Matelot

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Aiguille,Belle, Charité, Coquet, Élancé, Emeraude, Estimé, Fleur, Grâce, Honnête, Intégré, Lis, Pratique, Roux, Sephora, Senteur, Sensé, Soyeux

Masculine names

Bouclier, Couteau, Érable, Fidèl, Forêt, Guerrier, Guisme, Lance, Montagne, Polaire, Roche, Sincère, Tranchant, Travailleur

Family names

Matelot use both a first name and a family name, or surname, since their lineage is very important to them. Their first names are clearly of Lalange linguistic origins, but their surnames hearken back to an even older tongue.

Surnames:
Kumar, Lal, Sharma, Aggarwal, Chander, Nara, Raji, Verma, Arun, Srini, Prasad, Rana, Mittal, Mehta, Kishore, Sehgal, Neel, Muthu, Neela, Soni, Ganesh, Sudha, Rastogi, Bandari, Jindal, Saxena, Tyagi, Narang, Punjeer, Sahni, Puri, Raynara, Soni, Dhawan, Saini

Culture

Culture and cultural heritage

The Matelot culture has similarities with India and the Far East in our world. They make up much of the aristocracy, but there is a kind of cultural melancholy for days gone by rather than lord-it-over-the- Peasants attitude. Play a Matelot if you want to be a wizard or a nobleman, or if you are interested in uncovering history or want to be a mover and shaker in the political arena.

Common Dress code

Matelot fashions are strikingly different than those of the Paysan. Women wear the saree, a versatile dress of flowing fabric that can be quickly changed from very practical to quite daring depending on the manner in which it is wrapped about the body. Matelot men usually wear the achkan, a long jacket that extends to just below the knees. It has a short, standing collar and exposed buttons down the length of the front. A common Matelot’s buttons will be of bone or painted wood, while a noble’s ackhan will have gold or pearl buttons and may be embroidered with gold or silver. The achkan is worn with pants or trousers called churidars. Churidars are loose around the hips and thighs, but are tight and gathered around the ankle, and often lace some distance up the calf. Low shoes are generally worn, rather than the boots common to the Paysan.

Common Customs, traditions and rituals

Marriage ceremonies are lengthy and important rituals. Wedding dresses are usually colorful, often red, and call for a saree that's adorned with gold embroidery, symbolizing commitment, spirituality, and fertility. A bride might also apply a dash of red kumkuma powder to her forehead for good luck. Once the bride walks down the aisle, she and the groom sit underneath a pavilion adorned with common Indian wedding decorations: flowers, drapes, and lights. Symbolizing growth and well-being, the mandap is a sacred structure under which Matelot ceremonies are held. Each pillar is believed to represent the couple's parents whose love, blessings, and support made the wedding happen.

A Matelot couple pledges their vows around the agni, a holy fire that acts as a witness to the ceremony. The bride and groom take seven steps around the blaze while reciting this sacred Pentic pledge of marriage: With the first step, we will provide for and support each other. With the second step, we will develop mental, physical, and spiritual strength. With the third step, we will share the worldly possessions. With the fourth step, we will acquire knowledge, happiness, and peace. With the fifth step, we will raise strong and virtuous children. With the sixth step, we will enjoy the fruits of all seasons. With the seventh step, we will always remain friends and cherish each other.

In Matelot weddings, "tying the knot" takes on a literal meaning. The groom ties a "holy thread," made with black, red, and white beads and strung through a black or yellow string, around his bride's neck to distinguish her as a married woman. The bride continues to wear the mangalsutra even after her wedding day to represent her marital status. At the end of the ceremony, weddings, the newlywed says her goodbyes during the Vidaai parting, a tearful event in which the bride officially leaves her home and family to start a life with her new husband. She then takes handfuls of rice to throw over her head to show thanks and pay homage to her parents.

To symbolize the Matelot emergence from the sea, the couple is sprayed with salt water before entering the groom's house. The bride then takes one more precaution: she steps in a mixture of milk and vermillion, leaving red footprints on the floor to represent the manifestation of Asra, the goddess of beneficence and fortune. Finally, the bride kicks over a pot of rice to ensure fertility and posterity, and, at long last, married life can officially begin!

Common Myths and Legends

The Matelot claim their ethnic names means "seafarer," since they arrived in Valais from the sea. Their origin legends claims that they were once the nobility of an ancient advanced civilization known as the Samraaji Empire, or the Empire of the Dawn, though little evidence exists to prove this claim.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Matelot average 5’ 6” and have brown skin distinctively darker than the other human cultures. Their hair is dark brown or black, and their eyes are usually green or brown.