WFP - Lifestyle
National Character
The Western Frontier Protectorate is the smallest league on Terra Nova, but its people have been shaped by the harsh conditions and demands of the Great Western Plain. Much of the population lives in rural communities and must rely on their own efforts to survive and prosper. Extended families work together as clans, fostering a sense of camaraderie and cooperation. Clan members will go out of their way to help each other, and sloth is regarded as a major failing. Indeed, the work ethic in the Protectorate is the strongest in the CNCS and in many communities the rule is pull your weight or suffer the consequences. Westerners are thus very pro-active in everything they do, often placing themselves in the vanguard of any working parties. In corporate circles this has resulted in many Westerners achieving high status due to sheer effort and perseverance.
Compared to many northerners, Westerners are confident and self-assured, giving the impression of a strong and vibrant culture. Most Westerners are extroverted, encouraged to sing their own praises and those of their clan from a very young age. Indeed, Westerners take great pride in their achievements, and many clans go to great effort to produce official histories which promote their successes. This often results in "larger than life" characters (and even bigger egos) but though exaggeration is an accepted part of the Western culture - "embroidering" tales is an essential social skill - outright lying is frowned upon. Deception by omission is an accepted practice, however, and plays a major role in downplaying failures in the clan histones.
The corollary of Westerners' pride in their accomplishments is a strong sense of honor. Insults against personal honor are taken seriously but pale in comparison with the conflicts that result over matters of clan honor. Westerners are quick to anger, often described as hot-headed and prone to going off "half-cocked," and the feuds and vendettas that result from such matters can be bloody affiirs. Feuds often become locked in a self-perpetuating cycle: Clan A causes offense with Clan B, who then seeks revenge. This in turn prompts Clan A to claim redress for the reprisals, and the cycle continues ad infinitum. Such feuds can last cycles or decades and a handful last for centuries, the original cause of the dispute often long forgotten. To minimize the risk of such incidents, Westerners take great care in interpersonal relationships. Many rituals and protocols exist to govern such interactions, and outsiders look on a Westerners exaggerated politeness with some amusement. The Westerners know the consequences of even an inadvertent insult. This rigid formality is particularly prevalent in urban areas, notably Fort William, where clans intermingle; it is less well established in rural areas and on clan farmsteads.
Loyalty is the last major strand of the Western psyche. Officially loyalty to the state is central to life in the WFP, but in practice loyalty to the clan dominates. Denied a direct voice in national politics, residents are particularly prone to favor clan interests, as only through their families do they have any representation. In contrast, the experience they gain while in the military results in citizens being more active on the national level. This dichotomy has occasionally caused problems in the clans, with local and national interests sharply at odds. Fortunately, national pride and honor have prevented such conflicts from spilling over into civil conflict.
Since the War of the Alliance, the loyalties to the state and the Westerners' fierce independence have been exploited as part of a Western Nationalist campaign, promoting the league's interests over those of the CNCS. Proconsul Zucco has been central to these efforts, taking an aggressive line in CNCS councils to promote Western interests. This has in turn engendered frictions between the nationalists and those in favor of less confrontational relationships with their neighbors. Also, the close-knit nature of Western society has fostered a strong youth counter-culture that emphasizes rebellion and individuality. Most Westerners grow out of this rebelliousness, but there is a small yet growing group of adults who subscribe to the counter-culture's ideals, and have foregone clan life.
The Wild, Wild West
(Trideo Times, 11 Winter, TN 1936) - The Lyonnesse Broadcasting Corporation today announced i t s summer broadcast schedule. Headlining the list is the eleventh season of "Way out West," a light-hearted drama set in the Great Western Plains in the early days of colonization. Following the exploits of the Sanchez family, the show has attained cult status in the UMF and NLC, gaining both the Mortenson and Holder comedy prizes. The show has also gained good ratings on the Hermes 72 network, which has been broadcasting repeats of the show since TN 1934. Westerners have repeatedly attacked the show as an offensive caricature of their way of life, particularly its suggestions of corruption, temperamentality and inbreeding. Spokesperson for the Broadcast Truth pressure group, Benitez Mana, stated "This program continues to demonstrate the Mercantile disregard for other cultures and willingness to make libelous statements in the pursuit of profit." An LBC statement accused the Western group of having no sense of humor. "As with all satires, the story elements portrayed in the show have a basis in fact, so perhaps some of our stories are too close to home for their tastes. We endeavor, as always, to entertain. If some groups choose to regard the show as attacking their way of life then that is an issue that they must resolve themselves." Despite Broadcast Truth's attempts to halt transmission of the show in the Protectorate, WOW is the fifth rated show on Fort William's Channel 14 Network, particularly popular among the citystate's youth and immigrant population.
Lifestyle
By the standards of the other CNCS states life in the WFP can be harsh. Overall, income levels are low, work hours long and technology in short supply. It is therefore surprising that most Westerners regard their lifestyle as superior to that found elsewhere on Terra Nova. They regard quality of life as more important than wealth or gadgets, preferring instead to build strong ties within their family units. This is particularly true in rural communities where the people pull together for the good of the community. Work hours are tedious, particularly in the harvest season, but the rewards - namely the good of the family - are great. Unfortunately, the tight-knit structure of such communities makes them distrustful of strangers (though the practice of hospitality remains central to Western life) and promotes more conservative attitudes.
Western society is not consistent in its approach to such matters. When compared to the rural areas the city-states are cosmopolitan and accepting of outsiders. The urban lifestyle is superficially similar to that in many CNCS cities, focused on the quest for wealth and power. The clan structure adds an extra layer to this, shaping perceptions and creating much of the social and economic framework of the WFP. Most companies are more willing to employ members of their own or allied clans than they are to take on members of neutral or hostile clans. This creates a natural bias in the employment market, resulting in a "closed shop."
Residence
Westerners favor large houses, often following the "courtyard" model where a number of self-contained apartments surround a communal area. This allows several generations of a family to live in close proximity, yet affords them a degree of privacy and self-reliance. The individual apartments are sizable and well appointed, and Westerners take great pride in their appearance. Most feature three or four bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom and a dining/living area. Particular care is taken to maintain the appearance of the communal areas, which act as the public face of the little community. Most contain wells and fountains which serve to cool the air and water the flowerbeds and planters that surround them. Several courtyard houses may be grouped together to form a clan enclave, linked by narrow winding pathways and creating a miniature village within the urban area. Though rare in modern construction, these enclaves may be enclosed in a purpose-built wall as is the case of the Palacio Maderas in Fort Henry.
The courtyard house model has also been applied to more conventional housing, grouping four houses or apartment blocks around a communal space. Unfortunately, the absence of family ties in such situations often results in the neglect of the common space. Apartment blocks are rare in the Protectorate and only appear in the innermost areas of the citystates. Most Westerners find these low-rise blocks cramped and impersonal, preferring to travel long distances rather than Live in them. As such they have become synonymous with immigrants and ghettos, further harming their image. In truth such apartments are larger and better appointed than their Mercantile and Norlight equivalents, designed with the traditionally large Western family in mind.
Language
The principal language of the Western Frontier Protectorate is Equatorial Hispanic, a fusion of ancient Spanish, English and Portuguese that developed during the Ice Age. It is the language of government and anyone seeking to attain any rank in the WFPA or the administration is expected to be fluent. Not all Westerners learn Hispanic as their first language; only the First Clans use it as their mother tongue while other groups speak Anglic and learn Hispanic at school. There are several regional variations of Equatorial Hispanic: the harsh, guttural version spoken in Fort William; a softer dialect with a tendency to draw out consonants used in Fort Henry; and the melange of Anglic and Hispanic known as 'tradespeak' common in Fort James.
Though most Westerners are bilingual - Anglic is the league's second language, used principally for day-to-day transactions
Indo-Arabic is spoken in some communities in the far west of the Protectorate, as well as by clergy and devout Revisionists.
Rites
From birth to death, life in the WFP involves a number of often-complex rituals associated with key stages of life. Most are secular in nature, though a small number relate to the Revisionist or Jerusalemite faiths.
The birth of a new child is cause for great celebration, though the nature of the event varies depending on locale and circumstance. In rural communities a large informal meal is traditional, at which the new family member is introduced to their relatives and clanmates. The same principal holds true in urban centers, though the venue is often a restaurant or hotel hired for the occasion. Many First Clans go one step further and stage elaborate soirees at which notables from outside the clan are also invited, particularly if the new child belongs to one of the core lineages.
In some Revisionist families a bond twinning ceremony follows the presentation gathering. This process symbolizes the comradeship between Mamoud Khodaverti and Nathani Reiss, joining two newborns as life-long companions. Most such arrangements are carried out within the clan but bond twinning between members of allied clans is also common. Until TN 1935 there had been a notable decline in the popularity of bond-twinning but in the last few cycles there has been a dramatic increase in the number of families requesting the ceremony.
The next major ceremony, the first in which the celebrant is a conscious participant, is a coming of age ceremony held at the age of 16 cycles. Often also marking the individual's entry to the workforce, the ceremony is marked by the packing away of items associated with childhood - toys, children's books and so forth. It is considered immature and shameful for someone undergoing the ceremony to show too much attachment to the trappings of their youth, and a core part of the ceremony involves passing these items on to younger members of the family or clan. Having divested themselves of their childhood, the new adult then moves from the room often shared with siblings into a private room. In Revisionist families coming of age is often followed by presentation to the local religious congregation in a ceremony known as Awakening. The new adult is expected to read from and comment on the Khodaverdia, demonstrating their comprehension of the world and the holy texts.
Most children continue to live with their immediate families until they marry, usually between 20 and 30 cycles of age. Wedding ceremonies are major affairs and serve a three-fold purpose: celebrating the union of the couple, the departure of one partner from their birth-clan to that of their spouse, and the formation of a new home. The wedding ceremony takes place in a small church service, attended by representatives of the two clans. This is followed by an often-lavish reception, turning clan enclaves into good-humored fiestas attended by many local residents.
Though regarded as one of the greatest achievements possible, only a quarter of Westerners normally attain citizenship. After completing the requisite period of military setvice, the prospective citizen presents themselves to their clan head who outlines the rights and responsibilities that will accompany their new status. Ifth ey choose to continue the process
Though many Westerners choose cremation over burial, most families maintain extensive mausoleums and burial plots in which their dead are interred. Portions of the deceased's ashes are interred in a ceremonial urn, which is placed alongside those of dozens of their relatives and ancestors. The remainder of their ashes are scattered over the ancestral lands (or the open plains in the case of clans without landholdings), returning them to the land which supported them, and in turn nourishing it for the next generation. Though the interment and scattering ceremonies are solemn affiirs, they are usually followed by raucous parties at which the life of the deceased is celebrated and their accomplishments extolled.
Food and Drink
The evening meal is a central part of daily life in the WFP, often the one time of the day when the entire family gathers together. During the rest of the day snacks are common. Breakfasts are light, involving pastries and cawfee and midday and mid-afternoon snacks are usually sandwiches (bocodillo) or small dishes known as tapas. Dinner typically starts around dusk and can last for two or three hours, incorporating multiple courses and punctuated by unhurried conversation. These meals usually take place in the family home, but larger scale gatherings have gained popularity over the cycles since the War of the Alliance, growing to include all the residents of a courtyard.
Most Western meals involve numerous small dishes rather than a few large courses, allowing ample opportunity for conversation. Indeed, sparkling conversation is regarded as an essential part of a good meal and the art of conversation is regarded as a basic social skill, considered part of education process in powerful or ambitious clans. Failure to attend the evening gathering is deemed disrespectful of family traditions and thus many teenagers go out of their way to avoid them, gathering with their peers in clubs and cafes.
Meat products are central to most meals, accompanied by a large selection of vegetables and breads. Grilled springer steaks are perhaps the best known dish, popularized by "Western" restaurants across the CNCS, accompanied by joharflour tortillas and waterroot paste. Regional delicacies include chorizo, spicy sausages, and churros, deep-fried doughballs sprinkled with sugar. Indeed, Fort James has gained a reputation across the Northern Hemisphere for its pastries, which are considered delicacies. Most surprising, particularly around Fort Henry, are foods such as offal, brains and blood sausage. Indeed, one of the more acquired tastes is cobidela, hopper and johar cooked in the hoppets own blood.
Alcoholic beverages, usually wines and beers, accompany most meals, with spirits - particularly sweet whiskys or imported liquors - sewed at the end of the meal. Even children as young as 14 cycles are allowed to drink wine or beer with their evening meals though, save on special occasions, this is diluted with water or soda. The prevalence of alcohol has led to the widespread image of Westerners as hard-drinking, though when compared to their CNCS neighbors inebriation is relatively rare.
Fast food has grown in importance in the Protectorate. Its emphasis on swift, uncomplicated meals stands in stark contrast to traditional Western values and is particularly popular among the young and new immigrants. The Mercantile MainzFood conglomerate dominates the industry though its position is challenged by a host of small local companies
Style and Clothing
Style and dress are an essential part of both self-expression and conformity and the two extremes have been seized upon by disparate elements of Western society to further their goals. As a result, fashion in the Protectorate varies from the austere to the bright and adventurous.
Most adults favor conservative clothes, often of muted earth colors or simple black and white, and usually in severe cuts. Outside of the major settlements styles change little, particularly for formal occasions. Male formal dress in outlying areas is comprised of dark narrow trousers, a white shirt and a short, dark jacket. A cummerbund or tie in clan weaves often provides the only color. Female dress is even more archaic, consisting of dresses with a tight bodice, flaring at the hips into long, flowing skirts. Military dress is an accepted alternative for both sexes. Such fashions are less common in the city-states where modern "designer" clothing imported from the UMF has become the norm. Indeed, competition among the social elite of the City-states has led fashion to push the limits of Western sensibilities: Ruth DeVries' attempts to introduce Ashantite fashions into Fort James were quickly curtailed under the Protectorate's morality laws.
Casual wear is much more diverse and little different than that worn elsewhere in the CNCS. It ranges from the practical and hardwearing styles favored in rural centers to chic fashions in the city-states. Unfortunately, Western "chic" is usually a "season'' behind the fashion centers of the UMF; the velvet designs of JiB and Wallace have gained particular favor among the Protectorate's elite.
The youth counter-culture has seized upon clothing and style as a means of expressing its rejection of conventional Western values. Bright colors are common, combined in deliberately garish manners and accentuated (by both sexes) with makeup, tattoos and body piercing. Adherents of shock take fashion-rebellion even further, deliberately skirting the borders of accepted morality and going beyond it in the "privacy" of clubs. Ironically the Ashantite body painting deemed too risque for high society has become the biggest fashion trend among the under-20s.
Beards and mustaches are also favored among traditionalist Western males, as is long hair among both sexes, usually braided with colored ribbons. As might be expected the youth counter-culture goes to the opposite extreme, and most are clean-shaven with very short or no hair. Dyed hair (garish colors, of course) is also common among the younger elements of the population.
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