Fufusol

Fufusol or First Fruit is a sacred fruit that marks a rite of passage for the villagers of Suwa-Isuaihovwenaparvu - Isle of Love, Hope and New Beginnings. By consuming the fruit, culture dictates that one becomes a fully fledged member of the village, and therefore, also a fully fledged member of the Southern Isles. There is no age limit to who can grow their own fufusol, but as every villager born in Suwa-Isuaihovwenaparvu is expected to participate at some point before adulthood, there is no pressure or culture of outcasting those who have not yet completed the rite.

History

The local villagers believe that the Old Ones were facing shortage of food, and as their descendants, they must cherish food as a gift from Gaia. Growing and caring for the local crops and gardens has been culturally important since recorded history of the island.

Execution

Fufusol is the first fruit that is grown by a person who wishes to complete the ritual. The fruit must be grown on the island soil, however the fruit they choose to grow holds no particular cultural meaning, although some people attach certain personal meanings to their fufusol. After resting in the sunshine for a day since it was picked, the person eats their fufusol and may be surrounded by beloved friends and family members who wishes to celebrate with them. The islanders believe that the taste of the fufusol is like no other, and will inspire the participant to nurture Gaia and love their home. Many Southern Islanders respect and appreciate the ritual and may travel to Suwa-Isuaihovweenaparvu to grow their fufusol.
Growing fufusol is also a way to gain recognition in the Southern Isles if one comes from another culture or ethnicity. Growing fufusol shows respect and care for the land and patience.

Components and tools

There is a dislike and distrust of technology in the Southern Isles, especially automation, which means most of the fields and gardens are nurtured through simple tools and hard labour. Most of the tools used are handmade on the island, however tools from another country are allowed as long as they are not powered or require energy. There is an abundance of food thanks to the hard work of the islanders, and growing food is seen as part of a spiritual or sacred aspect of life. There is no eagerness to change traditions at this moment.

In the local language, Fufu means to work hard on something, and is often also used to mean 'to labour' and/or 'to grow'. Sol means first and sunshine. The name fufusol emphasises the hard work that someone must put in, in order to grow their first fruit. Farming and gardening are important skills in the village, who depend on their careful growing and nurturing of the fields and gardens to provide healthy nutrition along with the fisheries.

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