Bone Necklaces: whats acceptable

[voraq]

I'm not sure if this is the most appropriate place for this, but I suppose it could be considered part of tradition.

Is there any belief or tradition supporting the desplay of enemy bones, such as the Cardassian Neckbone necklace worn by Leskit?  Is it acceptable or is it frowned upon.

Also, would there be any restrictions on what to wear or what type of enemy?  Meaning: Should the bones be restricted to "public" enemies, such as Cardassians, Romulans(if they are the enemy at the time), ect.  or could they be from a Klingon whom you killed in battle due to a blood feud?
        Can they only be neck bones or can they be other types, such as hand bones or other oppropriate sized bones.

I invision that since the predominent belief is that once dead the body is just a shell, it would not be a matter of dishonoring the dead. 

[Klythe]

Quite the opposite.  It has the potential to ennoble both the enemy as well as the wearer to display such a trophy.      Although, mostly this would likely be seen as an attempt to claim more honor for an act than it deserves. 

    Basically think of it this way, you are claiming that the enemy killed was of sufficient importance for you to carry a reminder of the deed for yourself and everyone around you.  Given the number of opponents and enemies a Klingon is expected to go through in his life, carrying any kind of personal trophy had better have a really really good story associated with it, one that you are proud to share with any who would ask.    Klingons tell a lot of stories, so they aren't easily impressed.   Also, it helps if the story is true, or at least believable and nonfalsifiable.

    If the story does not duly impress, you will be discounted as a child might be.  It's a big deal for K'Billy and his family for the first Targ he killed, but when K'Billy is grown up, if that is the kind of stories he's telling, he'll look incredibly weak next to the others.    Eve random enemies like a single Cardassian or Romulan would not be worth carrying around, unless it was from...  say from the Praetor himself, or perhaps a Obsidian Order, or Tal Shiar if the story is really impressive. 

   In short, it is impossible to gain honor yourself for wearing bone trophies without adding posthumous glory to your opponent, and dishonoring them, dishonors yourself as well.   This is probably why we don't see very many bone trophies.   Of course it also could be that the Kingon culture is a modern one and such displays are deemed to barbaric by the mainstream.   The empire is a large place, and some more backwards places may be more tolerant of it...

    The above post was rampant speculation.   Do with it as you wish.

[qoSagh]

I am not sure there is much in favor or opposed to the practice. I would say that Lexkit continuing to wear his is a testament to one of two things, either that it is an accepted practice, or he is such a great fighter that none will challenge him.

I like to think of such trophies as a more personal version of the standard mission medals that are given for battles and such. If an award is given and displayed there is usually a story behind it. I agree that a necklace not only honors the wearer but the former owner of the bones. Perhaps it was your opponents skill that made the battle noteworthy, thus you honor the event and the opponent as well as your victory.

[Abbot Nej vIt]

From a "pragmatic" Side, there is at Least Some Klindom Examples of Trophies that I Have Seen People Incorporate into their Costumes... Most Notable probably have been Romulan Ears... ( Ihave Seen a Lot of this over the years)... But Also, I Recall a Particular Female that Carried a Patched Leather Pouch which she Claimed in Character to be Made up of some of the Less "Discussable" aspects of Her Male Enemies Anatomy...<Cringe....Grin>...

[qoSagh]

I have seen the Romulan ears also, now that I think of it. And of course there were the original kill stripes that went across the sash. Hmmmm, we are crossing into medals & decorations I think.

[Abbot Nej vIt]

You are Most likely Correct qoSagh, since the Original Discussion was about rather it was Acceptable to Do So, not rather it was Done or Not...

My Answer would be that A Klingon Would Likely be Very Concious of rather They were Acting Appropriately or Not... And the Only Example we saw of this was a Klingon who was Sort of Acting a Bit Ferral... This was Not a Typical Ship of the Empire, But Something of an Exception... So Perhaps it would be Not So Much a Matter of it's Being Acceptable, as it would be a Matter of rather it was In Good Taste or Not...