Southlands

The people of the Southlands inhabit a vast landscape ranging from deserts to jungles to savanna. Despite this wide range, there are similarities between most Southlands cultures.

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Nofoto, Thadie, Lerato, Aissata, Oumou, Agna, etc.

Masculine names

Siaka, Diarra, Kalilou, Bonginkosi, Xolani, Owethu, etc.

Family names

Ignan, Kempto, Yorgan, Ubnan, Latnan, Melind, etc. Note: The Southlanders divide themselves up into various tribes. Each member of these tribes shares a family name.

Culture

Shared customary codes and values

Southlanders value courage and strength. However, they also value elders due to their wisdom. After the founding of the Masan empire in the jungles and the Zala empire in the savanna, discipline and coordination became valued as well.

Common Etiquette rules

Bashing spear and shield together is considered a greeting from warriors to commanders. Insults are not taken lightly and may result in a duel or execution.

Common Dress code

The Southlanders don't wear much clothing due to the incredibly warm weather; however, jewelry is highly prized. This can be actually gold for the jungle tribes and nations or it can be cowrie shells and ostrich feathers for the savanna people. Masks are incredibly important for both religious and cultural use. They have many meanings but typically represent an animal or one of their ancestors.

Common Customs, traditions and rituals

The most important traditions are religious rituals and storytelling. Typically, the shaman, or other storyteller, will put on multiple masks and act out the different characters of the story. Or they will use the masks to give different signals to the gods. These rituals help to bond the community together and are an essential form of entertainment.

Birth & Baptismal Rites

Southlanders are typically inspected by an elder or elders upon birth. If they show signs that they won't survive, they are left to die in the wilderness. If they pass this inspection, they are brought into the tribe.

Coming of Age Rites

Coming of age rites vary from tribe to tribe and there is no consistent pattern for them. They can be anything from ritual scarification to running over a line of bulls to undergoing a religious ceremony.

Funerary and Memorial customs

Funerals are large public affairs where the entire tribe is expected to mourn the passing.

Common Taboos

Taboos vary from tribe to tribe, but there are a few almost universal ones. Cannibalism is forbidden in most tribes, as is fleeing from battle. A strange taboo that has been implemented in pretty much every tribe is that it is forbidden to drink milk on the fifth day of the week.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Beauty ideals are pretty standard for humans for the most part. However, some isolated tribes have different standards. For example, one tribe values long-necked women and another values women with extended lower lips.

Gender Ideals

The Southlands are patriarchal. Men hold the dominant societal roles and chieftains and kings often have multiple wives. However, due to the tribal structure and polygamous nature of the Southlands, women do have a lot of independence. It is not considered odd for a woman to have a house separate from her husband. Men are expected to be warriors, hunters, and protectors and women are expected to take care of the children, make jewelry, and similar activities. Women do not directly hold office or political power and have to rely on their skills of manipulation, making the heir to the throne (if he is their son) like them, and negotiation if they want to have influence.

Courtship Ideals

Marriage is the union of two (or more if the man takes multiple wives) families. This is a very common view on marriage, but the Southlands take it further than others and courtship isn't normally a thing, with marriage being arranged either between families or between the man and the woman's family.

Relationship Ideals

Once they are married, the partners are expected to be friendly with one another. The husband is to gift his wife with the products of hunts and raids and the wife is expected to provide her husband with children and jewelry. Among societies where wives have their own houses, the man is expected to provide these to all of his wives.