Kiejthet

Kiejthet is a ceremonial practice described in sources about the fictional Kieji people. It functions as a combined rite of passage and seasonal festival, rooted in agrarian and communal values. The term is said to derive from the Kieji language, with components thought to mean "begin" and "tie" or "bind," reflecting the ceremony's emphasis on new commitments and communal bonds.

The ceremony typically takes place during the first full moon after harvest and lasts three nights. Participants include elders, apprentices, and families. Attire features cloths dyed with plant-based pigments and shell or bone ornaments. The core acts are a candlelit procession, a vow renewal led by a chosen elder, and the lighting of a communal fire that signals the year's cycle turning.

During the rite, participants share food and songs; a symbolic object, such as a carved staff, is passed from elder to apprentice to symbolize responsibility. The event emphasizes intergenerational transmission of knowledge and social cohesion, with stories and songs that recount community history and shared obligations.

In modern fiction and worldbuilding contexts, Kiejthet is used as a symbol of communal resilience and cultural continuity. It has appeared in novels, role-playing games, and encyclopedic compendia as an example of a traditional festival. See also: Kieji culture, rites of passage, harvest festival.