The Braided Band

The Issye, an Order of the Chye dedicated to teaching the general population about sustainable living practices and how to live in mutual respect and harmony with Nature, must remain discreet in their activity in the world. Therefore, over thousands of years, a socially acceptable "secret society" has been developed by them and fed into the mythos of the people. This quasi-secret society is the Gakue Syhibik (meaning: leaves carried by the river's flow).
The way these wayfaring ecologists are recognized is by the braided blue-green bands they wear in their hair.
The Gakue Syhibik travel the lands, rivers, and mountains of Gattak, exchanging knowledge and practice with the people who inhabit such places in a mutual give-and-take relationship. Because the Issye (and the Chye of which they are a part) are unknown by the general population to even exist, the Gakue Syhibik (and thus, the braided bands) give the Issye a legitimate, albeit mysterious, way to interact with the outside world without revealing anything about the Chye.

Significance

The braids signify to observers that the wearer is a member of the Gakue Syhibik. Once recognized, the wearer may be asked to provide instruction, give advice, or make observations.

Item type

Clothing / Accessory

Raw materials & Components

The braids are made of a combination of bamboo and hemp fibers that are plaited together to form a length of about 2 meters. The yarns are dyed in various shades of blues and greens and woven together to form a multi-hued blend that is visible even against the darkest hair or fabric. These dyes are uniquely identifiable to the Gakue Syhibik because they are made from indigo and dyer's broom plants that only grow in the Chye territory of Gattak.
An individual may choose to wear their braid in whatever way they are most comfortable as long as it is visible at all times. Most Issye wear them in their hair in some way, as a headband or plaited into hair braids.