Iskandean (culture)
From World of Entorais Wiki
Cultural Overview
Origins
- Iskandean culture descended from Krolaryn culture both during and after the fight for independence from the colonizing empire. Being geographically isolated and influenced by the subjugated Domic culture Iskandeans developed a maritime culture variant of their parent culture.
Geography
- Iskandean culture is mostly restricted to the islands of the Isk Archipelago. Small pockets of the culture are present within Iskandean ethnic communities in foreign ports, and smaller mainland settlements established by Iskandean sailors in otherwise unclaimed territories.
Language
- Most Iskandeans speak the Iskandean language, a daughter language of the Krolaryn language. Those of Domic ancestry, may speak the Domic language as well.
- Traders and sailors who travel overseas may have learned additional foreign languages as appropriate to the cultures they regularly interact with.
Family
Structure / Size
- Iskandean family clans tend to live in multigenerational homes. Four or five generations might share a large dwelling with divided sections for each branch of the family.
- These large family groups only spilt into separate families following the death of the clan head. Even after such division the families are still bound by blood and familial ties as cousins.
Roles of Family Members
- Clan Head
- The eldest of a clan is afforded great respect, and where possible is consulted on all matters concerning the family.
- Father
- Male parents are generally the familial figure head, taking on tasks external to running the household. They are the lead decision maker for the family.
- Mother
- Female parents are left to the tasks of household management and caring for the clan's children.
- Children
- Children are expected to learn the family trade(s) and to help out with maintaining the household within their capabilities.
Importance
- A person with a small or non-existent family may be seen as weak and taken advantage of.
- Collectivism and care for the young and elders makes for strong familial bonds that extend into the greater clans.
Influence
- One's family provides a source of physical, financial, and political support. If one wishes to gain power and succeed politically or even in business, the support of a strong family is a necessity.
Orphans
- Iskandeans will take in orphans as their own children when they can. Although these foster children do not have the same rights to inheritance as true born children, they are considered in the same light as bastard children.
Religion
Primary Beliefs
- The dominant religion of of the Iskandean people is worship of the Twinned Goddess.
Religious Figures
- Within every settlement is a priest/priestess of the Twinned Goddess who directs the village or town in religious and ceremonial matters.
List of Religious Observances
Structure
Ceremonial
Birth
- Expectant mothers are afforded certain respect and may choose who is present during the birthing process. Usually a doctor or midwife, and a couple of female relatives will tend to the mother and newborn child at this time. Celebration of the birth is held until the child's naming day.
Naming
- Within five days of the child's birth, the mother and father will choose a name for their offspring. Typically the name of a relative or ancestor, although if older siblings have the same name a child's name may be chosen for other qualities of circumstance. Then the child is formally presented to the community, starting with immediate family, and then more distant relatives. Presents and feasting ensues for several days depending on the size and wealth of the larger clan.
Age
- Iskandeans mark ones age using the solstices like many other cultures. A child's age being the number of sols since their naming day.
Apprenticeship
- When a young person reaches twelve sols in age, they are expected to begin a trade. /typically training with their parents in the family trade, although if there are too many children they might be fostered with a relative who works a different trade.
Adulthood
- At eighteen sols, an Iskandean is no longer considered a child, and is afforded all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of adulthood. A celebration is usually held by the clan to welcome the new adult, and to formally set aside their childhood.
Marriage
- Iskandean marriages are typically political in nature. Betterment of one's clan's position and wealth through arranged marriages and alliances is the norm. Few, usually latter generations of children can marry for love alone, and usually only when a better marriage partner is not available. Multiple partners is seen as sinful, and the bonds of marriage are seen as a spiritual union between two souls, breakable only upon the death of either partner. Married couples may exchange tokens to represent their partnership, but there is not common cultural symbol of marriage.
Divorce
- Iskandean's do not believe in divorce.
Death
- When an Iskandean dies their family will hold a three day vigil before burying the departed one's remains in a rock lined grave. Gifts of food and objects of personal significance are often buried with the corpse. Once the body has been buried the family will host a small feast in celebration of the deceased life, recounting tales of their deeds and reminiscing about their lost loved one.
Inheritance
- The rights of inheritance are restricted to acknowledged children by blood. An orphan may well inherit the property of their dead parents, but would generally be out for inheriting the property of their foster parents. It can be done, but usually only if no remaining legitimate heirs are alive to inherit. Even then a surviving bastard child may become acknowledged, and inherit before the fostered orphan. There is no restriction against female heirs inheriting before younger siblings of either sex.
Diet
Food
- Being a maritime culture, Iskandean diets include a fair volume of fish and other sea products. Many dishes include seaweeds, shellfish, or fish. A few varieties of mud grains and pot grains are hearty enough to grow in the archipelago's climate, and root and leaf vegetables will further fill out their staples foods. Fruits and berries are also found growing on the islands.
Cultural Dishes
- Suupi
- A seafood chowder unique to the islands, containing fermented sea kelp, root vegetables and white fleshed fish with a strong distinct flavour.
- Shaloki Liver;Eaten raw as long fillets which are skewered and rolled in crushed sea salt.
Spice / Flavours
- Iskander produces little in the way of spices, and as a result their dishes tend to use herbs for savoury flavour, supplemented with salt, honey, and butter.
Drink
Non-Alcoholic
- Water, teas, milk, and some fruit juices are common.
Alcohol
- Beers, ciders, and wines are common beverages.
- Apetil
- A signature cider beverage brewed from the Apet fruit, a pear like tree fruit known only to the islands of the archipelago.
Fashion
Textiles
- Wool and flax fibres are the predominant sources for fabrics in Iskander, although a few sea plants produce viable textile fibres suitable for fabricweaving.
- Some articles of clothing are made from knitted woolen yarns rather that woven cloth. Primarily thick woolen shirts, stockings and headwear.
Dyes
- A wide selection of colours are available from plant based sources. a few rare colours are only available for the wealthy as they must be imported from overseas.
Embellishments
- Beading and embroidery are common, using colourful shells, corals or yarns.
Outfits
Daily by Class
- Daily wear by social class varies mostly in the quality of materials. The basic garments of a tunic, vest and leggings is common for all. Women's tunics being longer, and more dress-like. The wealthy being able to afford fur or other trimmings, will wear more decorative garments, which would be impractical for the working class.
Ceremonial
- Ceremonial clothing is typically heavily embellished versions of everyday wear.
Jewellery
- Precious metals, wood, bone, precious stones, gems, ivory, and shells will all be used to make jewellery. Traditional designs favour armlets, bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces. Broches for securing cloaks are also common.
Makeup
- Both men and women may wear makeup, particularly around the eyes. More general make-up tends to be used by women to mask imperfections, or to appear younger. There is also temporary face and body markings in warriors using a colourful dyed clay as body paint.
Leisure Activities
Sports
- Most competitive athletics in Iskander involve swimming, diving, or endurance activities such as cross country running, or wrestling.
Games
- Games played by all ages of Iskandeans include cards, dice, darts, knife or axe throwing, and some forms of bowling using wooden stakes and stone balls.
Gambling
- Games of chance are traditionally reserved for adults. Dice being the most common.
Social Gatherings
- Outside of ceremonial gatherings, the close proximity of persons sharing homes leads to gatherings occurring just for social interactions. These are more spontaneous in nature and involve activities such as storytelling, singing, dancing to music.
Arts
Storytelling
- Storytelling is an old tradition in Iskander, predating their independence from Krolar. Skalds exists as a professional class of storytellers, often pairing song and musical instruments together.
- Topics of these tales are typically historic in nature, and the collection of stories forms an oral history of Iskander.
Writing
- Literacy is not common amongst the lower classes of Iskander, as such writing as an art form is secondary to oral storytelling, or plays.
Poetry
- Poets exist in any culture, and Iskander is no exception. Poems written by those few Iskandeans inclined to such writings
Fiction
Theatre
- Formal theatre is a growing cultural artform in Iskander, driven by the desire to create a independent identity from their Krolaryn roots.
Acting
- Actors are a respected profession in Iskander. Many share talents in singing, dance, and storytelling.
Plays
- Formal stage plays are performed in permanent theatres. Playwrights will produce plays which recount historical and fictional events. Some plays include moral messages, but such parables are not the more popular stories. Instead, comedic plays are more common.
Dance
- Iskandean dance involve rhythmic flowing movements reminiscent of the waters surrounding their islands, and elements of tumbling, jumping and spinning.
Gymnastics
- A variation of dance, being more a display of physical strength, flexibility and coordination. Such activity is usually performed at fairs or spectacles.
Music
- Iskandeans enjoy their music as much as any other culture.
Singing
- Singing melodic songs, and using the voice as a instrument are both practiced in Iskander.
Percussion
- Drums made of wood and leather are common. Seldom played alone, they are companion instruments to strings, or wind instruments, providing the base rhythms for songs or dance.
Strings
- Stings instruments come in a wide variety. Harps and lyres are common sight in the hands of storytellers. Lutes, and similar acoustic chambered stringed instruments will be played by plucking or bowing in ensembles to produce more complex music.
Wind
Horns and a variety of single or multi-pipe flutes are both common instruments in Iskander.
Painting
- Frescoes in important permanent buildings are common, using simple colours and motifs. Portrait or other paintings as more portable art are rare. Generally such art is reserve for the wealthy and exist as a form of documentation of important clan members over their years.
Sculpture
- Carved wood is the most common form of sculptural art, although some masonry is also used for decorating larger buildings. Large statues are rare in Iskander, mostly due to a lack of suitable stone for such objects. Smaller clay or soapstone figurines are sometimes produced as toys or mementos.
