KTF/Of Myth And Lore
From MFIWiki
| Revision as of 16:04, 25 February 2012 Lfrench (Talk | contribs) â? Previous diff |
Revision as of 16:18, 25 February 2012 Lfrench (Talk | contribs) Next diff â |
||
| Line 25: | Line 25: | ||
| Not seeing above his shoulder, the naked stars.<br> | Not seeing above his shoulder, the naked stars.<br> | ||
| Each one remembering.â</p><br><br> | Each one remembering.â</p><br><br> | ||
| - | 7. Thou shalt perform scrupulously thy feudal duties, if they be not contrary to the laws of God.<br><br> | + | âTell me young warriors, how do you want to be remembered? Look up! Now tell me again, what do you see?â<br><br> |
| - | 8. Thou shalt never lie, and shalt remain faithful to thy pledged word.<br><br> | + | âThe eyes of our ancestors.â Another replied with a tone of pride and respect.<br><br> |
| - | 9. Thou shalt be generous, and give largesse to everyone.<br><br> | + | âMajQaââ He said as he sat back down. The others did the same.<br><br> |
| - | 10. Thou shalt be everywhere and always the champion of the Right and the Good against Injustice and Evil.<br><br> | + | âTell us of qeylIS. Did he really form the Empireâ One of them asked anxiously.<br><br> |
| - | [[Image:KlingonDeathRitual.jpg|292px|Klingon Death Ritual]]<br><br>[[Image:Rite_of_ascension.jpg|Rite of Ascension]]<br> | + | [[Image:KlingonDeathRitual.jpg|292px|The painting of Kahless the Unforgettable at Boreth (2369)]]<br><br>[[Image:Rite_of_ascension.jpg|Rite of Ascension]]<br> |
| The first and second commandments deal with piousness and defending the Church respectively. The concept of being devout if not religious is well known to Klingons. Examples are found in Worfâs dedication to the rituals of the Klingon culture and religious ceremonies such as the Heghtay (Klingon death ritual). The spiritual beliefs in places like Sto-Vo-Kor and Gre'tor and the legendary deeds of Kahless all show the spiritual element contained within Klingon society Klingon spiritual life encompasses a host of ceremonies. Ceremonies such as nentay (Rite of Ascension), majQa tay (Rite of Maj'Qa) and the Darghtay (Tea Ceremony) are all examples of Klingon rituals designed to enrich the Klingon spirit. <br><br> | The first and second commandments deal with piousness and defending the Church respectively. The concept of being devout if not religious is well known to Klingons. Examples are found in Worfâs dedication to the rituals of the Klingon culture and religious ceremonies such as the Heghtay (Klingon death ritual). The spiritual beliefs in places like Sto-Vo-Kor and Gre'tor and the legendary deeds of Kahless all show the spiritual element contained within Klingon society Klingon spiritual life encompasses a host of ceremonies. Ceremonies such as nentay (Rite of Ascension), majQa tay (Rite of Maj'Qa) and the Darghtay (Tea Ceremony) are all examples of Klingon rituals designed to enrich the Klingon spirit. <br><br> | ||
| - | The Third commandment is a less obvious. The code of chivalry requires knights to protect the weak. In Klingon society weakness is disdained. However, the Klingon proverb -pujwI' HIvlu'chugh quvbe'lu' (there is no honor in attacking the weak) clearly demonstrates the concept of honorable combat and worthy opponents. This protection of the weak can also be seen in Quarks fight with DâGhor. Quark, challenged by DâGhor, throws down his Batâleth and kneels before his attacker. When DâGhor raises his batâleth to kill him despite his unarmed stance, Gowron comes to Quarkâs aid. Gowron admonishes DâGhor for this dishonorable act â an act that would kill a weak and unarmed opponent. Although one could argue that Klingons donât technically protect the weak they do not prey upon the weak either and honor dictates that combat is between worthy opponents.<br><br> | + | <br><br><br> |
| - | The fourth commandant requires a complete love and devotion to ones country. This is somewhat of a modern interpretation by Gautier. The development of our twentieth century notion of nation states did not develop until well into the fourteenth century. This concept is more akin to the Klingon notion of loyalty to ones family and culture and less to do with a natural devotion to ones country for that concept is relative across time. In the English rites of Chivalry it is specifically stated that knights should maintain loyalty to country, King, honor, freedom, and loyalty to one's friends and those who lay their trust in thee. This virtue is well known in the Klingon Empire. Klingons are extremely loyal not only to the empire but also to their families and to their word. Klingon women are fiercely loyal to their mates. The proverb nIteb Qob qaD jum 'e' chaw'be' Suvwl' (A warrior does not let a friend face danger alone) exemplifies this idea. Loyalty is a virtue that Klingons hold in the highest esteem and those that break that loyalty shame not only themselves but also their family. Klingons equate disloyalty to dishonor and therefore it is not tolerated in Klingon society. <br><br><br><br><br><br> | + | |
| |[[Image:Rite_of_ascension.jpg|Rite of Ascension]] [[Image:Tea_ceremony.jpg|292px|Klingon Tea Ceremony]]<br> | |[[Image:Rite_of_ascension.jpg|Rite of Ascension]] [[Image:Tea_ceremony.jpg|292px|Klingon Tea Ceremony]]<br> | ||
| Line 59: | Line 58: | ||
| Each of these proverbs expresses the importance of honorable behavior in and off the battlefield. And finally, the most famous of legends about the importance of honor and most specially not lying deals with the story of Kahless and his brother Morath. The story goes that Morath once brought dishonor to his family by telling a lie. Kahless and Morath fought for 12 days and 12 nights. Once again the importance of honor in Klingon society is highlighted and reminds every Klingon that without honor â he is nothing. <br><br> | Each of these proverbs expresses the importance of honorable behavior in and off the battlefield. And finally, the most famous of legends about the importance of honor and most specially not lying deals with the story of Kahless and his brother Morath. The story goes that Morath once brought dishonor to his family by telling a lie. Kahless and Morath fought for 12 days and 12 nights. Once again the importance of honor in Klingon society is highlighted and reminds every Klingon that without honor â he is nothing. <br><br> | ||
| [[Image:Ruustai.jpg|R'uustai ceremony]]<br> | [[Image:Ruustai.jpg|R'uustai ceremony]]<br> | ||
| - | Commandment nine âThou shalt be generous, and give largesse to everyone.â Explains that Knights were more than excellent warriors but also cared for their people and aided the poor. With regards to generosity, A Klingon house is more than an alliance for mutual protection. The head of the house is also responsible for the care of his people. The Klingon legend of Jaâ Duch offers an example of this notion of largesse. â⌠Ja'Duch, a legendary warrior and hero, said to have founded the first Klingon house. Ja'Duch was a great hunter and fought battles against other tribes to protect his people. He was renowned for his generosity, and for his unusual custom of performing the R'uustai ("bonding") ceremony with the families of his honored enemies, who lost their own protectors.â Another example is found within the legend of Kahless. âIt is said that his first act after Molorâs defeat was to return to his familyâs farm where he used his batâleth to harvest all the fields in a single day, ensuring his family would have food to eat and money to support them.â Clearly, Klingon society advocates generosity and largesse to all members of oneâs household.<br><br> | ||
| - | The finally commandment is a reminder to always be on the side of good against evil. "Thou shalt be everywhere and always the champion of the Right and the Good against Injustice and Evil.â The best example of Klingon society following this commandment is found in their ideas of rewards after death. For Klingons substitute honorable and dishonorable with "good" or "evil" Klingons that live a dishonorable life will not go to Sto-Vo-Kor. This is an important belief and reminds Klingons that to live dishonorable or to be âevilâ in the sense of the Western European sense of the word â one will pay for their failings after death. | ||
| - | <br><br> | ||
| - | The code of chivalry was a set of rules governing behavior during the Middle Ages. It was a way of life that all warriors strove to attain. In many ways the code of chivalry served as a means of social control that allowed the warrior spirit to be directed and tempered. Not all knights attained the title the âflower of chivalryâ but most attempted to live by the commandments. The Klingon code of honor is in every way the equivalent of the code of chivalry. Klingons adhere to its teachings and believe they are more than a set of rules, but a set of beliefs that govern all aspects of Klingon culture and society. As pointed out above, for each commandment there is an equivalent in Klingon culture. Although they may be slightly different owning to the particular cultural differences it embodies the same identical theme â a warriorâs code of ethics. | ||
| </div> | </div> | ||
| <div align=center> | <div align=center> | ||
| <b><u>Sources</u><br> | <b><u>Sources</u><br> | ||
| - | http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Klingon_death_ritual <br> | + | http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Kahless <br> |
| http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Rite_of_Ascension <br> | http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Rite_of_Ascension <br> | ||
| http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Rite_of_MajQa <br> | http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Rite_of_MajQa <br> | ||
Revision as of 16:18, 25 February 2012
Klingon Task Force Main Page
| ||||||
Culture Basics OF MYTH & LORE by Barbara M. Paul It was a clear night and the stars were shining in all their glory. The fire blazed hot as the young ones arrived for their evening of stories and lessons. Komrek was old, had seen many a battle, and carried the scars to prove it. Now in his declining years when his strength was leaving him he found his heart yearning for the Glory days when he would rush into the battle without fear yelling âKai Kassai!â. His words striking fear into the enemy. He had one more battle left. How he would meet his death would determine his place in either Sto-Vo-Kor or GreâThor. He sat on a log near the fire and stared into its flames as the young would-be warriors gathered around him. He could see the fire dancing in their eyes as his mind recalled his younger days when he would sit and listen to the old storyteller partake his songs and legends upon him and the others. Now it was his turn to pass on those tales of Glory and Honor to the new generation coming into age. âAnd though I had slain a thousand foes less one, âTell me young warriors, how do you want to be remembered? Look up! Now tell me again, what do you see?â The first and second commandments deal with piousness and defending the Church respectively. The concept of being devout if not religious is well known to Klingons. Examples are found in Worfâs dedication to the rituals of the Klingon culture and religious ceremonies such as the Heghtay (Klingon death ritual). The spiritual beliefs in places like Sto-Vo-Kor and Gre'tor and the legendary deeds of Kahless all show the spiritual element contained within Klingon society Klingon spiritual life encompasses a host of ceremonies. Ceremonies such as nentay (Rite of Ascension), majQa tay (Rite of Maj'Qa) and the Darghtay (Tea Ceremony) are all examples of Klingon rituals designed to enrich the Klingon spirit.
|   The fifth commandment âThou shalt not recoil before the enemyâ is a vital to the code of chivalry and Klingon culture. In a warrior society this is the most important of the commandments. Without courage one cannot have honor -- for the warrior would soon betray his very essence. To die in battle in service to the Empire is the hope of every warrior. Klingon culture is full of examples of the virtue of courage. Heroes such as Kor, Koloth, Kang, Gorkon, Kruge, Gowron, K'mpec, Koord are revered in Klingon society. A son of a Klingon becomes a man when he can hold a blade â emphasizing the courage in the young warriorâs heart. It also symbolizes his willingness to be a worthy member of a House and to carry on the honor of his family. Klingon ceremonies, such as the nenghep (Rite of Ascension) and the Darghtay (Tea Ceremony) show the importance of courage in Klingon culture. Proverbs such as wej Heghchugh vay', SuvtaH SuvwI' (A warrior fights to the death) and may'meyDajvo' Haw'be' tlhIngan (A Klingon does not run away from his battles) illustrates the importance of courage in the Klingon worldview. The sixth tenet of chivalry is "Thou shalt make war against the infidel without cessation and without mercyâ The Church in the eleventh century took great pains in trying to transform the wildness of knights into tempered warriors for Christ. For them this was a manner of social control. There is no direct coalition in Klingon society to this tenet. For this was an attempt by the Church in the Middle Ages to provide some manner of protection to them and divert warriorâs attentions to potential economic and religious rivals. For the Church in the eleventh century -- Crusade was an economic and political move which we are still feeling the affects of today. A similar event could be argued in reference to the Klingon Empire. Prior to 2069 the Empire was plagued by nearly constant internal warfare. There is a marked turn in events after the 2069 when the Klingon High Council turned its attention to space. Like, Western Europe the Klingon Home world turns the warrior spirit loose on the non-Klingon universe thus giving an outlet for the warrior spirit. balth potlh law' yIn potlh puS Sources
|
|||||
Categories: Klingon | KTF
