A Customs Study of Hilichurls: Vol. 2

A study by Mondstadt ecologist and "laureate poet of Hilichurlian" Jacob Musk on Hilichurl social customs. This volume probes the faith and spiritual world of Hilichurls.

Hilichurl Spiritual Life

Like the residents of Teyvat's seven nations, Hilichurls seem to have their own faith—but they do not worship the Seven who exist in the present world. They worship abstract elemental power. Taking Mondstadt as an example, some tribal Hilichurls worship "Wind" as Mondstadt's people do, yet they do not revere the Anemo Archon Barbatos; they adore abstract "power of wind" in their own way. Within one tribe, Hilichurls of different faiths may live mixed together; the elements they believe in also show in mask patterns and body-paint colors.

From field observation, shamans who preside over sacrifice and worship rites smear pigments of different colors on their bodies and hair, colors corresponding to the elemental power the tribe worships. Shamans' clothing and ornaments are finer than ordinary Hilichurls', but given Hilichurls' low intelligence, it is hard to imagine these relatively refined crafts come from their own hands.

In the Hilichurl faith system, shamans play the role of spiritual leaders. Hilichurl worship rites center on song and dance, often with the shaman as lead dancer, singing hymns to the elements. If there is surplus prey, Hilichurls also offer raw meat on the altar as sacrifice. Though they often pick up or rob money, gems, or other shiny trinkets, only meat seems fit as an offering to the object of worship.

Hilichurls seem to have no concept of "past" or "future," living only in the "present." They do not consciously store grain for later survival, nor commemorate departed ancestors. Though Hilichurl camps are not short of graffiti, a little examination easily leads to the conclusion: it is only clumsy imitation and repetition of ancient ruins, with no creativity to speak of. Some Hilichurl tribes camp in ancient ruins; they seem born with some inexplicable affinity for those ancient relics. But evidence we hold so far cannot yet prove what connection they have with those lost ancient civilizations.