Dahbi

Each Dahbi is born with the ability to travel places instantaneously - by igniting the fire within them, they cover themselves in smoke and are sent to the place in their mind. It takes practice, and children don't have enough control to be able to do it well, or travel far.

Naming Traditions

Family names

The children take the father's first name as their surname.

Culture

Culture and cultural heritage

Ethiopian-adjacent

Shared customary codes and values

The Dahbi society is relatively peaceful. Everyone has their job, their niche, and they abide by the rules of society. All follow the same beliefs, and agree that, with their ability, they are able to almost pass through to the Other Side, to glimpse the Next World - they see it each time they travel. It is exhausting, but always worth it.

Common Etiquette rules

Dahbi's are a people of action. They do not find much point in talking, when most situations are clear as day, most solutions easy to enact. They have no 'round table.' Each tribe has a leader and what that leader says is what the rest of them do. There are two leaders - one elder, one younger. Each to represent two generations.

Common Dress code

Since their land is one of fire, they wear as little clothing as possible. Thin skirts, and dresses, are the go-to attire, for both males and females. They keep their hair sheared short - though never completely shaved, for the red of their hair is something to be proud of. They wear sandals, or nothing, though their ability makes it so they almost don't touch the floor when they walk - rather, float by through clouds of smoke.

Birth & Baptismal Rites

After the birth of a child, both baby and mother are set up in the local House of Births. There they stay there for several months (usually four). This is to cement their connection, their relationship, and for the mother to return to health and strength. It is also for support. The mother will be surrounded by other mothers, and nurses who will attend to her every need. After four months, the mother and baby make their way to a river, where they bathe for hours during the day, also cutting their hair, their nails, and submerging themselves over and over in the water, for purification. In the evening, they are both clothed in clean clothes, and they set off to the House of Prayer, where every table is laden with food and treats. Here the baby is named, and a sacrifice is made, in the form of either a sheep, a bird, or some bread - depending on the financial status of the family.

Coming of Age Rites

Before a female or male can be accepted into the second part of their life, they must first successfully travel from one end of a field to the other. In their way, there will be a herd of cattle - sheep, cows, bull. To come of age, one must travel from the beginning of the field, to the end, without disturbing the animals in between. They paint their faces, arms, bodies with white. The paint they choose is important, for it will stay with them forever - if they are successful, the paint will be exactly the same at the end of the ritual as it was at the start. And if it is the exact same, they will forever be branded with this paint - to show their success.

Funerary and Memorial customs

At the news of a death, families and community members gather at the house of the bereaved. If the house isn't big enough, tents may be set up. For a week, at least, people arrive at the house, and all grieve together, and support one another. Tears are acceptable, expected even. It is not unusual to hear wailing. Elders tell stories of the deceased. Men prepare the burial site - usually close to the House of Prayer - and they preserve the body with herbs and plants - to allow for people coming from all over to say goodbye. Once the deceased is buried, they say prayers of course, and wish them luck on their final journey to the Other World. Then they return home, and for weeks or months, the grieving wear black, and if one visits them, they must sit quietly and refrain from any laughter.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Dahbi are bronze-skinned, with fiery and wild red hair. They are stout, with wide set shoulders, and strong arms and legs.

Gender Ideals

The males of the race are the stronger, physically. They work on infrastructure and manual labour, while women are the caregivers, the support, the foundation of a home. There is no upper-hand in regards to their abilities - both males and females can teleport, as long as they practice.

Courtship Ideals

Marriages are usually negotiated by the parents.

Relationship Ideals

Females marry young - around 20, while males often wait a bit longer. They each have equal footing in the relationship - but that varies from couple to couple, of course. But in general society, women are respected for their contribution to a relationship, just as much as men are. Each has their responsibilities, and they follow normal society.