Largely because I needed to make sense of it myself, and partially to see what people think, I've come up with a general sketch of the Loglur Clan to which my character Felise Selunix belongs. For the purposes of context, we'll say that this excerpt was taken from a serial feature on various clans in the cultural holozine 'Matari Today.' Some of the larger sections have been marked with spoilers in order to spare everyone's eyes and make this a bit shorter.
Loglur Clan: Inside Look
The Loglur Clan is a Vherokior clan that consists of a multitude of kin who live in every empire (only in Jita in Caldari Space though). From the earliest beginnings of Minmatar Republic, the Loglur have played an integral role in the economic, spiritual, and bureaucratic direction of the nation. Internationally, the Loglur represent one of the most worldly clans in the diaspora, with Loglur retail chains operating everywhere from Matar to Caille and all points forward. Due to the overwhelming Loglur involvement in retail, government, and religious occupations, they are almost always found in urban areas or other centers of trade, most recently on interstellar stations. Loglur clan members are distinct for their skill at retailing, gifts of dizzying conversation, and acerbic wit. Loglur shamans and artists are also known for their distinctive iridescent tattooing techniques. Loglur are also heavily represented in middle to middle-upper middle class circles throughout the Republic and Gallente, with very few members living in poverty or counted among the extremely wealthy. However, economic observers within the Republic have speculated that if the clan’s wealth was combined, the Loglur would be among the wealthiest Matari clans in the Cluster. While being rather inactive in tribal or Republican politics, the clan is generally well-received within the Vherokior tribe and remains generally unremarkable to the wider Matari diaspora.
Origins
The entire family traces the official start of their clan from Tuolo and Oshina Loglur (then Lucor), descended from a long line of generational slaves of the Jacurd family in the Miah system until they escaped to Gallente at the dawn of the War for Independence. Some members of the Loglur Clan outside of the Republic go by the name ‘Lollore’ which is an Gallentized version of the family name adopted by Tuolo and his family during their time in Gallente. Soon after the family’s escape, they made their way to Matar in order to lend their talents and sweat to the creation of the new Republic. There they made contact with other Loglur clan members from which they had long been separated and along with other minor clans, created the core of what is now known as the Loglur Clan.
Organization
[spoiler]Generally, the family organizes itself along the familial lines of the heads of the five ‘original heads’ that came together to found the modern clan; Tuolo, Payum, Hargenn, Shifranja, and Quidico. However, outside of the Republic, clan members tend to self-organize around geographic or cultural factors. Ergo, there are Caille and Villore Lollore family members, Disler Lollore, Genesis Lollore, etc.
The Loglur family is headed by an clan elder who inherits the title Head of Table (Sero Masha), who acts as the main decision body. The title traditionally passes between women in the family, a tradition that started with Alofar, Tuolo’s eldest daughter and first Head of Table selected under this tradition. The title passes from one woman, to her eldest niece from her next youngest sister, and then to the eldest female cousin from the line of the next youngest of the original four Clan sibling lines. So the line goes from Head of Table to her eldest niece to the eldest female cousin of the next youngest family line from the next generation. In the absence of an eldest niece or female cousin, the title can fall to the next oldest child in the family regardless of gender. Anyone is free to abdicate the title. Also, capsuleer clan members are exempted from the line of succession, though they may serve at the Clan Table or in other capacities within the clan. The Head of Table serves a term of up to 40 years with the option of extending their term for up to another 10 years in case of emergency conditions. This must be approved by a majority of the Table and the Second must agree to stay on.
The Head of Table acts as the primary arbiter of economic and political action among all Clan members, older and younger. The Head of Table is assisted by the Second Chair or Second, who is always the person’s next younger sister or sibling. If the Head has no siblings, then the Second is their next youngest and closest female cousin. The Head of Table is advised by the Clan Table, which is made up of a number of representatives that are often comprised thusly: Two chosen members of each family line, a representative of various established geographical or cultural collectives (approved by the Head of Table) and voluntary past Heads of Table.
In addition to the Head of Table and the Second, various families within the clan are represented at the Clan Table (Rava Masha). The Clan Table is made up of representatives from the ‘original heads’ lines of the family, previous Heads and Seconds, and representatives from important geographic concentrations of clan members. The Clan Table nor the Second have any decision-making power and exist solely to advise and assist the Head. Finally, various sub-groups of clans gather at times to discuss clan happenings informally. These informal discussions also have no official power and only limited unofficial power, usually over finer points of executing larger Loglur policies, which tend to be flexible enough to be accepted by many diverse clan members, yet powerful enough to control commerce and trade surprisingly well.
On a macro level, the Head administers her will to the rest of the Clan primarily through two informal clan organizations; Govkin, and Finkin. Govkin is comprised of a group of clan members who are charged with executing the Head of Table’s government relational agenda and maintaining positive relationships with governments and other regulatory bodies throughout the Cluster and maintaining a favorable regulatory environment for clan economic activities. Firkin is comprised of clan members who are charged with implementing the Head of Table’s financial strategy and managing shared family financial assets. Each group is comprised of a Strongest Voice who leads the organization, several administrative staff, and groups of troubleshooters who are tasked with making direct interventions within and outside of the clan on behalf of the Head of Table. These activities do not comprise a full-time job and are done on top of official work.[/spoiler]
Cosmology
[spoiler]While the Loglur have gained a reputation of being rather lax about spirituality, about a quarter of the clan make their professions in spiritual service to the community. Shamans, spiritual counselors, and oft-sought Loglur seers have a distinct spiritual culture that they take very seriously. Like almost all Matari clans, the Loglur adhere to naturalistic spiritual patterns, acknowledging the ‘intrinsic spirit’ of everything that surrounds them. Loglur also follow popular Vherokior trends of an egalitarian relationship between spirits and direct contact with the spiritual realm, as well as the deliberate blending of spiritual and temporal connections.
In the Loglur cosmology, Mother Matar and Father Pator hold a prominent, but not dominant role. In particular, Pator is often invoked as a spirit of oversight and management and is seen as very important to logistic-minded Loglur. Many Loglur also believe that this emphasis is leftover from the tribe’s supposed beginnings as desert traders on Matar. Mother Matar is often seen as the holder of all spirits and the convener of community, the other important aspect of Loglur life. The spirit of Matar is scene as the setting for what Loglur refer to as ‘the foggy truth,’ or the sometimes contradictory truths presented by the menagerie of intrinsic spirits in the world. Rather than attempting to assign an order to this collection of truths, Loglur believes that Mother Matar encourages them to see the individual value of all of these spirits in order to grow as clan members and Matari. Loglur members may seek to commune with different spirits for different reasons and in different contexts, often appealing for help in gaining a greater understanding of events unfoldiing around them. More often than not, they seek out the aid of a family seer—usually an older male family member—to help communicate with the spirits and gain this insight, which proves very powerful in business as well as personal and spiritual matters.[/spoiler]
Marriage and Clan
Clan members are free to marry whomever they want, even though many parents, clan members, and often even the Head of Table will make strong suggestions about marriage partners (often based on long-term clan goals). In order to stay in the clan, the marriage partners take part in a Pajakefat ceremony—essentially a promise to abide by the will of the Head of Table made in front of all of their family members. Without this ceremony, none of the marriage partners, nor their children are considered part of the clan. However, such a situation does not preclude close relationships between clan and non-clan family members.
Clan Activities
Logger clans folk are most often employed as owner-operators of small, retail-oriented businesses. Many of these are centered around food service, convienence stores, and budget department stores. Some family members also run small service businesses, construction firms, and trading houses. Following clan leadership custom, these businesses are overwhelmingly run by women. The rest of the immediate family tends to work within their family businesses, or the businesses of close family members. The next most common profession among clan members is government and corporate administration. These clan members tend to be the most active in Govkin and Finkin. After that, most of the remainder of Loglur are involved in various spiritual and religion professions, often of the mystical type. More recently, Loglur clan members have been moving into the expanding spiritual healing profession as interest in a Vitoc vaccine grows. Loglur merchants are also increasingly interested in expanding into wholesale and transportation activities. A very small minority of clan folk fulfill a wider range of jobs, from doctors and professors to entertainers and crafts folk to thieves, rogues and pirates. The clan is accepting of all professions with only a couple of exceptions:
-Clan members cannot enter into any type of joint ownership venture, such as a public corporation or private partnership. However, clan members are allowed to work for other clan members Each person must make their own contribution.
-Clan members cannot hold any political office unless approved specifically by the Head.
-Clan members can enter into public service for clan, tribe, or the Republic.
Clan Traditions
[spoiler]Like many other Vherokior Tribes, the Loglur honor the spirituality of the world around them, believing that everything has a spirit. Given the high number of shamans and mystics within the Loglur clan, spirituality plays a large and important, albeit understated role in the lives of the Loglur.
Tattoos
Logger tattoos tend to follow larger Vherokior trends of intricacy and subtlety. Vherokior shaman tend to weave tight, detailed repeating patterns into existing musculature and bone structure. They also use a notable color blending process that creates iridescent effects, resulting in tattoos that change color depending on the light source. These general patterns tend to be similar to the voluval patterns in most Loglur. The point of these traditions is to do as much as possible to make the tattoo a part of the person. Loglur are very strong in their belief that the not a decorative advice, but a communication tool that is used to accentuate the changes that they feel should be present in the actions and attitude of the wearer. “A tattoo cannot say something about you that you do not say yourself.”- traditional Loglur saying
The voluval ceremony amongst the Loglur is simple and unadorned, often occurring during ceremonies or secondary feasts, often in a separate room or space that has been spiritually prepared for the occasion. Much of the work of the shaman is dedicated to helping the candidate come to total awareness. Shamans do this by various means—guided meditation, prayer, and chanting, sacred movement and spiritual walks, the administration of sacred herbs, spirits and other medicines, and appreciative inquiry. Afterwards the voluval process can begin. “The truth cannot rise above a raging river.”- traditional Loglur saying
Music and Dance
More than some other clans within the Vherokior Tribe, the Loglur place a high degree of importance on the role of dance and music as a part of their spiritual regimen. Loglur are known for two different dances; the ozvukayan dance and the lythullum dance. The ozvukayan dances are the traditional communal dance done during formal and informal occasions. These are traditional story dances that are designed to communicate important historical events and parables. The dances are typically set to a set of hand drums and a specially made instrument called a pilifrona; a flute-like instrument that combines age-old craftsmanship and modern sonic modulation technology. At times, other instruments are used, but these two are essential to the ceremony. The dances can involve anywhere from 2 people to thousands at a time and can be done in places as informal as the inside of homes or on private grounds or more formally large parks and Vherokior ceremonial grounds. Dances are used to mark the changes of seasons, births, deaths, voluval ceremonies, other tattoo opportunities, important family functions, marriages, and a whole host of other life experiences. Informal dances are often done at the close of extended family gatherings and children often do these dances for run as a part of play. The music played is usually based around syncopated, complex rhythmic styles punctuated by some sort of bass/low treble drum upon which the pilifrona notes dance. No two songs are exactly the same as the music is designed to be mixed and blended into each other. So the dance may start around one song and then switch to another as one would start telling one story and then, reminded of another, switch to a different story. The dances tend to follow suit, making each dance a singular experience. The Loglur believe that this ever-changing communal remembrance of the past keeps them in touch with their ancestors as well as the ever-changing world around them.
The lythullum dance is a meditative tantric dance that is specifically done by oneself in private. The dance has no musical accompaniment as is done often during times of grief, confusion, or trial in order to gain a vision from the spirits. These visions are usually sought out in order to get a more complete picture of events that may seem confusion or contradiction. The Loglur seek to a greater understanding of what they call ‘the foggy truth,’ another way of saying the sometimes complex nature of the truth as it is and so this ritual is very important. However, like many Loglur rituals, there is very little in the way of special uniform or location with the only requirement to be to attend a consultation and speaking meditation with a shaman.[/spoiler]
The Darjuh: Talking and Listening
[spoiler]The third major tenant of Loglur life is centered around verbal communication and conversation. While many Vherokior tribes prize community and language, the Loglur have raised conversation to a complex art form that includes intonation, body language, context, relationship, and timing into an expanded conversational practice that clan members feel is central to their spirituality and unity. Loglur generally see communication as a primary way to becoming closer to the great spiritual realm and become better retailers and family members. These values coalesce in the tradition of the darjuh.
The darjulh is less of an event and more of a regular informal custom among clan members. Generally speaking, the darjuh is a family get together for socializing. The gathering is often accompanied by cornthyr bread and hanzi tea as well as other small plate items that family members often graze over while between conversation. The event is often hosted by a local respected clan matriarch within her home. The matriarch is often given the nickname ‘auntie,’ no matter her actual relation to the attendants. All clan members are welcome to attend, but the darjuh is often regularly attended by relatives from nearby planets and systems. The center of activity in any darjuh is the kitchen, where hot cornthyr and tea are constantly being baked and prepared by younger attendees. Older and more popular clan members tend to gather here and converse and so others tend to follow, however, clan members are known to float between rooms and conversations liberally, sometimes even leaving the home for awhile and coming back to re-enter the conversations hours later. The darjuh is typically practiced on Saturday evenings and can last until the wee hours of the mornings. Larger and longer darjuhs occur on special seasonal feast days and ozvukayan rituals, sometimes lasting days.
The conversational content of a darjuh may seem rather banal gossip to the uninitiated outsider. Clan members often catch up with others who they may not have seen in awhile, or engage in pleasant and robust conversation with clan members that they may not know. They share old, well-worn stories about family members and ancestors, talk about current events in a blaze manner, and play with children and babies. One of the most interesting facets of darjuh conversation is the propensity for clan members to gossip about other clan members who aren’t in attendance. This can seem jarring at first, but it is actually an important aspect of Loglur culture and familial trust. The gossip is a sort of test: the person sharing the gossip is trusting the listener to understand the importance of discretion and not relay what they’ve heard. Loglur children are taught early on the tactical and moral wisdom of decorum and subtlety in conversation and these interactions are meant to reinforce these lessons and refine their usage. In a larger sense, the darjuh acts as a practice ground for the subtle and sophisticated conversational style that marks a true Loglur. The darjuh is, as much as the voluval ad ozvukayan, the most outwardly custom that binds Loglur together.[/spoiler]
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Topic: An Inside Look at the Loglur Clan (Read 558 times)