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Andorian (view source)

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===The Spring Water Festival===
This is the most important Andorian holiday. It involves a ''chan'' and a ''shen'' joining together in a ritual to plead for the protection of the Water Guardian. It is a widely celebrated festival that is so important that many Andorians return home to [[Andor]] to participate even though it occurs during the stormy season.
This holiday involves fasting, prayer and personal sacrifice. In the past after the proper rituals were observed the people would indulge in drinking, overeating, ''saf'' and ''tezha'' which is sex with strangers. Many of the older practices have now been outlawed but are still practised in the oldest levels of the cities. The recreation use of ''saf'' is still a major part of these festivities.


===Dress===
Andorian dress varies as much as would be expected of any member-race of the [[MA:United Federation of Planets|Federation]]. However, there are some traditions that have been upheld since the [[MA:United Federation of Planets|Federation]] was founded.
====Hair====
Members of the [[MA:Andorian Imperial Guard|Andorian Imperial Guard]] have short hair cuts. Civilians wear their hair long, and often braided.
====Ritual attire====
The attire used for formal Andorian rituals differs by gender:-
{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
!width="150"|Gender
!width="800"|Ritual Attire
|-
|Thaan|| Suit of chain mail.
|-
|Chan|| Traditional Andorian warrior's attire.
|-
|Shen|| A robe that exposes the whole of the shen's back. ''Shen'' often wear body paint to ritual ceremonies.
|-
|Zhen|| Three piece bodysuit. This is knitted and form fitting. An over-garment is worn to protect the privacy of a ''zhen'' who is carrying a child to term.
|-
|}


[[Image:Graalen.gif|thumb|150px|''Handwritten'' Graalen.]]
[[Image:Graalen.gif|thumb|150px|''Handwritten'' Graalen.]]
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The upper floor of council chamber contains an eight-sided room known as the Heroes’ antechamber. The Andorian Chancellor and the [[MA:United Federation of Planets|Federation]] Ambassador are both elected by members of the ''keth'' and serve on the Andorian government.
The upper floor of council chamber contains an eight-sided room known as the Heroes’ antechamber. The Andorian Chancellor and the [[MA:United Federation of Planets|Federation]] Ambassador are both elected by members of the ''keth'' and serve on the Andorian government.


===Marriage & Upbringing===
.
Andorian wedding rings are worn on the left antennae. To give an Andorian antennae jewellery or bells for their antenna is considered an act of friendship or courtship. Andorian weddings require four people.
 
Once a bonding has occured between a compatable set of 4 Andorians, only the clan's ruling ''Zhavey'' (oldest zhen) can give permission for one of them to be released from their bond. In rare cases bondmates can ask the elder to invoke the Whole Vessel Law to evict a bondmate from the bond. This is an extreme act as all 4 Andorians will suffer but not nearly as much as the one evicted, who will suffer the most psychologically from being alone.  


While this is hard for outsiders to understand a bond is whole even if the members are far apart pursuing their own lives and careers. When one of the members of a bond is lost due to death or removal from the bond they will seek to try and replace that individual as quickly as possible. Once the fertility period is over and any children have been raised it is not uncommon for bondmates to move away and pursue lives and careers that may result in their being totally secluded from the other members of their bond for years at a time.
While sexual union outside of the bond is frowned upon it is also understood that young adults will experiment. However once the bond has become formalized it is generally uncommon.


A nursing ''zhen'' is called a ''zhavey'' and will go into seclusion for the safety of her child while it is growing within her pouch. During this time she will wear a modesty drape over her pouch. She will also have a purplish pigmentation on her neck that will identify her as a nursing mother. This is usually still visible once she comes out of seclusion.
===Declining Population===
Due to the requirement of four parents in the reproductive cycle and the usual production of less than four offspring, the Andorian species is in decline.
With the decline in population the Andorian Science Institute has been hard at work exploring possible solutions to this problem.
The most promising form of research has been into altering the Andorian [[MA:chromosome|chromosome]] #17. It is believed that by altering this [[MA:chromosome|chromosome]] they could increase the length of fertility considerably, thus increasing the number of years during which conception would be possible.
Another area of research is into the possibility of altering the way the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamete gametes] divide in the body. If successful, this would make both the ''Thaan'' and the ''Chan'' fully functional males with viable sperm. The long term implications for them as a race would be the elimination of the need for paired quads as their would eventually only be two [[MA:gender|sexes]].
However this research has produced great controversy within the Andorian society. It goes against all their customs and traditions. Many Andorians are outraged by this research and feel that any and all work into altering the four [[MA:gender|sexes]] should be stopped and destroyed.
===Education===
Andorian classes are held at any time of the day or night as they have no set sleep cycle. Students sit in age groups and will all wear a tunic like uniform of brown. Young children learn to chant the history, legends and traditions of their people, thus memorizing this information at a young age. Older students wear a fitted brown uniform.
==Religion and Spirituality==
While Andorians do not appear outwardly to be religious, there are tenets and beliefs that they hold dear. Perhaps the most important axiom of the Andorian people is: ''“With the bond we are whole, without the bond we are nothing”''
[[Image:UzavehtheInfinite.jpg|thumb|150px|''The Andorians' main deity, [[MA:Gods|Uzaveh the Inifinite]]'']]
===Deities and Religious Principles===
[[MA:Gods|Uzaveh the Infinite]] is the main deity in the Andorian belief system. It is believed that he was responsible for the ''Breaking'' (dividing of the Andorian people into four genders). The ''Tale of the Breaking'' recounts in detail as to how the four Andorian genders tie in with religion. This relates to each representing an element of Andorian spirituality.
*''Thaan'' are believed to represent wisdom. Their spiritual element is Star.
*''Zhen'' are believed to represent strength. Their spiritual element is Earth.
*''Shen'' are believed to represent blood. Their spiritual element is Water.
*''Chan'' are believed to represent passion. Their spiritual element is Fire.
Thori is the Andorian deity who governs nature, including the growth of crops and the ecology of [[Andoria]].
===Rituals===
====The Sending====
The Sending is a ritual that is observed to mark the death of a clansman.
*It is preceded by the Rite of Memory in which mourners record memories of the deceased in the form of biochemical imprints on a crystalline cipher.
*Mourners create their own mask of death for this ritual. It cannot take place until all members of the clan concerned are present to participate. As such, the deceased is kept preserved in the clan keep until the ritual can begin.
*The ritual is timed to be completed before midnight. Clan members are summoned by five tolls of a bell, at which time the coffin is brought out from the keep by hooded, robed figures to the rhythm of a drum beat. The procession is led by the three surviving bond mates of the deaceased, and a priest or priestess who represents the missing [[MA:gender|gender]] from the bond. Each one represents one of the four Andorian elements – Wisdom, Strength, Blood and Passion.
*The coffin is placed on an obsidian coffin while ritual songs are sung. When the entirety of the procession reaches the table, the leader of the ceremony offers a prayer before both the body and the memory cipher are cremated.
====The Time of Knowing====
The Time of Knowing is a ritual of betrothal between a member of each of the four sexes. A locket containing a strand of each member’s hair, and the symbols of each [[MA:gender|sex]] placed around a cross-shape is given to participants.


[[Image:AndorianBattleCruiser.jpg|thumb|150px|''[[MA:Andorian Battle Cruisers|Andorian Battle Cruisers]]''.]]
[[Image:AndorianBattleCruiser.jpg|thumb|150px|''[[MA:Andorian Battle Cruisers|Andorian Battle Cruisers]]''.]]
==Ships==  
==Ships==  
As members of the [[MA:United Federation of Planets|United Federation of Planets]], the Andorians have access to many different types of [[MA:Starfleet|Starfleet]] Vessel. However, [[MA:Andorian Battle Cruiser|Andorian Battle-Cruisers]] are used as the mainstay of the [[MA:Andorian Imperial Guard|Andorian Imperial Guard]].
As members of the [[MA:United Federation of Planets|United Federation of Planets]], the Andorians have access to many different types of [[MA:Starfleet|Starfleet]] Vessel. However, [[MA:Andorian Battle Cruiser|Andorian Battle-Cruisers]] are used as the mainstay of the [[MA:Andorian Imperial Guard|Andorian Imperial Guard]].




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