a proper mask (kids make them for fun to copy the adults), that stays with you forever. You are even buried with it. You are not allowed to wear someone else’s mask because it is the symbol of your soul, and if someone was to wear it you will switch bodies with them.

The tribe’s main weapon is a spear. Only the males are allowed to carry them. It is a symbol of being the man. Females are allowed to use them for hunting under extreme conditions. The shaft is carved from wood and a sharp sculpted rock makes the spear head bound with some homemade twine. Young teenagers are taught how to use them for hunting. Kids usually go hunting with their fathers when they are younger to gain experience.

The tribe chief wears a bone decretive necklace, and the tribe mask that is passed down from generation to generation. When the mask becomes brittle, they display it in the tribe chief’s tent and make a replicate.

1 comment:

black aeonium said...

Good back story! And good to see all the content you have posted to the blog so far - it's looking great!
Lisa