Suhtarvuga

Suhtarvuga is a ceremonial concept in the fictional coastal nation of Lharen, describing an annual rite that marks the transition from the dry season to the rainy season and the start of the new fishing cycle. The term is drawn from elements of the Lharen language scholars translate as “light” and “path,” reflecting the ceremony’s role in guiding communities through seasonal change.

The ceremony takes place on the first new moon after harvest. Elders lead a shoreline procession while participants drum, chant, and light palm-oil lanterns. A central lantern is placed at the water’s edge to symbolize the opening of the season’s tides, and families offer fish and salt as a sign of gratitude and renewal.

Suhtarvuga functions as a social mechanism to coordinate labor, reaffirm kinship ties, and honor ancestors believed to influence sea conditions. It also serves as a public ritual of memory, linking current generations to past harvests and migrations.

In in-world literature and ethnographic lore, suhtarvuga appears in village chronicles and ceremonial songs, and is a common reference point in discussions of Lhareni culture. It is occasionally depicted in contemporary fantasy media that explore the archipelago and its traditions.

See also: ritual, folklore, and anthropology in fictional cultures.