Divisions of Time: A Week

A Philosophical Guide to the Passage of Time

Due to their studies of the heavens as navigational tools, the Ni'kashiga Birdfolk have a firm understanding and segmenting of time.
Birdfolk separate their days into hours, their weeks into days, their months into weeks, their years into months, and their cycles into years, each "trued" to the larger Directional Hex. This tendency to "True" means that it is impossible to discuss the structure of a month without looking at the structure of a week.

General Structure

A Week is generally refered to as a Sa'ke, or a Finger. There are four weeks in one month, each "trued" to the four Inner Directions and rotating clockwise (or progressing time) through the Directional Hex. This first day of the week is a specific spiritual time in itself, as well as sets the philosophical tone for the rest of the week:

1. Haa (Cloth), which corresponds to the direction of Shelter, and which is a day for maintenance of self and cultivating stability for the month ahead;
2. Hi' (Teeth), which corresponds to the direction of Bone, and which is a day for attention to health and one's place in the lifecycle;
3. Pa'ce (Boat), which corresponds to the direction of Boat, and which is a day for attention to wealth and one's place in greater relationships;
4. Hu (Stalk), which corresponds to the direction of Fern, and which is a day for the expansion of the self and for making changes to ones life.

Sa'ke are composed of seven thicitha, or a stretch (of day):

1. Manghce, or the centering day, which sets the tone for the week, and is a day devoted to these tasks;
2. Zang', or Stick, a day for experience and challenges, trued to the direction of Peak;
3. O'zu, or Cup, a day for personal growth, trued to the direction of Vessel;
4. Pa'leke, or Hatch, a day for action and responsibilities to immediate relationships and obligations, trued to the direction of Egg;
5. Hpuza, or Sand, a day for creativity and expression, and trued to the direction of Flat;
6. So'ce, or Smoke, a day for community and connection, and trued to the direction of Cleft;
7. Mihkake, or Star, a day for reflection and responsibilities to the greater good, and trued to the direction of Eye.

Thus, a month would have this structure:

A Sample Month among the Ni'kashiga Birdfolk

An example of how the days and weeks are structured within a single month of time.

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Week	Center Day	Stick (Peak)	Cup (Vessel)	Hatch (Egg)	Sand (Flat)	Smoke (Cleft)	Star (Eye)
Haa	Haa Manghce	Zang' Haa	O'zu Haa	Pa'leke haa	Hpuza haa	So'ce Haa	Mihkake haa
Hi'	Hi' Manghce	Zang' Hi'	O'zu Hi'	Pa'leke Hi'	Hpuza Hi'	So'ce Hi'	Mihkake Hi'
Pa'ce	Pa'ce Manghce	Zang' Pa'ce	O'zu Pa'ce	Pa'leke Pa'ce	Hpuza Pa'ce	So'ce Pa'ce	Mihkake Pa'ce
Hu	Hu Mangche	Zang Hu	O'zu Hu	Pa'leke Hu	Hpuza Hu	So'ce Hu	Mihkake Hu

It was Niiskue Hpuza Hi' - Sand Teeth in the month of Salt - an auspicious day for the care of oneself through creative practice. Ethon decided he would spend the evening finishing his weaving, which had collected the stories of his year with the caravans. If he did finish tonight, he could mail it tomorrow to his mate, Lida, as a gift. Though it would take months to reach her, she would see the postal date - Niiskue So'ce Hi', or Salt Smoke Teeth - and know he had sent it deliberately on that most auspicious day of caretaking and connection, and she would know he thought of her with the same attention and love as he would a part of himself.

History of the Structure

As the Birdfolk have two joints on their fingers, capped with the firm of a talon, this structure allows you to count the week on one finger:

1. The center day as the mound of flesh at the base of the finger
2. Zang' as the first fleshy pad
3. O'zu as the first fold at the joint
4. Pa'leke as the second flesh
5. Hpuza as the second fold
6. So'ce as the third flesh
7. Mihkake as the firm, or talon

The four weeks - three fingers, and the thumb - form a month, which is called is Sha'ge, or a hand.

015/100 : Part of the #100DaysofOce series, 2019

100 Days of Oce by M Kelley