Geyser Baths

The Volcanoes of The North by AndreKosslick

"Of all the oddest things about us, the geyser baths have to be the most pleasant one. It's enjoyable, and a time for relaxing and being happy. Of course, you have to take care that your child does not crack his or her head whilst falling down. Theres a reason why most people don"t carry out this ritual with infants after all"
Lorena Nilsson, a bloodmoon islander talking about geyser baths

A ritual conducted amongst the inhabitants of The Bloodmoon Islands , geyser baths are a way to celebrate birthdays and symbolise rebirth and renewal in the culture of the islanders. The ritual, as its name suggests is to bath in a geyser ( oftentimes completely nude so as to symbolise subsisting only on nature) and when the water is about to burst, put the person who is celebrating their birthday right in the path of the water burst. The burst then carries them high up into the air from underwater, symbolising renewal and rebirth.
This practice is rather dangerous and is thus done only with teenagers and adults, or sometimes children if they can handle the experience. In the aftermath, many people also drink water from the geysers and amongst couples, there is a tradition to kiss each other and pass the water through their mouths. This is due to them believing that water from hot springs and geysers are holy and blessings of the gods themselves, which is why the tradition still persists ( though there are a whole lot of other rituals for other groups such as siblings, couples etc).
The practice has somewhat spread far across the bloodmoon islands, with people as far as the Dasatir plateau taking up the practice. It intrigues sociologists and serves as a focal point of study for the unique and rich culture of the bloodmoon islands

Primary Related Location

The Bloodmoon Islands