Tagamaŋttumi-nu Ubuuŋami

Tagamaŋttumi-nu Ubuuŋami (the Great Faith of Celestial Balance) is a civic religion officially headquartered in the Dama capital of Yàn. It is centered around the Dama monarchy, with the nation's King as the official head of the faith. Adherents engage in practices such as prayer, veneration of ancestors, and taking part in large public ceremonies.

Tagamaŋttumi-nu Ubuuŋami largely revolves around the reverence of nmandi, ancestor spirits believed to inhabit the heavenly world and who observe the mortal one. Nmandi are worshiped at household shrines as well as public ones. The latter are staffed by priests who oversee offerings of food and drink to the ancestral spirits who inhabit that area. This is done to cultivate favor and goodwill between living humans and the nmandi and to solicit the blessings of the latter. Other common rituals include dances, rites of passage, and seasonal festivals. Public shrines facilitate forms of divination and supply religious items such as amulets to its adherents. Tagamaŋttumi-nu Ubuuŋami places a major emphasis on purity, largely through practices such as ritual washing, bathing, and burning of incense. Emphasis is also placed on the importance of living a morally upright life, so that individuals are accepted by their ancestors on death and are permitted to join the nmandi.

Historians debate at what point it is suitable to refer to Tagamaŋttumi-nu Ubuuŋami as a distinct religion. Veneration of ancestors can be traced back to the shamanistic practices recorded in Asidama going back to the first millennium BCE. The earliest written tradition regarding the nmandi was recorded in the 8th century BCE. In ensuing centuries, the practice was adopted by the nobility and altered, claiming that their descent from divine figures. With Asidama's unification in the 9th century CE, the royal family placed itself at the head of the developing faith, with its King as its high priest. During the reign of King Myamunu the Great, the faith was officially organized and standardized across the nation, which some regard as the origin of the faith as a distinct religion. Shrines came under growing state influence, and citizens were encouraged to regard the King as a living ancestor. Tagamaŋttumi-nu Ubuuŋami is primarily found in Asidama, where there are over 100,000 public shrines big and small. Numerically, it is Asidama's largest religion. Most of the country takes part in the religion's rites, especially festivals, reflecting a common view in Dama culture that its beliefs and practices are those of the Dama nation.

Beliefs
In Asidama, ancestral spirits known as nmandi have been revered since the dawn of recorded history, and likely began even earlier. Nmandi are formless and invisible, but exercise influence on the mortal plane through the veil of the spirit world. Physical objects which once belonged to family members who have passed on are often kept and stored in household or community shrines. These objects are believed to be imbued with a kind of spiritual power which can amplify individuals' connections with the ancestors in question. Objects commonly chosen for this purpose include smaller, portable objects, such as jewelry, hand mirrors, pens, wallets, and like objects. These items are typically concealed from the view of visitors and are hidden inside boxes, only accessible to priests. Nmandi are believed to be capable of both benevolent and destructive deeds; if ancestors are displeased by an individual or group's actions, they can bring bad fortune down on their descendants. Likewise, if a familiar keeps proper filial piety, ancestors are helpful in guiding their decisions and providing good fortune. Offerings are sometimes given to the nmandi to gain their blessings, and to dissuade them from engaging in destructive actions.

Although they are typically referred to as a collective body of ancestors, it is believed that exceptional ancestors warrant recognition. Accordingly, there are varying ranks of divine spirits. Saints are individuals whose souls are reborn from the ancestral plane into the world of mortals. It is believed that saints are sent to help their descendants/mortals at large, and are born with the wisdom of the ancestors in order to do so. Above saints are immortals. Immortals are souls sent from the ancestral plane which do not return after their mortal body perishes. Traditionally, members of the royal family have been recognized as immortals. Commonly, statutes and medallions depicting historically popular saints and immortals can be found across Asidama.

In Tagamaŋttumi-nu Ubuuŋami, it is taught that there is an inherent "benign harmony" to the universe. Disturbing the flow of this harmony is displeasing to one's ancestors, while contributing to it is good. The faith's moral code consists of multiple principles in a systemized code of behavior. These include virtues such as sincerity, honesty, purity, and cheerfulness. As such, subordination of the individual to the larger social unit has long been a characteristic of the religion. The faith incorporates morality tales and myths as well as its overarching, codified ethical doctrine. Throughout Asidama's history, the notion or the union of religious authority and political authority has long been prominent. Scholars note that it has long been associated with an insular and protective view of Dama society. In the modern world, hardline adherents trend toward conservatism and nationalism.

Hierarchy of ancestors
The Ultimate Ancestors, those from when time began, are known as Kandu-nu-nmandi (exalted departed spirit of the era of the gods). They are held in the highest regard as the originators of all things and are also worshiped in common in community shrines. Ancestors living in the distant past, but not the time of creation (typically those more than twenty-five generations ago but not at the beginning of time) are said to be Furudu-nu-ŋmaŋdi (Exalted departed spirit of the older era). These ancestors are worshiped as collective spirits whose worship is generally focused in communal shrines, but also occasionally in the home. Other, more immediate ancestors who lived between the present day and the twenty fifth generation are called Bagadu-nu-ŋmaŋdi (Exalted departed spirit of the younger era). It is these ancestors who are enshrined most often in the family's household shrine, and it is these ancestors who visit on special occasions in the home and at the family tomb.

Practice
Tagamaŋttumi-nu Ubuuŋami tends to focus on ritual behavior as well as doctrine. However, with the progression of time, it has become first and foremost a ritual tradition. The focus has become maintaining communal, ceremonial traditions for the purpose of communal wellbeing. It is often difficult for foreigners to distinguish between practices of the religion from Dama customs more broadly.

Household altars
With its focus on demonstrating respect and of reverence toward ancestors, the natural center of the faith is in the family home. The oldest male relative acts as a primary celebrant, officiating rituals concerning ancestors. Household gods, and those relatives living within and without the home. Daily offerings of incense are made and prayers are given aloud, in which each family member is described for the benefit of the nmandi being addressed. The oldest male relative is also responsible for the cleaning and upkeep of the household altar. Household gods, most commonly ones for the hearth, are represented by small statues or painted stones located throughout the home. These figures are the remnants of various polytheistic traditions from Asidama's regions and history, and thus tend to vary between families and communities. Hearth gods are the most ubiquitous; originally a fire god, it now typically exists more as a guardian of the "family fire." Worship of these gods is led by the household patriarch. Although the household gods inhabit the home, they do not call it their own home as ancestral nmandi might. Instead, they leave and return to their own homes to celebrate certain holidays, such as the new year. Going back to the foundations of the faith, practitioners will have a family shrine in their home. These usually consist of shelves placed at an elevated position in the main room. They can also be found in workplaces, restaurants, shops, and ocean-going ships. Household altars are typically decorated with photos, portraits, and mementos of relatives who have since passed away. They often contain a stand on which to place offerings; daily offerings of rice, salt, and water are placed there, with offerings of flowers or alcohol given on special days. These domestic rituals often take place early in the morning, and prior to conducting them, practitioners are expected to bath, rinse their mouth, and ritualistically wash their hands as forms of purification.

Shrines
Public spaces in which the ancestral spirits are worshiped are known as shrines. There are over 100,000 public shrines in Asidama, and the vast majority of these are affiliated with the Royal Association of Public and Communal Shrines. They are found all over the country, from isolated rural areas to dense metropolitan ones. More specific terms are sometimes used for certain shrines depending on their function; some of the grand shrines with direct royal associations are termed xxxx, while those devoted to the war dead are termed xxxx. Shrines typically consist of complexes of multiple buildings, with the architectural styles of shrines having largely been developed by the Late Medieval period. The inner chamber in which the ancestor spirits are believed to live is the sanctuary. Inside the sanctuary may be stored material belongings once owned by ancestors who have since died; this can include artwork, clothing, instruments, mirrors, and more. Typically, worshippers carry out their rites directly outside the sanctuary. Near the sanctuary can sometimes be found a subsidiary shrine, dedicated to locally revered gods. These gods are regarded as being inferior to the ancestral spirits. At some places, halls of worship have been erected. On a lower level can be found the hall of offerings. Together, the building housing the sanctum and halls of worship and offerings is called a great hall. In some shrines, there is a separate building in which to conduct additional ceremonies, such as weddings or certain ceremonial dances. These structures are all surrounded by a fence and gate, which can be closed at night.

Shrine entrances are marked by a two-post gateway with two cross beams atop it. The exact details of these gates often vary by region and community, and there are at least thirty major recognized styles. These are regarded as demarcating the area where the spirits reside, and passing underneath is viewed as a form of purification. Also set at the entrances to many shrines are statues of guardian spirits in the form of animals such as dogs. These are thought to scare off malevolent entities. Shrines are often set within gardens or town squares, and are typically the foci of the communities in which they are found. Shrines often have a kind of office, in which the assigned priest lives and works. Those shrines that are part of the Royal Association receive funding from the government, but most also accept donations. These funds are used to pay the wages of priests, to finance the upkeep of the buildings, to cover the shrine's membership fees of various regional and national groups, and to contribute to disaster relief funds. Shrines of the Royal Association are not permitted to sell holy items, but those outside its control are known to sell blessed items such as amulets. In Tagamaŋttumi-nu Ubuuŋami, it is seen as important that the places in which ancestral spirits are venerated be kept clean and not neglected. Older shrines often have legends about their foundation or history, or miracles associated with the shrine. Many of these shrines are retold on scrolls on the walls of the shrine.

Tombs
Although most prayers and rituals occur in the home or in shrines, periodic gatherings of the extended family also traditionally occur at the family tomb. These tombs are built to resemble houses, complete with courtyards, family name markers, and "porches" upon which offerings are arranged. These tombs are most commonly built in a semicircle shape, meant to resemble a womb. Another is the gable tomb, built to resemble a small house. Inside the tomb is stored the cremated remains of several generations of family members. Especially important is the thirty-first year after a relative's death; at this point, the deceased individual is believed to have taken their place with all of their ancestors. During a typical extended family gathering at the tomb, incense, food, offering, and prayers are offered to ancestors, and then a picnic is enjoyed by those in attendance. Although responsibilities vary on a case by case basis, generally is the patriarch of a family whose financial responsibility is upkeep of existing tombs and establishment of new tombs if anything should happen to the old, including becoming too full. Various taboos exist relating to tombs in Dama culture. It is considered rude to gesture directly at a tomb, to speak loudly concerning the dead around a tomb, or to take pictures of a tomb without the expressed permission of the living relatives. It is considered to be dangerous to desecrate tombs, as it invites the wrath of others' ancestors as well as their own. Also considered dangerous may be to approach a tomb without proper authority (in relation to the family) or to visit a tomb alone at night.

Priesthood
Shrines may be cared for by priests, by local communities, or by families on whose property the shrine is found. Many priests take on the role in a line of hereditary succession traced down specific families. In contemporary Asidama, there are two main training universities for those wishing to become priests. Priests can rise through the ranks over the course of their careers, but tend to remain in one area serving the same community of spirits. The number of priests at a particular shrine can vary; some shrines have dozens, and others have none, instead being administered by local lay volunteers. Some priests administer multiple smaller shrines, up to ten. Priestly costume is largely based on the garb worn at court during the Late Medieval period. Large shrines are administered by a chief priest. Major shrines may also have an assistant chief priest. Priests are free to marry and have children. At smaller shrines priests will often have other full-time jobs, and serve only as priests during holidays or special occasions. Historically there were some female priests, but they were generally relegated to lower roles until the modern era. Priests are helped by assistants called priors, sometimes referred to as "shrinemaidens" by foreigners through contact with merchants from Edury. Priors are unmarried and are typically (but not always) the daughters of a priest or practitioner. They are subordinate to the priests in the shrine hierarchy. Their most important role is in the ceremonial dances conducted at the shrine. Priors receive only a small stipend if they are paid at all, but their role gains them immense respect from their community members. They generally do not live at the shrines. They sometimes fill other roles, such as being secretaries in the shrine offices or clerks at information desks.