tlhIngan lalDan

Klingon Religion

'ay' wa': qa' nuvpu' The Gods

qaSpa' poH, QI'tu' Dab qa' nuvpu'. 'u' luchenmoH qa' nuv. Qo'noS luchenmoH. tlhIngan Segh luchenmoH. HoSghaj tlhIngan tIq. HoSqu'mo' tlhIngan tIq 'ej tujqu'mo', QI'tu' lumeQchu' tIq 'ej Hoch qa' nuvpu' HoH. DaH chIm QI'tu'.

At the beginning of time, the gods dwelt in Paradise. The gods created the universe, Kronos, and the Klingon race. The Klingon heart was very powerful. Because it was so powerful and so fiery, the hearts burned up Paradise and killed all the gods. Since then, Paradise has been empty.

'ay' cha': Heghpu'DI' tlhIngan, nuq qaS What Happens When a Klingon Dies?

HeghDI' tlhIngan, raghba' porghDaj, 'ach HoSqu'mo' tlhIngan tIq, HeghlaHbe'bej tlhIngan qa'. batlh Heghpu'DI' SuvwI'na' StovoqorDaq jaH qa'Daj. batlhHa' Heghpu'DI' vay', ghaH lulegh luneHbe' HeghwI'pu' quv 'ej ghe'torDaq lungeH (rut DaqvaD ghe''or lupong 'op lalDan tlhach). batlh may'Daq HeghDI' SuvwI', yo' qIj muv. yo' qIj ra'taH qeylIS 'e' luHar 'op tlhach.

When a Klingon dies, the body obviously decays, but the Klingon spirit certainly can't die, since the Klingon heart is so strong. When a true warrior dies, his or her spirit goes to Sto-vo-kor. If anyone dies without honor, the honored dead do not want to see this one and send him or her on to Grethor. If a warrior dies honorably in battle, he or she joins the Black Fleet. Some sects believe that Kahless commands the Black Fleet.

'ay' wej: 'Iv ghaH qeylIS'e' Who Is Kahless?

tlhIngan wo' voDleH wa'DIch ghaH qeylIS'e'. SuvwI'na' pup ghaH. SuvwI'na' Damoj DaneHchugh, vaj qeylIS ta'mey DaHaDnIS 'ej qeylIS DaDa 'e' DanIDnIS. Heghpa' qeylIS, chegh 'e' lay' ghaH. <HovvetlhDaq HInej> ra' ghaH, vaj bo'retlhDaq maloS. (HoSqu'mo' tIqDaj, Heghbe' qeylIS porgh je 'e' luHar 'op tlhach). cheghta'DI' qeylIS, wo'maj ra'qa' ghaH.

Kahless was the first Emperor of the Klingon Empire. He was the perfect warrior. If one wants to become a true warrior, they must study Kahless's acts and try to imitate him. Before Kahless died, he promised to return. "Look for me on that star," he commanded, so we wait for him on Borath. (Because his heart was so powerful, some sects believe that Kahless's body did not die, either.) When Kahless returns, he will again rule the Empire.

'ay' loS: qatlh qeylIS wIghom 'ej chay' Why and How Do We Encounter Kahless?

nughojmoHmeH qeylIS qa' 'ej nutungHa'meH, ghaH wIghom wIneH. mIw'e' wIlo'bogh 'oH tovadoq'e'. roD may' yotlhDaq qaS tovadoq, 'ach qaStaHvIS latlh ghu'mey qaSlaH je tovadoq. qeylIS wIghomDI', tIqDu'majvaD jatlh tIqDaj. mu'mey lulo'nISlu'be'.

jaS Har 'op tlhach. reH tIqDu'maj DabtaH SuvwI'na' qa' 'e' luHar. motlh qa'vam So'lu'. per <qeylIS qa'> 'oH SuvwI' qa' Delbogh Degh'e'. <qeylIS vIghomta'> majatlh, 'ach maqarmeH, <tIqwIjDaq SuvwI' qa' vISam> majatlhnIS.

We want to meet Kahless so that his spirit can teach and encourage us. We do this through Tovadok. Tovadok usually happens on the battlefield, but it can occur elsewhere, too. When we meet Kahless, his heart speaks to our hearts, without words.

Some sects believe differently. They believe that the true warrior spirit always lives in our hearts, but that usually it is hidden. The label "spirit of Kahless" stands for this warrior spirit. When we say "I have encountered Kahless", we really mean that we have found the warrior spirit in our own hearts.

'ay' vagh: nuq 'oH yInmaj ngoQ'e'? What is the Goal of Life?

batlh 'oHba' yInmaj ngoQ'e'. ngoQvam wIchavmeH, tlhIngan tIgh tay je wIlo'. maHvaD ghob'e' wIpabnISbogh ghojmoH tIgh. maHvaD jatlhmeH qa'maj, manajtaHvIS jatlh, 'ej qa'majvaD majatlhmeH, taymey wIlo'. taymey wIloptaHvIS, HoSghajqu'choH qa'maj 'ej batlh mavanglaH. batlh mavangchugh, vaj batlhna' wIchavbej. batlh wIchavchugh, vaj batlh maHegh.

Of course, honor is the goal of our lives. We use our Klingon customs and rituals to achieve this goal. Customs teach us the virtues which we must practice. When our spirit wants to communicate with us, it does so by dreams, and when we want to communicate with our spirits, we do so by ritual. When we celebrate the rites, our spirits become powerful and we can act with honor. If we act honorably, we will achieve true honor. If we achieve honor, then we will die with honor.

© 1998 Terrence Donnelly