Odakaisha Orumlar

Written by EmperorCharlesII

You watch the young couple laugh with their elders for a little bit, their hands intertwined by their sides. Every once in a while, they sneak glances at each other and smile. Anyone can see that they’re in love; it’s no question.
You and your group head to the tavern and you see them again. They have already begun to drink a little, and you can see a small potted flower sitting by the man’s side. He’s chatting with her, and you see her nodding enthusiastically.
You turn to your interpreter, as you now consider the old man, and ask him about the flower.
“Ah, odakaisha orumlar,” he says with a sigh, “the two are in love.” He points to the flower again. “That’s their first child.”
You blink a little in surprise. “Their child is a flower?”
The old man chuckles. “Not literally, dolkhai. It’s a tradition of our people that a young couple who wants to get married must first prove themselves worthy. Worthy of their marriage and worthy of their children. The flower is the test.”

History

Like many Kaharian traditions, it is hard to determine when the “Keeping of Roses” first began. Some believe the First Khan gave a flower when he first met his wife, cementing their love. Others believe it to be a test of a couple’s ability to handle hardship in the desert. Still others wonder if it’s a way for the gods to show favour on the parents-to-be. In any case, it has now become one of the most enduring traditions of the people of the desert.

Execution

When a couple first decide that they want to marry, they are given a seed and some soil. The seed is usually of a flower, but sometimes other plants are used.
Over the next couple of months while the plant grows, they treat it as if it were a child. They bring it with them if they head out of the house; they talk to it and pray with it nearby; some people even try to feed it milk and honey like a baby. They dote on it, and the rest of the village offers them help with the “child’s” needs if they need it. But the goal is to try and be as self-sufficient as possible with the plant.
Once the plant flowers, the couple can now be officially married under Kaharian tradition. The flowering plant is often used as a centrepiece at the marriage, as a testament to their affection.

Pronunciation

o/da/ka/eesh/a o/room/lar

Related Ethnicities

• Kaharian

Art Credit: emperorcharlesii (me!)