People of the Peninsula
Naming Traditions
Unisex names
They do not believe that names should have a gender, instead names are used to indicate the spirit of someone. Children are often not "named" until they are five as this is believed to be the age that they become a knowable person, before this age they will be known by their connection to another individual such as child-of-[their parent's name]
Names are assigned by the elders who read the child and various omens in coming up with their names.
Names are assigned by the elders who read the child and various omens in coming up with their names.
Family names
People are identified the child of their parents, with the mother's name coming first as this is believed to be the stronger connection.
Other names
The use of nicknames and diminutives are very complicated among these people as names indicate a person's soul rather than just being a lable for them.
When a person is unknown to an individual then they will often refer to them by a physical characteristic rather then by their name.
When a people are known to each other then they may choose to tell them their name and the use of this must be done carefully. For example, you never speak ill of a person using their name as this is believed to be a way of cursing them and yourself.
Close friends and relatives may use diminutives of each others name to show affection, or use variations of their names and other words to show the connection between them.
When a person is unknown to an individual then they will often refer to them by a physical characteristic rather then by their name.
When a people are known to each other then they may choose to tell them their name and the use of this must be done carefully. For example, you never speak ill of a person using their name as this is believed to be a way of cursing them and yourself.
Close friends and relatives may use diminutives of each others name to show affection, or use variations of their names and other words to show the connection between them.
Culture
Common Dress code
They make their clothes themselves, so designs vary depending on skill and willingness to ask others for help.
They often wear loose woolen clothing held together by seams and metal pins, though decorative broaches are worn to show an individual's wealth.
Adult members of their society (those over twenty) wear colourful knitted bonnets to Halls. For their first Hall an individual will wear a lily pinned on their bonnet to represent their flowering into adulthood. An unmarried adult will wear their bonnet with a badge of their parents names intertwined. When they marry with will be replaced by a badge of their own name and their partner's intertwined, this represents the couple becoming their own family sepperate from their parents.
Only elders are permitted to wear feathers in their bonnet which shows that they have achieved great wisdom worthy of special distinction.
They often wear loose woolen clothing held together by seams and metal pins, though decorative broaches are worn to show an individual's wealth.
Adult members of their society (those over twenty) wear colourful knitted bonnets to Halls. For their first Hall an individual will wear a lily pinned on their bonnet to represent their flowering into adulthood. An unmarried adult will wear their bonnet with a badge of their parents names intertwined. When they marry with will be replaced by a badge of their own name and their partner's intertwined, this represents the couple becoming their own family sepperate from their parents.
Only elders are permitted to wear feathers in their bonnet which shows that they have achieved great wisdom worthy of special distinction.
Birth & Baptismal Rites
When a child is born they and their mother will stay at home seeing no one outside their immediate family for a full cycle of the moon, then they will be introduced to the community at the next Hall, being known only by their parent's names from this point.
At the age of five they are presented to the elders in secret where they are given their own name which signifies them to be their own person. The child is then taken by the elders to the Hall while concealed by a thick veil which is then removed by their parents in front of everyone to introduce them to the community.
At the age of five they are presented to the elders in secret where they are given their own name which signifies them to be their own person. The child is then taken by the elders to the Hall while concealed by a thick veil which is then removed by their parents in front of everyone to introduce them to the community.
Coming of Age Rites
At the age of ten, a child is presented a ceremonial dagger by their parents. For an eldest son this is usually their fathers and for an eldest daughter this will be there mothers.
At the age of twenty they are believed to be an adult. An individual will make their bonnet and attend their first Hall on their own, this is shown through the pinning of white lily to their bonnets, which indicates that they are now old enough to court.
At the age of twenty they are believed to be an adult. An individual will make their bonnet and attend their first Hall on their own, this is shown through the pinning of white lily to their bonnets, which indicates that they are now old enough to court.
Funerary and Memorial customs
When a person dies, they are mourned by the entire community. After lying in their home for seven days the body is publically cremated at the grave rock and their ashes scattered into the sea. No mark is made to remember the person, as they believe that this will bind the soul to the earth and so not allow the person to find peace.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
They believe that everyone is naturally beautiful and each individual should try to accentuate this natual beauty without much adaptation. This can be done through styling hair and clothing however they do not believe in the use of make-up generally.
Gender Ideals
They do not believe in strict gender roles but prefer to allow any one to act and dress as they wish. This makes them a freeer people than most of the others in their country.
Courtship Ideals
When a person loves another, they are expected to find some way to declare it to them. Their feelings are expected to be kept secret until the object of their affection is known.
The two people will then declare their courtship to their commuity by attending a Hall together, walking forward when the call is given to process before the community.
They will then be seen together a further seven times at the Halls, which are usually held every two weeks. They are expected to spend as much time together as possible to learn as much about each other as possible.
By the seventh Hall they should know whether they are willing to marry, if they are then when the call is given they will go forward and kneel before the elders which acts as their betrothal.
Following this they will live together for a full cycle of the moon before their wedding.
The two people will then declare their courtship to their commuity by attending a Hall together, walking forward when the call is given to process before the community.
They will then be seen together a further seven times at the Halls, which are usually held every two weeks. They are expected to spend as much time together as possible to learn as much about each other as possible.
By the seventh Hall they should know whether they are willing to marry, if they are then when the call is given they will go forward and kneel before the elders which acts as their betrothal.
Following this they will live together for a full cycle of the moon before their wedding.
Relationship Ideals
Their relationships are expected to be between equals and they are expected to share all tasks including providing for the household and raising children.
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