Chekatta

State:
Absent as such, but the prairies of the Chekatta remain a completely separate territory.

Form of government:
Community system

Rulers:
In each tribe, the people's congregation selects a leader who leads the tribe before the expiration of adulthood, but may be displaced due to severe illness or reckless deeds. The same with the supreme shaman. The leader is the public leader of the tribe, the shaman is the spiritual leader. The life of Chekatta is divided into three stages: childhood - the first three times for six years, maturity - the second three times for six years, old age - the rest of life. After the fulfillment of the 36th anniversary, the Chekatta go to live in the sacred valley of On’e-Go-Ta. In On’e-Go-Ta there is a Council of Elders, consisting of former leaders and supreme shamans. The Supreme Leader is elected in the Council of Elders. The Supreme Leader and the Council of Elders can resolve conflicts between tribes if the mature tribal leaders do not have the opportunity to agree among themselves. Or, in certain cases, the Supreme Leader can unite all the tribes for the sake of one purpose, for example, as in the war of Tuasmatus with the demons, when the Chekatta opened their prairies for trade routes and delivered food to Reyro. The simplest, at first glance, system can quickly be transformed into a sufficiently developed management model, where the prairies of the concatenate for a time actually become a single state. At the same time, Chekatta who are over 36 years old do not leave the On’e-Go-Ta Valley. The elders express their will through elected messengers, regularly admitted to the sacred valley.

Language:
Chekatta. Single cases were recorded where the Chekatta mastered the Common Language. On the whole, other peoples are shunned.

Largest city:
Absent.

Capital:
On’e-Go-Ta Valley can still be called the social and spiritual center of Chekatta.

Other large cities:
None. Chekatta live in tribal villages in light tipies. Rarely tribes settle in one place for a long time. Chekatta roam the prairies, easily moving their type. Usually the stop lasts for six months, and in winter or summer, the Chekatta change habitat, adjusting to weather conditions. Sometimes they do it four times a year, even in the fall and spring. Rarely camping  lasts a year or more.

Geography and climate:
Moderate. Winters are warm, but in the North of the prairies snow falls every year. In the South - very rare. Summer is warm, but not arid.

Borders with:
The Ito Empire in the North, the Reyro Kingdom in the East and the Valley of the Ancestors in the South and West.

History:
In fact, Chekatta is the most ancient people of Elinor. Their distant ancestors, people of the Third Race, originally lived in the territory of the modern Valley of the Ancestors and prairies. There are no sources that tell what happened before, where people came from, how they developed. In this respect, the enormous loss of history is caused by the lack of writing. Then Chekatta people divided. Settled began to lay settlements on the shore of the Lake of the Ancestors, and nomadic people remained to live on the prairies. Thanks to their convictions and the cult of their ancestors, Chekatta managed to preserve its culture, being in close proximity to the rapidly developing in all spheres of the Valley of the Ancestors. Initially Chekatta proved to be excellent warriors, although in modern history, the cases of military conflicts did not happen. However, the rulers of the Valley of the Ancestors, and Guawars and Tuasmatus respect the sovereignty of the prairies, without encroaching on the territory of the Chekatta. Through the prairie it is forbidden to build trade routes. The only route leading from Reyro to the Valley of the Ancestors is authorized by the elders. Once there were other tracts, but Chekatta quickly realized how much damage extensive trade on the prairies could bring to their culture. When Chekatta is divided into nomadic and sedentary, each nation inherits a heritage in the form of an artifact of the First Race. In the Great Cities it was the Stone of the Ancestors, and the Chekatta had the Oracle in the Valley of On’e-Go-Ta. What is the Oracle, is it similar to the Stone of the Ancestors and what are its properties - it is unknown. Chekatta do not allow the outsiders into On’e-Go-Ta, as Taurs do not allow to go to the Ayduen Grove. The Academy of Kay-Samiluf planned an expedition with military escort. Chekatta instantly exhibited a battle-worthy army with cavalry against uninvited guests (by the way, Chekatta is the best riders of Elinor). Head of the expedition Habid Kirsal immediately deployed the squad and brought a personal apology to the elders, for which he was later removed from the post in the Academy and even declared a criminal. The scientist had to leave the court for the Fellow Islands, and by the population of the Great Desert this incident was assessed ambiguously. However, the Academy subsequently made no attempt to get to On’e-Go-Ta. Rare researchers returned from the Chekatta prairie with a baggage of knowledge. Often Chekatta simply asked strangers to leave their territory, but some, on the contrary, were welcome. Such researchers almost did not talk about Chekatta more than it is known. It turned out, the prairie people always felt those people who eventually justify their trust. As a result, more than in four thousand years of Chekatta history there were no significant events, just as the way of life, culture and technology of the people did not change.

Industry,agriculture and economy:
The concept of the market is absent among Chekatta. This is one of the main features of the people. The craving for accumulation is considered a sin. Natural exchange is also prohibited. Among Chekatta gifts are popular. However, the exchange of gifts is immediately punished by the tribal chiefs. Chekatta, who were trying to cash in or get rich, were banished to the Valley of the Ancestors. At the same time in the minds of the people there was always a willingness to help the poor, because of which there were no families and even tribes living in need among the Chekatta. In the tribe, everything was divided equally. If in neighboring tribes famine occurred, cattle death, illnesses, fires, neighboring tribes immediately helped with their resources. Among Chekatta hunting, fishing and gathering are popular. Also livestock. Agriculture is much weaker due to the nomadic way of life. However, the soil of the prairie is quite fertile and when the Chekatta is relocated, new habitats are often planted with seeds of the main crops. Chekatta, as well as Vedichian people, has a cult of nature. Chekatta world view does not prohibit hunting and other infliction of the nature of permissible harm, but clearly sets the framework. Chekatta has several iron mines, of which iron is of quite a high quality. It is also known about deposits of copper and bronze. The development of minerals on an industrial scale is not conducted. Judging by the Chekatta jewellery, gold and silver deposits, those of precious stones are present on the prairies, however their locations are unknown.

Life, Culture and Worldview:
The life and culture of Chekatta is closely related to their world view, the cult of their ancestors. That is the soul as a whole, and that is the spirit of the ancestor. That - in general can be the definition of everything. According to the concepts of Chekatta, the souls of any living being, human or animal, are immortal and material (the vegetable world, unlike the Vedic people, does not spiritualize). Each Chekatta can communicate with their deceased ancestors or just close people (faithful animals as well, for example, a dog or a horse). The best connection with the spirits is obtained from shamans of the tribe. But they appeal to the most distant ancestors, trying to get from those tips to solving public issues like "Where to migrate the tribe", "How to deal with a public problem", etc. On "personal" affairs Chekatta turn for advice to close spirits. To communicate with spirits, there are many ways - songs, playing musical instruments, dancing, offering gifts. Particular role in the outlook and culture of Chekatta plays Ta-Ta - sacs with gifts for spirits, through which the best connection is established with the necessary spirits.

Spirits are not necessarily light. Light after death go to Empyreal Land and from there keep in touch with their descendants. And the black spirits remain on the ground and continue to do evil deeds. Black spirits are worshiped by the Bukta, the apostates of the Chekatta. Black spirits are usually stronger than light ones. The Bukta apostasies are the most likely due to the thirst for power and power. Often, the black power was treated because of undivided feelings, thus desiring to still receive the object of lust. Also, the letter became exiles from the tribe, overcome by the desire for revenge. Among the Chekatta murders are strictly prohibited. Chekatta, who murdered consciously, could be branded before exile, so that other tribes would not accept him either. There is no execution among Chekatta, but if the killer resisted, he could be killed in battle. But they killed, burned and destroyed the dust. They were no longer considered people. The amulets of the Bukta are called Ta-Tanuk (light spirits are written with a capital letter, dark ones are written with a small letter, the Chekatta lacks writing, but when pronouncing, they insert different intonations into the word "ta"). If in Ta-Ta put spices, fragrant grass, beautiful stones, then in Ta-Tanuk - bones, meat (sometimes human), clotted blood (bloodied iron from weapons, arrows, for example), poisons.

An important part of the culture and world view of the Chekatta are totems. They are of three kinds. Totem-conductors (amutanai) serve as beacons for spirits in the transition from the world of the dead into the world of the living and vice versa. Usually put in cemeteries, so that the dead calmly leave the mortal bodies, and also, if possible, talk with the spirits of their ancestors. Shamans can have "portable" amutanai to establish a better contact with spirits. Sealing totems (Amutavad) serve to block the way of the spirits. Often used Chekatta for the burial of dead Bukta, so that their black souls do not go into the world of the dead, where they can become stronger, and then return and take revenge. Bukta, in their turn, interlock the souls in order to use them in their dark rituals with the help of the Amutavad. If we sum up the common meaning - Chekatta need the amutanai for light spirits and the connection with them and the Amutavads for fighting against dark forces and locking them, but the apostates use these totems in reverse: with the help of the Amutanai they release the dark ones, and with the help of the Amutavads they lock the light ones so that they can not interfere. Totem-traps (amutagaba) serve to lure spirits, regardless of their will, to a specific place. Bukta used to collect the souls, which are then sealed. Ordinary Chekatta never use amutagaba and when they find it they are trying to destroy them - break them down, and in no case to burn, for so you can forever lose touch with the spirit. It remains immortal, but is forever locked in an empty space.

Chekatta is the only people who are fully convinced of the immortality of souls and life after death. At the same time, the mystery of the creation of the world remains unexplored by Chekatta. They do not seek to unravel it, believing that they will learn more in the Empyreal Land. That is that this world for Chekatta - only one of the stages of the path of their immortal spirit. An important distinctive feature is a firm conviction in preserving the consciousness of the spirit who went to Empyreal Land.

Chekatta has an incredibly developed applied art. "Gifts" of Chekatta, which the prairie residents made to "approved" guests are exhibited in the best museums of the Valley, Kay-Samiluf and Bandabaze. Jewelry and pottery, as a rule, are executed incredibly skilfully. Particular attention is paid to weaving. Patterns on the clothes of a person, according to legends, enhance his inner qualities. Shamans Clothing can woven for months. It, in fact, is an amutanai - a totem-conductor. Another totem-conductor is the human body. The culture of tattoos is also present in Ulutau, but in Chekatta it is not simply elevated to the rank of art, but is a complement to the cult of ancestors and worldly philosophy. Tattoos on the body can change the abilities, nature and essence of a person. For example, if a person was born predisposed to evil, the right pattern can turn him to light. Or, on the contrary, the wrong tattoo can break the will. For shamans and warriors, the painting of the body with paint is characteristic. The lack of written language very strongly developed oral creativity. Among Chekatta, oral traditions, legends, fairy tales, parables are popular. Almost always the meaning of the traditions is conveyed in an allegorical form. Song art is developed, songs are sung not only to spirits. It can be love lyrics (poetry is always superimposed on music), military and hunting songs, lullabies. Chekatta reached heights in the art of dance. Dances are not only ritual. Chekatta can dance to express out their feelings. For example, dance of joy, dance of lovers, dance of the winner.



Chekatta language:
Chekatta don’t have written language, but very much invests in the pronunciation of sounds. Therefore, learning the language of Chekatta is quite complicated. In the language, short sounds are used to denote words, and from them more complex words can form. Another thing is with what intonation the sound was pronounced, it affects the meaning of the word. For example, Ai is the sun, sunlight, sunny weather, heat, fire, the process of breeding a fire, a spark and a tribal fire at the same time. All sounds in the language are very smooth and melodious. Travelers who have visited the prairies assure that the language of Chekatta is the best language for songs.