Klingon mating rituals

"We Klingons often tout our prowess in battle, our desire for glory and honor above all else... but how hollow is the sound of victory without someone to share it with? Honor gives little comfort to a man alone in his home... and in his heart." - Martok

Klingon mating rituals are a series of courting traditions held by the Klingons. Klingon mating rituals include combative foreplay. They are notoriously complex. The ritual begins with each participant sniffing the other's right arm/hand. Then each grips the other's right hand as to cause bleeding.

Klingons traditionally mate for life, and it is not uncommon for them to take commitment oaths after only one encounter. While a full Klingon marriage ceremony involves many witnesses and an elaborate re-enactment of the Klingon creation myth, the much briefer oath of marriage requires no officiant or witnesses and is accepted legally and socially as constituting marriage by mutual consent. K'Ehleyr did not recite her half of the oath when Worf invoked it following their mating, fearing the damage it would cause to their respective careers, but that did not stop Worf from calling her his mate and claiming the Right of Vengeance after Duras killed her. 

The mating ritual as described above is not always carried out when mating occurs between a Klingon and a member of another race, and it must be remembered that Klingons often do not like non-Klingons mating with members of their houses.

It is not uncommon to break multiple bones during Klingon amorous play. In fact, fracturing a clavicle on the wedding night is even considered a blessing on the marriage. Jadzia Dax describes the Klingon mating ritual as the participants "jumping on each other like a pair of crazed voles." While some, such as Dax, found this exciting, others, such as Quark, found it particularly intimidating. Speaking about Klingon courtship and marriage, Martok once noted that no one can be in control of who they fall in love with. 

Due to his traditional Klingon values, Worf, in general, took mating much more seriously than his partners did, much to his chagrin and theirs. . Worf once described Klingon mating to Wesley Crusher as involving the male reading love poetry while ducking the furniture thrown by the female. Tom Paris also makes a reference to this, when B'Elanna Torres attempts to seduce him while mentally bonded to Vorik during his Pon farr; saying, "So this is the part where you throw heavy objects at me?" It is unclear if this is just a common joke or an older tradition that is no longer strictly adhered to; although we do know that Klingon poetry is important to their culture, as Katherine Pulaski asks Worf to read some to her after he shares the Klingon tea ceremony with her. 

Related articles

 * Klingon wedding
 * Klingon divorce