Ecnad: the Arivax Tribe

Every evening, as the sun starts to drop, members of the arivax tribe gather inside a large room lined with reflective glass. Before entering the sacred floor, they prepare their offerings. Skin colored cloth are wrapped tightly around fragile joints. Hair is slicked back into tight knots, as if the flyaways could disrupt the flow. Footwear depends on the spirits they are summoning that day. One wrong choice could throw off the entire ceremony.

At the front of the room, the timekeeper evenly places hydration totems while the rest of the tribe lowers themselves to the ground in a quiet circle. They then lengthen their limbs and reach for their toes as they hold each position just long enough for them to feel the gentle burn of preparation. Soon, the tribe starts rearranging their limbs in precise angles and repeat gestures over and over again till it’s engrained into the mind. Often, the timekeeper will approach an individual and whisper sacred corrections. 

When the official ceremony ends, some refuse to return back to the ordinary life, lingering in the open space to polish the movements that already ache in their bones. To an outsider, the constant counting and repetition might seem obsessive, but to a tribe with much dedication and fire nothing less could be expected.