kandjate

Kandjate is a term in the fictional ethnography of the island chain of Kalyra, used to denote a traditional communal craft of ceremonial woodworking and inlay. Objects produced through kandjate are typically carved panels, masks, staffs, and ritual boxes, and are central to rites of passage, harvest celebrations, and village governance.

Scholars within the fictional world trace kandjate to the Kalyran root kan- meaning “to carve” and date meaning “spirit,” though etymology is debated and some texts propose older borrowed forms from neighboring cultures. The term thus carries connotations of both craftsmanship and communal ritual.

The craft is practiced by guilds called Kari. Key materials include hardwoods, bone, shell inlay, and natural pigments. The process generally follows design transfer, rough carving, hollowing, smoothing, inlay, and lacquer sealing. Apprenticeship lasts several years and emphasizes community consensus in design, with works highly valued for their symbolic and ceremonial roles.

Historically, kandjate was tightly regulated by guild councils and regional hierarchies. In contemporary settings within the imagined universe, kandjate objects appear in museums and are sometimes produced for ceremonial events or display, though production remains limited to licensed guild members to preserve tradition and regional identity.

In-universe sources that discuss kandjate include the Chronicles of Kalyra and the Kandjate Compendium, which describe techniques, motifs, and the social functions of kandjate objects. See also: fictional craft guilds, Kandyl artifacts.