Chiri
Peoples descended from ancient Chirider, to include modern Chirider, Chira, Kush, and Tiben. The Maa Kherus of ancient Chirider are still mythologized and idolized to this day.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
Being people of the sun, darker complexions are more common, and therefore more familiar. For religious people, a darker complexion also showed piety and devotion. For traders and workers, it represented familiarity and comfort. The brightly colored sand also made it easier to see people with darker skin and hair.
Gender Ideals
Because of the relative prosperity of Chirider, it had very little gender differentiation. Being a very social society, all people contributed to the best of their ability. Because of the heat and sand, most people kept their hair short.
Courtship Ideals
A long, performative, courtship was the norm for a long time for Chiri. The wedding was rarely the most exciting or lavish part of a Chiri relationship. The first two weeks were about proposal and display: The person who wished to initiate the courtship would make it known that they wanted to court their partner, and if accepted, would be a sort of show. The proposer would display their personality in their own way: performing music, dancing, doing chores, helping people, feats of skill, or more. While they were supposed to naturally be part of their lives and personality, because the courtship was initiated, they were done specifically in view of the desired partner. The partner was encouraged to observe, often joined by other family members. After the two weeks, the first milestone was met. If the desired partner agrees to continue, the two would date, mingle families, introduce to friends, and generally spend time together.
While this period did not have a set timeframe, it was generally accepted that a few months to a year was acceptable. Any sooner was considered rushed and any longer was considered dragged out - neither was inherently bad. Throughout that time, friends and family of the couple would eventually declare to the partners if they would welcome them as friends/family. The end of the courtship was the marriage proposal.
The proposal was a large party where the family and friends of the couple would gather and formally, publicly, declare their love and acceptance of the couple. If there were any objections to be made, this was the accepted time to do so. Most of these were joyous and raucous parties that ended with the person who initiated the courtship proposing marriage to their partner. The wedding that followed was more formality, and generally a smaller event that included only close family and friends and very formal.
Relationship Ideals
The goal was to have a relationship last the rest of their lives, but divorce, remarriage, and polygamy were also accepted. Divorce was not stigmatized since accepting that a relationship was no longer compatible or healthy was viewed as a good thing that needed to be changed.
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