Aiel customs and Beliefs
Till shade is gone,
till water is gone,
into the Shadow with teeth bared,
screaming defiance with the last breath,
to spit in Sightblinder's eye on the Last Day.
-Aiel saying
Aiel (eye-EEL):
The people of the Aiel Waste. Fierce and hardy. They veil their faces before they kill. Deadly warriors with weapons or bare hands, they will not touch a sword nor ride a
horse unless pressed. Their pipers play them into battle with the music of the dances. Aiel call battle "the dance," and "the dance of spears." They are divided into twelve clans: the Chareen, the Codarra, the Daryne, the Goshien, the Miagoma, the Nakai, the Reyn, the Shaarad, the Shaido, the Shiande, the Taardad, and the Tomanelle. Sometimes, they speak of a thirteenth clan, the Clan That Is Not, the Jenn, who were the builders of Rhuidean.
The Aiel are a race of desert dwelling people who live on the east side of the Dragon Wall, called the Aiel Waste or the Three Fold Land. They are known for their fierce warriors who kill adeptly with spears and their bare hands. They are strong and hardy, the blazing heat of the desert sun weeding out those not strong enough to survive. Their lives are governed by Ji'e'toh, old tongue for Honor and Obligation, and what some would call strange taboos. They feel death is a friend or companion rather than a cold thing to dread.
As I said before the Aiel as a race are divided up into 12 clans. These clans are : the Chareen, the Codarra, the Daryne, the Goshien, the Miagoma, the Nakai, the Reyn, the Shaarad, the Shaido, the Shiande, the Taardad, and the Tomanelle. All Aiel are born into a clan. They belong to the clan which their mother belonged. Each clan is divided into septs. The septs are far too numerous to list. Aiel, like any other people, have many professions. They are perhaps best known for their warriors. All Aiel warriors join into a Warrior Society. The choice of which society is their own. The 12 Warrior Societies are : the Black Eyes, Seia Doon, the Brothers of the Eagle, Far Aldazar Din, the Dawn Runners, Rahien Sorei, the Knife Hands, Sovin Nai, the Maidens of the Spear, Far Dareis Mai,the Mountain Dancers, Hama N'Dore, the Night Spears, Cor Darei, the Red Shields, Aethan Dor, the Stone Dogs, Shae'en M'taal, the Thunder Walkers, Sha'mad Conde, the True Bloods, Tain Shari, and the Water Seekers, Duadhe Mahdi'in. Each
has its own customs, and often duties. The Red Shields act as police. The Stone Dogs are used as rearguards, as once they enter battle they vow to fight to the death. The Maidens of the Spear are adept scouts.
Tall and well-muscled is a quick way to describe the people of the Waste, as the nomadic people average a height of 6
feet, 2 inches for men, and 5 feet, 11 inches for the women. Though the Aiel are well-toned in musculature, they are not
stocky, but are sleek and lithe, with an average weight being 190 pounds for men, and 125 pounds for women. Those
born into the Aiel Waste always have deeply-tanned skin, sun-darkened in the blistering sun of their homeland. They also
have hair colors which only range in the lighter colors, mostly blonde, red-gold, auburn, and sandy. They eye colors of
Aiel are always greens, blues, or grey. The Aiel resemble others of the Human race in all other respects, with the
exception of the multitudes of battle scars that the Aiel proudly bear as a sign of their dedication to their code of Ji'e'toh.
Very rarely do the Aiel tattoo themselves as this is an honor reserved for the Clan Chieftains only, and to do so without
right is considered a great transgression of Ji'e'toh. The tattoo that is branded onto the right arm of a Clan Chieftain is
that of a serpentine dragon winding its way around the wrist. This dragon tattoo is gold in color with red eyes.
Aiel are very uniform in their style of dress, with there only really being three major styles: that of the Aiel, that of the
Wise Ones, and that of the Gai'shain. The Aiel wear the Cadin'sor, or "working clothes", which consist of tight fitting leather
suit. The upper portion of the suit is either long- or short-sleeved leather vest/tunic with buckles to hold it closed, and
oftentimes has a hood attached to the back of it. The lower portion are sturdy, tight-fitting, leather breeches which
buckle closed at the waist and down the sides. All Aiel wear soft leather boots which also buckle closed. The other
article, possibly the most significant, is the black veil which all Aiel wear loosely around their necks unless they are
engaged in, or are about to engage in battle. In that case, the veil is brought over the nose and lower face. It is
considered a transgression of Ji'e'toh to enter battle as an Aiel without wearing the veil (the reasons for this custom are
not entirely known, not even to the Aiel, but none would ignore it). The Wise Ones, the term used for the women in the
Aiel society that guide the Aiel and sometimes act as messengers wear very plain brown woolen skirts, with leather
sandals to protect their feet. They also wear wool blouses, and can always be recognized by their shawls (also of wool)
that signify their station as a Wise One. Many Wise Ones wear some form of decoration such as necklaces, medallions,
earrings, or finger rings. As Wise Ones do not normally engage in battle, they do not wear the black veil of the Aiel. The
Gai'shain are a sort of servant class that are forbidden to wear anything but white robes for a year and a day, and are also
forbidden to touch a weapon or engage in battle until that time has ended. Weapons are a common sight among the Aiel society, and the Aiel tend to carry two short Aiel spears, a bow
made of animal horns, and carry a small buckler shield as well as many arrows. The Wise Ones carry only a knife, dagger,
or dirk, and tend to only use them for mundane purposes such as cutting food, skinning animals, etc. The Gai'shain, as
mentioned above are not allowed to carry any weapon or armor, as it is a deadly transgression of Ji'e'toh.
Gai'shain - Lowest rank. One who is taken prisoner in battle and serves his/her captor for a
year and a day.
Spear - Basic Warrior
Veteran Spear - A spear who, through battle, has earned much honor and respect from his/her
peers.
Sept Chief - One chosen to lead his Sept
Clan Chief - One who enters the city Rhuidean and comes out bearing the mark of the Dragon.
He leads his entire clan.
Wise Ones
Apprentice - One chosen by the Wise Ones to be trained in healing herbs and other things.
They become Wise Ones.
Wise One - A position of great authority, influence, and responsibility. Wise Ones are women
who enter the city Rhuidean and come out with great knowledge. According to Ji'e'toh, a Wise
One stands outside all fueds, and is not to be harmed or impeded in any way.
Odds and Ends
Aiel - An Aiel with neither warrior society nor trade.
Craftsman - Silversmith, Blacksmith, Weaver, etc.
Roofmistress - Aiel woman who is in charge of or owns a Hold.
Car'a'carn - Chief of Chiefs, He Who Comes With the Dawn.
May you find shade and water- used sometimes as a greeting, but mostly as a farewell.
I see you- this phrase is used to greet someone when entering a room.
On another note
Far Dareis Mai keep their hair short.
"You do not recognize me, wearing this dress and with my hair grown longer,......And bring me cadin'sor, and
scissors to cut my hair properly." (6.926)
Ji'e'toh
"Honor and obligation" or "honor and duty"
There are many paths to honor in battle the smallest is to kill, for anyone can kill. The greatest is to touch an
armed and living enemy without causing harm. Somewhere in the middle is to make an enemy gai'shain.
Shame has many levels in ji'e'toh, and is considered worse than pain, injury or even death.
The Aiel have one of the strangest societies among the Humans of Taelos as their whole culture revolves around their
Code of Honor and Obligation which they call Ji'e'toh (literally meaning Honor and Obligation in the Old Tongue). To the
Aiel, this is a code which cannot be disregarded, and those that do so too often usually end up dead on another Aiel's
spear. Within this Code the Aiel seek to gain honor, and there are unlimited ways of gaining that honor. The smallest
method is to kill, for anyone can kill. The greatest of manners to gain honor is to touch an armed and living enemy in
battle without causing harm. Between these extremes is making an enemy gai'shain. Another facet of ji'e'toh is shame,
which also has many uncountable levels, and is considered on many of those levels to be worse than pain, injury, and
even death. A great part of ji'e'toh is toh or obligation, which also has many different levels, but even the smallest of
these must be met in full. Toh outweighs other considerations to the extent that an Aiel will often accept shame, if
necessary, to fulfill an obligation that might seem minor to an outsider. The Aiel code of Ji'e'toh can be summed up in the
following:- Never dishonor another who is honorable (i.e. lying, scheming, cheating)
- Shame and Death before dishonor
- Obligation to another is owed when they are dishonored
- Fulfill all Obligations to the fullest
- Ignoring Obligation incurs dishonor
- Being taken in battle is not dishonorable, but incurs Obligation
Though this cannot explain all of the nuances of the Aiel Ji'e'toh, it is a good guideline for outsiders.
Da'tsang
"Despised one"
To be declared Da'tsang three Wise Ones must declare it. They are forced to wear black wool robes and nothing
else. The robes are hot, itchy and scratchy. They are similiar to gai'shan but they belong to no one. They may not
go anywhere they are not told to go, or speak unless spoken too. "Da'tsang were always shamed with useless
labor; unless the need was great, the" person " would not be allowed to carry even a cup of water, yet toil without
purpose would fill" their "hours till" they "burst of shame." (7.629)
Relationships
Aiel relationships of blood are expressed in complex ways which outsiders consider unwieldy, but which the Aiel
consider precise. It would take an inordinate amount of time to explain all of the nuances of Aiel terms, but a few
examples will have to suffice. First-brother and first-sister have the same mother. Second-brother and second-sister refer
to the children of one's mother's first-sister or first-brother (i.e. cousins), and sister-mother's and sister-fathers are
first-sisters and first-brothers of ones father (i.e. aunt or uncle). Greatfather's and greatmothers refers to the father or
mother of one's own mother (i.e. grandparents on mother's side), while the parents of one's father are
second-greatfather or second-greatmother (i.e. grandparents on father's side); one is closer blood kin to one's mother
than father. Beyond this the complications grow and are thickened by such factors as the ability of close friends to
adopt each other as first-brother and first-sister. When it is also considered that Aiel women who are close friends
sometimes marry the same man, thus becoming sister-wives and married to each other as well as to him, the
convolutions become even more apparent. Other Aiel terms of note are those of near-brother and near-sister, which are
Aiel kinship terms meaning friend as close as first-brother and first-sister. Near-sisters often adopt one another formally
as first-sisters, while near-brothers almost never do. Sister-wife is another kinship term which is used for near-sisters or
first-sisters who discover they love the same man, or who simply do not want a man to come between them, and will
both marry him, thus becoming sister-wives. Women who love the same man will sometimes try to find out whether they
can become near-sisters and adopted first-sisters as a first step to becoming sister-wives.
Avendesora (AH-vehn-deh-SO-rah)
In the Old Tongue it means "Tree of Life." Mentioned in many stories and legends, which give various locations. It's true location is known to only a
few.
Avendoraldera (AH-ven-doh-ral-DEH-rah)
Tree grown in the city of Cairhien from a sapling of Avendesora , a gift from the Aiel in 566 NE, although no written record shows any
connection between Aiel and Avendesora .
Aiel War
(976-78 NE) When King Laman (LAY-mahn) of Cairhien cut down Avendoraldera, four clans of the Aiel crossed the Spine of the World.
They looted and burned the capital city of Cairhien as well as many other cities and towns, and the conflict extended into Andor and Teat. By
the conventional view, the Aiel were finally defeated at the Battle of the Shining Walls, before Tar Valon; in fact, Laman was killed in that battle,
and having done what they came for, the Aiel re-crossed the Spine.
Spine of the World
A towering mountain range, with few passes, which separates the Aiel Waste from the lands to the west. Also called the Dragonwall.
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