ENVIRONMENT:
The Umbrey people prefer to live in total isolation. They dwell between two mountains, Simoli and Canubi, in a valley called Ivazi. At the beginning of every new moon the temperature drops and snow begins to cover the mountains, the nights are long and the air is cold. The fields that lay beneath Simoli and Camubi are barren and the spring freezes over. At the time of the first quarter moon, the snow begins to melt off the mountain and fills up the spring that runs through the center of Ivazi, nights begin to shorten and the air starts to warm up, making it an ideal time to begin planting crops. Once halfmoon arrives, the Ivazi is bursting with life, apples, pears, berries of every kind fill the fields facing Canubi, while rice, carrots, corn, and potatoes cover the fields facing Simoli, the days are longest during halfmoon and the nights are warm. During the second quarter moon, the nights begin to lengthen again, the spring water begins to lessen, and most of the harvest has been picked.
CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE
Norms
The day of the Umbrey begins early in the morning, they all gather in the clearing where Jumzi Umbrey have prepared the breakfast for the Jamji and Ugluki. As they head over to breakfast, Jamji neighbors greet each other by placing their right hands over their chests and nodding. When greeting an Ugluki or the chief, Umbrey people instead place both their hands over their chest and bow as a sign of respect. Umbrey people enjoy conversation, they talk all day long and only break eye contact to work or eat. Due to the changing weather, Umbrey people are always covered up, during halfmoon men wear a simple skirt made by the Jamji, to cover his private parts. Women usually wear dresses to conceal their breasts as well. During new moon, Umbrey wear large covers made of various animal fur to keep warm.
Values
Umbrey people believe that all people were made equal. No man is greater than woman and no woman is greater than man. Every Umbrey person is encouraged to speak freely and honestly without repercussion. Umbrey also get married whenever they have found their soulmate. Since marriage is an eternal bond, Umbrey like to take their time in finding their spouse.
Worldview
The Umbrey came to be when a witch born from a wolf named Jambriji put a curse on the animals of Ivazi, these animals became Umbrey. The witch was an evil leader and did not allow the animals to return to their homes while she could transform into her wolf self whenever she pleased. In order to keep the Umbrey pleased, she allowed them to transform into their animal form during their designated moons. Animals that run where allowed to transform during new moon, animals that swim were given halfmoon, and animals that fly were allowed second quarter moon. Not all Umbrey were able to transform though, since transformation is extremely painful because their animal selves has to come from inside their Umbrey selves. The Umbrey have never left the safety of Ivazi and no one has entered. Everything the Umbrey has, was given to them by Jambriji, they must keep her happy that way she may continue to provide life to Ivazi.
Symbols
The paw print of the wolf stands for Jambriji, the
wolf-witch that made the Umbrey who they are.
The three spiraled triangle stands for the three
Umbrey people, Ugluki, Jamji, and Jumzi, as they work in unity to provide for
one another.
The two rings stand for marriage, to signify the
eternal bond between a husband and wife.
This symbolizes the growth of an Umbrey child, each
ring meaning a new step in its life.
Classification of reality
Marriage is an eternal bond between husband and wife to the Umbrey people. Cheating and divorce does not exist within the Umbrey. The Umbrey people are one big family, all men from the same generation are brothers and all women from the same generation are sisters. Men and women from different parents are not brother and sister because you’re not supposed to marry your brother or sister, according the Umbrey. Umbrey children only have one father and one mother, but they have several aunts and uncles. Women older than the child are called aunts and men older than the children are called uncles. Umbrey people do not believe in death, they are instead reincarnated into their animal selves and continue to live as an animal until Jambriji makes them Umbrey again.
The Umbrey people are led by a chief, who decides whether an Umbrey will be an Ugluki, Jamji, or Jumzi. An Ugluki is a highly respected position. Ugluki’s are the Umbrey that are strong enough to endure transformation on a regular basis. When its their moon, Ugluki transform to either a land, sky or water animal. Some follow the animals for a few days to get to know their patterns so that the other Ugluki can hunt for animals more affectively. Although all Umbrey can transform, few choose to undergo testing because of the immense pain that comes with transforming. Jamji are the worker Umbrey, they plant and harvest the crops, make baskets for storage, assemble clothing for all the Umbrey to wear, and build the houses. Jamji must wait for the first quarter moon to begin planting, that’s when the soil is best and there’s plenty of water from the spring. Finally come the Jumzi, the Jumzi are the Umbrey that could not do the job of either the Ugluki or the Jamji. Jumzi are usually the cooks for the Umbrey, although they also collect waste and make sure all the houses are clean for when the other Umbrey return. Umbrey look different based on the animal they originate from, for example, wolves are usually pale skinned with slim faces and sharper canines, while fish are red skinned with round faces and large eyes. Ugluki look more like their animal selves than Jamji and Jumzi do, since they transform constantly. Both men and women are allowed to be chief, Ugluki Jamji, or Jumzi. A new chief is selected after every 15 new moons, the Umbrey come together to vote which Ugluki will make the best chief. Umbrey are allowed to test to be Ugluki once their first set of teeth have fallen out and their second has grown in. Before that, children are free to do as they please, but once their teeth start to fall they must begin lessons on how the Umbrey work. Once an Umbrey grows too old to provide for the village, they are sacrificed to Jambriji so that she will continue to allow the Umbrey to transform. For the sacrifice, the Jumzi prepare a large feast and all the Umbrey take the day off to celebrate the life of the old Umbrey. In the hours before the sacrifice, the Umbrey dance and sing to call attention to Jambriji so that she may watch the sacrifice. Once the old Umbrey has been sacrficed, they reincarnate as their animal selves and wait for Jambriji to return them to Umbrey.
MOON
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Full moon
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New moon
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First quarter moon
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Half moon
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Second quarter moon
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No moon
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High moon
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Low moon
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Crescent moon
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Hidden moon
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Colored moon
SNOW
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Falling snow
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Melting snow
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Snow on the ground
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Loose snow
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New snow
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Old snow
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Snow from the top of the Simoli mountain
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Snow from the top of the Canubi mountain
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Heavy snowfall
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Light snowfall
