Q1. What is the primary symbolic meaning of the Sun Lily in Womla's 'Plucking the Flower' ceremony?🌸
- The planet Venus
- The infinite and ever-changing beauty of the soul
- The strength of the community
- The abundance of nature
Answer: The infinite and ever-changing beauty of the soul
Q2. What is the significance of the Priestess of the Sun Lily being chosen at a specific age, and what does the 'line of beauty' represented by the lily's stem symbolize?
- She must be over 30 and chosen for her wisdom; the line of beauty signifies the path of least resistance.
- She must be barely seventeen, chosen for intelligence, beauty, and goodness; the line of beauty symbolizes the continuous unfolding of things and the graceful progress of development.
- She must be a married woman with children; the line of beauty represents the cyclical nature of seasons.
- She must be a skilled musician; the line of beauty indicates the flow of water in the lake.
Answer: She must be barely seventeen, chosen for intelligence, beauty, and goodness; the line of beauty symbolizes the continuous unfolding of things and the graceful progress of development.
Q3. 🎶 How are the temple doors and the ceremonial barge used during the 'Plucking the Flower' ceremony, and what does the name 'Siloo' mean in the Womla tongue, as explained by Otāré?
- The temple doors are always open, the barge carries the priestess to a hidden grotto, and Siloo means 'sacred guardian'.
- The great purple temple doors swing open to reveal the priestess's procession, the barge is rowed around the lake for onlookers to see the sacred lily, and Siloo means 'harmony, order, measure, proportion'.
- The temple doors are closed until sunset, the barge is used for a race, and Siloo means 'wild beast'.
- The temple doors are only for elders, the barge is used for fishing, and Siloo means 'singing serpent'.
Answer: The great purple temple doors swing open to reveal the priestess's procession, the barge is rowed around the lake for onlookers to see the sacred lily, and Siloo means 'harmony, order, measure, proportion'.

Decode the Sun Lily Rite: symbolism, roles, and rules in Womla's most sacred ceremony

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