Romulan Holy Days / Holidays

protogoth

So, these are supposed to be Romulan holy days / holidays. You can find the list in various places across the internet. It generally consists of the Rihan names only, sometimes with a few translations. Some sites are more complete than others, but never have I seen these presented in any order other than alphabetical. We know only that Eitreih'hveinn was the Farmer's Festival held on August 7 to honor domestic produce, and on this holiday, only priest-sanctioned food may be eaten. This from Diane Duane's novel "The Romulan Way."

I have here attempted to make some sense of these holy days in conjunction with similar rites of tradition in other cultures, thus giving dates to the other holidays as well. In consideration of these being largely seasonal festivals, I have decided that the Romulans probably use a soli-lunar calendar, resulting in some variation of the actual date from year to year (the sole exception being Eitreih'vauthil ch'Kre'dhhokh Mol'Rihanai, the Festival of the Republic's Victory (Republic Day), which is always on April 5. Without further ado, I present to you

ROMULAN HOLY DAYS

Eitreih'orheika
Festival of the Ancestors
November 5
Eitreih'Aylhr
Festival of Space
November 6
Eitreih'Qiuu'n
Festival of the Arch Element
November 7

Eitreih'Avilh
Festival of Earth
February 9

Eitreih'vauthil ch'Kre'dhhokh Mol'Rihanai
Festival of the Republic's Victory
(Republic Day)
April 5

Eitreih'Okhala
Festival of Fire
May 9

Eitreih'Ihhvein
Festival of Water
June 27

Eitreih'hveinn
The Farmer's Festival
August 13

Eitreih'Jaeih
Festival of Air
September 30


I would propose that the Mother Goddess of pre-Surakian times would be strongly associated with Eitreih'Aylhr, the Festival of Space (November 6) in particular, but likewise have strong associations with all three holy days in November:
Eitreih'orheika
Festival of the Ancestors
November 5
Eitreih'Aylhr
Festival of Space
November 6
Eitreih'Qiuu'n
Festival of the Arch Element (literally, "Festival of the Pleroma/Plenitude," for all you Romulan and Reman Gnostics out there)
November 7

I would also point out that the Mother Goddess to which I referred is the "Mother" from whom the sect known as "the Mother's Weavers" take their name. I have proposed that "Lleiset" is the name of the Mother Goddess.

I have also proposed that the two moons in the Mol'Rihan system be named "Lleiset" (the whole moon) and "the Children of Ket-Cheleb" (the shards of the shattered moon).

So our next Romulan holy day is Eitreih'Okhala (the Festival of Elemental Fire) on May 9. May we have many victories over the Ikonnsu to celebrate with the green fire!

kodachikuno

interesting... odd but interesting. Also been meaning to say, kudos on the new sig banner.

protogoth

kodachikuno wrote: »

interesting... odd but interesting. Also been meaning to say, kudos on the new sig banner.

The calendar as I have arranged it is a bit lopsided, with no holiday corresponding to Vernal Equinox nor to Winter Solstice, but the quarters of the year are marked at roughly Samhain, Imbolg, Bealtaine, and Lughnasa.

Thanks for your compliments on the new sig banner. The Fleet Emblem was inspired, of course, by the monument to Spock at Hachae s'Temer on ch'Mol'Rihan.

protogoth

My suggested dates for the holy days are largely consistent with this Romulan calendar (my placing of the Feast of Water in June is the exception):

Hveith - Calendar
As with most cultures that divide their year into 'months' based on seasonal patterns or orbitting bodies, the Rihan Month system is based on the orbital path of the ch'Rihan/ch'Havran pair, which completes a full cycle every 20 days. Therefore, the Rihan year is divided into 19 months, each consisting of two ten-day 'weeks'. Since seasonal changes are minimal on the homeworlds throughout the year (a fluctuation of +/- 12° celsius on average between their 'winter' and 'summer'), months are determined by the orbital path of ch'Rihan's sister-moon, ch'Havran, and where it appears in the sky. The first week of the month, Eisn appears higher in the sky than ch'Havran, and lower in the second week (coincidently, using Eisn as reference from ch'Havran, the same holds true on ch'Havran: Eisn will appear 'higher' in the sky than ch'Rihan, and vice-versa). The first day of a new month is easily noticed on ch'Rihan's capital city, since it involves a partial eclipse that lasts a couple of hours during the day. The months and weeks are named thusly:

* First Month of Fire Khaidoa nuhwir s'Okhala (Fire representing the warmth and light of Summer)
o First Week Dhaei nuhwir (Day 1-10)
o Second Week Dhaei nukrer (Day 11-20)

* Second Month of Fire Khaidoa nukrer s'Okhala
o First Week Dhaei nuhwir (Day 21-30)
o Second Week Dhaei nukrer (Day 31-40)

* Third Month of Fire Khaidoa nuseir s'Okhala
o First Week Dhaei nuhwir (Day 41-50)
o Second Week Dhaei nukrer (Day 51-60)

* Fourth Month of Fire Khaidoa numner s'Okhala
o First Week Dhaei nuhwir (Day 61-70)
o Second Week Dhaei nukrer (Day 71-80)

* First Month of Air Khaidoa nuhwir s'Jaeih (Air representing the colder winds of Fall)
o First Week Dhaei nuhwir (Day 81-90)
o Second Week Dhaei nukrer (Day 91-100)

* Second Month of Air Khaidoa nukrer s'Jaeih
o First Week Dhaei nuhwir (Day 101-110)
o Second Week Dhaei nukrer (Day 111-120)

* Third Month of Air Khaidoa nuseir s'Jaeih
o First Week Dhaei nuhwir (Day 121-130)
o Second Week Dhaei nukrer (Day 131-140)

* Fourth Month of Air Khaidoa numner s'Jaeih
o First Week Dhaei nuhwir (Day 141-150)
o Second Week Dhaei nukrer (Day 151-160)

* Fifth Month of Air Khaidoa nurhir s'Jaeih
o First Week Dhaei nuhwir (Day 161-170)
o Second Week Dhaei nukrer (Day 171-180)

* First Month of Earth Khaidoa nuhwir s'Avilh (Earth representing the darker and harder soils of Winter)
o First Week Dhaei nuhwir (Day 181-190)
o Second Week Dhaei nukrer (Day 191-200)

* Second Month of Earth Khaidoa nukrer s'Avilh
o First Week Dhaei nuhwir (Day 201-210)
o Second Week Dhaei nukrer (Day 211-220)

* Third Month of Earth Khaidoa nuseir s'Avilh
o First Week Dhaei nuhwir (Day 221-230)
o Second Week Dhaei nukrer (Day 231-240)

* Fourth Month of Earth Khaidoa numner s'Avilh
o First Week Dhaei nuhwir (Day 241-250)
o Second Week Dhaei nukrer (Day 251-260)

* Fifth Month of Earth Khaidoa nurhir s'Avilh
o First Week Dhaei nuhwir (Day 261-270)
o Second Week Dhaei nukrer (Day 271-280)

* First Month of Water Khaidoa nuhwir s'Ihhuein (Water representing the rains and frost-melting of Spring)
o First Week Dhaei nuhwir (Day 281-290)
o Second Week Dhaei nukrer (Day 291-300)

* Second Month of Water Khaidoa nukrer s'Ihhuein
o First Week Dhaei nuhwir (Day 301-310)
o Second Week Dhaei nukrer (Day 311-320)

* Third Month of Water Khaidoa nuseir s'Ihhuein
o First Week Dhaei nuhwir (Day 321-330)
o Second Week Dhaei nukrer (Day 331-340)

* Fourth Month of Water Khaidoa numner s'Ihhuein
o First Week Dhaei nuhwir (Day 341-350)
o Second Week Dhaei nukrer (Day 351-360)

* Fifth Month of Water Khaidoa nurhir s'Ihhuein
o First Week Dhaei nuhwir (Day 361-370)
o Second Week Dhaei nukrer (Day 371-380)
Dates are written in the format of: 'Nth day of [month]-[high/low]Eisn, year AS (After Shipfall)'; there are three ways to write the date -

formal, common, and short:

Formal Written

Shad nudha'lhir khaidoam nuseir s'Avilh, Eisn ihfv, fvheisn hwi dhei llu-thha'lli aihkh Khhiuhiera. Nineteenth day of the third month of

Earth, low Eisn, year one thousand seven hundred eighty-seven after Shipfall.

Common Written

Sh. nu19r kh. nu3r s'Avilh, Eisn ihfv, fvh. 1787 aK 19th d. of 3rd m. of Earth, low Eisn, y. 1787 AS

Short Written

13-3-Avilh, E.i., 1787 aK 13-3-Earth, l.E., 1787 AS

-- Source

Edit:
The length of a year on ch'Mol'Rihan may well be different from that on ch'Rihan; one might therefore expect the Romulan calendar to be modified in accord with the new homeworld's cycles. I suspect the names of the months and their divisions would remain, but whether they be months of two tendays or not, or how many months there will be in a year, would be determined by the cycles of ch'Mol'Rihan. And unless Cryptic has provided information on the revolution and orbit of ch'Mol'Rihan specifically pertaining to duration, any attempt to go further would become increasingly speculative.

Edit 2:
At any rate, if I change the dates for
Eitreih'Okhala
Festival of Fire
May 9

Eitreih'Ihhvein
Festival of Water
June 27

to
Eitreih'Ihhvein
Festival of Water
May 9

Eitreih'Okhala
Festival of Fire
June 27

then it would be entirely consistent with this calendar.

iconians

Are these government holidays that I get off of work? I'd love some 3 or 4-day weekends.

protogoth

iconians wrote: »

Are these government holidays that I get off of work? I'd love some 3 or 4-day weekends.

I would think these occasions are recognized by the government of the New Romulan Republic, yes.

I forgot to include one from STO, the Festival of the Tapping, held on Virinat (and possibly other worlds where Romulan Ale was/is made) in early January.

protogoth

I have devised a Rihan name for the Festival of the Tapping.
Eitreih'Dva'enh
from dva, to puncture, to use something for its intended use.
Dva'enh would be an adjectival gerund, "puncturing, using sthg for its intended use."
To tap a keg requires piercing (or puncturing) the keg with a tap (faucet) wherewith to drain its contents. Thus, "to puncture" fits the bill. I have used "dva'enh" in the name of the festival as a nominal gerund (a noun formed from a verb).

The event took place on Virinat in early January. I have (somewhat arbitrarily, but based on European folklore connected with "Twelfthnight" and "the Wild Hunt") chosen 5 January as the date. The festival starts at dusk, as seen in-game.

denizyuruk

thanks for your efforts

protogoth

Eitreih'Okhala

protogoth

protogoth wrote: »

Eitreih'Okhala

btw, that's a link up there in the quote (since links are no longer obvious in these new "and improved" fora ...).

chipg7

Celebrating the Festival of Fire on Risa was a wicked time.