Pulqer/Religion
The people of Jacques (Pul. Caqis) follow an animistic religion, based on two separate but complementary elements.
The popular religion, usually practised at an individual and family level, is based on the veneration of a myriad of minor deities (ti) and spirits (cenc), thought to pervade and influence all aspects of daily life. Such entities are not worshipped, but are treated with respect and may receive small offerings (such as libations) and entreaties. They may have small shrines (etikyr) within homes or at specific locations, but do not have temples. Anyone is permitted to commune with these minor beings; there is no priesthood, but knowledgeable men and women called sek or mek may be called upon to perform particular rituals or magic. This personal form of religion also includes veneration of the ancestors.
Besides the popular, personal religion, there is a public religion based upon worship of a superior god known as Mityl or Mityl Imit and a small pantheon of lesser gods, primarily representing celestial bodies or primary aspects of nature. Worship of Mityl is carried out in secret by a restricted priesthood known as the sintes within cave-like temples called tempyr. The lesser gods are worshipped in public shrines, largely through the intercession of the priests. The majority of priests are male, though a number of all-female temples exist.
The Patheon
The pantheon of deities below Mityl are:
- Kial (Cu) the sky god, thunder and rain god, giver of justice and law
- Tetyl (Metyl) the earth mother, goddess of agriculture
- Azun the sea god
- Sual the sun god, god of light and truth
- Lun the moon goddess, goddess of women, night and magic
- Hintyl the goddess of love, fertility, prosperity
- Aśtuln the god of agriculture and the cycle of regeneration
- Malt the god of war and the wilds
- Melkulc god of trade, communication, travel and the psychopomp
- Almanc Ecun the god of eternal time
| Deity | Celestial Body | Symbols | Day | Festival | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mityl | Sun | Aśtuln | Saturn | Tiśtuln 'Saturday' | ||||
| Sual | Sun | katyl, hraketyl, karun 'charriot, whip, crown' |
Tisual 'Sunday' | |||||
| Lun | Moon | katyl, mecalun 'chariot, crescent moon' |
Tilun 'Monday' | |||||
| Kial (Cu) | Jupiter | hulkur, sistyl, eqil 'thunderbolt, rattle, eagle' |
Ticu 'Thursday' | |||||
| Malt | Mars | lanz, kalc 'spear, helmet' |
Timalt 'Tuesday' | |||||
| Hintyl | Venus | catim 'circlet' |
Tihintyl 'Friday' | |||||
| Melculc | Mercury | Timelculc 'Wednesday' | ||||||
| Example | Example | Example |