The Admiration Day

"Son, you can be the most compassionate of death doulas or the humblest of teobrew farmers, it is all the same: If you have worked, you deserve your story to be told"

— A Stunveldti mother to her self-deprecating son

Stunveldt Island by Naelin

In the island of Stunveldt, the highest point in one's life is considered to be the moment in which they have reached their peak of their profession, meaning the moment in which they can be considered true professionals on their craft.
This is celebrated with the Day of Admiration, considered the most important celebration in a Stunveldti's life. This is a celebration of the person and their achievements, occupying the whole day and consisting of music, dances and food, and the unveiling of the person wearing a special garment made and used only for this ocassion, the Admiration Medley.

Reaching the Summit

Mentorship is an important and respected part of Stunveldt's culture:
As a person grows professionally, they are observed closely by their mentors (and their community) to determine the moment in which they can be considered accomplished, usually defined as the point in which they have learned all there is for them to learn, and only fine-tuning of their craft is possible.
If a specific mentor exists, they will announce that the person is ready for their Admiration Day, and the preparations will begin. If not, the community will decide.

As effort is regarded better than actual mastery, mentors are willing to overlook some issues if the person is actually trying their best, even if they are "not quite there yet".
They will announce the coming of their moment when they consider their apprentice is at their best, but if a person is seen to not really be putting their weight on it they may not get their day, which the Stunveldti consider a reason for shame.

Some people may change jobs/mentors if they have a particularly strict one, obviously creating quite a bit of gossip and leveraging about which work would guarantee the earliest celebration, especially in small villages.

Preparing for the Day

Medley Blueprints by TJ & Naelin

As the most important day on a Stunveldti's life, the Admiration Day is prepared with great care, usually with most of their community taking part on the efforts.
The biggest part is the designing and making of the Admiration Medley, which requires the person's friends and family to gift them with valued garments or pieces of fabric or mesh that will be put together into a design unique to each celebrated individual.
The rest will consist on the gathering of information about the celebrated person's choice of food, music, arts and activities, and the procuring of them for the day. Organising the event is usually done by the mentor and the family, and the date will be decided in a way that allows as many people as possible to assist.

The Celebration

The celebration, which is usually called simply "Day of (person's name)" will span the entirety of the day, allowing for people to assist at the time they can, tough usually people try to stay for as long as possible and to assist to the main activity.
Food is served all day long, traditionally including lots of hot chocolate and sweet baked goods. Music and dances chosen by the celebrated person will acompany the activities such as games and competitions of the person's liking.
Once the main meal has passed, the celebrated person retires to change clothes, and then comes back to the most important part: The unveiling and fondling of their Admiration Medley.
This is a garment intended to be admired with all senses: Visually striking, producing sounds as the wearer walks, filled with interesting textures and accompanied with strong perfumes. As the person shows their unique Medley, the guests will approach them and touch the garment, admiring the different textures and shapes and talking about it.
As the day comes to an end, the person will change back to their usual clothes, for a winding down of the activities. It is usual for the celebrated person to leave the party a little earlier than the rest, usually accompanied by a partner or a friend, to enjoy the last bit of their special day with more relaxation and in intimacy.

Primary Related Location

Stunveldt Island

Related Ethnicities

• Stunveldti

by Iuliia Boiun

Look at Me

On all other regards, Stunveldt is considered an very community-focused culture, where the success of your town, family or nation is valued extremely higher than that of an individual to the point where being comparatively rich is considered disgraceful.
The Admiration Day has therefore become the day where an individual can express themselves and be celebrated for who they are, their likes and dislikes, and their individual flair.

by Iuliia Boiun

by Iuliia Boiun