Clans of the Taiga
╪╪╧ ╞╪╡
People
The Clans of the Taiga are descended from a extinct people now known as the └▪▪┘╞╪╡(Ancestors). They have adapted to a colder climate than their northern neighbours.Common physical features:
The gɨˑruˑ/giruˑ(clans) that tend towards the north are usually lighter-skinned than those who tend towards the south. This has diffused somewhat due to the interbreeding between gɨˑruˑ/giruˑ(clans).Naming Traditions
Family names
Surnames are the clan of their gɾɪɾnɔuˑɾ("father"). Providing an easy way to avoid inbreeding, for example, a member of the boar clan with the surname otter should avoid people of those clans and surnames when searching for a sexual partner.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
gluˑbɪ gititɛ is the language of the gɨˑr/gir(clan), they have two main dialects ɨˑlˠwɔ(wanderer) and hɪ(settler). There are also cases of multiple synonyms e.g. nearly every dialect has a different word for "forge".
bɔzʊnɨˑst/bɔzʊniˑst is a language of gestures common to all descendants of the └▪▪┘╞╪╡(ancestors) it is mostly used in noisy environments of hunting trips.
Common Dress code
Clothing is unisex, its primary purpose is to protect from the cold. Textile work is incredibly important so everybody is taught to be at least passably skillful at it. Needles and thread are kept on a person at all times, nobody wants to lose a finger to a hole in a pair of gloves.
Knitting is the most common technique for clothing manufacture allowing a closer fit than most other cultures. Linen is exclusively for undergarments, i.e. clothing that touches skin. Wool, fur, leather and hide are used to make outerwear. When working with wool the lanolin is added back after processing to make the garments waterproof. Fur and hide are extensively in winter gear and boots.
Gender is typically shown with accessories: patterns on scarfs, scrimshaws on buttons or charms, tablet woven belts or boot trim, and shape of belt buckles. These tend to be missed by outsiders.
Adults often shave the sides of their heads to show their kɛluˑl gɪf(sacred tattoo). The hair on the tops of their heads is commonly worn long and ornately braided. Members of the gɨˑr/gir(clan) often dye their hair, colours include:
• Blue
• Beet red
• Sage brown
• Chamomile blond
The dye is often done to individual strands of hair to aid in braiding. To dye the hair the herb must be crushed, then steeped into a tea, when the tea cools the hair is soaked in the water. Best results on light or lightened hair.
Art & Architecture
The permanent settlements are circular dwellings sometimes partially underground, they are built with large foundation stones, with an oak frame.
The walls are created with two layers:
- The exterior is built of stone, the mortar is enriched with blood taken from willing volunteers. This gift is believed to strengthen the stone and prevent damage from the cold.
- The interior is made of a mixture of clay and straw with woven willow to give structure and support. The willow branches are woven around clay pipes connected to the hot spring for warmth. The cavity is filled with dried sphagnum moss for insulation.
Foods & Cuisine
The cuisine is highly seasonal and dependent on the subculture each Clan comes from. Food is usually cooked over an open fire, in either earthen pots or an animal stomach.
Meat
Reindeer and game meats are a staple across all Clans, with sheep being produced only by the settled Clans. Smoking or drying are typically used to preserve excess meat and fish for winter or other lean times. Meat is often processed into sausages or meatballs.Fish
Those who travel the river systems often rely on fish for sustenance. Salmon, common whitefish, perch, roach, and char make up the majority of fish consumed. Cod are also consumed in coastal regions. Fish can be preserved by salting, smoking, or fermenting. Shellfish is not traditionally consumed by the Clans of this region.Fruit and vegetables
Fruits and berries mature slowly in the cold climate, producing smaller but more intense-tasting produce. Strawberries, bilberries, lingonberries, raspberries, and crab apples are most commonly harvested. Vegetables such as brassicas, cabbage, carrots, and parsnips are cultivated in settlements. Other vegetables are foraged throughout the year.Coming of Age Rites
bɔzeˑ wɪð kɾɔz is a ceremony that marks a child's official entry to the gɨˑr/gir(clan), this usually happens around their eighth birthday. At the ceremony, the child is able to choose their adult name and their gender.
bɔzeˑ wɪð dɑˑkeˑg is the rite celebrating a child's growth to adulthood. this results in the new adult getting a kɛluˑl gɪf(sacred tattoo) from the ▪╒╕║╒╕▪(Druid on the path of boarders).
Ideals
Gender Ideals
Gendered expectations are fairly loose as a skill is more likely to define what work someone does in the clan.
Major organizations
The (Clans of the taiga) acknowledge the following as members of the (union):
- ╒╤╛(wolf) gɨˑɾɔlɑˑns
- ╥╥╜(reindeer) gɨˑɾ bɔθmɪsɨˑs
- ╟─▪(salmon) gɨˑɾvɑˑkk
- ╒╤▪(bear) gɨˑɾmiʊ̯
- ─╤╤▪(fox) giˑɾ ɬeˑk dɑˑnbʊl
- ═╤╤▪(otter) gɨˑɾtuˑwɨˑ
- └▪┘(owl) giˑɾgɔðɔ
- ╙▪╜(bat) gɨˑɾgɾɛlˠz
- ╚▪╝(falcon) gɨˑɾ pɛðuˑðɪ
- ╒╤╝(sheep) giˑɾɾi
- ╓╥╜(rabbit) giˑɾil
- ╥╥▪(lynx) gɨˑɾvin
- ╠══▪(whale) gɨɾ kɔʊrmeˑlˠs
- ┌┬▪(boar) giˑɾfɔ
Parent ethnicities
Related Organizations
Related Items
Languages spoken