tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Mar 24 13:21:10 1998

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Re: Blood Oath

: > Would someone please explain what a blood oath is.
: 
: 'Iplu'meH 'Iw lo'lu'chugh vaj *blood oath* 'Iplu'.
: 
: A blood oath is an oath sworn in blood, i.e. the swearer(s) cut 
: themselves or otherwise extract their blood to demonstrate the 
: sincerity of their commitment. The blood might be used to ink a 
: document ("signed in blood" is an English expression for an 
: uncomfortably binding contract, and is in the literary tradition of 
: pacts with the devil), allowed to fall on a designated oath stone, 
: exchanged with other parties to the oath, or otherwise used in a 
: ceremony.
: 
: Swearing in blood, like swearing on a sacred text, is considered in 
: some cultures to increase the likelihood of the oath being kept.
: 
: Sometimes a sincere oath is referred to as a blood oath even when no 
: blood was shed in its swearing.
: 
: tlhIngan Hol qelbe'mo' qechvam, wIqelmeH tlhIngan Hol wIlo'nIS.
: 
: - Qov

Among Klingons a blood oath can *never* be cancelled and is binding for
life. In the DS9 episode "Blood Oath", three old Klingons (Kor, Kang,
Koloth) arrive on the station to pick up Curzon Dax for a trip of vengeance
he was bound to by a blood oath. A bandit known as "the Albino" -- who years
ago managed to murder the first-born sons of each of the three Klingon
commanders who were searching for him at the time -- had finally been
located.  But instead of old Curzon they find young Jadzia, who feels
compelled to take Curzon's place even though the Klingons release her from
an oath they feel she hadn't sworn to, Curzon having died.  It seems that
Kang's son was named Curzon, in honor of the Federation diplomat who was
living in the Empire then and was a particular friend of Kang.  Needless to
say, Jadzia manages to convince them to let her accompany them to kill the
Albino, to the obvious distaste of Cdr. Sisko.

{'Iw 'Ip} "blood oath" is used in KCD: {'Iw 'Ip ghomey} or "Blood Oath
Circles" is the name of a well-known sculpture {Hew} by the artist mIStaq.
Never having seen the CD, however, I don't know the cultural significance of
the statue.  Can anyone enlighten me?

Voragh

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