Namegiving Day

Now you've seen Gilraen's beautiful daughter Elwing, you might wonder where her name comes from. So just in case you want to know, let me tell you about a special day in Leannin and in all Ghurtl: Namegiving Day...

Every time a little cub is born, there is a celebration. It's not just because of the birth, but also because one of the Names of Old can be used again. Let me explain.

In Ghurtl, there are only so many names. Between those existing names, new parents have to choose one for their new born cub. I could give you a full list of those names, for there are only two hundred of them, one hundred for the girls and one hundred for the boys, but I don't think that is really necessary. But as this story continues, you'll find that some of the men and women you get to know have the same names. Now you know why that is.

But to get back to Elwing's Namegiving Day... When Elwing was born, Gilraen and Dias had to come to the Village Elder. (They are called Village Elder even in the capital of Ghurtl, which is definitely a city). There they are presented a list of names from which to choose. For it's not so that they can choose every known name... It's even more complicated:

The people of Ghurtl believe that every time someone dies, that person's name "floats" through the country and the person who's name it was gets no rest. For a name is a vital part of someone and as long as that name is not combined with another cub, the two of them stick together. So the person that dies keeps wandering around till a new cub has been born to inherit his or her name...

Just in case this is not clear, let me try to explain it in another way. According to Ghurtian believes, a name is a mortal part of a person. Ghurtians in general are mortal beings... I'll explain why that is another time. But a name is certainly a mortal part of them, even when the person comes from one of the few foreign families that are still immortal. When someone dies, Ghurtians believe they go to the Land of Forever, where they live as the immortal creatures they once were, in a time long ago. But as long as that person is still connected to his or her name, he or she still has a mortal part and therefore can't go on to this Land of Forever. So it's the task of the community to re-use the name as soon as possible, so the spirit of the deceased can go on...

Anyway, when Elwing had been born, her parents were given a list of names. From that list they choose Elwing. There were only seven names on the list, so it wasn't that hard to pick one.
After the Namegiving, the festivities begin. The celebration is not only for the new born cub, but maybe even more for the release of the wandering spirit... who can finaly get some rest.

This is what Namegiving Day is all about. The partying afterwards is not bound to certain rules, the parents can choose whatever they want to do. The main festivities are always a few weeks after the birth, so the mother can join them. Actually, Namegiving Day is not a good name for it, for the celebration usually goes on for a week or two....