This is a very personal piece but also part of the background story (or lore) of one of my character's species.

The character here is something I've created years ago as an alternative fursona when I felt disconnected from the world and myself. Because she has traits of canids and also sheep or goats I called her a sheepdog. But eventually I started thinking about her being more than just a chimera and what her species might be.

I formed an entire background story about them in my head including their design rules, way of living, traditions, religion and social structure.
But since I'm a lazy writer I've always carried this information around in my head but never found the motivation or time to write it all down.

Instead of grabbing a note book to finally do that I've decided to draw and illustrate parts of it and then give an explanation about it.

Sheepdogs (I will have to come up with a better name for their species) live in close touch with nature and build villages in woods, wide grass lands, coastal regions or even mountainous areas. Every member of the society has their role and tasks based on their skills, talents and interests building a strong community where everyone looks out for the wellbeing of the group even though some members might get along better with each other than others of course.

The title "Ouquawe" I've picked for this piece is actually the name of their memorial ceremony that will be held whenever one of them has died.
The village will come together to lay them out on a wooden stretcher and then carry them to a place close by the village to sit by them and say goodbye. They will bring flowers and other little gifts to put around them and stay with the dead the entire following night to share their memories. Songs will be sung and stories and sometimes poems will be told as well.
Torch lights and/or a bonfire will spend light and warmth until the sun rises again. Thick fur coats and blankets will also be brought in the cold seasons.

As a tradition prepared meals will be shared containing only vegetables, fruits and bread. Eating any kind of meat is not allowed as eating parts of another dead being is seen as rude and disrespectful towards the dead.
Another part of of the ceremony is drinking a tea brewed with spicy herbs. Its purpose is to keep the nose from getting clogged when tears are shed.

One of the most important things however is the face painting.
Everyone attending the ceremony will paint two blue lines on their face running down their eyes to the chin to symbolize their tears.
Family members will do the same but will use red instead of blue to show that they're blood related. If there's a spouse he or she will have the red lines as well but being drawn with a gap in between to split each one in a bigger and smaller line.

After the night's over the group will take the dead member still laying on the stretcher to the place their will get burried with the spouse and family members leading the funeral cortege.
The most common place to be burried is underneath or next to a strong tree but burials at sea or even sky burrials are possible too depending on the area the community lives in and what the dead member might have requested when still alive.

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After 2 years of a very painful struggle my Mom's lost her battle against pancreas cancer at the age of 53 years on the 5th of December 2020.
I was with her holding her hand and talking to her when it happened and it has left a huge scar and a totally different view on death on me since I've looked it straight into the eyes. I still have trouble accepting that she's gone and miss her terribly.

Which is why this piece is picturing my alter ego wearing the red face painting showing that she's recently lost a family member (her mother) while anticipating "Ouquawe".

I'm not sure if I've captured the atmosphere I had in mind to my liking but after redoing the entire background and changing it into what it is now I've told myself that this has to be good enough.