Use the Ethnicity template to write about people who share a common ancestry or culture. This includes people with the same social and cultural characteristics, backgrounds, or experiences.
Contents
What should I use this template for?
The ethnicities of your world are an important part of your worldbuilding. They are the product of your world's history, laws, and foundation. Here are some example uses of the Ethnicity template!
Nationalities
Groups of people with the same ethnicity often share the same nationality. The place they were born, brought up or have lived in, can form connections between them and make them a distinct group. For example, the people of the desert planet Arrakis, in Dune, or the various cultural groups in Westeros (Game of Thrones) are ethnicities.
Subcultures
Even though a subculture is generally not considered an ethnicity in the real world, on World Anvil, the Ethnicity template covers all kinds of cultural expressions. So subcultures like hipsters, hippies, and gyaru would also be described with the Ethnicity template.
Template walkthrough
Remember that all template prompts are optional! In fact some prompts might not be relevant to you. As always, there's a free-writing section at the top (which we call vignette) and the prompts are under the "+ Prompts" button in the bottom toolbar. The prompts are organized into four sections:
- Naming Traditions: Use this tab to write about the naming traditions and practices of this ethnicity. What are some common family or first names?
- Ideals: Here you can write about the ideals of this ethnicity. Are there any beauty standards? How are relationships and courtship viewed?
- Customs: Here you can describe all the cultural and traditional aspects of the ethnicity, like their traditions, rites, cuisine and art.
- Connections & Relations: In this tab, you can link the ethnicity to other articles you've written, such as the Geographical location that the people of this ethnicity can be found and the Ethnicity which this one diverged from.
Step-by-step guide to writing an ethnicity
Here are some steps you can follow to write an ethnicity article:
- Where does this culture come from?
Cultures are defined by their environment. For example, people living in an isolated area will easily develop distinct customs. And if a culture leaves in an archipelago or close to the sea, they'll probably become a sea-faring culture (see Mediterranean and Polynesian cultures for some examples). As for subcultures, they usually appear as a reaction to current social values or as a way to find a sense of belonging to a community (and often as a mix of both!). - What are their cultural values?
While each individual will hold their own personal values, members of the same culture often share some common ethical values, which are usually things that they believe (maybe subconsciously) are needed for a prosperous society. For example, a culture with a history of war and conflict might have strong family values (as the only thing you can rely on) or a hierarchical structure. Look at your world's themes to decide what values will make sense for the story you want to tell too. - How are their values expressed?
Think about their clothes, food, festivals, superstitions, religion, and more! These are the most visible parts of any culture, but they are very strongly based on their values. A family-oriented culture might have many traditions related to honoring one's ancestors, and a culture that values individual freedom will probably use clothes of many different colors, shapes, and fabrics.
Need more pointers? Take a look at these guides:
- Populating Your World: Sapient Species, Cultures & Commerce
- Adapting Real-World Cultures for Worldbuilding
Community examples for inspiration
Need some inspiration? Here are some ethnicity articles written by our amazing community!
