Bandaza

Paracosmic History

Bandaza (IPA: /ˌbɑn-ˈdɑ-zɑ/) is an ancient Lapinian holiday celebrating community and plenty. Traditionally, the "days of plenty" start with Veloja — Bicycle Day — and proceed through the end of the week. As winter approached, rabbits from across the warrens would come together and plan a last "big meal" as a celebration of the bounty that their fields had provided. "There is plenty for all" is a common phrase heard across these gatherings, a reminder of community before the worst of winter arrived. After Bandaza, most rabbits would plan on hunkering down in their respective warrens, not planning on travel or visitors until spring, unless expecting guests for Athamara, a mid-winter gift-exchange holiday largely supplanted by Glowtide since Lapinia's integration into the larger Transliminal community.

The name "Bandaza" itself is a modern-day corruption of Lapinã Eãn's "bandi žirã" (/ˈbɑn-dɪ ˈʒɪ-rjɑ/, "plenty days"). What is usually considered Bandaza itself is the Great Feast.

Orthocosmic History

Many years ago, th' buni had a friend who hosted what she called an "Orphans' Thanksgiving." Having a large number of friends from broken or divided homes, the Orphans' Thanksgiving was meant to be a place to go if you had no place else to be. This idea of a gathering aimed not at family but explicitly at those who lacked it touched th' buni, and she began opening her own Thanksgiving gathering to others in her community. Over the years, this concept has grown and expanded into a full-blown celebration of charity and community in its own right.

The name "Bandaza" is a corruption of the word "abundance" into a standardized Lapinian orthography.