Challenge #02573-G016: Cultural Exchange Program
Harvest festival, feast time, Thanksgiving, people have a lot of reasons for sitting to celebrate this time of year. A time to give thanks for what one has in their life, to remember what it is they are thankful for. But, for some, it was just a time to put out a feast and be a glutton, and enjoy it! A person had been researching the Vorax, in fact, their entire race, learning their culture and their ways. Learning that the Vorax was not the race itself but the warriors amongst them. Learning of the farmers, the workers, the entire system the best they could. Then, as it came time for the feast festival, an invitation was sent out to as many as they could invite. They'd saved up a rather impressive amount of Time for this. The food they'd gathered was food they knew the Vorax could eat, and the humans they invited, friends and family, would enjoy as well. The drinks, mild intoxicants that would not inebriate either side but were also completely safe for both sides, along with juices and water, was provided, and the large series of tables were set out. Then, on the appointed day, they awaited the arrival of their guests for the Feast of Giving Thanks. And smiled, the doors to the large place wide open, looking forward to this moment. -- DaniAndShali
Contrary to all the opinions of those originating from the United States, and their deep-time colonies, Thanksgiving is not a universal concept. Many mistake otherwise ordinary harvest festivals for their unique phenomenon of Thanksgiving. The spirit of egocentrism is strong in many Human cultures. Such an egocentric Human has found out about the Thranityr... the species who are the origin of the Vorax.
There were, of course, the travelling raiders called the Vorax. There were the farming caste, the Chakkyn. The manufacturing caste, the Thekkar. The Honyk were the builders, and it went on and on. Each with their own language, each with a tenuous peace with the other castes. Each with a rather... interesting relationship with any neighbouring Humans and their colonies.
Galactic Society often uses the fact that Humans willingly make alliances with Vorax as definitive evidence that Humans, as a species, are insane. Humans point to this conclusion and accuse Galactic Society of being a bunch of ignorant bigots. Some things cannot possibly change, but Human Kon is determined to at least try to change things anyway. His bright idea? A shared festival feast. Food, after all, brought people together. The festival, chosen with typical Human egocentrism, was Thanksgiving.
The hot-burning metabolisms of the Deathworlder Thranityr simply had to be satisfied by the copious amounts of food available, the Havenworlders could easily be satisfied by the simple carbohydrates and easy nutrients in that food. Everyone in-between could take what they liked. With options for intoxicants for the adults.
The Thranityr welcomed the opportunity for free food, and the local Humans had a similar attitude. It was the rest of the neighbours who arrived nervously in armoured and armed livesuits. They came for the spectacle. They may or may not have stayed for the food, it was difficult to tell.
Surviving records show that, though tensions were high, things went rather well. Human Kon lectured the Galactics about the differences between Thranityr castes, and how genetic bottlenecks were prevented with the species-wide tradition of hostage-spouses between castes. How each different caste worked with others to create their society. How this was not at all stratified in rank, but rather expressed itself as a co-operation between equals.
All of which, unfortunately, fell on deaf ears and met with fearful disinterest. Rather like asking a N'Ozzie if they want to share a dinner table with a collection of 'mostly harmless' snakes and spiders. It's just not going to happen.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / jpldesigns]
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They tried? XD
They really did.
Well, at least one can say, they tried. The human endeavor for peace. Reminds me of what D'Lenn said of humans in the TV series Babylon 5
"Were one race were to make a large station like this, it's likely to only be used by that race, and few others would ever live there, except as guests. But yet, humans build a place like this, and it becomes a home for many."
"Everywhere humans go, they create communities. It is a wondrous gift, and a massive responsibility"
Humans can, have, and will spread their pack-bonding everywhere. Then wonder why so many Others keep turning up.
I'm like, Dude, we invited them.