Bektepi (Bek-Tep-Ee)

Overview

The Bektepi are the inhabitants of the Bektep Space Station and the surrounding system. Despite their small range, they are some of the most common Kepek in the Commonwealth. This is because The Bektep Space Station is the centre of The Commonwealth, where all the Interstellar Colony Flagships and their people come to meet. As a result, many Bektepi have easier access to travel beyond their systems and it is not uncommon to see Bektepi aboard other ships or even planetary colonies as either permanent passengers or tourists. Their defining characteristics are their stripes and facial markings. Every Bektepi's stripes are unique, though they often share strong similarities between family members, and can often be an indicator of which families they come from if one knows what to look for.

Naming Traditions

Unisex names

Gendered names have somewhat fallen out of fashion with Bektepi Kepek, and most will choose names for their children without a specific gender in mind. These androgynous names typically revolve around astronomical objects and phenomena. Some examples include:

Xaribek (supernova)
Vekad (moon)
Ravep (Star)

Family names

Bektepi family names originated as indicators of where a family came from - usually named after a city, town or even specific streets from Xebrik. Kepek, and especially Bektepi, families are massive, with several generations usually living in a single building complex. When a Bektepi Kepek finds a partner, they will decide between them which family they will move in with (usually determined by who's family is larger or has more free space in their complex), and the new partner will take on that family name.

Culture

Common Dress code

Bektepi Kepek have tried to mimic their native habitat of Xebrik as close as they can with the limited information they have, which means very warm, tropical weather, and their clothing reflects this. They tend to have clothes that don't offer much in the way of coverage, preferring short-sleeved shirts, singlets or crop-tops, as well as shorted pants, skirts and dresses. They do, however, have a lot of embellishments and non-functional decorations on their clothing.

Coming of Age Rites

The following year after a Bektepi Kepek comes of age, they and any siblings, cousins and other similarly aged family members partake in a competition. The individuals must race to the top of a Vetipek Tree - usually, the one grown and tended for by their family - and pick the first fruit of the season. Whoever picks the fruit and makes it back down to the bottom first, wins. The winner is said to have good luck for the next five orbits, and bring their most immediate family members (usually their siblings and parents) good luck and blessings as well. In the modern era, the luck aspect is taken less seriously and the whole tradition is treated more like a friendly competition between family, but it is still considered an important milestone for any young Bektepi.

Common Taboos

The Bektepi Kepek value their extended family immensely, and choosing to sever ties with them, or even worse, being forcibly kicked out from the family's complex is a massive taboo. As a result, any Kepek who lives alone or has no notable family connection is assumed to be in that situation due to their own actions and are treated as an outcast, avoided by most members of society. Many people who have had to leave their families choose to live in The Wall, a series of apartment complexes built on the outskirts of the Bektep Space Station, in the walls of each of the station's habitable zones. People who live here are often called "Wall Evats" (A more direct translation of sorts would be "Wall Rat", as Evats are often looked at in a similar way to rats on earth)

Encompassed species