Falmari

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Falmari
People
Ted Nasmith - The Ships of the Teleri Drawn by Swans.jpg
General Information
MembersOlwë, Eärwen, Teleporno
Physical Description
LifespanImmortal
DistinctionsMade the swanships stolen by Fëanor during the Kinslaying
GalleryImages of Falmari

The Falmari (Q, pron. N [ˈfalmari], V [ˈɸalmari]) or Teleri of Aman, were those of the Teleri who followed the Great Journey into Beleriand and reached Valinor.[1][2]

History

The Teleri were always slow and reluctant during the Great Journey, during which many turned back or stayed behind. Their leaders were the brothers Elwë and Olwë, but when Elwë became lost in Beleriand, many of his people refused to carry on to Aman until he had been found. Olwë led the rest to the shores of Beleriand.[1]

As they waited for Ulmo's floating island, they lingered at the Bay of Balar where they were befriended and taught by Ulmo's servant, Osse. When Ulmo returned to take the bulk of the Teleri with Olwe to the West, Osse convinced some of them to forsake Valinor and stay behind with him. These afterwards became the Falathrim.[1]

As Ulmo ferried the floating island to Eldamar, the Teleri again heard Ossë's song and begged Ulmo to stop off the shore, which he did. Ossë fastened the island to the bottom, and it became Tol Eressëa, the lonely isle off the Bay of Eldamar. These Teleri became known as Falmari and their language eventually diverged from that of the Vanyar and the Noldor.[1]

However soon the Falmari of the island longed for the splendour and Light of Valinor and wished to see their kindred there. Grieving, Ossë submitted to the will of the Valar and Ulmo, and taught them ship-building and offered them swans to draw them to Valinor. There they built the city haven of Alqualonde with Olwe their King.[1]

The Teleri mariners refused to join the Noldor in leaving Valinor. They attempted to protect their swan-ships from Feanor however they were armed only with bows. Many of them were cruelly slain in the Kinslaying at Alqualondë.[3]

In the later years of the First Age, Alqualonde was visited by Earendil and Elwing who had reached Valinor. Elwing stayed a little there and told stories to the Teleri about the griefs of Beleriand and were filled with pity and wonder. Because of their bitterness against the Noldor few or none of the Teleri joined the Host of the Valar which set out to capture Morgoth for good.[4]

After the War of Wrath the Elves of Middle-earth were admitted to the Lonely Isle and Valinor. The Teleri eventually forgave the Ñoldor for the Kinslaying, the Curse of Mandos was lifted and the two kindreds were at peace again.[4]

Culture

Having being taught by Osse, the Teleri were masters of music, the sea and shipbuilding, and they used Swan-ships. When the Falmari reached Eldamar, they were close to the Noldor, who offered them many jewels and crystals, which they used to adorn their pools and beaches; the Falmari prized the pearls from the sea, which they found form the sea and used for their halls.[1] The Teleri prized silver above gold.[5]

Although they spoke a different language, the closeness of the two peoples resulted in a sprachbund, and the speech of the Noldor had some influence from Telerin.[6]

Etymology

The name is Quenya meaning "wave-folk" and contains the word falma "wave" Falathrim is the Sindarin cognate, however this word mainly refers to their kin in Beleriand.[7][8]

The name Falmari (which is preferred in this article) is found only once[1] in the published Silmarillion, where the Teleri of Aman are mostly known as 'the Teleri' (obviously representing the Noldorin point of view); however the Teleri of Aman were properly just the branch of that people.[2]

Other versions of the legendarium

In the early versions of Tolkien's mythology (see: The History of Middle-earth), they were known as Solosimpi ("Pipers of the Shores"), while the name Teleri was given to the clan of Elves known in the published version of The Silmarillion as Vanyar.

Other early names for the Teleri were Soloneldi (before being altered to "Falmari")[9] and Falmarindi meaning "foam-riders".[10]

Elves
(Quendi · People of the Stars · Firstborn · Elder Kindred)
Three Kindreds:
(Eldar · Eldalië · Edhil)
 Vanyar (Fair-elves · Minyar) · Noldor (Deep-elves · Tatyar) · Teleri (Lindar · Nelyar)
Calaquendi:
(High-elves · Amanyar)
 Vanyar · Noldor · Falmari
Úmanyar:  Sindar (Grey-elves · Eglath · Falathrim) · Nandor (Green-elves · Silvan Elves)
 Moriquendi:  Úmanyar · Avari (Cuind · Hwenti · Kindi · Kinn-lai · Penni · Windan)
See also:  Awakening of the Elves · Sundering of the Elves · Great Journey

References