The Ork “Waaagh!” is the cornerstone concept of their society (insofar as such terms can be applied to Orks of course…). It is religion, philosophy, way of life, and metaphysical reality all in one, not to mention a great battle cry. To understand this surprisingly complex concept it’s necessary to break it down. As a philosophy or religion it is the one and only focus of Ork Kulture.
To the Ork world view everything is seen through the lens of survival through conflict, Ork society and physiology both reward conflict all but immediately. This is not so difficult to understand as it is a recognized fact that physiology in humans responds to and rewards certain behaviors; exercise and active lifestyle results in a an increased metabolism and even results in a more symmetrical (and therefore attractive) appearance, while even assuming dominant posture causes hormonal shifts physiologically.
In Orks this effect is magnified exponentially; and Ork who is victorious in combat becomes larger, tougher, and stronger, thus making them more likely to be successful in the future. This self-perpetuating cycle means that Ork Nobs and Warbosses will eventually become truly hulking monstrosities and powerhouses in their society. Thus every aspect of the ultra-pragmatic Ork worldview is focused upon conflict, more than just entertainment to them (which incidentally, it is) it is a fundamental part of how they work. As a result Orks look for conflict in everything that they do, if they cannot fight non-Orks they will fight amongst themselves. Even in a metaphorical sense they seek conflict, every Mekboy is in conflict with his fellows to create greater contraptions, every Painboy seeks to outdo the bizarre “medical breakthroughs” of other Docs.
Perhaps more interesting is the Waaagh! In its metaphysical sense as the subconscious psychic field that resonates between all Orks in general proximity. This field is very potent and suffuses every aspect of their lives. As a perfect example it is very probable that it is this field which “nudges” Ork “teknology” into functionality simply because Orks firmly believe that it should function as designed. It is this subconscious linking which allows Orks to function so effectively in groups, a self-reinforcing process wherein larger numbers of Orks strengthen this field and make them more successful, drawing yet more Orks to their cause, and strengthening the field yet more.
It is important to recognize that this gestalt psychic field is not a “hive-mind” or “collective consciousness” like that of the Tyranids, each Ork is its own individual being. Rather the field could be considered a “collective unconscious,” a group of Orks do not have the same thoughts, but any given group will share the same set of motivations, desires, and underlying judgments. Where one Ork in a group have a sudden craving for squig burger, then his fellows might find themselves having a similar desire even if they are not entirely aware of it.
One very interesting implication of this is for the Ork deities Gork and Mork. It is interesting that the nature of these beings has never been clearly defined. Unlike the Chaos gods and the Eldar pantheon which have been clearly established as “physically” existing in some sense as Warp entities (as evidenced by their interactions with both one another and their worshippers) Gork and Mork seem far more like abstractions. Codified as the twin Ork gods of “brutal cunnin’” and “cunnin’ brutality” perhaps they exist not in the warp like the Eldar and Chaos gods, but as internalized abstractions within this collective unconscious of the Ork race…
Viewing the Waaagh! in this light, as the collective unconscious of the Ork species, can help to see the entire Ork species and culture as based on the lowest common denominator, the absolute fundamentals of twisted Darwinist principle, driven by the most basic survival instincts and drive to overcome and further their species.
What other facets of the Waaagh! do you see? What does Waaagh! mean to you? And as a final note, WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!
If you have a favorite corner of the 40k lore that would like to see featured, or just a lore question you think would interest the community, let me know, you can even PM me on the forum if you like. New ideas are always welcome.
Just Me has been a Warhammer 40K Lore and background enthusiast for over a decade. He began covering the rich universe of Games Workshop's Warhammer 40K for BoLS in 2010.
