Hi blue! I read how to propose to your commander and really enjoyed it! Wanted to ask what you think a turian bonding ceremony is like? You described it a bit in the fic but I'm curious what else you headcanon for it? Like do they do anything like vows for each other?
Hi dot!!! ❤️
First of all, thanks for reading! I'm so happy you enjoyed it. 🫶 And I'm sorry this took time to respond to. I'm sick. Tried to answer Saturday, but I died halfway through. I feel better today, so now we're doing it. 😭
I've been thinking of what a bonding ceremony looks like for some time now, but never gotten around to write one. This might therefore be a little messily written and be more word vomit than a clear answer. As for what I think happens... I think it's important to keep three things in mind before we get there:
The whole thing Garrus tells us about turian culture. It's a hierarchical meritocracy, we know the military runs every branch of the world (even civil services), and they demand way more discipline than the human military does. Also, the whole thing about blowing off steam: fighting and having sex. It's all normalized and no one bats an eye. Essentially, when you're on the clock, you're expected to perform at a high, high level. That means letting loose is needed and expected in your free time so you don't go crazy under that level of control. No one gives a fuck what you do as long as it doesn't affect your duties. All this to say: I think those primal kinds of activities are very normal, encouraged, and expected. No one bats an eye if they round a corner and find two turians getting frisky, fighting for fun, or are getting high.
Turians are clearly predators and I don't think that predator gene was ever evolved out of them. Strong sense of smell, great eyesight, quick reactions, fast, strong... they're, uh... how do I say this? Driven by senses? But not mindlessly so--they're clearly not *that* primal; society would've collapsed otherwise--just enough to get triggered by certain smells, for example.
I'm a dirty, dirty person who likes the more primal side of turians and thinks it's fun to make HCs for aliens that actually feel alien and weird. Judge me if you must. 😌
I'll do a keep reading below, in case people don't wanna be slapped in the face with semi-explicit stuff.
So with all that in mind, let's get to what I think it looks like. In case Tumblr slaps me with a "mature content" label, I'll keep things a little vague. 🫡
While a formal event, I don't think bonding ceremonies are even remotely close to the formality of a wedding ceremony. A bonding ceremony feels way more ritualistic in a primal sense, especially at the start of the event. But apart from that, the energy is primal and raw, not romantic and sweet. It's a public event, but not open to everyone. You still need an invite. What Garrus meant when he described it in the thread, was that everything that happens in the bonding ceremony is done in front of all invitees.
I think it starts with the couple being served something to drink--not sure what yet, but I'm leaning toward tea--laced with some kind of strong aphrodisiac to set the mood. The image I keep seeing in my head is a *big* circle of people--the invitees--and the couple in the middle of that circle, maybe on a raised platform. Out of reach of the guests, if you will. The couple drinks, time passes, they eat, and once the aphrodisiac takes effect and it gets too hard to ignore it... yeah, I'm sure you know where this is going and why RegretTaco said "you're girl's a freak" when it became clear Shep wasn't against that idea. 😅
Now for the fighting. If we take the latter part of point one and the entirety of point two at the start into consideration, the activities unfolding in front of everyone watching is going to slowly trigger more and more people--especially men. Frustration sets in, aggression rises, and suddenly, people start fighting. The couple itself is out of reach and danger. But I imagine the frustration-driven aggression will trigger them again, creating a circle of actions and consequences.
The permanent mating mark thing happens during this time. Not gonna be very detailed here, but yeah. Something goes pop and inflates, tying the couple together. They bite each other. Time passes, and once they're free, I can see it turning into a proper party with a lot of "fun" as the "obligatory" stuff is done.
In another fic of mine, Castis says something like: "A lot of babies are made during bonding ceremonies."
He's right.
So yeah. That's my not-really-ready-yet idea of what happens during a bonding ceremony. Primal, raw, hedonistic, and an event I'm sure you won't easily forget. 👀
"Jim stared at it. If Spock’s robe was elegant, Jim's could be better described as extravagant. The entire thing was shiny gold cloth, weighted down with heavy black embroidery dotted with tiny green crystals on the sleeves. The shoulders were built out slightly, a common Vulcan fashion that made them look even more intimidating than usual. There was also a gold headpiece, less a crown than a collection of linked chains, with a large green stone in the middle."
“For a final touch, he brushed a little gold powder on Jim’s cheekbones… Jim . . . looked like a sun god.”
From that fabulous fic ‘Logic and Prejudice’ by @jennelikejennay 🥰
Hello! First of all, I would like to thank you for that amazing work you are doing with teaching us about Vulcan culture. I wanted to ask about Vulcan bonding ceremony (when they are adults), especially clothes and maybe some traditional items they use, or symbols. I want to make one full color art and though about asking you more about it. Thank you in advance!
Na’Shaya! It is me who would like to thank you for all your amazing art and your incredible comics (I just read Ever Ours yesterday, and all of what you’ve published of Man of War 🔥🔥🔥). It’s incredible how close you can get the characters to resemble the actors while still keeping a comicbook style 💖 I’ve been a huge fan of you for ages!
In Vulcan language, the bonding ceremony is called kun-ut-la, and the bond itself shared by a couple is called tel. We know that, like other ceremonies, they are officiated by the clan matriarch at the ancestral family grounds. The couple drinks a potent phychotropic called su'aasal, which is made with the juice of a d’lechu (a plant similar to an Earth succulent). The drug plies the mind of the couple as the matriarch mind-melds with them to form the bond- I imagine this applies more to children though, as Vulcans can form bonds of their own through intimate contact once they’re adults. Perhaps with an adult couple, the matriarch could use this chance to assess the strength of their bond, if they have already formed one.
This ceremony is followed by a banquet and ritual music and dancing. The custom states that the couple must live together for a year after their betrothal, in order to ensure the telepathic bond created deepens well before the onset of pon farr.
Unfortunately, I don’t think there are any specific symbols or artifacts related to the kun-ut-la beyond what I mentioned. I found the image below depicting the kun-ut-la of Spock and T’Pring from The Enterprise Logs (1977) - personally I’m not a huge fan as I think it resembles a Terran wedding too closely. I imagine that formal traditional attire is required.
I’m sorry if this isn’t a very detailed answer! It doesn’t seem to be such a prominent ritual in Vulcan culture as the kun-ut kali-fi is, since the bonding can be broken for a number of reasons. If anything, I hope this gives you the freedom to come up with your own look for the ceremony. I can’t wait to see what art you’ll make about kun-ut-la!
