Ritual process

Rituals of the Four Institutions of the Sati


Religion


  As religion is diverse in Sati culture and most embrace differences with joy, whenever one befriends a new friend and there friendship becomes deep a ritual takes place if the friends are of different religions. The ritual is to demonstrate that the bond is so strong that they want to be close to the friend spiritually. The two friends will have both families meet at either home. There will be a celebration with wine which will conclude with each reading passages from religious text of the other friends. This demonstrates that they respect and love all parts of that friend. Respect is demonstrated by the process in which they each have to read religious text of the other and look within to find something that inspires them. Friendship is strongly valued by the islanders and friends are treated much in the same way as family. The Sati apply almost all the ideals and values they do to the institution of family as they do to their friendships. 


Economics



  As family is so important to the Sati, they consider any favor they are able to do for a family member a privilege rather than a burden. It is for this reason that the Sati celebrate the giving of a loan or financial assistance to a loved one.  The family unit to be giving the support will go to visit the extended family member in need. Both parties will greet each other with great joy to demonstrate that this is a joyous occasion. The receiving party will cook food brought by the giving party in thanks. A big feast is had by all and in the end they celebrate with dessert and the money changes hands.
The way loans and gifts are given help hold strong the beliefs that all are equal in the community... Asking for help does not diminish your value. By saying that the one who is able to give the gift is fortunate to do so in reinforces the unmaterialistic ideals of the Sati.


Family



    As family is highly valued by the Sati, their are many rituals that celebrate family. The most elaborate of these various rituals is the naming ritual. Rather than just arbitrarily assigning a name to a newborn Sati infant, a pregnant Sati mother will find the babies name through intense meditation during her final month of pregnancy. She honors her respect for her child as a person with its own self, its own soul by looking deep within for her child inside to provide her with what hi or her name is. I said "name is" because the Sati believe a child has a name from the moment of conception. The father of the child will cook a lovely meal including herbs known to strengthen the body as the intense meditation can be a taxing journey. He then bathes his partner in respect for her bearing his child- as tribute to her and the unborn. He then accompanies her to walk deep into the woods for quiet prayer and meditation as she awaits to learn the name of her baby. The husband will bring her food each morning and check on  her for a period as long as three days. At that time she maintains silence so that she may hear the tiny voice from within. When she returns she is very excited to share the name which has come to her with the rest of her family. At this time it is as if the unborn child's brothers, sisters and father are "meeting" baby for the first time. The baby's name is considered to be the child's "first word" so there is much excitement. Once the family learns of the child's name it is shared with the rest of the community. It is at that time the islander's bring over a large amount of food to honor the baby. This also serves a practical person because by this time the mother is very close to giving birth and now she can have a break from tending her garden and preparing food for her family for a period after she gives birth.


Marriage



     The people of Sati believe that Marriage must be built stone by stone on a solid foundation. Though the individual stones are each strong, they are delicately perched upon one another and therefore must constantly be treated with care and respect to prevent the union from falling.
As with many cultures there is  many rituals included in marriage ceremony for the people of Sati.  The individual pieces of the marriage process include 5 parts. The 5 parts of the ritual process are analogous with the 5 aspects of nature as determined by the Sati. Those parts are wind, soil, water, fire and silence. Though the first for of these natural elements are common place in many cultures throughout the world there is one obviously unique part- silence. Silence is the beginning of the ritual process of marriage.  Sati believe that silence is as significant a part of nature as much wind, fire, water and earth.  Many of the myths unique to the Sati people include a character named "Absum" which is the Latin word for absence, reference to the absence of sound. She is the most powerful character of all in the myths of the people as silence is necessary for meditation and all higher forms of thought.
A first date, as with some native American cultures, is a silent experience. The Sati do not feel that they can get to know a potential partner well enough to decide if they would like to move forward in the courtship progress if there is idle chatter. So, first dates often include a picnic out in nature, silently breaking bread and nourishing themselves with food in one another's  presence. If the couple decides to move on in the courtship process, future dates will include conversation and follow a pattern much like in the culture of the United states as it is today.
Once courtship has continued for sometime and the couple mutually decide they wish to be married they will hold an "engagement party" of sorts. During this party Wind is celebrated as it symbolizes the moving forward in the courtship process and now the wind has come to an end, and it is time that the relationship become solid (earth). The wind is celebrated at this party with elaborate fans. Each person in attendance with make their own unique heavily ornate fan. Throughout the party they fan the couple with these lovely homemade fans in order to demonstrate that the party goers give their blessings.
Next, fire is used in an intimate ceremony that includes the couple only. The fire represents the desire of the couple  and their wish that it never be extinguished. A candle is lit during this ceremony and a small piece of paper that each has written with private, secret, vows to one another is burnt. As a fire cannot be kept lit indefinitely the keep the charred reminents of one another's vows in memory of the fire.
The next day main ceremony containing many elements is performed. The most important signifies earth. As symbolized in the stacked stones in the earlier discussion on the Sati symbol for the institution of marriage, relations are considered strong yet precarious requiring a strong foundation and constant care. For its reason it is important to the Sati to "root" their marriage in the solid ground. For this reason, The Sati wed in their future backyard and it is there during the main event in which they plant a tree. Every time  the husband or wife lovingly will care for the tree in the future will be seen as a tribute to the love they feel for one another and their "strengthening" of their union.
The component of the Sati marriage ritual process is related to water. Water in nature is movement, reflection and flexibility. For this reason once the tree is planted the couple is pushed into a small pool in the back yard so as not to forget the need for all that water symbolizes going forward.
All 5 of the components of this ritual use a symbol to sent a message. As specified in our readings these are intentional acts and they are practiced by virtually all members of the
Sati society. These acts are also very different from the every day behavior of the sati people and embody their belief system as they not only unite the couple to one another, they unite both parties to nature- which is highly respected by the Sati. These rituals assuage an fear that any of the precariously stacked "stones" of marriage will fall.




Rite of Passage


Description


Life-cycle


Liminal stage