Algazi religion
| Algazi folk religion | |
|---|---|
| Type | Syncretic |
| Classification | disputed |
| Associations | Association of Algazi Temples |
| Region | Algazi Union, Letzia, Ebo Nganagam |
| Origin | 11th Century Hafsighi Kingdom |
The traditional Algazi religion, also called Aghanism or Quuro-Argeyazic religion is a collection of syncretic beliefs and practices that serve as the ethnic religion of the Algazi people and the state religion of the Algazi Union. The religion originates from the hybridization of Argeyazic animism with Quurožarq (particularly Temyarq) and, to a lesser extent, Iovism. There is no wide consensus as to whether the religion should be classified as a continuation of ancient Argeyazic religious practices, a highly divergent denomination of Quurožarq, or a distinct faith, especially considering the wide variation in beliefs and practices.
Practitioners of Algazi religion believe in four principal deities and many minor ones, as well as malignant spirits. Most also believe in reincarnation and the spiritual life of plants and animals. There is no central organization beyond an association of temples, which serves to create a loose consistency of practice and liaise with the Algazi Ministry of Culture.
Origins
Argeyazic and Hafsighi Religion
While little is known about Proto-Argeyazic religion, some information has been pieced together through archeology and comparative work on early Algazi and Hemeshi religion. The religion was animist, contrasting higher deities (*axa) of natural forces and phenomena, such as the sky, rain, the ocean, and fire, mid-level deities (referred to as "fathers" and "mothers") representing each species of plant and animal, and lower deities (*tahen) of places and geographic features. The spirits of the dead (*motyur) were believed to persist on earth, possibly in the Baredinian Desert.
These beliefs and practices became more standardized during the Hafsighi Kingdom as a result of the emergence of a centralized, hierarchical clergy centered on Hafsigh.
Quurožarq
Following the political and religious shifts that re-christened the Adzamasi Empire as the Holy Adzamic Empire, Quurožarq was officially adopted by King Jir II in order to please Hafsigh's patron state. This prompted a mass conversion of the royal family and the Hafsighi court; as the motivations were primarily diplomatic, however, no efforts were made at converting the general populace and many previous practices persisted. This also meant that, in spite of heavy investment in the construction of Quurožiri institutions and religious infrastructure in Hafsigh, the aristocracy and the state continued to patronize indigenous temples, and no legal privileges were granted to Quurožarq. In spite of the lack of promotion, however, Quurožarq did spread to some extent among the upper ranks of the commoners, particularly the educated.
Development
The persistence of animist beliefs and practices among the Quurožiri elite and the downward percolation of Quurožarq already began to blur the boundaries of the two religions during the Yurek period; however, their formal institutions remained separate and competing, and served to maintain distinct identities and a certain degree of orthodoxy.
Following the conquest of Hafsigh by Bızigh Ankesh, Serimism was made the official religion of the Hafsighi Kingdom until Ankesh and the Yurek Dynasty were overthrown by Dareb I Sadhas. Backed by both Quurožiri and animist clergy, Dareb chose not to reinstate either as a state religion. Subsequent Sadhas rulers largely maintained this policy, practicing both faiths and attempting to balance their competing interests. This official neutrality accelerated the existing trend towards hybridization, legitimizing the simultaneous practice of both religions and hampering clerical efforts to maintain standardized, exclusive worship.
The collapse of the Hafsighi Kingdom after 1078 led to the complete breakdown of centralized religious institutions in Hafsigh. In the breakaway provincial cities, there generally remained only low-ranking clergy associated with individual temples. Without any central authority, religious beliefs and practices were increasingly defined by the general population, who had no qualms about incorporating beliefs from multiple sources, and by clergy who were closer to them. This popular mixture of two religions had largely coalesced into a single (albeit heterogeneous) religion within two centuries of the collapse of the Hafsighi Kingdom.
Present Day
Though efforts at codification and standardization starting in the 18th century have been largely unsuccessful, the cultural integration of the Algazi Union and the relationship between temples and the state have created a broad consensus regarding certain core tenets of Algazi religion (largely those discussed in this article).
The overwhelming majority of ethnic Algazis continue to practice their traditional religion, though Iovists and Serimites make up a sizeable minority. Temples remain important centers of social and cultural life both in Algazi cities and in Algazi communities abroad, associated with worship and communal events. They provide very few social services, however, unlike those of many other religions; in Algazi society, these functions are traditionally handled by charities and institutions associated with aristocratic families.
Dieties
The Algazi pantheon consists of four high-ranking deities (Algaz: aghan, aghan), the result of Argeyazic gods being mapped onto Quurožiri ones, and a multitude of minor spirits (Algaz: tayinan, tayinan). These are generally considered benevolent, generous, and protective, but easily angered by failure to show respect or gratitude. There is also a dead, genderless creator deity associated with the earth.
Avı
Avı (Algaz: avı, /avˈɨ/, "(The) One"; Serimite: Ëvı /əˈvɨ/), Kawghath (Algaz: kawghath, /kɔ(:)ˈɰaθ/, Serimite: Kughës /kuˈɣəs/), or simply Sahar is the genderless creator deity who destroyed themselves to create the universe as we know it. The deity combines aspects of the Argeyazic earth goddess with the genderless and dormant creator Quuros, especially as interpreted by Temyarq. As the deity is believed to be dead, they are rarely worshipped directly. In many tellings, the deity is conceived of in human terms, at least figuratively; their arms became İdjud and Delı, their legs became Rashun and Amid, their head and/or genitalia became living things, and their lifeless torso became Sahar. Others emphasize the abstract character of the deity, who contained and consisted of all life and matter and existed without form, limit, or differentiation. While the latter view has become popular among mainstream Algazis, it originates with Serimites, who believe that the creator destroyed themselves to purge themselves of evil. Serimites see their goal on Sahar to be to finish this work, with many schools seeking to ultimately return to or approximate this primeval state of unity.
Aghan
İdjud
İdjud (Algaz: idjud, /iˈd͡ʒud/, Serimite: Ejjıd /eʒˈʒɨd/) or Kaghne (Algaz: kaghne, /kɑ:ˈnɛ/) is the god of the sky, wind, and rain, originating as a composite of Argeyazic rain nad sky gods with the Quurožiri deity Karne. İdjud is believed to be the father of the Sun and Moon, and is therefore associated with time, prophecy, dreaming, sleep, communication, wisdom, and learning. He is generally depicted with two faces, one awake, representing day and the past, and one alseep, representing night and the unknown future; these faces are sometimes those of a hawk, raven, or other large bird. Because of his association with time and prophecy, İdjud is perceived as the most distant or god-like of the aghan, concerned primarily with events beyond the lives of individual worshipers; though he communicates much more than the other aghan, he mostly does so cryptically or abstractly. He is associated with the north and with cold and dryness.
Delı
Delı (Algaz: delı, /dɛˈlɨ/, Serimite: Dalı /daˈlɨ/), often addressed as Athir-mab (athir-mab, "Mother Ocean"), is the goddess of the sea and the mother of all bodies of water. Though largely descended from the Argeyazic sea goddess, Delı has absorbed some aspects of the Quurožiri deity Tali, whose name she bears. As the patron of the sea, she represents travel, commerce, fortune, strength, and protection. She is also associated with cleanliness, purity, redemption, and justice. Delı is the most fickle and sensitive of the aghan, bringing destruction to those who anger her but great gifts to those who please her. However, she is also known to forgive those who repent and seek to make amends. Though depictions of Delı are variable, they often have scales, fins, or the tail of a fish. She is associated with the south and with cold and wetness.
Rashun
Rashun (Algaz: rashun, /ɾaˈʃun/) or Hastugh (Algaz: hastugh, /hasˈtuɰ, -uw/, Serimite: Hastıgh /hasˈtɨɣ/) is primarily the god of animals and livestock, but also represents health, fertility, sex, love, the family, wealth, war, and society. Despite originating as an Argeyazic goat or sheep deity, Rashun's traits and associations derive primarily from Hastur. Rashun is depicted with the head of a goat or ram, and is perceived as passionate and fiery, experiencing anger, joy, grief, lust, and other emotions at great intensity. He is widely regarded as the most approachable and "human" of the aghan, and worshippers often approach him in an informal or familar manner. He is associated with the east and with heat and dryness.
Amid
Amid (Algaz: amid, /aˈmid/, Serimite: Amed /aˈmed/) is the godess of plants and agriculture, as well as beauty, wealth, health and healing, fertility, family, and childbirth. She appears to have been transposed almost completely from Quurožarq as a replacement for the Argeyazic plant deities; in addition to her name, she also largely preserves her depiction as a matronly woman with very dark brown or red skin. Amid is thought to be a devoted and caring provider, the calmest and most reliable of the aghan. She is assoicated with the west and with heat and wetness.
Tayinan
Tayinan are minor deities, representing the Sun, Moon, stars, bodies of water, and some geographical features (mostly mountains and islands). Most Tayinan are associated with an agha, to whom they are considered subordinate. Unlike the aghan, they are bound to what they represent, as they are considered to be the object's soul. The gods of the Sun and Moon are considered to be the children of the sky god İdjud, with the stars in turn being the children of the Moon; similarly, all bodies of water are considered to be children of Delı. Tayinan associated with landforms are generally held to be children of the deceased Avı. The majority of tayinan are most likely inherited directly from Argeyazic religion, with the Sun and Moon deities having been demoted from full-fledged gods. While there are many parallels with the Quurožiri concept of nakuvah, this may have already been the case before the two religions came into extensive contact.
Worship of tayinan is generally on a small scale, except for the Sun, Moon, Ekuos River, Lake Wadan, Lake Heshov, and island of Gêlnos (home to the city of Varij). Worship of the Ekuos River, believed to be the eldest child of Delı, is particularly widespread, and largely takes the place of Delı in the northern Algazi Union. The Ekuos deity is typically conceived of as female in Tagra and male in Sedim, referred to as İkath-mab ("Mother Ekuos") in the former and İkath-bab ("Father Ekuos") in the latter; Delı is therefore known in the region as Athir-amab or Athir-mamu (maternal and paternal forms of "Grandmother Ocean"), respectively. Other bodies of water are venerated by those who depend on them. The Sun and Moon also receive substantially more direct worship than other tayinan, though they do not take the place of İdjud.
Death and Afterlife
Reincarnation
Most Algazis believe that souls are reincarnated in a fixed cycle of lower plants, higher plants, lower animals, higher animals, and humans. This appears to be a synthesis of the Iovist concept of reincarnation with the animist tendencies of ancient Argeyazic religion, which displaced earlier beliefs regarding death and the afterlife.
Mazuran
Most Algazis believe that souls have an inherent drive to create and reproduce, and that those that violate this impulse (i.e. by killing for reasons other than survival) will shatter and fall apart instead of being reincarnated. Each of these fragments becomes a harmful spirit called a mazur , seen as being degraded and incomplete. They can no longer create or reproduce, instead causing decay, disease, and pain in living things. Some practitioners of Algazi religion believe that mazuran exist only in a spiritual state, while others believe that they, too, experience cyclical reincarnation as fungi and, for some, viruses. Mazuran are traditionally seen as eternal, creating a sense of inevitable decay ending in an apocalyptic world of mold. However, many, beginning with self-styled Hafsighi prophet Serīm and his millenarian sect, have adopted a Iovist-influenced belief that the world will eventually be purged of mazuran to create an earthly utopia, or that mazuran can be healed or destroyed.
Practices
Dedication
Newborn children are brought to a temple to be dedicated to one of the four aghan, to whom they are expected to show additional devotion in exchange for their protection and blessings. When a person dies, their funeral is held at a temple of their patron agha and their ashes left as an offering. Twins are traditionally dedicated to the Sun and Moon, but children are not otherwise dedicated to tayinan.