"Life on the sea is different from life on the land, though our goals are very much the same. We all seek to survive, to be happy, and to be surrounded by those we care about and who care about us."
People of Two Islands
Among the skies large bodies of water are rare and islands are rarer still. Yet, the
Geetan Archipelago rests scattered among the
Astrensea and the people of
Tamazee have stood on every rock.
Before the
Agreement of Fishing Territories and the cooperation that followed in its wake, the Tamin were two peoples - those of Tamm and those of Zeed. Their islands were the two largest on the
archipelago and located not to far from each other. Due to proximity the two groups often fell into conflict with each other over the best fishing grounds, even coming to blows and raiding the communities of the other.
The Sea's Bounty
Most traditional foods and medicines of the Tamin are derived from the waters that surround them. Fish - not
skyfish - make up a large part of their diet. They serve it fried, boiled, stewed, battered, baked, drenched in sauce, dried, salted, spiced, wrapped in seaweed, whole, chunked, and more. The plants of the sea - often just called seaweeds by those not of the sea - are used in cooking, in medicine, and as components for other goods.
One plant in the waters of the
Astrensea, the
bosanfrill, is a great source of nutrients and has helped the Tamin stay healthy through difficult times and helped many recover from some illnesses that have swept the
archipelago. The plant is at its most abundant in the late summer and at its taste is at its best in early autumn - though it is still regarded as being incredibly bitter.
Life in the Wind and on the Waves
The people of the water have many rituals and traditions that they perform before or after certain actions or during certain times of year. The first voyage of a new ship warrants many hours of song, dance, food, and drink - the bigger the ship, the more hours of revelry.
When people leave to catch fish there is a traditional prayer that is spoken: "Come fair winds and calm seas, come good luck and ease. His net full but still be, right back here to me."
Leaving for an extended journey away from home calls for salt to be scattered on the shore to keep danger away from their family and community before they return. This comes from a belief that when someone is not present, there is a hole in the community that leaves an opening for danger to enter.
The first breeze of the
summer wind brings with it the only celebration in
Tamazee that includes the burning of a fire solely for the sake of celebration. This festival acknowledges the end of the coldest parts of the year and people speak their hopes for the next year into the bonfire hoping that their words will be taken with the smoke to
Astrenza so that she may grant them her aid in their efforts.
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