Hurian Introductions

Hurians have very elaborate customs for introducing themselves. One's gender, status, and affiliations all play into them.

## Status

Gestures come before verbal introductions, and the person of lower status will greet first. With verbal introductions, the one with the higher status introduces themselves first.

Men are by default of a lower status than an "equivalent" woman, with the exception of High Priests.

The complicated ladder of status is as follows, from the highest to the lowest.

1. The High Queen
2. Greatmother; female Warden; Jekaterinna; High Priest
3. Airinna
4. Arja; male Warden
5. Holder; female chief
6. Male chief; female priest
7. Common woman; male priest
8. Common man; foreign woman
9. Songless woman; foreign man
10. Songless man; criminal woman
11. Criminal man

## Anatomy of Greeting Gestures

### Beginning gesture

**Nothing**

The neutral choice.

**Passing the right hand over your face**

"Excuse me." / "Meeting you is a privilege."

Indicates humbleness or embarrassment.

**Passing both hands over your face**

"Forgive me." / "I am humbled by your presence."

Indicates extreme humbleness or embarrassment.

### Taking a pose

**Standing**

The neutral choice.

**Kneeling on one knee**

"I greatly respect you."

**Kneeling on both knees**

"I am humbled before you."

**Kneeling and touching the ground with your forehead**

"You hold my life in your hands."

### Nodding and Bowing

**Rising your chin and turning your head away**

"You disgust me."

**Rising your chin**

"I am higher than you."

**Keeping your chin level**

"I greet you as an equal."

**Lowering your chin slightly**

"I friendly greet you."

**Nodding**

"I politely greet you."

Deepness of the nod indicates politeness, more deep being more polite.

**Bowing**

"You are superior to me."

Any nod that includes moving the back is a bow. Deepness of the bow indicates politeness, more deep being more polite.

### Gaze

**Looking past the other**

"I don't need to pay you any mind."

An indicator of supreme status. Extremely rude when the status is same or the difference is small.

**Keeping eye contact**

"I acknowledge your presence."

Indicates equal or supreme status.

**Lowering your gaze**

"I appreciate your presence."

The polite option.

**Closing your eyes**

"I trust you."

When coupled with a deep nod or a bow, this is the most polite option. If the chin is basically kept level, it indicates deep trust. If the chin is risen, it indicates not being afraid of the other.

### Expression

**Neutral**

"I am being polite."

The most polite option. Can be considered cold by friends and lovers.

**Smile without teeth**

"I am friendly."

A faint smile is friendly, but a wider one can be considered rude unless one is greeting a friend.

**Smile with teeth**

"This situation is funny."

Rude, unless greeting a good friend. Children can be excused.

**Sneer**

"Fuck you."

Always rude or challenging.

### Touching your chest

*The briefness of the gesture indicates level of politeness: The longer the gesture, the more polite it is.*

**With the side of your hand**

"Show me respect."

Used when the other's status id lower.

**Not touching**

"My relation to you is unclear."

Used when the other's status is unclear or irrelevant. Not rude in itself, but can be used in a rude manner.

**With an open palm**

"I am bonded to you."

Used with people of the same kin (song-house, god-house, or those you otherwise consider kin).

**With a closed fist**

"I respect you."

The neutral option.

**Any of the above twice**

"This is a casual situation."

Can indicate both friendliness or rudeness.

**Any of the above with both hands**

"I honor you."

Used when the other's status is higher.

### Moving towards the ending gesture

**Bringing your hand up before offering it**

"I briefly considered refusing you."

**One fluid movement**

"This greeting is natural to me."

The neutral way.

**Touching your lips**

"I'm thinking of love."

Indicates love or passion.

**Passing your hand in front of your face**

"I wish to hide my face."

Indicates embarrassment or humbleness

### Ending gesture

**Right hand next to your face, palm inwards**

"I refuse you. Take your leave."

**Right hand next to your face, palm outwards**

"I do not wish to hear what you have to say."

**Slight wave with an extended hand and a palm facing downwards**

"Continue on, you are dismissed."

Used when you do not wish to talk. Indicates that you can command the other person.

**Nothing**

"A greeting is unneeded."

Can indicate that someone is not worth your time. It can also be used in case you have already greeted the same person earlier, or if meeting them was to be expected (e.g. you live in the same household).

**Stretching the hand forwards and above the head, palm outward**

"Let's go on our separate ways."

Used when you do not wish to talk. Indicates equal or higher status.

**Offering the right hand palm up**

"I greet you."

Does not indicate status.

**Offering the right hand palm up, placing the left hand on the bend of the arm**

"I humbly greet you."

Polite. Indicates lower status.

**Offering both hands palm up**

"I welcome you."

Very polite but does not indicate status. Used mostly when welcoming guests.

### Ending pose

**Turning your back**

"I wish to leave."

Extremely impolite and dismissive.

**Standing**

"I stand before you."

The neutral option. Impolite only if there is a great status difference.

**Kneeling on one knee**

"Please." / "What is your command?"

**Kneeling on both knees**

"I beg you." / "Your word is my law."

**Waiting for a signal from the other before ending your greeting**

"I am under your command."

Extremely polite.

### Ending nod

**Rising your chin**

"I'm going to talk if I feel like it."

**Keeping your chin level**

"I am ready to start a conversation."

**Keeping your chin lowered**

"You are higher than me, so I dare not talk before you do."

### Ending gaze

**Looking past the other**

"You are not worth my time."

An extreme indicator of supreme status.

**Eye contact**

The neutral option. Can be considered rude if the other is of very high status or the situation is otherwise.

**Keeping your gaze lowered**

"I dare not look at you."

The polite option.

**Looking at the ground next to the other's feet**

"You are so high above me I dare not even look at you."

## Common Woman

The ladder of common women goes as follows, from highest to lowest:

1. Wise-folk; healers
2. Elders
3. God-bound
4. Adults
5. Young adults; Foreigners
6. Children; Songless
7. Criminals

### Verbal introductions

Casual introduction:

1. I am *name*
2. *Mother's name*'s daughter
3. of house *house-name*

Proper introduction:

1. I am *name*
2. *House-name*
3. *Honorary names*
4. Daughter of *mother's name*
5. *(Mother's honorary names)*
6. (May her eyes forever watch over me)
7. Who is/was the daughter of *grandmother's name*
8. (*Grandmother's honorary names)*
9. (Whom the Gods have welcomed in glory)

### Female greeting gestures:

**Questioning:**

*To be used when you don't know the other's status.*

Polite: Nod deeply and close your eyes while passing both hands down in front of your face, palms open. Then look the other person in the eye, chin still slightly lowered, and offer your right hand palm up while placing your left hand on the bend of the arm.

Neutral: Nod and close your eyes while passing your right hand down in front of your face, palm open. Then rise your chin, look the other person in the eye and offer the hand, palm still open.

**To an equivalent woman:**

Polite: Pass your right hand over your face, palm inwards. Nod, close your eyes, and press a fist on your heart, then look up and offer your hand palm up.

Neutral: Nod your head and briefly pressing your right fist against your heart. Then offer your hand palm up.

Casual: Keeping eye contact, hit your heart twice with your right fist, then offer it palm up.

Rude: Keeping eye contact, rise your chin and briefly hit your heart with your right fist, then rise your hand next to your face, palm inwards.

**To a woman of your own song-house:**

*Follow the general gestures, just switching the fist against your heart to an open palm.*

**To a lover:**

Close your eyes and press your right fist against your heart, then open your eyes and briefly touch your lips with your fingers before offering your hand palm up.

**To a woman of lower status :**

Slightly raise your chin and touch your heart with the side of your right hand, then offer the hand palm up.

**To a woman of higher status (polite):**

Drop on one knee and bow your head while closing your eyes and passing your hands in front of your face. Cross your arms, pressing both fists against your chest. Then open your eyes, look up, and offer both hands palm up. Wait for the other person to finish her greeting before standing up.

**To a woman of higher status (neutral):**

Nod (or bow) your head deeply while closing your eyes and crossing your arms, pressing both fists against your chest. Then open your eyes and offer both hands palm up.

*The deeper you nod (or bow) and the longer you keep your eyes closed and arms crossed, the more polite this gesture is.*

### Modifying gestures

In general any gesture can be made more...

**Polite:** beginning by passing your hand in front of your face; nodding your head deeper; lowering your gaze and/or avoiding eye contact; holding your hand(s) against your chest longer; keeping your chin lowered at the end

**Friendly or loving:** smiling; closing your eyes; touching your lips before offering your hand.

**Rude or challenging:** rising your chin; ending with a hand next to your face, palm inwards; keeping eye contact; touching your chest more briefly; baring your teeth or twitching your nose.