Anþóans Ethnicity in Gætíus' World | World Anvil
BUILD YOUR OWN WORLD Like what you see? Become the Master of your own Universe!

Anþóans

Anþóic: Íanþó /iːanθouː/, Janþó /jaːnθouː/
Afnat: Akn-Jann /akhn janː/

The anþóans1 are one of the main tribes of the Þnúnóans, the main ethnic group of northwestern Þonnanó and the land between that region and the empire of Sanx to the north. They inhabit a number of towns and villages in the land between the rivers Aþnek and Glon in the Jygnún delta region, the largest of which is the town of Kjau Óhet by the Senfó Sea, which is used as a trading post for merchants sailing between Paróbax to the north and the land of the Vósali to the south.

Culture

Apparel

Traditional anþóan clothing is minimal, consisting of little more than loincloths for men and skirts for women, both made by attaching numerous cords to a woven belt, and a short skin-cloak during the dry season, the latter which is influence by Paróbaxi traders.
Like many þnúnóans, anþóans believe the soul to reside in the head an thus make sure to wash it regularly and rarely -if ever- cut it, with men and women alike wearing it in different but equally elaborate braids. However, unlike more strict tribes such as Þnints, earrings and face-paint are allowed among the anþóans, but tattoos are restricted to the back for women and arms for men.

Art

Architecture

Anþóan settlements are usually build on hills or mounds to escape flooding during the wet season, though stilt-houses are also used in Kjau Óhet and a few coastal villages. Their homes are conical or dome-shaped structures made of reed mats covering a wooden frame, often large enough to house more than one family. An image of a snake or bird is placed on top each house to protect the inhabitants from evil spirits, and to the north, hand prints are made by the entrance for the same purpose.

Cuisine

Their traditional diet consists mostly of whatever the sea and rivers provide, along with pork, fruits and various seeds collected when available, the latter which are cured by hanging them above the hearth and used in different dishes as seasonal treat. Instead of pottery, food is boiled using hot stones in watertight baskets.

Religion

Anþóans worship a number of different spirits by making small praying at small altars within the villages, but above all venerate the snake spirit who represents the rivers encompassing their land. Another notable spirit is that of Ntemó, a woman who according to tradition either emerged from Jygnún's source or hatched out of a snake's egg, after which she traveled downriver until she reached the sea, where she married a fisherman and later gave birth to the first anþóans.

1Original icelandic: Anþóar, singular: Anþói.
Related Locations

Comments

Please Login in order to comment!