Koka
Koka tigirens are a sect that migrated to Kokanto after a small, and historically lost war period after their ancient empire and planet failed. They came from a place of hardships and fierce civil-war violence over supplies, and once found themselves stricken with a lot of famine, starvation, and difficult communication across their own galactic system with many believed betrayals and murders for supplies and survival. Yet a breakthrough happened as some families still worked together and ventured loose, a small band looking to land on a new planet to plan new routes and counter-attacks against their threatening peers. Yet they ended up on a planet with flourishing greens, numerous edible sugar cane stalks, spices, and herbs, and very large herbivorous wildlife that was feasting mostly unchallenged.
Families were quickly feasting on beasts, then sampling some of the same plantlife, quickly combining the two in extensive recipes. They nearly forgot their war plans, and in fact were reported to have actually called out for invites, and credited with the end of smaller post-imperial galactic civil war. As time went on, and some tech and relations came back across the divided tigiren, those on Kokanto were dignified their own perks, and ideas more as peaceful and chubby bakers and master chefs. While not as well traded with as their tarmic peers, they're more well regarded in their own species' community, and sometimes highlighted by other races as a potential role model for universal peace. Though they aren't without their controversies, like horrible health rates, and questionable orbital PMC guards. There's also mounting evidence of a censored early past, where a colony of dorvan refugees once lived in a similar state of peace when the tigirens ate them to a planetary extinction.
Culture
Common Dress code
Some have established a style of decorating over their stripes with tiny interlocked chains of gold or silver, calling this style 'double-striping', and its more common across this sect to see piercings in the ears, tail, or belly, though its considered offensive to have it around the nose/lips/tongue. Outsiders are often marked by this distinction, with most other tigiren sects wearing false or no piercings, afraid of it 'harming' the patterned fur, and this is considered a dull trait that disinterests most Koka types.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
Alchemy: Its common to hear expressions of alchemy among them, except more in the kitchen. Many strongly believe there are superstitions and mystic properties to the elements they use and ingest, as well as combinations and secrets to unlock in rituals. Ideas of boiling certain broths in copper instead of iron, or that the warming of sunlight can effect a dish left at rest in it.
No Trouble Policy: Something often referred to as the No Trouble Policy, is a mindset pervading the government and people to a large culture shock extent, though it may contradict its name in true action. It consists of varied ideas and execution about de-stressing culture and individuals. For example, contrary to their spiritual ideas of alchemy, they are fiercely atheistic, believing gods and holy decrees are more often provocative than salvaging. They believe in keeping the bulk of their society disarmed, and yet must also hire outside help to promise emergency defense, and have issues dealing with any armed guests that insist their work must involve keeping or transporting firearms close. They also censor discussion around certain topics, preventing too much speculation about their past, government issues, risks of fraud, and even topics like their older history of driving an obese early dorvan colony extinct by cooking them into their early cuisines.
Fattening Friends: Its common as per cooking customs, and their jovial nature, that they cook and share with everyone, especially focusing on slim tigiren guests as they visit from foreign places and feel almost insulted with their presence, or feeling their skinny peers need to have their appetites 'fixed'. Resorts and hotels are decked with easy food, pressure is often applied on slimmer people, and some tigiren have even deliberately started to show to 'cheat-on' a fuller figure, while others show up curious for mystically good food and just overdo it. Kokanto is both famed and infamous for its quality of foods in this regard, especially in sweets. Its common to buy lovers imported food from the spot, and often koka travelers will be chefs hired for special gatherings and feasts. However its also seen in a derogatory light, sometimes with the gift of koka chocolate backed by a constellian-type wondering if they're being called 'scrawny', or the food itself is attacked by health officials or those fighting addictions to substances even down to sugar and butter.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
Koka people tend to like their partners how they like their food: heavy & rich. Any sign of living out one's life liesurely and of absolute financial freedom, is attractive, with most of the sect interested in raw peace and easy goings. Gold and ruby jewels are plentiful among the public, even down to forged and fake poverty types. To lack any bling or special accessories is considered drab, and boring, or someone still in a stressful stride to acquire. Yet with an oversaturation, its common that one's glamor is more associated with homes and taking guests in. Homes are considered a large part of the person of this sect, and going to a large community or house, and being allowed to feast is considered a great deal in one's pride and merit, or in trusting someone to eventually be a good partner. Further on, witnessing them cook, using the right measured equipment, or demonstrating expensive tutored lessons is a part of showing status. With food being a big deal, so to is the size of one's waistline. While its not uncommon for tigirens to be complacent or compliment well-fed peers, its more common that Koka people are outright obese, and yet with no trace of shame. Its actually considered very common to even consider their jolly physique 'contagious' with other relations, to the point other sects meet or avoid friends/dating a koka-type on the thought of getting fat around one. A koka believes ugliness to be more of a factor 'on the inside' with behaviors more related to anger, raw preying, war manufacturing, and shrewd trading, all dismissed as something most koka-types detest and shun.
Encompassed species
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