The concept of Ttér.zhé, Honor-death, is a difficult one for non-Nowans to fully grasp and as a result has been subject to much misunderstanding. It is not a doctrine that specifies that one should seek a death with honor. It is a doctrine that specifies that in some instances, the only manner to restore honor to an individual, or a family, or a clan, or even a nation, is for an individual to die. This death is ideally by one's own hand but under circumstances where the individual is unable or refuses to do so, then it is incumbent upon society to move to carry out Ttér.zhé. Consider these examples;

1. A convicted murderer is put to death.
2. A king leads his nation into war which it looses. He kills himself.
3. A child is born with severe birth defects. After consulting with his parents, the doctor gives the child a lethal injection.
4. In 19th century Nowapan, a commoner and a Noble are convicted in similar, serious crimes. The commoner is sentenced to 20 years in prison. The Noble is executed.
5. A soldier in combat must choose between fleeing and saving his own life or sacrificing his life that his comrades might survive.
6. A mother sacrifices her own life in order to save that of her 10 year old child.

In each case, the deaths cited above are considered to be Ttér.zhé. To understand why, it is in part necessary to consider three Nowan religious terms,

• lo.shí, Karma (more or less) with the major revision that each birth is a fresh start.
• kol.qá, Harmonious Existence. Individuals should live together in harmony as is their proper role in a social species.
• dó.xhu Strong Living. One should test oneself in order to grow, become stronger, and move towards absorption into Dte.ttan.

If an individual will never have the opportunity for any of these opportunities, as for the example, the deformed infant, then the most honorable thing to do is immediately offer the individual a release so that the next birth may occur as soon as possible. The infant with birth defects offers several other complicating factors. Nowan child mortality is naturally quite high. Children are born very premature vis-a-vis Homo sapiens' infants and every child represents a substantial investment of time and additional breeding opportunities (the resumption of fertility is related to the cessation of nursing). Further, a child is not considered a 'whole person' until it can speak. Until that point, they are unable to exert the normal human characteristic of 'Control'.

When Control is wielded in violation of kol.qá and that violation is serious and unable to be corrected, as in the loss of human life, this too is cause for Ttér.zhé. A major cause of the Revolution was the refusal of the King to commit Ttér.zhé after the nation's defeat in the First Pacific War. His efforts to blame Admirals and Generals only alienated the Armed Forces and ultimately paved the way for his own downfall. Similarly, the murderer is guilty of wrongfully wielding Control, and the soldier who sacrifices himself would have been wrong to flee and allow his comrades to die.

In sum, Ttér.zhé is a call to the individual to do what is best for the community. It is also an opportunity for that individual to restore his honor, and position, in as much as it is possible. In all cases, it allows the individual to act in accordance with dó.xhu, to live strongly in the right manner thus restoring kol.qá and receiving positive lo.shí.

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© 2001 Brad Coon

Revised August 29, 2001

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