Jackknife Funeral

When a member of The Mosattan Jackknives dies, they give their dead what is known as a Jackknife Funeral, in which the deceased is placed on a wooden sled and dragged to the top of the tallest sand dune by members attending using a long, knotted rope.   It is not exclusively a family gathering and many guild members come to pay their respects to see the final send off of their beloved team mate. Thoughts and memories are shared atop the dune and after the closing words (often in the form of a poem) have passed, it is time to move on.   The sled is pushed down the furthest slope of the dune at midday so that the body passes into the heat of The Great Tentottan Desert where hungry scavengers can have an opportunity of life from the one that just passed. After the corpse-sled reaches a halt, the guild members return to their dwellings among the ruined structures of The Lost Kingdom of Mosat and continue in their lives.

Components and tools

The body of the deceased is placed and bound to a wooden sled which can be pulled easily along on the sand dunes.

Participants

Every member who attends a Jackknife Funeral will take part in pulling the deceased's sled with a long, knotted rope. As the deceased once supported them in life, they assist them in their departure.

Observance

This tradition takes place from early morning to transport the body on a wooden sled, to midday where the body is moved on.
The Mosattan Jackknives
Organization | Oct 9, 2023

The Mosattan Jackknives are an illicit gang that hideout in the abandoned ruins of The Lost Kingdom of Mosat.



Cover image: by TJ Trewin

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