Idiyatar (aɪdeɪjɑːtɑːr)

Written by Paint Thinner

Huntress by Lane Brown

Idiyatar (Inner Journey), also referred to as Idytar or Idytor, is a rite of passage of many Mái (Elven) communities as a coming of age journey during which youths, typically aged 16-19, take on a journey to separate themselves from their community and live in the wilderness for as long as 10 months to make a spiritual and personal transition into adulthood.

Self Discovery and the Journey

A primary focus of the rite of passage is the Self Discovery of the individual(s) through the means of on their journey, that they develop or hone the skills and/or interpersonal connections of adulthood in Mái society. There is no standard form this can take, but at a minimum a journey must be made to separate themselves from their wider community and immediate family and the ensuing trial in this journey is intended to clarify the direction of the Idytarhí and ferment the self-discovery and self-reflection of oneself.

Rites

Fundamentally the purpose of the Idiyatar is to facilitate the passage of an adolescent member of the community to adulthood through a roughly year long quest to find oneself. The time of year the rite begins and the age of the participants may vary between groups of the Mái but there remains certain specifics ever-present in all variations of the rite; The self-discovery (Idi) and the journey and survival (Ytar) of the individual(s).
Participants undergoing the rite are called an Idytarhí
As can be typically found, many Idytarhí begin the rite as a collective groups, many times groups of friends, to journey forth. Small bands of Idytarhí can be semi-frequently found in myriad places close and far from their homes. Spending their time performing work and services for neighbouring towns and cities if they choose a more sedentary path, while others may stay together to journey, trade or sell their services as mercenaries.

Nonpractice

Several communities of Mái do not partake in the Idiyatar for cultural or political reasons. Cultural osmosis with other communities or a lack of practicable need or desire to partake in the Idiyatar has resulted in a cultural schism among Mái groups, with the Idiyatar either not practiced or a ceremony conducted in it's place as marking the transition to adult-hood. These groups are sometimes pejoratively referred to as the Dysidytar (Separated from the Inner Journey) by those Idytarhí that have partaken the rite-of-passage.

Idiyatar

Time
Youths: 16-19 years old
Type
Coming-of-age rite

Related Ethnicities

• Mái