Muttass People

The Muttass (/muːtəs/, Mul. /ˈmʷʊ̆ʉ̆t'ɐs/) are a widespread ethnic and language group native to Western Borea. Their homeland is the Mugua Peninsula and their original language was Mulesuax.

Culture
Traditionally, Muttass societies have been neither matriarchal or patriarchal; usually the eldest takes responsibilities regardless of gender, although there has always been a tendency for shamans and chieftains to be male. In a few tribes, strength was prized more than age, but throughout all Muttass peoples there has always been a strong respect for elders. It is believed that wisdom and honour are slowly gathered throughout one's life. Honour can be gained in a large amount by doing honourable deeds; wisdom can be gained by listening to elders.

Ritual
One of the more interesting rituals are those when a relative died. The Muttass believed that only in eating the dead are they honoured, and their strength and honour is given to their descendants.

In the early days the whole body was consumed soon after death; every member of the tribe would eat the flesh and the organs were reserved for family members. However, with the rise of shamanism in the middle period of their history, the Muttass relatives would eat a small part of the body and various bones and organs with cultural or religious significance might be harvested. The body would then be given to the shaman. The shaman would then boil the skin off the skull to make a shrunken head and covers the head in clay, painted and moulded to resemble the deceased. This ceramic skull is then returned to the family to keep in their homes. The remainder of the body would be taken into the local sacred place and left for animals to feed on.