Telaba

Telaba was a term in the Seven Cities (Bisbrha and Debrahl) language to describe a sea cloak of the Dosii.Deadhouse Gates, Glossary, UK MMPB p.936 It was also identified as a traditional outer garment in Seven Cities.Memories of Ice, Chapter 1, UK MMPB p.64The Bonehunters, Glossary, UK MMPB p.1212 The plural for telaba was telaban or telabas.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 5, UK MMPB p.192House of Chains, Chapter 15, UK MMPB p.629 A telaba scarf was mentioned a few times. It is unclear if the scarf was an intrinsic part of a telaba or worn separately.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 4, UK MMPB p.163Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 5, UK MMPB p.204 At least some, if not all, telabas had a hood and the cloak was normally worn over other clothing or armour.House of Chains, Chapter 21, UK MMPB p.810/811House of Chains, Chapter 21, UK MMPB p.831 In one instance, a telaba's overcloak is mentioned.House of Chains, Chapter 9, UK MMPB p.415 A telaba might also have been worn with a belt.The Bonehunters, Chapter 2, UK MMPB p.109
There were different types of telaban with different colour schemes possibly indicating membership of certain groups. A red telaba for example, seemed to have some significance for the rebels.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 5, UK MMPB p.199Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 6, UK MMPB p.247 Icarium wore a faded Tanno telaba.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 7, UK MMPB p.301
The telaba did not seem to have formed a standard part of the uniform of the Malazan occupiers as, after the rebellion, someone wearing a telaba was regarded with suspicion by them.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 9, UK MMPB p.361 Although, later, sappers in Coltaine's Malaz 7th Army were described as wearing telaban.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 16, UK MMPB p.698
==Examples of characters wearing a telaba==
*Duiker wore a telaba in Hissar. It had wide cuffs.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 2, UK MMPB p.66 He later put on a loose, thinly woven telaba.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 4, UK MMPB p.177
*Mebra was wearing one during his meeting with Tene Baralta.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 2, UK MMPB p.103
*Iskaral Pust wore a dirt-stained telaba.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 2, UK MMPB p.109
*Some of Coltaine's Wickan soldiers hid amongst the crowd, wearing telaba cloaks, to confront Red Blades in Hissar.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 3, UK MMPB p.129
*Kalam Mekhar was wearing a telaba and telaba scarf when he visited Ladro Keep.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 4, UK MMPB p.163/166 When he delivered the book of the Apocalypse, he wore a red telaba, the colour seemingly having some significance.
*Six armed thugs in G'danisban were dressed in rugged telaban.
*Mutinieers in Hissar were dressed in red telaban.
*Fiddler and his group were dressed in telaban.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 6, UK MMPB p.256
*Lady Envy usually wore a white telaba which seemed to be impervious to stains and was always described as immaculate.Memories of Ice, Chapter 1, UK MMPB p.63Memories of Ice, Chapter 20, UK MMPB p.872
*Silgar wore a telaba.House of Chains, Chapter 4, UK MMPB p.261
*Sha'ik Reborn donned a plain, worn, loose, colourless telaba.House of Chains, Chapter 7, UK MMPB p.358
*Febryl was wearing a silk telaba.House of Chains, Chapter 7, UK MMPB p.365
*Grub was clad in an oversized rust-red telaba when he appeared on Aren's parade ground.House of Chains, Chapter 8, UK MMPB p.378
*The desert warriors with Leoman wore telabas initially described as golden, later as being the colour of the terrain around them.House of Chains, Chapter 13, UK MMPB p.572House of Chains, Chapter 19, UK MMPB p.755 Other desert warriors in Raraku were described as wearing ochre telabas.House of Chains, Chapter 26, UK MMPB p.974
*The Khundryl Burned Tears wore black telabas.
*Corabb Bhilan Thenu'alas wore a telaba.House of Chains, Chapter 18, UK MMPB p.711
*L'oric wore a bleached telaba over his armour.
*The Falah'd of Ugarat wore an ornate telaba encrusted with jewels.The Bonehunters, Chapter 3, UK MMPB p.148
*Captain Dunsparrow wore a plain telaba over her chain vest.The Bonehunters, Chapter 4, UK MMPB p.219
==Notes and references==
de:Telaba
Category:Clothing
Category:Glossary