Off the deep end, Into the Fire.
May. 23rd, 2006 05:21 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dolariWell, since no one said I was a COMPLETE raving looney, here're some of the things I've learned since talking with the tribe on my visit to them.
Things I've learned about the Tribe of Ehrem, Parte the Firste - The Rules of the Gallus:
A Gallus is basically a transgendered person in the tribe, petitioning to be counted as a female and live among them. While the tribe has mates and families, the society is very very very gender roled, and has a very noticable "voluntary" segregation between the sexes.
When a father petitions for the "Status of Gallus" he goes to the head of his tribe and pleads his case. Based on the necessities of the tribe he can grant or deny the action. In Khaneni's case, Ayrtos nearly denied him the petition, but since Han'a was trained and not a bad hunter, he allowed Khaneni the petition.
Once the petition is granted, the rules of the Gallus are read to him for him to accept:
"The Rules of the Gallus"
1) The Gallus is a father in body only. In all other instances, she shall be referred to as a mother. The tribe shall name her in the convention of women. Her hair will be worn in braids to indicate her child-debt. Any children she has fathered before her status will go to her child debt. Facial hair will be removed when possible. She will be trained in the skills of the mothers, and expected to carry out all duties of the mothers. She will be eligible for positions in the female hierarchy, but will not be eligble for positions in the male hierarchy. (Pretty much sums it all up)
2) The Gallus is a father in body only. The mothers have no penis, as such, the Gallus may not act as if she has a penis. She is forbidden to touch it under any circumstances. Any Gallus found doing so loses her status. She must crouch when urinating. Any Gallus found standing at urination loses her status. (Trust issues - keeps guys from saying "I wanna be a Gallus" to raid the Ladies Locker Room)
3) The Gallus is a father in body only. The body has demands only a father knows. As the Gallus is forbidden to touch his penis, his mate may relieve these needs as he or she sees fit. Any child fathered after her status is granted will go to her child debt. If she has a male mate and has a child-debt, she may be asked to mate with another mother who has not fulfilled her child debt. (The solution to the eventual problems of rule #2 and childbearing issues)
4) The Gallus is a father in body only. The male body is strong, and in times of need, may be needed to defend the tribe. The status of Gallus will be temporarily suspended, and she will be returned to father status. When the emergency has lessened, she will be returned to the mothers as a mother. In the absence of trainers, the status of Gallus will be temporarily suspended, and she will be returned to father status. When the tribe again has enough trainers, she will be returned to the mothers as a mother. (Unfortunately, as a male without the aid of hormones amd anti-testosterones, that body is still soldier-worthy)
5) The Gallus is a father in body only. As she does not bleed, she must assist any bleeding woman in the completion of her duties. In cases where many of the women are bleeding, the Gallus may refuse certain requests so that she may assist all the bleeding women. (The reverse of #3 - you scratch my back, I scratch yours).
6) The Gallus is a father in body only. In all other instances, she shall be referred to as a mother. Transgression of the rules of the Gallus forfeits your status. Transgression of the rules of the mothers does not, and any Gallus who does so will be judged as a mother.
After accepting the rules, the Gallus is given one month to live with the mothers, and they start her "integration" with training. At the end of one month, the Gallus can opt to return to the fathers, or remain with the mothers.
Other than Nen'a, there's been one other Gallus this specific tribe knows of. And as far as I've been told, there haven't been any female to male Gallus types, Han'a was the closest this tribe has known (and she was simply a female hunter). One thing that struck me when they told me about the Gallus rules was that the Gallus could take a male as a mate. In fact, they're incredibly tolerant about male-male and female-female relationships, as long as the "child-debt" is paid off somehow.
Things I've learned about the Tribe of Ehrem, Parte the Firste - The Rules of the Gallus:
A Gallus is basically a transgendered person in the tribe, petitioning to be counted as a female and live among them. While the tribe has mates and families, the society is very very very gender roled, and has a very noticable "voluntary" segregation between the sexes.
When a father petitions for the "Status of Gallus" he goes to the head of his tribe and pleads his case. Based on the necessities of the tribe he can grant or deny the action. In Khaneni's case, Ayrtos nearly denied him the petition, but since Han'a was trained and not a bad hunter, he allowed Khaneni the petition.
Once the petition is granted, the rules of the Gallus are read to him for him to accept:
"The Rules of the Gallus"
1) The Gallus is a father in body only. In all other instances, she shall be referred to as a mother. The tribe shall name her in the convention of women. Her hair will be worn in braids to indicate her child-debt. Any children she has fathered before her status will go to her child debt. Facial hair will be removed when possible. She will be trained in the skills of the mothers, and expected to carry out all duties of the mothers. She will be eligible for positions in the female hierarchy, but will not be eligble for positions in the male hierarchy. (Pretty much sums it all up)
2) The Gallus is a father in body only. The mothers have no penis, as such, the Gallus may not act as if she has a penis. She is forbidden to touch it under any circumstances. Any Gallus found doing so loses her status. She must crouch when urinating. Any Gallus found standing at urination loses her status. (Trust issues - keeps guys from saying "I wanna be a Gallus" to raid the Ladies Locker Room)
3) The Gallus is a father in body only. The body has demands only a father knows. As the Gallus is forbidden to touch his penis, his mate may relieve these needs as he or she sees fit. Any child fathered after her status is granted will go to her child debt. If she has a male mate and has a child-debt, she may be asked to mate with another mother who has not fulfilled her child debt. (The solution to the eventual problems of rule #2 and childbearing issues)
4) The Gallus is a father in body only. The male body is strong, and in times of need, may be needed to defend the tribe. The status of Gallus will be temporarily suspended, and she will be returned to father status. When the emergency has lessened, she will be returned to the mothers as a mother. In the absence of trainers, the status of Gallus will be temporarily suspended, and she will be returned to father status. When the tribe again has enough trainers, she will be returned to the mothers as a mother. (Unfortunately, as a male without the aid of hormones amd anti-testosterones, that body is still soldier-worthy)
5) The Gallus is a father in body only. As she does not bleed, she must assist any bleeding woman in the completion of her duties. In cases where many of the women are bleeding, the Gallus may refuse certain requests so that she may assist all the bleeding women. (The reverse of #3 - you scratch my back, I scratch yours).
6) The Gallus is a father in body only. In all other instances, she shall be referred to as a mother. Transgression of the rules of the Gallus forfeits your status. Transgression of the rules of the mothers does not, and any Gallus who does so will be judged as a mother.
After accepting the rules, the Gallus is given one month to live with the mothers, and they start her "integration" with training. At the end of one month, the Gallus can opt to return to the fathers, or remain with the mothers.
Other than Nen'a, there's been one other Gallus this specific tribe knows of. And as far as I've been told, there haven't been any female to male Gallus types, Han'a was the closest this tribe has known (and she was simply a female hunter). One thing that struck me when they told me about the Gallus rules was that the Gallus could take a male as a mate. In fact, they're incredibly tolerant about male-male and female-female relationships, as long as the "child-debt" is paid off somehow.
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Date: 2006-05-23 09:43 pm (UTC)can I be a gallus???? pretty please? *big puppy dog eyes*
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Date: 2006-05-23 10:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-05-23 10:45 pm (UTC)Gallus, Galli, Galla?
Date: 2006-05-24 06:00 am (UTC)After accepting the rules, the Gallus is given one month to live with the mothers, and they start her "integration" with training. At the end of one month, the Gallus can opt to return to the fathers, or remain with the mothers.
Reminds me of John Varley's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Varley_%28author%29) storys, where people don't choose a sex (with a corresponding body) until their late teens. I know I missed something here, but is this part of a storyline for "A Wish for Wings", or a new set of stories?
Re: Gallus, Galli, Galla?
Date: 2006-05-25 06:16 pm (UTC)Absolutely. It was a conscious "link" when I wrote Khaneni's story. The Tribe stuff has a lot of unrelated ancient history in there (Originally, Khaneni wasn't trans, he just wasn't very good...Khaneni is based on the Proto-Indo-European word for "Chicken.") :)
>is this part of a storyline for "A Wish for Wings", or a new set of
>stories?
http://www.dolari.org/awfw/130.htm and just keep clicking NEXT.