Betnik Klyn - The Twin Songs

The twin songs is a singing competition practised by the Zeribians.
The competants are usually young unmarried women. They compete by singing verses of traditional religious poetry. The singers are playing the parts of divines and historical figures, and the performances are sometimes accompanied by masks and costumes.

Execution

The competition is fought in short turns: one of the singers starts by sining a few verses, and after that the other is given a few seconds after which she has to respond with compatible verses. The singing comntinues until one or the other is unable to respond, or start making mistakes.

Venue and the crowd

The competitions are usually held inside in halls with good acoustics. Usually the spectators are also women. The events are much more private than the sport competitions the Zeribian men have.

Judgement criteria

The verses are usually quoted directly adapted on the fly from old verses. A good verse is traditional and recognisable, but also creative and natural response to the previous phrase. If the singers are playing a particular role, the verses should also fit the role. In order to sing good verses the singer must remember all the mythological literature very well.
The singing skill is also very important, and the performance should be pleasant to listen to. The best singers are masters of dramatic effects and changes in the voice between different caracters they perform.

Prizes

Sometimes the competitions have physical prizes, but usually more important is the fame that winning and a good performance gives to the family. The best singers are appreciated for their knowledge and skill. They are also often offered better marriage deals, and have a change to become married into the most popular houses.
While the older married women aren't usually supposed to compete anymore, they can be popular entertainers and are appreciated for the success they had.

Significance

The competition has a very important religious significance, and the gods are thought to be pleased by the singing in a similar way, as they are fed by the blood offerings given by the men in battles.
Being well-read especially in the religius literature is a very important quality for a Zeribian noblewoman.

Related Ethnicities

• Zeribians

History

The competition can be thought of being a sibling of other sports, the Hašmaq Sag - The Zeribian Sarcred Duels, a full contact duel sport. Because the Hasmaq Sag can only be fought by the men, historically the women gathered around inside during the matches, and it is thought that the current competition arose from these gatherings.

Cultural reasoning

The Zeribian culture is very restrictive for the women. They are supposed to have much less public lives than the men. Securing a good marriage deal is traditionally the most important goals in a Zeribian girl's life. The family's honor is in the center of everything that all Zeribians are doing, and one should always think about that before their personal success.