Eastern Culture
East of the Jiy Mountains, on fertile lands and waters, the Eastern peoples cling to more obscure traditions.
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Most feminine names end with a vowel.
Masculine names
Masculine names often end with a consonant.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
Two main languages still exist in the Eastern area: Nalban and Orean. With the same basic roots for the majority of their language, it is easy to mistake the two without a trained ear. Nalban is spoken on the islands and on the coast, while Orean tends to be further inland.
Common Etiquette rules
A typical greeting will consist of a kiss on the cheek for everyday, non-familiar interactions; family and familiar individuals will kiss one other on the forehead as a greeting, with the tallest providing the first kiss and then bowing at the waist should the reciprocating individual be shorter by a noticeable difference.
Common Dress code
With the slightly colder climate, heavier and thicker textiles are the norm. Both sexes wear pants and it is quite common for their clothes to be bold blues and purples using the traditional dyes created from local sea life.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
With most of their lands devoted to farming, fertility celebrations and harvest holidays are prevalent and often include large amounts of alcohol. It is also common for the farmers to rotate crops between families to avoid depletion of soil nutrients. When one family is allowing their field to rest, the community will often provide food for them in later months.
Birth & Baptismal Rites
Infants are given a 'dirt bath' at 1 month old to encourage the land to bless and nurture them. If an infant is sick or born unhealthy (in addition to modern medicine), the soil is brought much sooner and a simple dusting of it is enough to ensure they are blessed and able to join ancestors if they should not survive.
Coming of Age Rites
Currently, at age 29, both males and females are presented to the community as adults and are allowed to find husbands and wives.
In pre-modern times, the presentation age for males was determined by their first nocturnal emission while females had no such luxury and were bartered off once they menstruated.
Funerary and Memorial customs
One main, defining trait of Eastern peoples is their death ritual. Unlike the rest of the world, they believe that those who have passed cannot find peace unless their bodies are burned rather than buried.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
Stout individuals with larger muscular structures are considered the most desirable; skin complexion is of little importance.
Gender Ideals
Both men and women prefer short hair.
Languages spoken
Related Locations
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