Seven Stages of Life Ceremonies

Each steps has association with the four elements; earth, wind, fire and water.

Birth 

A woman who is going to give birth is taken to a private location secretly. No male is told where she is, even her husband. Word is sent to her family immeditely after the birth, but she stays secluded for about two weeks. After which time she returns to her family, and a feast is prepared and the child is introduced to the family and local community. The child has dust sprinkled on them, then they are held over a small fire in smoke for a few seconds, then held up in wind (or artificial wind is made with fans if there is none) and finally washed. Each step is associated with a different element, earth, fire, wind and water respectively. 

Coming of Age/puberty

When a boy or girl reaches their tenth birthday they are given the best presents. On that day their father or mother (depending on their gender) takes him aside and tells him "secrets": about becoming a man or woman, including about sex and general advice. The child then takes part of a big ceremony.  This ceremony is important because it symbolizes the trials of a boy becoming a man, or girl to a woman. Before the ceremony, two large clay pools of water are prepared. One is filled with water that is left over night and reaches near freezing temperatures. The other is filled with hot water (about 100ºF). Taking part in this ceremony is also a good friend of the birthday child, generally of the same gender, who will take part in the same things the birthday child does in the ceremony. Beforehand, both children are naked and are painted over their bodies in paint of different shapes and bright colors (representing earth). These shapes include lines running up the legs from the inside of the foot to the hips. A line from the palm to the arm pit, a star of Santh on the forehead (though this may be left off of those few who do not follow the religion of Santh) and a hand print on the chest. 

When the ceremony begins, they stand still naked before the witnesses, a symbol of their state of birth. The birthday child's father generally is the one to perform the ceremony, though it is not too uncommon for the mother to preform the ceremony for their daughter. The parent preforming the ceremony touches the child on the forehead with a scroll, calling on blessings of Kai. then they fan them with a fan, calling on belssings of Lykei.

 Then the child is given a scarification tattoo on their right arm, in the pattern that they chose.

The child is now considered "Uagi" or "between greatness", and is given a special new loin cloth to wear. The Uagi will no longer be permitted to be unclothed in public as before. The child choose a new name, that may be a second name in addition  to their birth name, or used as the name they choose to be called. Then they have a feast and celebrate!

Military Service

At the age of 15, a child is classified as a "Uul". They are required at least one month training with a weapon. Boys are trained with short swords and spears. Girls are trained in use of a bow, They are also drilled and taught military discipline (following orders).

Marriage

When a Salthan becomes an Uul is considered the proper youngest age to be married. Most, but not all marriages are arranged by parents. A man who is betrothed to a woman will give her a piece of cloth (called a lirskae, which literally means "binding knowledge thing") that he puts on her belt, showing she is betrothed, and in return the woman's father gives the man a piece of cloth that he wears on his belt. 

In Saltha, polygyny is very common. 

The ceremony begins in the house of the bride's father, in the upper room. Both hold a candle, which they kneel and together use to light a third candle. "We share our fire."

Next a bowl of wine is presented, and both spit in to the bowl. "We share our water". And then they drink some of it, but leavingt some.

The couple then turns to each other and breaths out on each other. "We share our wind"

The couple then takes a handfull of earth, and pour it into a bowl.

Each has a bracelet, that they place on each other's arm. These are unique to the couple.  

The couple recieves a blessing from the priest, who asks each of the five divines for protection and guidence. The bride's father also gives a blessing. Then the couple, and those present rises.

The groom leads, taking the candle. The bride beside him, holding the bowl of water and earth. The party goes along, cheering loudly, and making noise. They go to the groom's house, which has been prepared. The groom enters, and takes a small loaf of bread out to the bride which he breaks in half and gives half to the bride, and they eat the bread. Then they go into the house with the groom's mother. The door is shut, and the windows are sealed. The groom's mother helps the couple completely undress, and they go upstairs to consumate their wedding, and the groom's mother leaves (locking the door behind her).

The next evening there is a big feast for the couple back at the groom's father's house, with everyone who was at the ceremony the night before.

Adulthood

At twenty a man or woman may take an exam that qualifies him or her to serve in the senate if elected. He or she is given a series of hypothetical cases and is asked for his or her judgment on them. These cases are different every year. At this age, the young man or woman usually marries, and is considered accountable to the law.

Wisdom

Old age is seen as a blessing, and an achievement in acquiring wisdom. Starting at 60, the person shares a piece of wisdom at his birthday celebration. This is celebrated every year with a new wisdom learned until the person dies.

Death

Saltans believe that he bodies of the dead should be cremated. They believe their spirits go up to their god Santh in the smoke.

The ceremony begins when the body is propped up in a cart with firewood, and carried through the streets of the city in a sort of "parade" and the family and friends show their sorrow. At the site of the cremation the body is burned. No images of the deceased is displayed, since the focus is on their next life. Instead an image of the person's spirit is made by a person called a "spirit artist" (Salthan: Shasoselsana) draws an image based on the person's personality and past life. After the body is burned, the ashes are scattered in the wind. 

 At the ceremony there is a telling of the life of the dead person including the bad things the person did, called "bitter truth" (Salthan: uleska).

It is considered a grave insult to be burried, or to have a part of the body removed, especialy the head.