Ak'voh

From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference.

Ak'voh was an ancient Klingon tradition. When a Klingon warrior died in battle, his comrades sometimes stayed with the body to keep away predators. This allowed the spirit to leave the body when it was ready for the long journey to Sto-vo-kor. It was similar to an Irish wake. (DS9: "The Ship")

The idea of Klingons keeping vigil over the bodies of the dead seems at odds with the Klingon death ritual, wherein a corpse was considered a worthless shell immediately upon death. However, it is possible that Worf made up the ak'voh for the sake of his friend (Miles O'Brien), much like he did the gik'tal for Sito Jaxa in TNG: "Lower Decks".

It is also plausible that both traditions may have existed concurrently. Just as there are many Human cultures, not just one, there must be many Klingon cultures, even if all Klingon peoples were united by Kahless. Klingons living in colonies or worlds other than Qo'noS are even more likely to have developed separate traditions, even if in the general spirit of Klingon virtues such as honor.

[edit] External link

• Ak'voh at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works