#at they were given all of the above + reunited w their birth families or set up comfortably at a place of their choosing or assisted in gett

[hopecomesbacktolife]

pretty sure these gross trandoshans had a salt creature (a la the man trap) on their ship??

omg I just started a clone wars rewatch (have not seen most of these episodes since like. 5+ years ago) and literally episode 3 like HELLO DISTANT RELATIONS OF THE PURRGIL?!? :o :o

why are we fighting when we could be friending… I mean it makes the purrgil stuff in rebels very interesting bc. the empire still views them as menaces and it’s part of why everything with Ezra worked, and I know Anakin and even young!Ahsoka’s temperaments are different, but… part of me is just going

but what if friend! lol

[blackroseguzzi]

A Lil’ Sunshine

 ANON REQUEST “Anything w Daryl. him giving you his vest when he goes on especially long runs. Him coming back and just smothering you with love etc”

It had been a long day. You had taken out a group from Alexandria to learn about growing larger crops. It was nice to get out and enjoy some of the things that you did in life before all of this.. It felt like so many years ago you were in college learning about botany and so many years ago when you and your brother, Rick, had family dinners at an actual dining room table. You got a shiver down your spin as your mind wondered to Carl for a moment before turning the door handle of your home you shared with your husband, Daryl.

It still felt weird to call him that even after so many years. He was the one that found you all those years ago. You had lost your boyfriend, your brother was shot and in a coma and then just gone. Your sister in law and nephew were probably gone too...and above all else you had found out you were pregnant just days before everything went to shit. 

Daryl had helped you when Merle pulled a gun to your head after you had been found roaming around a K-Mart looking for supplies after about a week alone. Daryl had helped you survive in the woods by giving you all the extra food laying around, yet never saying a word. He helped you find Lori and Carl. He helped you find your brother. He had become your friend as unspoken as it seemed.

 He was the friend who helped you give birth to a baby who didn't survive the world long enough to take his first breath. He had helped you grow strong. He had helped you come back from the rape you had endured while you were alone in the woods once again after the prison fell. He loved you, he didn't have to say it out loud. He did however whisper it to you when the two of you were finally was reunited, but you were too broken to say it back until you had found Alexandria. You had both slipped into hushed relationship after that. Then he had asked you to be his wife months after he had escaped the sanctuary. You didn't have a wedding, or any ceremony. You two just went out into the woods where he had given you a ring he had gotten made from a welder in Hilltop. You had never felt more complete, because you had always known deep in your heart that Daryl was your hero and soulmate in a world full of pain and agony. 

___________________________

It had been years since your brother’s death. Rick’s remains had never been found, but a part of you just wanted him dead and at rest. The pain of the unknown tug at your heartstrings, especially at night when you lay awake worried and anxious as Daryl deserted your home to stay out in the trenches of the wastelands beyond the walls to search for him...he had looked so long that it just felt right to be out in the woods instead of feeling the guilt inside his domestic home again sleeping next to you... but for you, the last remaining family needed you home and you needed to keep them safe. 

Years later, and one honest trip to his woodland abode and the fight over the fact you had stopped wearing your ring- he had promised to stop looking for your brother and to start making amends to your deteriorating relationship. 

Daryl still went on long runs to the different communities much to your dismay. You always had a lot on your plate. You took in Lydia, you had taken up the duty of Negan’s watch dog, and you were helping Alexandria grow large quantities of crops for trade. 

 There were always going to be threats out there, but today felt different. Sometimes it was as if you just knew that Daryl’s run was going to be ending and he would be returning soon. Today there was an oddly calm feeling around Alexandria, and as you tore off your boots at the front door, you decided to shower and sit on the porch until dark. Every night that he was gone you brought a book out to the steps to wait for the gate to open and Daryl to appear. 

You climbed the stares and stopped short just at the top to hear Lydia reading allowed. You peaked you head just right to look through the open slit inside the door where you could see Lydia sitting on the bed reading. She had been working so hard at school, but reading had been her main struggle. Thats when you could hear Judith’s voice ring out encouraging Lydia to continue as she struggled with a word. 

Your lips curled into a smile as you tried your hardest not to interrupt the kids by traveling towards your room. Opening your closet you sighed at the sight of Daryl’s leather vest hanging in your nearly empty closet. You reached your hand out to gently touch the last part of Daryl you had at the moment. He had started leaving it for you when you had decided not to join him on runs as often as you had in the past. It wasn't like you didn't want to, or that you were not capable of long runs.... it was just that you were settling down and you had found that protecting the kids and the people of Alexandria gave you a purpose that you didn't feel you had before this whole world had decided to end. 

You pulled it off the hanger, looking it over before placing it on the bed. You ran your hands over the frilled edges and the dried blood stains you mentally reminded yourself to clean off later. You peaked down at the very bottom where you had sewn in a tiny ‘I Love You’ note in black so it was barely noticeable. It was worn, it had been destroyed and put back together, and through it all it had survived some of the worst conditions- just like the love you and Daryl shared. 

A piece of him is always with you...with or without the vest. 

You let the days events wash over you as you cleaned yourself up in the cold shower. The dirt and the fears and the anxiety left your body for just a few moments before you threw back on some raggedy clothes and headed back towards your room. You noticed the door was shut and a light was on and you wondered if Lydia had taken a book to your bed like she sometimes did when the thought of nightmares kept her from sleep but you then remembered Judith was still there. 

You walked quietly over to your bedroom and twisted the door handle and as the door pushed open it revealed Daryl. He looked sweaty and worn out. He took above your bed and his fingers traced along the edges of his vest. His head turned quickly at the sound of the door and a small sigh escaped his lips. You smiled sweetly, knowing he had been waiting to see you. It was like he was always holding his breath when you two were not together. It seemed to have been like that since the very first day they met. 

“You look exhausted. Handsome as ever, just really exhausted,” you teased as you walked quickly over to him and engulfed him in a large and comforting hug. 

“Yeah, been on the bike all day. Everyone’s gonna gather at Oceanside for trainin in a few days. It’s been good bringin people together.” His blue eyes searched yours as you nodded your head. You alway knew there would be fights, but it didn't stop you from sometimes wishing you didn’t have to always prepare for it. 

“You at least have good travel weather?” You asked curiously. You knew it had been raining pretty hard during the first day he left, but every day since it had been hot and the sun was shining.

 “There was a lil’ sunshine. Reminded me that where ever I go your always with me.”

[sgmwesters]

╰ ❛ 💉 — › melisa asli pamuk. cis woman. she/her. . ╯ have you met meliha “millie” kaplan yet ? this thirty four year old capricorn has been living in the seattle area for two months. she makes a living as a fetal surgery attending, which is best suited for their direct, resourceful, ferocious, and secretive personality. ironic by alanis morissette is one of their favorite songs, and they’re written by em, 25, gmt, she/her, no triggers

B A S I C   I N F O R M A T I O N

full name: meliha leyla kaplan.

nickname(s): millie, mels.

age: thirty four (34).

date of birth: 11 january 1987, capricorn.

hometown: istanbul, turkey.

current location: seattle, washington.

ethnicity: caucasian.

nationality: turkish, uk citizenship.

gender: cis female.

pronouns: she/her.

orientation: she’s friends with olivia hayes, do with that information what you will.

religion: atheist.

political affiliation: n/a, cannot vote in the us.

occupation: fetal surgery attending.

living arrangements: large apartment.

language(s) spoken: english, turkish, french, dutch.

accent: a slight english accent on some words.

P H Y S I C A L    A P P E A R A N C E

face claim: melisa asli pamuk.

hair color: brown.

eye color: brown.

height: 5 ft 7.

weight: 122 lbs.

build: slender.

tattoos: none.

piercings: ears (multiple), nose.

clothing style: we love a powersuit vibe.

usual expression: softer than she would want it to be.

distinguishing characteristics: beauty spot under her lip.

H E A L T H

physical ailments: celiac.

neurological conditions: none.

allergies: nuts (highly allergic).

sleeping habits: not very well.

eating habits: again, not great.

exercise habits: does running away from your problems count?

emotional stability: sitting at a four currently, usually about a seven.

sociability: very sociable.

body temperature: colder than you think.

addictions: none.

drug use: experimented in college, but long stopped.

alcohol use: always.

P E R S O N A L I T Y

positive traits: direct, resourceful.

negative traits: ferocious, secretive.

fears: being alone.

F A V O U R I T E S

weather: leans towards warmer climates.

colour: red.

music: as long as it’s loud and she can sing along, she doesn’t mind.

movies: sleepless in seattle.

sport: netball.

beverage: vanilla milkshake.

food: chicken nuggets (but she’d lie and say it’s foie gras).

animal: horses, she had a couple growing up.

H E A D C A N O N S

meliha kaplan is the youngest of two children (with an older sister) born to a diplomat and a teacher in istanbul, turkey.

millie and her sister got the finest education her parents could afford to put them through during their time in turkey, which is where millie picked up the majority of her languages, and prides herself on the fact that she can speak them. she will use them as much as she can so that she doesn’t get rusty with them.

her family moved to england when she was thirteen following issues with both politics and her family. her parents kept her and her sister in the dark about the reasons behind the move, and to this day millie still isn’t sure - and she doesn’t want to know. she idolises both of her parents and wouldn’t want to ask questions that might change that.

millie worked hard during school to secure a place at cambridge university on their medicine programme, as she had always planned to do. that, and the fact that her sister had tried for the programme and not gotten on it also made her want it more.

while she was at cambridge, millie met olivia hayes through the universities support programme, wherein those in the years above were able to provide insights and tips to those in the years below.

although millie was a couple of years behind olivia, the two hit it off right away. it was almost troublesome how well the two got along, but thanks to cambridge, a lifelong partner-in-crime duo had been formed.

she’d been tempted to follow in the route of her friend with urology, but opted instead to specialise in fetal surgery, a specialism that she worked on in london, allowing her to be reunited with olivia who had finished at their alma mater a few years prior.

given the option to spread her wings further, millie was never going to turn it down. she applied for positions all over, internationally and in the uk, and was offered a position in new york - naturally, she was thrilled.

millie thrived in the city, being away from her family (further than she had been before) gave her a sense of freedom that she hadn’t felt properly before.

during her time in new york, millie reconnected thomas whitley. thomas was another attending at the hospital, and a friend that millie had known when she had first moved to england years prior. thomas had come from a strict catholic family, and found life in new york exciting as he was able to be himself - out and proud, and had a number of boyfriends that millie adored over the years to prove it.

in late 2016, thomas was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. both he and millie’s worlds shifted slightly, as they were confronted with his family coming out to new york to spend the last of thomas’s moments with him, still with no idea about his sexuality.

with that, thomas asked millie for a favor - millie was to pretend to be his girlfriend, which she didn’t mind doing. she was a free agent, and thomas was her best friend in the city - why wouldn’t she cover for him in the last moments of his life?

it was a fine plan, until his mother began to get very upset with the idea that her only son was not going to be married, that she would never be there for his big day: and an even bigger favor was asked of millie. thomas asked millie to marry him, and millie said yes. they married in early 2017.

the wedding wasn’t a large affair, mainly comprising of thomas’s friends and family since it was his last hurrah. they enjoyed the party, and despite the fact that there was no real love between them, millie had a good day as she chose to view it as a day celebrating their friendship.

they had thought thomas only had 12-18 months to live, but he managed to outlive the estimations, with thomas passing away three years after their fake marriage. within those three years, millie and thomas lived very much a “will & grace” style lifestyle, living in the same apartment but very much able to do as they wished - as if the rings on their fingers weren’t really there at all. it was all for show as his family has settled on living in the city with them (as not to miss his turn for the worst).

it’s now seven months after thomas passed away, and millie has outgrown her widow duties. she feels a fraud, with so many people believing in the marriage and that she was grieving for her husband, so has moved to seattle for something of a fresh start knowing that her friend olivia was to be there. millie feels guilty for having inherited thomas’s assets, especially since she didn’t see herself as a real wife. she has been spending the last couple of weeks getting herself settled, before starting her new job at seattle grace mercy west.

2 0 2 1    U P D A T E S

turned thirty four in january, i still can’t believe that we forgot about it @ angela

dating declan baker ?? about to be anyway it’s very early and actually quite sweet ??

she’s thriving and deserves the world that’s it that’s the 2021 update

more senior in the department than she was in the beginning i guess i wanna give her a bit more power cos i can

W A N T E D    C O N N E C T I O N S / P L O T S

always liked the idea of her dead husbands boyfriend, i feel like that could throw a few of the old curveballs into her life

maybe her older sister? would wanna talk it through first though thanks x

[icharchivist]

I find it very interesting how different Allen's backstory can be compared to Lenalee, Lavi and Kanda's. No I'm not getting into a who had it worst in the past discussion. But It's really striking how different Allen has learned to process things and turned out compared to those 3. All because he lacked something they had. Lenalee knew her family. She eventually reunited w/her brother years after being separated from him and quickly found a place of home and family andf friends she could shape -

2 her purpose and life around in positive ways. Even better the abuse of the experiments were destroyed by her own Brother so she has love itself to thank for that release of horror for her and others. The first thing Kanda saw after his 'birth' was Alma. A bundle of unconditional love and loyalty who never gave up on being his friend no matter what. Even w/the scientists brutal torture of him and Alma's death he still had his goal of finding his past love. Right after he was also taken in by -

3 Tiedoll, the most caring, doting, validating and protective general/father figure you could get, and had Marie as a caring older brother figure who understood what he went through better then anyone. Then we have Lavi. His past is still mostly a mystery but from what we can gather despite the horrors of war he saw and questionable bookman ideology/raising he had. Lavi always had the consistent presence of Bookman. Teaching him. Guiding him. Caring for him. Instilling him with purpose and -

4 validation to one day receive the role of Bookman. A role that's apparently a pretty big deal. Lavi had someone since he was a 6 who knows everything about him (even that eye he's stressed out about). Allen though? Allen knows squat about his own past and doesn't remember any family he had. Just that they probably abandoned him for being disfigured. He was abused in numerous ways by humanity in general for just being him and not because it was for a greater good. He was trash and didn't -

5 have any purpose or destiny given to him by anyone. He didn't have anyone to wait/hope or search for. The first creature kind to him died for his sake and the first human kind to him lost his mind because of Allen. His first purpose was taking up the place of Allen after doing the above for atonement. Which he failed to do when he lost Mana, twice. Cross gave him another purpose and that was to kill akuma for atonement. But unlike Lenalee or Kanda who's purpose involed a relationship with-

6 (okay I had to walk away for a bit so I might have forgotten a bit of the last paragraph). Lenalee, Lavi and Kanda all had/have pretty screwed up stuff happen to them. But they also each had a positive stability figure in their life and that shows how beneficial that is to them in most areas. Allen is constantly dishonest to himself and other about himself. He's bad at finding the same self worth in himself Kanda, Lenalee and Lavi have. He centered his goals on saving akuma/humanity but the-

7 connections that inspired those goals turned out to be unstable enough they got him kicked out of any stability he used to find security in. Cross and timcampy are dead (once again, stable source of love. Dead because of him in some way). Allen is so traumatized and even more unused to people going beyond put of devotion to him (Mana, Cross and Tim having initially using him for another agenda despite truly coming to love him) he struggles against Johnny and Kanda. He can't even mourn the-

8 the dead. Kanda, Lenalee and even Lavi have been shown to process and dwell on loss (by choice or when forced to) and what it means to them. But Allen can't. He's very stunted (which makes him opening up so much to Kanda so huge). Allen also swings the other way in how highly advanced he is at understanding the need for love. Allen knows what it's like to be truly alone and live a life completely absence of love and worth. It's why he gives so much because everytime he looks at a akuma-

9 that the world sees as ugly deformed and evil. He sees little Red crying for help and love. Everytime he sees a person in need, Miranda feeling worthless or Krory not wanting to live after killing his loved one. He jumps in to help them find the purpose and worth no one gave Red. Allen's trials of being so unloved/unwanted in ways the others can't comprehend gave him both positives and negatives over how he sees himself and how he thinks others should see him.

So huh... congratz anon on making me cry? 

I believe you’re spot on on everything and it is so emotionally charged i can’t even bring myself to add to it. All of this is spot on. and it breaks my heart even more.

Allen is actively trying to be the person he wished he could have when he was a kid in a way, for others people. In a whole sortof “nothing can change my past but i can change others people future”, same thing with the akuma and all. But this is... so sad. the whole process behind it is so sad and you worded it so well.

This is very heartbreaking... Allen had been through too much hardship. This is so much.... Guuuh.

Thank you though for wording it and sending it to me. This is perfectly said. 

I’ll just cry in a corner a bit if you don’t mind

[shelf-reflections]

Outlander Season Three Episode Two:

Welcome to our recap of Season 3 of Outlander!  This season is based on the novel Voyager, a beefy book that follows the storylines of both Claire and Jamie, separated by two centuries.  When last we saw our intrepid hero and heroine, it was April 16, 1746, and the Battle of Culloden was beginning–the battle that would mark the destruction of the Highland way of life.  Jamie had sent a pregnant Claire back to her own time through the stones at Craig na Dun and then returned to the Highland army with the expectation of dying on the battlefield.  Twenty years later, Claire discovers that Jamie did not actually die that day and vows to return to the eighteenth century to find him again.  The first few episodes are going to be covering what happened in Jamie and Claire’s lives after their separation.

Claire's storyline isn't too hard to recap this week, as it all runs along the lines of her trying to insert Frank into Jamie's place.  Yes, I know what i just said... it was deliberate.  That's because there's a lot of focus on Claire and Frank's sexual relationship in this episode.  It reminds me strongly of the very first episode of this series, when the two were reunited and on their second honeymoon.  Claire says straight out that she and Frank used sex to find their way back to each other after being separated for several years in the war.  Back then, they were torn apart before they could really complete the process of reconnecting, and I see the writers showing that they're on a similar path again.  They seem to find some measure of comfort in each other physically, but not much else.

Or do they?  Claire appears to be a bit, um, distracted in realms fleshly.  Dreams of Jamie haunt her (and my God, does Jamie have some smolder--even my husband Scott said that Jamie's look over his shoulder at Claire in her dream was sexy).  So much so that she awakens from a dream and decides to take matters into her own hands.  Yes, Claire, we see where your hands are.

But you can't say that Claire isn't trying to make it work.  She and Frank do seem to be bonding over Brianna, with whom Frank is clearly completely smitten.  When Bree turns over by herself for the first time, Frank has just jumped out of the shower and is walking through with nothing on but a towel when he detours to cuddle the baby.  And is anybody going to deny that he looked adorable holding little Bree?  Claire and Frank share a moment as she realizes that he's wet and almost naked and... ahem.  Off goes Frank to fix the hot water heater, and I'm pretty sure all he'll have to do is smile at the thing to get some steam a-goin'.  That night, Claire reaches out to him and whispers "I miss my husband" before jumping his bones.  WE SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING THERE, LADY.

Next up is a dinner party, with Neighbor Millie and her husband.  The two are flirting heavily with each other (how much wine was involved in this dinner, anyway?) and it really underlines what Claire and Frank are missing in their relationship.  After the lovebirds leave, Claire and Frank share a nightcap in front of the fireplace, and then Claire offers to share more than that.  They end up having sex on the floor by the fire, but Frank can't help but notice that Claire's eyes are closed... and he knows what that probably means.  He pulls away from her, saying "When I'm with you, I'm with you... but you're with him."

Claire realizes that her new life is a prison of a different kind than the one that Jamie will soon be enduring, but it's a prison nonetheless.  Reaching for a purpose in her life, she enrolls in medical school, the only woman in her class.  This is something that the professor (and what IS it with white men in Boston???) can't resist pointing out, also noting that the class contains their first black student.  And thus does Claire meet Joe Abernathy, one of her closest friends in years to come.  Readers didn't get to see this meeting in the book, but the showrunners included it here to give viewers the beginning of their friendship.

Our last glimpse of our strained pair is at bedtime one night, in which the camera pulls out to reveal that Frank and Claire now sleep in separate twin beds.  Ouch.

Back in the early 1750s, the family at Lallybroch has been living with regular invasions of British soldiers, hunting for the elusive outlaw Red Jamie, whom they believe is the same person as a figure who's cropped up called the Dunbonnet.  Jenny and Ian deny harboring a Jacobite traitor, and they're not lying--Jamie isn't at the estate.  He's lurking around in the hills above Lallybroch, feral and hollow-eyed and sporting a truly awe-inspiring beard.  He watches from the shadows as Fergus taunts the British soldiers (especially a Scot who sided with the Crown and is now viewed as a traitor himself among the Highlanders) and as the soldiers drag Ian away to prison (mostly just because they can).  Jenny, hugely pregnant, is confident Ian will be back soon, just like all the other times.

Later, Jamie takes down a deer and hauls it back to Lallybroch.  It's not made really clear in the show, but in the book readers are made well aware of the fact that Jamie's hunting is helping keep his family from starvation.  Tromping into the courtyard with his load of fast food (heh), his imagination shows him Claire waiting for him and smiling at him.  Alas for our hearts, it's actually Jenny standing there.  Gotta wait longer for that reunion scene.  In the kitchen, Jamie silently butchers the deer and seems content to communicate in expressive glares.  Joking aside, Sam is doing a great job at portraying how lost Jamie is without Claire.  The blank looks, the silence, the hoarse voice when he does eventually talk--they all hint at a man who never really came back from that battlefield, as Jenny succinctly notes later in the episdoe.

Fergus has distinctly mixed feelings about his beloved Milord by this point.  After finding a pistol hidden in the dovecote, Jamie growls at him to put it back, because weapons are now forbidden in the Highlands.  Fergus wants to learn to shoot and fight, so that he's ready for the next time it comes to war, but Jamie refuses to give in to his demands.  Fergus lashes out at Jamie calling him a coward.  Jamie barely reacts.

The next time Jamie shows up (scaring Mary McNab this time), he finds out that Jenny is giving birth!  While he paces upstairs, Fergus, Rabbie McNab and young Jamie see a raven on the roof and, fetching the pistol, shoot the bird.  Ravens are bad luck, and they don't want any harm to come to the baby.  (The showrunners said that this is a callback to Fergus's reaction to the death of baby Faith.)  And it's bad luck, all right--a Redcoat patrol is nearby and hears the shot.

Upstairs, Jamie cradles his new nephew, who is to be named after his father (HELLO WEE IAN!), while Jenny quizzes Jamie on when he last had sex.  Um, nosy much, Jenny?  Yes, she's worried about Jamie's state of mind, but wow.  This tender scene of sibling companionship is interrupted by the arrival of the British patrol, who demand to know who has the gun.  Jenny dissembles like a pro, playing on her condition as having recently given birth and lying through her teeth that the infant died, hoping the soldiers will leave.  Instead, they demand to see the body.  WHAT THE HELL, SOLDIER BOYS.  Meanwhile, Jamie is hiding in an antechamber with the baby, trying desperately to keep it from crying.  Just when all seems lost, Mary McNab comes in with the pistol, saying she shot it to kill the raven in an effort to save the baby.  The soldiers are disgusted with the superstition, but do no more than confiscate the gun and leave.

But our wily limeys haven't actually gone anywhere--the Scottish corporal has stuck around hoping that someone will lead him to Jamie, and he think he's hit the jackpot when he sees Fergus head into the woods.  But the boy is leading them in circles, and soon starts taunting the Redcoats with both language and gestures.  Fergus, where did you hear such things?... oh yeah, you were raised in a brothel.  Carry on, then.  Jamie watches the goings-on with grumpy disbelief, and no small measure of fear.  Well-founded fear, as more soldiers show up and Fergus is cornered and grabbed.  In a fit of rage, the Scottish soldier draws his sword, and with one stroke, he severs Fergus's left hand.  The soldiers quickly decamp after this, leaving Fergus to bleed out.  Lucky that Jamie was nearby, because he's able to carry Fergus to Lallybroch in time to staunch the bleeding.

It finally sinks in to Jamie's stubborn Scottish skull that others are suffering on his behalf and that he does still have things to fight for.  With that in mind, he hatches a plan: Jenny will turn Jamie in to the soldiers, thus earning the reward (which will feed the family) and proving the Frasers to be loyal to the Crown.  To say that Jenny isn't happy with this idea is an understatement, but Jamie out-stubborns her.  That night, in his cave, Jamie gets a visit from Mary McNab, who not only cuts his hair and shaves his beard off, but offers the complete spa treatment in the form of, well... her.  Jamie initially demurs, but Mary says she knows what he had with Claire and is only offering comfort before he goes to somewhere that will have nothing of the kind.  Crying, eyes closed, he kisses her.

The next day, a clean-shaven Jamie shows up at the front gate of Lallybroch only to be grabbed by British soldiers.  Jenny, playing her part, screams at him "You forced me to do this, and I'll never forgive you!"  Methinks this is more than just playing the part here...

Our episode ends with Claire walking through the streets of Boston and hearing a bagpiper playing "Scotland the Brave".  She puts some money in his hat and continues on her way. Next time, one of the characters we've all been waiting to see makes his appearance: Lord John Gray, a man who will eventually become one of Jamie's best friends, but for now, their relationship can best be described as "fraught'.  Fraught with what?  We'll see next week! Click to Post

[toptecharena]

Beyond The Three is a new series on BellaNaija where we celebrate and spotlight every tribe and ethnic group that is NOT Yoruba, Hausa or Igbo. We invite ALL BellaNaijarians to be a part of this initiative.

In the first edition of this series, we were introduced to the Idoma people; this was followed by the Esan people.  Joan introduced us to the Oegorok people and we learned about Bini people from Idia, and the Mhiships from Mwanret .  Ma’ade told us about the Bassa people.  We had the pleasure of reading about the Uwano people of the Weppa Wanno kingdom. Today, Tanchit has very graciously offered to tell BellaNaijarians about the Taroks. 

The Tarok people are from Langtang in Plateau state and they’re the second largest ethnic group in the state. Tanchit tells is that the Taroks are proud of their heritage and are determined to preserve it, and this is evident in the traditional architecture that remains today. “This conspicuous architectural style sharply marks the boundary between the Ngas land and tarok land such that one gets the impression of a cultural change at the boundary”. She shares further: “Tarok people say that militarism naturally runs in their veins. This they say is the reason why the tarok are remarkably successful in the Nigeria armed forces such that it is rumoured that there is one military General in every squared kilometre of tarok land. The adventures of their men in the military had made the land famous and the son’s and daughters very proud” [SIC] *****

Tell us your name and what it means My name is Tanchit Monica Binjin nee Wuyep Vongdoh. Tanchit means Wisdom or I am wise

What’s your language called? Do you speak it? I am proudly tarok, though not a fluent speaker, but I comprehend fair enough.

Where is your village And how often do you visit? My people are found in Plateau state Nigeria. I grew up visiting the village occasionally especially during festive periods.

Please share some unique cultural rites and practices of the Tarok people One of our unique rites is the taroh cultural day festival which is known as Ilum Otarok which is an annual event that depicts the culture and tradition of the Tarok people of Plateau state.  It has been a uniting force for the Tarok people to come together as one family. The Tarok people have an ancestral cult, despite major inroads of Christianity into the area. They still retain considerable prestige and importance.

The ancestors {orim} are represented by initiated males and post-menopausal women. Orim are mostly heard and emerge as masked figures. They speak through voice disguisers. Each tarok settlement of any size has a sacred grove outside it which is conserved as the place of the ancestors. Men above a certain age are allowed to enter the groove and engage with the ancestors.

Naming ceremony and styles The coming of a new born is a blessing to the parents and community. for the community to benefit from a new child’s birth, he/she must be alive to adulthood. as a result, children are initiated into the orim cult to prevent them from dying. children are named based on the circumstances surrounding the birth. names like Nanmwa which means God has provided. usually given because the parents had given up on having a child.

Marriage rites Marriage is known as “ikam uchor” It is considered a social responsibility. Adults are expected to establish their homes. Its significance is seen during the death of an unmarried adult, where the play partners referred to as “onim gha ijam” will mark his exit with a traditional drama. Women of play partners referred to as ”ocha ga ijam” accompany footsteps of the corpse bearers, while pouring ashes and rolling a stone [igbongbar]

When a young man sees a young girl [uyenbyen] whom he likes, he uses body language to indicate interest. Thereafter, he toasts her with a gift, which in the past was not very specific, but mostly things soap and cream. Once the toasting rights have been secured, multiple dating is allowed until an open ceremony is held to determine the lucky toaster. This is no longer accepted. However, there are still relics of these in some rural communities.

Gifts are presented to the mother. The man makes an offer for marriage known as “nvok igya“. He presents a headgear, pants, underwear and slippers. If these gifts are accepted by both the mother and lady, dating is said to have taken effect.

Afterwards, bride price payment of clothes, bag of rice, one big basin of beniseed azhin) ananjyol is given. There is also a requirement to build a round hut guest room referred to as “ijini” which will be used by the couple to freely relax whenever the man visits, but without sexual activity.

The father of the bride is given a big gown with trouser, and inner shirt and shoes. He is expected to be farmed for. A “dir khaa godo” is given to maternal uncles and is considered as important also. Without it, the children of that couple will be regarded as that of the maternal uncles, no matter how long they have been married for.

An interesting fact about tarok weddings is that there is no fixed date to take a man’s daughter away for marriage. Instead, they elope; then the groom’s family sends a message to bride’s family informing them of their daughter whereabouts.

Ruling class and governance The tarok people consists of an autonomous community of over twenty sub-clans. They reserve cultural rights over certain traditional rights that determines their status. Every sub clan has a spiritual leader known as ponzhi nbin. Before the advent of colonialism, he was also the political leader of the people. The ponzhi nbin institution represents the sovereign authority of the people/

Funerals and internment Funeral rites in tarok land are also unique. The death and subsequent burial of an elderly mann is followed by ngaga that involves the beating of drums, chanting of incantations and wielding of spears meant to drive away death. This is followed by nken orim during which the spirit of the dead man is received and reunited with his ancestors and by extension, the people.

Food Food consumed by the tarok people are amwam (amora), zogale (moringa] soups like agbantar [groundnut soup]and izhin.

What I love about my people Our passion for anything gives them focus and makes them committed. Your typical tarok man can die for his people- no kidding. they are fiercely loyal.

What I don’t like about my people Despite all the modernisation, they still have this great prestige for their masquerades especially those that stop women from coming out. Announcements are made days before in preparation. Women do not move about freely at that period.

Native proverb Ina’va ya ka’swal kat te, uponzhinan yi ya ‘ichinchin ana. [You do not have any human help. You can only depend on God]

I wish more people would know that tarok people are united and love each other so well.

Tanchit, thanks so much for sharing the Tarok people with us. Find out more about the series HERE. Click HERE to read more entries in the series.

The post BN Presents Beyond The Three: Tanchit Takes Us on a Discovery Journey of the Tarok People from Langtang, appeared first on BellaNaija – Nigeria breaking & top news to the World 24/7. Read Today.

Go to Source Author: BellaNaija.com BN Presents Beyond The Three: Tanchit Takes Us on a Discovery Journey of the Tarok People from Langtang, Beyond The Three is a new series on BellaNaija where we celebrate and spotlight every tribe and ethnic group that is NOT Yoruba, Hausa or Igbo.