muja
The clans of the kumajai each have two leaders: a naku, and a muja. The muja - loosely translated as wisewoman - is the clan's spiritual leader. She is responsible for leading prayer and communing with the clan's gods and ancestors in order to guide the clan along the best spiritual path. The muja works closely with the clan's naku, often serving as the mother of the naku's children, though not always.
Duties of a Muja
A muja's daily duties include several sessions of prayer and communion, as well as advising the women of the clan how to maintain a spiritual balance in their own duties. A muja often also takes part in negotiating and communicating with any traders that approach the clan. Mujas are often healers to some degree, tending to wounded or ill clan members as necessary. Beyond her daily duties, a muja takes charge of organizing clan ceremonies and festivals, as well as blessing the warriors when they leave on hunts or raids. Every so often, a muja takes a special journey to the Y'Dak Kal, the holy site of the kumajai. The location of the Y'dak Kal is closely guarded by all clans, known only to the mujas and nakus and a few clan elders. Although mujas claim to be able to hear the gods at all times, it is said that the Y'dak Kal is where the gods will not only speak but appear.
Choosing a New Muja
When a muja is ready to pass the mantle on to another, the women of the clan present themselves for consideration. First, the warriors of the clan each nominate a woman they believe would be a good muja. The woman who get nominated are then brought before the naku and elders, who whittle the choices down to no more than three. The chosen women then are tasked by the muja to complete a journey to the Y'Dak Kal following very specific instructions. If and when the women return - not all survive the journey - the muja then declares her successor. On rare occasions, no one returns from the journey, and the muja remains in the position for another year.
Once a new muja is officially declared, a ceremony is held in her honor. She then spends the next year learning everything the old muja has to teach her, from spiritual duties to which herbs are best for healing. These lessons often involve travel to different parts of the desert. At the end of the year, the muja and apprentice journey together to the Y'Dak Kal. After their communion with the gods, the old muja leaves on her own journey. Sometimes they return to the clan, but usually they simply disappear, leaving their successor to their new role.
Relationships Between Clans
All of the established clans have a truce, which is reinforced by their unanimous hatred of the na'kumaj, the desert raiders who refuse to follow clan or kingdom law. When situations arise that require the action and/or cooperation of multiple clans, it is the mujas, not the nakus, who meet to negotiate. This ensures that the actions to be taken are not just good for the clans, but are also good in the eyes of the gods. Nakus are welcome to these meetings, of course, as are respected elders, but it is the mujas who make the final decisions.
Relationship with the Empire
Imperial law recognizes mujas as priestesses as well as figures of authority. Thus, marriages between clan members or marriages performed by a muja for others are recognize by the kingdom. Similarly, mujas can be called upon by traveling merchants and trade caravans to resolve disputes, and if a muja feels the need to request aid or send a report of events to the kingdom, it is swiftly answered. Warriors of the kingdom who patrol the desert on behalf of the crown respect the mujas and do their best to adhere to their requests, as long as it does not conflict with their duties to the kingdom. Every five years, the kiuvai invites the mujas to come to Durleik to discuss the relationship between clans and kingdom and negotiate any changes that may be necessary.
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