Festival of The First Flight - Oloe Ja Ridae

Prompt"Write about a day that celebrates the youngsters living in your world."

Festival of The First Flight - Oloe Ja Ridae

The Festival of The First Flight, known as Oloe Ja Ridae in the native language of the Kairei (Kairus), is a festival held once every spring. It celebrates young children that are ready to take their first serious flights. The youngsters that partake in the activities of the festival are usually five years old, though the occasionally early or late bloomer may be present as well. People flock to Ishmae, The Mother Tree, from all across Sailara. It is not uncommon for other settlements to become ghost towns during this celebration.

There is feasting, like in most festivals held by the Kairei, music, and competitions held of all sorts for all ages. The entirety of Mother Tree is decorated with ribbons, carvings, crystal-lights, anything that will bring more color to the city and the tree. It is a day that represents hope for the future, as without their children the Kairei as a people, as a species, cannot continue.

The main event of the celebration occurs high in the branches of The Mother Tree. All youngsters that are ready to take their first full-flight arrange themselves along the length of a designated branch. Magical confetti cannons signal when the children are to leap from the branch and spread their wings! The leap is joined by a chorus of whoops and cheers from the assembled celebrants. Once each fledgling has leapt into flight the adults and other older children leap and follow them down to the ground, where the rest of the evening is spent congratulating the newest flighted members of the community. The festivities take an upward swing at this point, continuing late into the night with dancing, more food, drinking, and general revelry.

The day after is spent cleaning up while friends from distant settlements say their good-byes. Everyone pitches in to ensure that Mother Tree is spotless, and by the time night rolls around many of the gathered people have started their journeys home. Food and souvenirs are always brought to the people that stayed home, so those that could not, or would not, attend can still take part in the blessing of their people's offspring.