Time: Belesia

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Time Overview

Belesians’ approach to time is polychromic, meaning that they tend to perform multiple tasks at the same time, as opposed to the in-sequence (monochromic) view of Americans. That being said, the younger, more urban generation is beginning to adopt aspects of monochromic thinking. Belesia sits within the South Torbian Time Zone (STTZ), which is eight hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)/Coordinated Universal Time (UTC); the country does not observe Daylight Saving Time (DST).

Daily

Muslims are required to pray five times a day based upon the sun and the moon. This means that the actual time of prayer changes from day to day depending on the time of year. These are the five prayers:

Salat al-fajr

The first daily prayer of the day takes place at dawn or just before sunrise.

Sala al-zuhr

The midday prayer is done after the sun passes its highest point in the sky for the day. The exact time can vary, but zuhr prayers must be completed at least ten minutes before sunset.

Salat al-'asr

These prayers occur in the late afternoon, but before sunset. This prayer time can also vary, but the 10 minutes before sunset is reserved specifically for asr prayers.

Salat al-maghrib

This prayer time occurs after sunset.

Salat al-'isha

The final prayer of the day takes place sometime between sunset and midnight. While Isha prayer needs to be completed before the next Fajr prayer time, it should occur before midnight unless there are circumstances that would prevent that from happening.

Weekly

Belesia’s Muslim population are required to pray five times a day, but Friday is the most holy day of the week for them. The mosques are normally filled to capacity on Fridays, especially for the prayer just after sunset.

Monthly

There is no monthly reoccurring event, but one month of the year has significant meaning to Muslims.

Ramadan

This is the most holy month in the Islamic calendar. The Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle so there are 12 months in each year, some months having 29 days while others having 30 days There are 354 days in an Islamic lunar year. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and this is determined by the sighting of the crescent moon. This is also a local phenomenon so what is true in one location may be off by a day in another place. Comparing the Islamic calendar to the Gregorian calendar will cause Ramadan to move up approximately eleven days each year, give or take a day.

Key Dates, Time Periods, or Events

Colonial Period to World War II

Colonial governorship of Belesia was first given to the explorer Marco Celcano and his crew. The colonizers set up new towns and missionaries converted many of the inhabitants to Christianity. To defend their settlements, the colonizers constructed and manned a network of military fortresses across the archipelago. During its three-century rule, the colonial power also successfully quelled a number of indigenous revolts and external military challenges. Around 1900, Belesia began its second political shaping period, with a significant portion of the population converting to Islam. As the influence of Islam grew, so too did anti-colonial sentiment. Viewing the growth of Islam as an indicator that the population wished to reject western colonial policies, and return to self-rule, Belesian’s began to increasingly push for independence from both colonial and Christian oversight. In 1918, a three-year civil war erupted, and although the colonial power defeated the insurgents the conflict also weakened the colonial government and after WWII, Belesia gained full sovereignty. With independence, the capital of Belesia moved from Cebu to Davao.

Post-Independence

After independence, the Belesian government operated with a two party system; power being divided between the Islamic Coalition of the People (CP) and the military-backed and western-leaning United Alliance (UA) political parties. Political power, corruption, and influence fluctuated between the two, often violently, until 1986. Under the authoritarian rule of Armando Mendoza, the CP gained preeminence, as Mendoza effectively shut down opposition to his administration and removed term limitations. A popular military coup five years later overthrew Mendoza, paving the way for multiple political parties and restoring term limits. At the time, many negatively associated the CP with the Mendoza regime; however, it has had a resurgence in popularity in recent years and today, the CP is consistently one of the top five most popular political parties in Belesia.

Current

Today, Belesia is an Islamic but western-leaning country that has also warm relations with North Torbia and other authoritarian governments.

Routine, Cyclical Key Dates

Holidays and Culturally Specific Observations

There are only three true national holidays in Belesia, but the government and the people celebrate 11 major religious holidays. Holidays are a combination of traditions from the colonial period, Islam, and even native lore that predate Europeans arriving in the islands.

Holidays & Culturally Specific Observations
Holiday	Date	Type	Remark
International New Year’s Day	1 January	National
Federation Day	15 March	National
Military Day	7 October	National
Islamic New Year	01 Muharram	Religious	2 Days
Mawlid al-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet)	12 Rabi Al-Awwal	Religious
Al-Isra’ Wal Mi’raj (Journey and Ascension of the Prophet)	27 Rajab	Religious
Ramadan	Entire Month	Religious	29-30 days
Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan)	01 Shawal	Religious	3 Days
Eid al-Adha (Festical of Sacrifice)_	10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah	Religious	4 Days

International New Year's Day

This day begins at midnight with children being encouraged to jump as high as they can as people believe it will help them grow taller during the following year. The family then gathers for a midnight feast containing a number of round fruits (oranges, limes, lemons, apples, etc.) as they are symbol for prosperity; sticky rice to “bind” the family together for the year; and long noodles (pancit) for good luck. The meal will contain no chicken or fish as these types of food are associated with food scarcity.

Federation Day

15 March is the official founding date for Belesia. Local politicians make speeches and families enjoy a day off from work and school, often going on picnics in a park.

Military Day

On 7 October of each year, Belesia honors its military. In the larger cities, there may be a military parade for people to watch.

Muharram

Islamic New Year begins on the first day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Due to the different in days between a lunar calendar and the Gregorian calendar, this date will change about eleven days each year. Most devout Muslims will attend services at the mosque and then celebrate with a dinner for the extended family. People greet each other with, “May all the praises and thanks be to Allah to whom belongs all that is in heavens and in the earth. Have a blessed Muharram. Wishing you and your family a new year full of peace and happiness! May Allah bless you throughout the new year!” The celebration spills over into a second day.

Mawlid al-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet)

Mawlid celebrates Mohammad’s Birthday and occurs on the twelfth day of Rabi’ al-awwai, the third month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Villages have a carnival atmosphere with charity and food distributed and children reciting poetry about the life of Mohammad.

Al-Isra' Wal Mi'raj (Journey and Ascension of the Prophet)

This holiday celebrates the journey and ascension of Mohammad and is observed on the 27th day of Rajab, the seventh month of the Islamic calendar. In a single night in the year 621, Mohammad traveled from Mecca to Jerusalem on a winged creature (Buraq) and then ascended into heaven where he met earlier prophets and then God. During this trip, Mohammad was told that Muslims should pray five times a day (salat).  It is one of the more important holy days on the Islamic calendar. Mosques will put on a special services on this holiday and those not participating at a mosque teach the children the significance of the day in their religion.

Ramadan

The month of fasting begins with the first day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar. All devout Muslims must fast (food and water both) from sunup to sunset. Since the time of the year for Ramadan varies, the fasting can last up to over twelve hours. Those in the military are allowed to break the fast if they need to maintain their strength to do their military duties. After sunset and the maghrib prayers are complete, the family gathers for a meal. Then they must eat breakfast before al-fajr prayers the next day.

Eid at Fitr (End of Ramadan)

On the last day of Ramadan, the end of the month of fasting is celebrated with arrival of the next crescent moon. This celebration will occur on the first three days of the tenth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, Shawwal. The first day of Shawwal is the only day that Muslims are not allowed to fast. Besides big family dinners, those that can give alms to the poor and the needy or performing Zakat-ul-fitr, one of the seven pillars of the Muslim faith.

Eid al Adha (Festival of Sacrifice)

Eid al Adha (Festical of Sacrifice) Considered the holiest day in Islam, Eid al-Adha commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Ismael as an act of obedience to the will of God. Today, Muslims recognize this event through prayer, charity, and sacrifice. Affluent members of a community often sacrifice halal domestic animals (such as lamb, sheep, goat, or cow), the meat of which is divided into three parts, one third for the family, one third for relatives and neighbors, and the remaining third to be given to the poor and needy. Observation of Eid al-Adha begins on the tenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar, and lasts for three days.

Wedding Season

Belesians usually time their weddings based on three things: weather, agricultural cycles, and proximity to major holidays. Most couples prefer to get married in the cooler months of the year (November–February); this is complicated by the occasional presence of religious holidays during this period. In addition, many people will not marry in the month of Ramadan. A large portion of the populace is also engaged in agricultural pursuits, so wedding dates rarely fall during planting or harvest periods.

Harvest Cycles

Agricultural cycles in Belesia are primarily determined by regional climate and the crop in question. Some crops, such as abaca, coconut, pineapple, and oil palm, are grown and harvested year-round; others—e.g., rice, corn, and sugarcane—follow distinct cycles. There are usually two crops per year for rice and corn: one in the wet season, and one in the dry season. If a region’s wet season is long enough, farmers may be able to plant and harvest two successive crops during this season instead of just one. Sugarcane is harvested only once per year: during the cool part of the dry season. (For additional information on Belesia’s agriculture and seasons, see the Physical Environment variable)

Natural Disaster Cycles

Cyclonic storms hit most of the country regularly, with an average of 1–2 typhoon-category storms a year making landfall; though the southern two-thirds of Mindanao, the Sulu Archipelago, and Borneo rarely experience storms of this strength. Over 70% of all cyclones develop in the Pacific between July and October each year making those months as the most likely ones for Belesia to suffer major storm damage.

Election Cycles

Belesians directly elect the President and Vice President every five years; these officials are elected on separate tickets and can be held by members of opposing political parties. Members of the People’s Assembly are elected for five-year terms one year after Presidential elections, while local officials, who also serve five-year terms, are elected two years after the Presidential elections.

Cultural Perception of Time

The majority of Belesians are Muslim, and this is reflected in their perception of time. Insha allah, meaning “God willing,” permeates the culture. Time is viewed casually, and relationships are more important than the clock. Priorities determine the order in which events occur and meetings take place, and interruptions are not viewed as an annoyance, but rather as an opportunity to develop and strengthen other relationships. This view of time is known as polychromic—performing many tasks simultaneously—as opposed to monochromic (performing tasks in sequence). 

This prioritization of relationships over the clock plays out in several ways. Tardiness has historically been a way of life in Belesia, and meetings inevitably run long. Side conversations and interruptions are the rule, not the exception, and are attended to with the same importance as the main topic. Decisions are based on consensus as opposed to “majority rule,” and are strongly adhered to once reached—as to change anything would require reaching a new consensus. 

That being said, the influence of Western thought and the presence of Western businesses are resulting in a shift of time paradigms in the country. Younger people and those employed by international corporations are heavily exposed to the monochromic view of time and are beginning to adopt it as their own. This change is also occurring in the Belesian military, due primarily to two factors: its leadership receiving training by Western militaries, and its personnel being exposed to Western military thought during multinational exercises and deployments to other countries. This has caused strain between older and younger generations, as well as between urban and rural dwellers. While younger, more urban Belesians view it as “hip” to value the clock over people, Belesians that are older and more rural look askance at such beliefs and bemoan the deterioration of their culture.

Tactical Exploitation of Time

Belesian Perception of Time

The Belesian perspective on time leads to slow but firm decisions. Each person’s input is considered carefully, and all participants agree on the final result. The implementation can be slow, but this will have been accounted for in the decision making process. Another result of this process is that each and every party to the decision personally agreed to it, thus making it a matter of honor to follow through on his part of the agreement. It is this, more than anything, which ensures that action will eventually be taken. The increased influence of Western thought in the country has created some chaos in this area, as those adopting a more monochromic view tend to act faster, but are more likely to need to revisit a decision due to unforeseen complications during the implementation. 

            The combination of insha Allah and the prioritization of people over the clock leads to a long view of conflict. Wars are seen as the result of poor relational decisions over an extended period of time; the obvious way to best win a war is to prevent it from occurring in the first place. The Belesian saying “sow a friendship and you will not reap an enemy” reflects this mindset. As such, both political and military leaders focus on creating and maintaining good relations with other countries. One result of this approach is cross training with other militaries, as well as the deployment of military personnel abroad; both are seen as stepping stones to stronger relations with other countries.

US Perception of Time

The time perception of Belesians will make them appear slow to act in the eyes of US military members, and the long timelines and extended consideration of issues will strain soldiers’ patience. The best way to interact with Belesians is to focus on reaching mutual agreement. US personnel should expect timelines to be loosely defined and double or triple what would be considered a “normal” length. Attempting to rush the process will be seen as rude, and will most likely backfire. Belesian military leaders that have received training in Western nations will be of immense value, as they can help bridge the cultural gap between their compatriots and US personnel. These persons must not, however, be viewed as a means to an end, but rather as potential lifelong friends. Only then will US military members be able to strike the right tone to be effective in their mission.

Decision-making

Belesia decision-makers will take a much longer to arrive at a course of action than their Western counterparts, possibly causing some frustration among any allies. U.S. planners who are partnering with Belesians will need to factor in the additional time to arrive at decisions in their planning.