Crowned Tamarin

But Great Boyomanka was terribly sad to have to be parted from the good children he had grown to love dearly.
So he bad his wise servant Anacuch to go, along with his ten-thousand children, and watch over the Tanigua and the Siroken, and all the peoples of Carneman.

The crowned tamarin, or anacuchen in the local dialect, is a breed of small, squirrel-sized monkey native to the Carneman islands and southern mainland of Nawaquivo. Easily distinguished from other small simians by the delicate tufts of golden hair that grow around it's head, the crowned tamarin is found both in the wild, tropical forests of the Carneman islands, and also the villages and settlements of the Tanigua and Siroken islanders. Indeed, the Carneman's encourage the crowned tamarins to live among them, for the gregarious and graceful monkeys are regarded as the earthly servants of Boyomanka, one of the chief spirit-deities of the Carneman people.

Physical Description

Crowned tamarins have clawed fingers and toes, allowing them to easily climb, cling and scamper through trees, branches and the huts of the Carneman villages that they frequent. They are very small, about the size of a squirrel when stretched out from nose to tail, but they often curl themselves up such that they can easily fit into a person's palm. The hair along their backs and faces tends towards darker colourations of black, grey and brown, while their bellies are lighter and have shades of white, red and orange. Their distinguishing feature is that the hairs on the upper portion of the face and crown of the head is fluffed outwards and is a distinctive burnished gold or copper colour, creating what look to be literal crowns on their heads.

Habitat and Diet

The crowned tamarin mostly lives in the tropical forests and wooded areas of the islands and northern shores of Maye, the southern continent that touches the region, though they prefer wooded areas close to water, either fresh rivers and springs or coastal beaches. Wild crowned tamarins tend to stick to foraging for food among the canopies, though they occasionally descend to gather fallen fruits and seeds from the forest floor. They consume a varied diet mostly consisting of fruits and flowers, as well as the exudes of plants such as sap and and gum, which their dexterous fingers are easily capable of gouging from the trees they live in. They also commonly eat animal prey, such as insects and small amphibians.

Cultural Significance

The Carneman islanders, especially the Tanigua and Siroken people, have a fond,  borderline reverential attitude towards the crowned tamarins. Wooden platforms and perches are commonly found throughout their villages, upon which they leave offerings of fruit, seeds and sweet pastes to attract the tamarins and encourage them to live among them. Indeed, most of the crowned tamarins found among the Carneman settlements have lived among the humans for so long that they could no longer survive in the wilds. But given the safety from predation and plentiful food provided by the Carnemans, the "domestic" tamarins are much more populous than they are in the wilds.
Carneman tradition tells that the crowned tamarins are the descendants of the children of Anacuch. Anacuch was a wise and loyal servant to Boyomanka, one of the principle Ceti, or spirit-deities of the Carneman mythos. According to Carneman legend, Boyomanka was unhappy to be parted from his mortal followers when he learned that it was not possible for him to remain on the mortal plane. Boyomanka asked his servant, the monkey-shaped Anacuch, to remain behind, along with his numerous children, on the mortal world and to keep watch over his favoured people and to report back to Boyomanka in times for dire need. Anacuch did as he was asked, and his children spread across the region and continue to keep watch over the Carnemans to this day.
This myth has helped cultivate numerous local customs and axioms. For example, Carneman parents tell their children to leave little treats in the rafters above where they sleep to encourage a tamarin to perch overhead, to keep them safe during the night and to ward away bad dreams. Not being limited to children, the chiefs and rulers of the Carnemans often keep a crowned tamarin within their presence at all times, in the belief that the little simians will impart hidden wisdom and secrets to them to better aid their rule.

Scientific Name

Simian