Dhadiz (d͡ʒədiz)
The Broken Gem of the Autumn Sea
The Dhadiz are an ethnic group who live on the coast of the Autumn Sea. They are known for their elevation of poetry and their pursuit of knowledge. At their height, the Dhadiz had created a colony on the planet of the Qwen, but in the last half century, their nation has become occupied by Jadinth, and are now experiencing an attack on their language and cultural values.
History
The earliest Dhadiz writings date back to the 7th century, when they were likely a linguistic and cultural subgroup of the Ruzhe people to the south. Some of the best known descriptions of the Autumn sea are Dhadiz poems that date back to this era.
It is likely the Dhadiz, like the Tuirli fled due to a belief in magic, or to protect those who were said to practice it. Dhadiz, like Ruzhe, believed that the uncommon feature of grey eyes was accompanied by a magical gift. Unlike their neighbors to the south, who feared this, the Dhadiz revered the magical gift, elevating those with grey eyes to the position of Procellus, and considering them community leaders, though often outside of formal institutions, as communities did not expect to always have procellus. There was also a lot of conflict between the Dhadiz and Ruzhe during this time.
Their positive belief in magic attracted members of other minority groups in the surrounding area, and the Dhadiz became known for their religious acceptance. Many religious leaders also established schools in major Dhadiz cities, leading the area to become known as a place of higher learning.
They say that whenever Jadinth and Nicaba work together, it does not go well for the Dhadiz.
The Dhadiz had a brief struggle with Jadinth in 1261, after the kind married a Nicaban noblewoman, and the two saw Dhadiz as literally the only thing between them. The ensung war lasted 55 years, but a pact with the Ruzhe, who recognized they would be the next targets, they managed to regain their freedom, after which they returned to bickering with each other.
Jadinth invaded again in 1733, again, with resources from Nicaba, and tried to establish Jadinth temples, converting as many Dhadiz as possible. In 1777, however, Jadinth retreated due to political turmoil. Not long after Nicaba faced similar difficulties.
The Dhadiz began their "golden age" in 1924. They were known worldwide for both secular and religious universities, and students often came from other countries, such as Melzi, to study. Though many Dhadiz "superstitions" in magic persisted, hard scientific views of the world also flourished, and friendly debates were common, especially in university settings. The Dhadiz were also some of the first people to settle a colony on the planet of Qwen. With Nicaba to the west in a civil war and Jadinth to the east embroiled in political conflict, the Dhadiz nation was known as the the "Jewel of the Autum Sea."
At the turn of the 26th century, when the new Jadinth oligarchy was established, representatives began to visit other neighboring countries, including both Nicaba and Dhadiz. Shortly after, there was a Virion outbreak, forcing the Dhadiz to shut their borders and end communication with their colony on Qwen. The outbreak was brought under control, but at great loss of life and economic losses, and Jadinth took advantage of this weakness. Though the Dhadiz had been more technologically advanced, Jadinth, strengthened under its new government, was now more economically stable and had a much larger population. This time, the Dhadiz were unable to fend off the invasion.
For the last 50 years, the Dhadiz have lived under the rule of Jadinth, which has pushed a message of religious and moral superiority, claiming that the superstitious Dhadiz must be saved from themselves. Slowly, the Jadinth government has been working to eliminate elements of Dhadiz culture, such re-writing school curriculums and banning books written in the Dhadiz language. Jadinth also took advantage of the Virion Pandemic to declare that certain rebel leaders were carriers of the disease and "quarantined" them, never to to seen again.
The most recent developments in the conflict have seen the Jadinth "moving" Dhadiz communities to make room for Jadinth to live in their cities. This includes forcibly walking Dhadiz across inhospitable parts of the country. Many Dhadiz have escaped to countries like Melzi and attempts to leave continue. In other areas, pockets of rebels remain, determined to oust the invaders and keep their culture alive.
Clothing
Traditional Dhadiz clothing includes a white shirt with a woven vest, and either pants or skirts, usually depending on gender. Vests and skirts are usually woven in a variety of colorful patterns, such as stripes, flowers, or stars. They are best known, however, for their woven sashes, which are frequently worn by all genders. Clothing is typically made of linen.
Regional Variations in Clothing
Coastal Areas
In the coastal regions, including the island of Saal, sashes are the most common. Shirts are heavily embroidered, usually with plant patterns, and vests and skirts are woven in stripes and checks, with red, purple, and blue as the dominant colors. People often wear crotched slippers rather than other shoes.
Central
The central region has drawn ideas from all the other regions. Shirts here tend to have wider sleeves, and skirts are plain, but worn with brightly colored aprons. Weaving patterns here have the widest variety of both colors and patterns. Unlike in other regions, sashes here are often adorned with tassles, and many people wear hats adorned with brightly colored flowers or feathers.
Southwest
In the southwest area, shirts typically have red embroidery all the way down the sleeves. The dominant colors for weavings are red and green.
Southeast
In the southeast area, women often wear several underskirts. The outer skirts have vibrant stripes and floral patterns. Shoes are handpainted, also with floral patterns. Sashes are less common here, with most men instead wearing colorful belts.
Music
Music and poetry are the mostly elevated artform among the Dhadiz people. Songs are written for a variety of reasons, and the accompanying music is usually intended to represent the subject matter. For example, songs about work often have strong, reptitive rhythms, reminiscent of the repetitive actions behind many forms of labor, and songs about the sea may including shushing or humming, to mimic the sound of the water. While many folk songs recount important moments in Dhadiz history, people also write songs for special events, including births, weddings, and funerals.
Food
Along the coastline, Dhadiz cuisine centers around fish, with pork being a more common meat further inland. Root vegetables like beets, potatoes, and yams are common ingredients, as are mushrooms. The two most popular ways to prepare food are pickling and as soups, served both hot and cold. Soups are typically served with hot potatoes, or rye bread, which is the most popular grain in the area.
Though the Dhadiz have adopted a variety of instruments through interactions with other cultures, instrumental music is uncommon. Most songs are sung, usually in small groups with 2-4 part harmonies. Many songs also have dances which accomany them. Dances are often simple, and usually begin with the group in a circle, facing one another. For centuries, the Dhadiz held competitions for singing, dancing, and poetry.
Rites and Rituals
Birth
It is common after birth for mothers and babies both to be given spiced milk colored with beets, to give them strength and good health. Originally, the drink was intended to symbolize blood and the renewal of energy that may have been lost in the birthing process. This later gave rise to the Jadinth propaganda that the Dhadiz practiced human sacrifice.
Naming Traditions
A variety of superstitions have contributed to naming practices in Dhadiz culture. It is common to name a child after a deceased family member, but bad luck to name them after a living one. Nature names are also common, and these are often associated with the protection of Dhadiz gods, especially if they are considered "in power" during the birth of the child. (A child born in springtime might be named after a flowering plant, a child born at night named after the moon, a child on the coast named after the tides, etc.) They have also adopted some names from surrounding cultures. Most Dhadiz have the same surname as their father, though some take the surname of their mother instead.
Coming of Age
Birthdays are often small affairs, celebrated only among family. Celebrants may recieve small gifts, especially as children, but it is most common to give flowers. Cakes are also uncommon with the preferred choice usually being fresh baked bread and jam. The difference is the sixteenth birthday, when a child comes of age. The child is expected to build a fire and feed it all night long. The next morning, they prepare breakfast for the family on the fire.
Marriage
Weddings among the Dhadiz are also simple customs. The bride and groom usually wear new clothes, though if new clothes are difficult to afford, they at least wear new sashes. The bride also wears a crown of bells, the tinkling of which is said to ward off evil spirits. The bride's attendants usually wear crowns of flowers. The main ceremony is followed by a meal and presentations of poetry, song, and dance. Later, the couple will visit family and friends for the first time as a married couple, during which time they usually receieve gifts of money and flowers.
Gender Roles
Dhadiz do not have strong gender roles, and often emphasize sharing housework, child care, and other duties between husbands and wives. There is little discrimination between genders in the workforce, though they only recognize a male and female gender binary, and are not very accepting of transgender people. Similarly, most Dhadiz do not support same-sex marriages.
Death Rites
When someone dies in Dhadiz culture, they are buried, and flowers are left at the gravesite. Funerals usually include poetic recountings of the person's life, or sometimes songs that the deceased loved or that family and friends otherwise associate with them.
They say that whenever Jadinth and Nicaba work together, it does not go well for the Dhadiz.
The Dhadiz had a brief struggle with Jadinth in 1261, after the kind married a Nicaban noblewoman, and the two saw Dhadiz as literally the only thing between them. The ensung war lasted 55 years, but a pact with the Ruzhe, who recognized they would be the next targets, they managed to regain their freedom, after which they returned to bickering with each other.
Traditional Dhadiz clothing includes a white shirt with a woven vest, and either pants or skirts, usually depending on gender. Vests and skirts are usually woven in a variety of colorful patterns, such as stripes, flowers, or stars. They are best known, however, for their woven sashes, which are frequently worn by all genders. Clothing is typically made of linen.
Regional Variations in Clothing
Coastal Areas
In the coastal regions, including the island of Saal, sashes are the most common. Shirts are heavily embroidered, usually with plant patterns, and vests and skirts are woven in stripes and checks, with red, purple, and blue as the dominant colors. People often wear crotched slippers rather than other shoes.
Central
The central region has drawn ideas from all the other regions. Shirts here tend to have wider sleeves, and skirts are plain, but worn with brightly colored aprons. Weaving patterns here have the widest variety of both colors and patterns. Unlike in other regions, sashes here are often adorned with tassles, and many people wear hats adorned with brightly colored flowers or feathers.
Southwest
In the southwest area, shirts typically have red embroidery all the way down the sleeves. The dominant colors for weavings are red and green.
Southeast
In the southeast area, women often wear several underskirts. The outer skirts have vibrant stripes and floral patterns. Shoes are handpainted, also with floral patterns. Sashes are less common here, with most men instead wearing colorful belts.
Music
Music and poetry are the mostly elevated artform among the Dhadiz people. Songs are written for a variety of reasons, and the accompanying music is usually intended to represent the subject matter. For example, songs about work often have strong, reptitive rhythms, reminiscent of the repetitive actions behind many forms of labor, and songs about the sea may including shushing or humming, to mimic the sound of the water. While many folk songs recount important moments in Dhadiz history, people also write songs for special events, including births, weddings, and funerals.
Food
Along the coastline, Dhadiz cuisine centers around fish, with pork being a more common meat further inland. Root vegetables like beets, potatoes, and yams are common ingredients, as are mushrooms. The two most popular ways to prepare food are pickling and as soups, served both hot and cold. Soups are typically served with hot potatoes, or rye bread, which is the most popular grain in the area.
Though the Dhadiz have adopted a variety of instruments through interactions with other cultures, instrumental music is uncommon. Most songs are sung, usually in small groups with 2-4 part harmonies. Many songs also have dances which accomany them. Dances are often simple, and usually begin with the group in a circle, facing one another. For centuries, the Dhadiz held competitions for singing, dancing, and poetry.
Rites and Rituals
Birth
It is common after birth for mothers and babies both to be given spiced milk colored with beets, to give them strength and good health. Originally, the drink was intended to symbolize blood and the renewal of energy that may have been lost in the birthing process. This later gave rise to the Jadinth propaganda that the Dhadiz practiced human sacrifice.
Naming Traditions
A variety of superstitions have contributed to naming practices in Dhadiz culture. It is common to name a child after a deceased family member, but bad luck to name them after a living one. Nature names are also common, and these are often associated with the protection of Dhadiz gods, especially if they are considered "in power" during the birth of the child. (A child born in springtime might be named after a flowering plant, a child born at night named after the moon, a child on the coast named after the tides, etc.) They have also adopted some names from surrounding cultures. Most Dhadiz have the same surname as their father, though some take the surname of their mother instead.
Coming of Age
Birthdays are often small affairs, celebrated only among family. Celebrants may recieve small gifts, especially as children, but it is most common to give flowers. Cakes are also uncommon with the preferred choice usually being fresh baked bread and jam. The difference is the sixteenth birthday, when a child comes of age. The child is expected to build a fire and feed it all night long. The next morning, they prepare breakfast for the family on the fire.
Marriage
Weddings among the Dhadiz are also simple customs. The bride and groom usually wear new clothes, though if new clothes are difficult to afford, they at least wear new sashes. The bride also wears a crown of bells, the tinkling of which is said to ward off evil spirits. The bride's attendants usually wear crowns of flowers. The main ceremony is followed by a meal and presentations of poetry, song, and dance. Later, the couple will visit family and friends for the first time as a married couple, during which time they usually receieve gifts of money and flowers.
Gender Roles
Dhadiz do not have strong gender roles, and often emphasize sharing housework, child care, and other duties between husbands and wives. There is little discrimination between genders in the workforce, though they only recognize a male and female gender binary, and are not very accepting of transgender people. Similarly, most Dhadiz do not support same-sex marriages.
Death Rites
When someone dies in Dhadiz culture, they are buried, and flowers are left at the gravesite. Funerals usually include poetic recountings of the person's life, or sometimes songs that the deceased loved or that family and friends otherwise associate with them.
Coastal Areas
In the coastal regions, including the island of Saal, sashes are the most common. Shirts are heavily embroidered, usually with plant patterns, and vests and skirts are woven in stripes and checks, with red, purple, and blue as the dominant colors. People often wear crotched slippers rather than other shoes.
Central
The central region has drawn ideas from all the other regions. Shirts here tend to have wider sleeves, and skirts are plain, but worn with brightly colored aprons. Weaving patterns here have the widest variety of both colors and patterns. Unlike in other regions, sashes here are often adorned with tassles, and many people wear hats adorned with brightly colored flowers or feathers.
Southwest
In the southwest area, shirts typically have red embroidery all the way down the sleeves. The dominant colors for weavings are red and green.
Southeast
In the southeast area, women often wear several underskirts. The outer skirts have vibrant stripes and floral patterns. Shoes are handpainted, also with floral patterns. Sashes are less common here, with most men instead wearing colorful belts.
Music and poetry are the mostly elevated artform among the Dhadiz people. Songs are written for a variety of reasons, and the accompanying music is usually intended to represent the subject matter. For example, songs about work often have strong, reptitive rhythms, reminiscent of the repetitive actions behind many forms of labor, and songs about the sea may including shushing or humming, to mimic the sound of the water. While many folk songs recount important moments in Dhadiz history, people also write songs for special events, including births, weddings, and funerals.
Food
Along the coastline, Dhadiz cuisine centers around fish, with pork being a more common meat further inland. Root vegetables like beets, potatoes, and yams are common ingredients, as are mushrooms. The two most popular ways to prepare food are pickling and as soups, served both hot and cold. Soups are typically served with hot potatoes, or rye bread, which is the most popular grain in the area.
Though the Dhadiz have adopted a variety of instruments through interactions with other cultures, instrumental music is uncommon. Most songs are sung, usually in small groups with 2-4 part harmonies. Many songs also have dances which accomany them. Dances are often simple, and usually begin with the group in a circle, facing one another. For centuries, the Dhadiz held competitions for singing, dancing, and poetry.
Rites and Rituals
Birth
It is common after birth for mothers and babies both to be given spiced milk colored with beets, to give them strength and good health. Originally, the drink was intended to symbolize blood and the renewal of energy that may have been lost in the birthing process. This later gave rise to the Jadinth propaganda that the Dhadiz practiced human sacrifice.
Naming Traditions
A variety of superstitions have contributed to naming practices in Dhadiz culture. It is common to name a child after a deceased family member, but bad luck to name them after a living one. Nature names are also common, and these are often associated with the protection of Dhadiz gods, especially if they are considered "in power" during the birth of the child. (A child born in springtime might be named after a flowering plant, a child born at night named after the moon, a child on the coast named after the tides, etc.) They have also adopted some names from surrounding cultures. Most Dhadiz have the same surname as their father, though some take the surname of their mother instead.
Coming of Age
Birthdays are often small affairs, celebrated only among family. Celebrants may recieve small gifts, especially as children, but it is most common to give flowers. Cakes are also uncommon with the preferred choice usually being fresh baked bread and jam. The difference is the sixteenth birthday, when a child comes of age. The child is expected to build a fire and feed it all night long. The next morning, they prepare breakfast for the family on the fire.
Marriage
Weddings among the Dhadiz are also simple customs. The bride and groom usually wear new clothes, though if new clothes are difficult to afford, they at least wear new sashes. The bride also wears a crown of bells, the tinkling of which is said to ward off evil spirits. The bride's attendants usually wear crowns of flowers. The main ceremony is followed by a meal and presentations of poetry, song, and dance. Later, the couple will visit family and friends for the first time as a married couple, during which time they usually receieve gifts of money and flowers.
Gender Roles
Dhadiz do not have strong gender roles, and often emphasize sharing housework, child care, and other duties between husbands and wives. There is little discrimination between genders in the workforce, though they only recognize a male and female gender binary, and are not very accepting of transgender people. Similarly, most Dhadiz do not support same-sex marriages.
Death Rites
When someone dies in Dhadiz culture, they are buried, and flowers are left at the gravesite. Funerals usually include poetic recountings of the person's life, or sometimes songs that the deceased loved or that family and friends otherwise associate with them.
Birth
It is common after birth for mothers and babies both to be given spiced milk colored with beets, to give them strength and good health. Originally, the drink was intended to symbolize blood and the renewal of energy that may have been lost in the birthing process. This later gave rise to the Jadinth propaganda that the Dhadiz practiced human sacrifice.
Naming Traditions
A variety of superstitions have contributed to naming practices in Dhadiz culture. It is common to name a child after a deceased family member, but bad luck to name them after a living one. Nature names are also common, and these are often associated with the protection of Dhadiz gods, especially if they are considered "in power" during the birth of the child. (A child born in springtime might be named after a flowering plant, a child born at night named after the moon, a child on the coast named after the tides, etc.) They have also adopted some names from surrounding cultures. Most Dhadiz have the same surname as their father, though some take the surname of their mother instead.
Coming of Age
Birthdays are often small affairs, celebrated only among family. Celebrants may recieve small gifts, especially as children, but it is most common to give flowers. Cakes are also uncommon with the preferred choice usually being fresh baked bread and jam. The difference is the sixteenth birthday, when a child comes of age. The child is expected to build a fire and feed it all night long. The next morning, they prepare breakfast for the family on the fire.
Marriage
Weddings among the Dhadiz are also simple customs. The bride and groom usually wear new clothes, though if new clothes are difficult to afford, they at least wear new sashes. The bride also wears a crown of bells, the tinkling of which is said to ward off evil spirits. The bride's attendants usually wear crowns of flowers. The main ceremony is followed by a meal and presentations of poetry, song, and dance. Later, the couple will visit family and friends for the first time as a married couple, during which time they usually receieve gifts of money and flowers.
Gender Roles
Dhadiz do not have strong gender roles, and often emphasize sharing housework, child care, and other duties between husbands and wives. There is little discrimination between genders in the workforce, though they only recognize a male and female gender binary, and are not very accepting of transgender people. Similarly, most Dhadiz do not support same-sex marriages.
Death Rites
When someone dies in Dhadiz culture, they are buried, and flowers are left at the gravesite. Funerals usually include poetic recountings of the person's life, or sometimes songs that the deceased loved or that family and friends otherwise associate with them.
A variety of superstitions have contributed to naming practices in Dhadiz culture. It is common to name a child after a deceased family member, but bad luck to name them after a living one. Nature names are also common, and these are often associated with the protection of Dhadiz gods, especially if they are considered "in power" during the birth of the child. (A child born in springtime might be named after a flowering plant, a child born at night named after the moon, a child on the coast named after the tides, etc.) They have also adopted some names from surrounding cultures. Most Dhadiz have the same surname as their father, though some take the surname of their mother instead.
Coming of Age
Birthdays are often small affairs, celebrated only among family. Celebrants may recieve small gifts, especially as children, but it is most common to give flowers. Cakes are also uncommon with the preferred choice usually being fresh baked bread and jam. The difference is the sixteenth birthday, when a child comes of age. The child is expected to build a fire and feed it all night long. The next morning, they prepare breakfast for the family on the fire.
Marriage
Weddings among the Dhadiz are also simple customs. The bride and groom usually wear new clothes, though if new clothes are difficult to afford, they at least wear new sashes. The bride also wears a crown of bells, the tinkling of which is said to ward off evil spirits. The bride's attendants usually wear crowns of flowers. The main ceremony is followed by a meal and presentations of poetry, song, and dance. Later, the couple will visit family and friends for the first time as a married couple, during which time they usually receieve gifts of money and flowers.
Gender Roles
Dhadiz do not have strong gender roles, and often emphasize sharing housework, child care, and other duties between husbands and wives. There is little discrimination between genders in the workforce, though they only recognize a male and female gender binary, and are not very accepting of transgender people. Similarly, most Dhadiz do not support same-sex marriages.
Death Rites
When someone dies in Dhadiz culture, they are buried, and flowers are left at the gravesite. Funerals usually include poetic recountings of the person's life, or sometimes songs that the deceased loved or that family and friends otherwise associate with them.
Weddings among the Dhadiz are also simple customs. The bride and groom usually wear new clothes, though if new clothes are difficult to afford, they at least wear new sashes. The bride also wears a crown of bells, the tinkling of which is said to ward off evil spirits. The bride's attendants usually wear crowns of flowers. The main ceremony is followed by a meal and presentations of poetry, song, and dance. Later, the couple will visit family and friends for the first time as a married couple, during which time they usually receieve gifts of money and flowers.
Gender Roles
Dhadiz do not have strong gender roles, and often emphasize sharing housework, child care, and other duties between husbands and wives. There is little discrimination between genders in the workforce, though they only recognize a male and female gender binary, and are not very accepting of transgender people. Similarly, most Dhadiz do not support same-sex marriages.
Death Rites
When someone dies in Dhadiz culture, they are buried, and flowers are left at the gravesite. Funerals usually include poetic recountings of the person's life, or sometimes songs that the deceased loved or that family and friends otherwise associate with them.
When someone dies in Dhadiz culture, they are buried, and flowers are left at the gravesite. Funerals usually include poetic recountings of the person's life, or sometimes songs that the deceased loved or that family and friends otherwise associate with them.
CW: occupation, cultural erasure, genocide
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Autumn Sea by Molly Marjorie
Wonderful article! It's nice to see writing about ethnicity that's so well-grounded in cultural anthropology and linguistics. The language erasure program led by Jadinth is very much reminiscent of episodes from colonial and modern history. Perhaps it's beyond the scope of this article, but I'd be curious to see how the Dhadiz came to develop (I assume) a culture distinctive from that of their neighbors in Jadinth and Nicaba.
Thanks for the comment! I've been reading about the 19th and 20th century occupations of Lithuania and was heavily inspired by events like the book-smuggling movement (my great-great-grandfather was apparently a book smuggler). Milon is still a baby world, and most of what I've developed so far has been in service of my short stories that are set there, but I will definitely have to spend some time developing a deeper history at some point.
I understand that. My world's the anchor of a number of stories, too, but I'm still working realizing most of it in concrete detail. Looking forward to reading more about yours. Happy building!