Rens - As Thukker tribesmen integrate into Minmatar society in greater numbers, many are giving up their nomadic roots and settling down. This has raised questions within the tribal community as to what it truly means to be a Thukker.

Hugh Gunnur, a Thukker by birth, has relocated his family to Symhafen, a metropolis on the bustling planet of Rens. He sees the move as worthwhile. "My family have been maintenance techs on the station in EO2-IK for four generations. We were never part of a caravan, and aside from one of my great-uncles, no one in my family lived a nomadic lifestyle." He further indicated that living on Rens was a significant improvement over station life. "I never have to worry about leaking atmosphere here."

But even Gunnur admits he is concerned about maintaining his tribal identity. Many traditions developed and passed down by space-faring Thukkers are difficult or impossible in planet-bound life. For instance, many Thukker feel the Voluval ceremony, central to the personal identity of most Minmatar, should be administered only in space. Some extreme interpretations require the ritual to be performed in vac-suits, so strong is the Thukker affinity for the void.

"My son's almost old enough, but I can't afford to book passage on a ship for him to undergo Voluval properly," lamented Gunnur. "Does that mean he's not really a Thukker?" Gunnur admits he doesn't know, and that the subject is a sore one within his household.

Worse, planet-bound Thukker find themselves increasingly estranged from the politics of their space-faring brethren. Many have expressed concern that nomadic caravan masters no longer represent their needs. Some have even considered the drastic step of adopting into other, more sedentary tribes like the Vherokior.

Regardless of the outcome, the Thukker tribe as a whole will continue to struggle with its identity and place in modern Minmatar society.

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  Rens

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