“ The power of the wind is very great, Torak; but the power of the Sea is unimaginable.
—Tenris to Torak, Spirit Walker, chapter 20
Seal Clan is a Sea Clan. Their clan guardian is the ringed seal. The clan resides on the largest of the Seal Islands, called Seal Clan. North of it lies Cormorant Island and Kelp Island, both of which have clans living on them, Cormorant Clan and Kelp Clan respectively, both are Sea Clans as well.
Known members[]
Appearance[]
- Seal Clan members are barefoot with knee-length leggings made of gray seals and sleeveless jerkins. Over their jerkins, clan members wear long-sleeved parkas of seal gutskin, which is a yellow-opaque color. Because they live near the Sea, Sea Clan members tend to have fair-colored hair and sun-darkened faces.[4] Their hair is beaded with tiny blue slate beads and their ears are pierced with spear-like shells.[2]
Customs[]
“ A skinboat is not just a boat! It's a hunting partner! Don't ever let Bale hear you say that!
—Detlan to Torak, Spirit Walker, chapter 16
- In the same way the Forest clans view their bows as a hunting partner and not merely an object, the Seal Clan think of their skinboats in the same way.[5] Children are taught how to use a skinboat as young as five summers.[6] Unlike many of the Forest clans, the Seal Clan is more divided between men and women; women don't hunt and stay on the island where they fulfill roles such as cooking the meat provided by the male hunters and fishers.[2][7]
- Seal Clan members honor the Sea Mother and are fierce defenders of the law of the Sea. Torak is angrily confronted for tainting his Forest belongings into the Sea.[5] Seal Clan historically kept to themselves on the Seal Islands, but occasionally traded with Whale Clan and Sea Eagle Clan in the Forest.[5][8] When a hunter makes a kill, they must cut their hair and go into self-exile for three days without eating to appease the Sea Mother. The clan celebrates Midsummer with the other Sea clans.[8]
- Numerous creatures are sacred to Seal Clan. Puffins are believed to visit the spirits since they can fly through the air and dive underwater. They are sacred to Mages. The Hunters are also sacred to the Sea Mother, and they typically leave the Seal Clan unless they hurt them. Their clan-guardian is the ringed seal.[9] The clan hunts whales and gray seals. Their food is buried in seaweed and placed into a pit of fire-heated stones. Seals provide everything to Seal Clan: clothes, shelters, skinboats, food, harpoons, and lamps.[2]
- For the Death Journey, deceased members are placed in a skinboat and offerings are made by the clan to help them on the journey. A family member will guide the boat out to the Sea where they will gash the underside of the boat so it can sink.[10]
Camps[]
- Seal Clan is a stationary clan. They live in the Bay of Seals, with gray humped shelters lined in the sand.[9] Seal Clan never moves camps and instead lives permanent on the narrow beach in the Bay.[1]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Oath Breaker, chapter 1
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Spirit Walker, chapter 18
- ↑ Outcast, chapter 18
- ↑ Spirit Walker, chapter 15
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Spirit Walker, chapter 16
- ↑ Spirit Walker, chapter 21
- ↑ Outcast, chapter 17
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Spirit Walker, chapter 20
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Spirit Walker, chapter 17
- ↑ Oath Breaker, chapter 3