The Week of the Sun ​

• Celebrates the sun and the summer solstice 

  • For the days leading up to the day of sun everyone cleans the skylights and chops away the plants that are shrouding out the light 

  • Everyone has the week off 

  • The city is cleaned and it is a time that represents renewal and new beginnings 

  • There is a large harvest of yellow flowers in the 

  • On the day of sun 

    • They are up at sunrise, at the sound of the bell 

    • Everyone floods the streets awaiting mid day with baskets of yellow flower petals in hand 

      • When the sun is at its highest in will shine into multiple of the skylights in specific ways and shine down on central towers with a domed roofs  

        • There is one of these towers in each cavern

      • This domed roofs have hundreds of facets on them and reflect the sunlight in all different directions 

      • This causes the each of the caverns to explode with light and the brightest day of the year is carried down even into the caverns of Sargos 

    • Everyone cheers and throws yellow flowers into the air 

    • Parades and festivals explode all over the city and everyone parties all day and well into the night 

      • Markets 

      • Parades 

      • But most of all common street parties among friend and neighbors  

      • The royal family joins the festivities and dances in informal street parties well into the night with the rest of the city  

  • For the occasion everyone dresses in light colors mostly yellow but also gold and white, and flowy, light fabrics​

Water Festival

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• This is a time to celebrate and be thankful for the water that they are blessed with even in the middle of their dessert they discovered and created a sanctuary for themselves 

• People will go swimming in some of the nonessential sea water reserves or even venture deeper into the caverns toward the sea 

• The markets are open and busy 

• There are art shows and performances 

• Poetry reciting

• Family time and everyone has their own traditions 

• There are large water fights 

• A speech from the king

Highland to Lowland Festival/Festival of Lights

• To celebrate gratitude and there safe home 

• Ben's favorite festival because it is beautiful and unifies the entire kingdom 

• There is a dinner with family and friends (thanksgiving)

  • This has all the traditional foods of their culture 

  • This happened at about 3-4 in the afternoon

• The Candlelight Song

  • At about 6 everyone filters out of their houses with a candle in hand 

  • They spread out across the city especially on the cavern wall catwalks. The king/royal family go to the bell tower that has the fire from the highlands, that the sun guard sent down, and the king lights his candle with the fire and passes it from one person two another until the entire kingdom is lit solely from the light of a thousand candles, lit from the same flame. 

  • Once everyone has their candles lit they will begin a deep rumbling slow song with a thousand voices of every person from the kingdom. This song has been passed down from generation to generation even from the time of the highlands. It is deep and low and powerful but also mournful and deliberate.

Ball of Dancing Masks

• Celebrates the new year 

• This is where everyone gets to come to the palace for a masquerade ball

• Masks

  • Most of the masks are of animals but some can have themes such as sun or water or plants. 

  • All the masks are detailed a gorgeous clear and deliberate 

  • Some of the time people choose the mask that they think symbolizes who they were over their past year or who they hope to become over the next year

• This is where a lot of those traditional dances come into play

The Owomoh Festival (based on the Homowo festival) (needs new name)  

• Celebrates overcoming the hardships of moving below ground as well overcoming famine, hunger, earthquakes, and drought (celebrating the end of a famine)

• Making fun of hunger/hardships 

• A day off and family time

Cultural Festival

• "This folk festival takes place over a course of two weeks, the activities range from folklore art shows, poetry reciting, camel races, and other cultural events."