
- "All-Mother, this child needs a name by which to know her, that your love may warm her life as the rising sun warms all the earth! Speak her name!"
- ―High Matriarch Teersa performing the Naming Ritual[1]
The Naming Ritual is a ritual performed by the Nora tribe to give infants born into the tribe a name.
Ceremony[]
The Naming Ritual is conducted on the overlook of All-Mother Mountain, high above the valley at sunrise. As Rost describes to a young Aloy, the entire village attends the ceremony, which is led by a High Matriarch.[2] The infant is given their first mark of face paint, a single horizontal line on their forehead. The mother holds her child as she stands at the edge of the overlook as the High Matriarchs speak to All-Mother, followed by the mother loudly declares the child's name at the High Matriarch's command.[3] However, in the absence of the mother, others may perform her role in her place, as Rost did for Aloy.[2]
The Naming Ritual appears to take place either when an infant is six months old[1] and is the first time the child is given a name; prior to that, it is assumed the child is nameless, with Rost addressing Aloy simply as girl before the ritual.[3]
Rost wonders out loud if All-Mother will speak Aloy's name back.[2] Presumably, this refers to the name being echoed back when declared. It is unknown what would happen in its absence, as Aloy's name successfully booms across the mountains.[3] Grata mentions that during her Naming Ritual, her name was not spoken back, instead being kept close to All-Mother's heart.[4]
Since Rost and Aloy are outcasts, the small ceremony Rost and Teersa perform for Aloy is very different from the normal ritual. As Aloy doesn't have a mother, Rost declares Aloy's name with only Teersa present to bless the naming.[3]
Trivia[]
- The Naming Ritual has similarities to various religious practices in the 21st century. Much like the Nora naming, these ceremonies are often symbolic of the child being accepted into a (religious) community and the ceremonies are usually attended by family members and friends.
- In Christianity, infant baptism occurs when a child is usually several months old, and often they are given a Christian name which the Church recognizes them by.
- In Hinduism, naming a baby is a sacred ritual called Namakarana and occurs at least 12 days after the birth.
- In Islamic tradition, on the seventh day after birth, the baby is given a name chosen by the mother and father; the name is usually an Islamic name with a positive or sacred meaning.
- In Jewish tradition, boys are named on the eighth day after birth at a brit malah (the same ceremony where circumcision is performed) and girls are named within the first two weeks.
- In proto-Turkic cultures, the child's parents took their children to the shaman of the tribe and demanded a name for them.
- Despite the Naming Ritual appearing to take place when an infant is six months old,[1] Lansra berates Teersa that she had been planning Aloy's Naming Ritual all year,[5] indicating that Aloy is actually one year old. Why Aloy's Naming Ritual came so late is unknown.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 As mentioned by Teersa during the opening cutscene of Horizon Zero Dawn.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 As mentioned by Rost during the opening cutscene of Horizon Zero Dawn.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 As seen during the opening cutscene of Horizon Zero Dawn.
- ↑ As mentioned by Grata during Odd Grata.
- ↑ As mentioned by Lansra during the opening cutscene of Horizon Zero Dawn.