Okoiama
Hidden in the lands beyond the Gohtkar mountains are the thirteen tribes of the Okoiama. Their federation claims all the territory of centeral Kathos, from eastern to western coasts, to the northern Snake River and south past the Tishmak mountains.
Once a united nation, the Ama closed themselves off to the world long ago and fractured their people into thirteen tribes of the Ama Federation. With but the two exceptions of the trading city, Kotin, and the roving tribe of merchants called the Iluo, the Okoiama are a fervently territorial people. Trespassers within their lands are rarely heard from again. Even within Kotin and Iluo, communication with outsiders is frowned upon. While traders are treated with respect, they are also treated with reservation, and the spaces where foreigners are allowed to roam are limited.
This level of secrecy has lead to much speculation by outsiders as to their society and peoples, including more than a few horror stories of the “midlands barbarians.”
Culture
Average technological level
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
All okoiama share family structures, religious beliefs, and their primary language, Gaphin. While things vary from tribe to tribe, as needed to sustain the tribe's particular lifestyle, any okoiama moving between tribes will find the underlying culture completely understandable.
Matriarchy
All Okoiama societies are matriarchal, with men being allowed to hold only specific governmental positions. These are generally related to internal security (ie, protection of their tribe,) child rearing, and clerical duties. Some tribes take things further still, barring men from holding any position of power, while others have become more relaxed. Regardless, all Okoiama spiritual and governmental rulers are female.
Gender
The Okoiama recognize three genders: male, female, and "indeterminate" or "both" (used interchangeably.) These genders are not tied to biological function; the gender a person identifies as defines how society perceives that person. Biology only comes to play in matters of marriage.
Non-binary persons are usually given female roles within their tribe when it comes to governmental positions, excepting in the strictest of tribes.
The Family
The concept of family among the Okoiama is exceedingly important and can be difficult to navigate . An elaborate web of titles for specific familial relations has long since integrated itself into their language and social order. Though titles are never used directly (the Okoiama address almost everyone, including their own parents, by their given names,) they play a large role in determining blood lineage and social rank.
The broadest sense of "family," and the least often acknowledged within Okoiama culture, is the Okoiama themselves. To an Okoiama, every other Okoiama is either an "ikute" (sister), "umete" (brother) or "omete" (sibling of indeterminate gender). This sense is most commonly heard around outsiders, in front of which given names are not used. (See: Foreign Relations) It also finds a lot of its use during times of war, when camaraderie is heightened.
The second broadest sense of "family" is among one's tribe, for which there are three words in Ama: kawana, kawiru and tchiru.
Kawana is a term used for a general tribe, not in conjunction with the tribe of anyone in the conversation (not yours, the persons’ you are speaking to, or the tribe of anyone you are speaking about). It is considered to be very rude to call someone's tribe a kawana, but you can use it to refer to the Okoiama tribes at large. This term is also used to describe foreign countries, as the Okoiama consider them to be large barbarian tribes.
Tchiru, on the other hand, is used for specific tribes. You could also use the name of the tribe, but as you may not always know it, that is not always possible. The word tchiru has another meaning, however: home.
For men, there is rarely a difference between a tchiru and the last term, kawiru. For women, who are more often allowed (and encouraged) to move between tribes, this portmanteau was derived between the two standard terms to describe one's "birth tribe" after they have joined another.
The idea of an entire tribe as one's family may seem a little off-beat, but in Okoiama society it is not too far from the truth. A splinter-tribe rarely exceeds three hundred people, and blood ties are thick. While arranged marriages exist so as not to mix lines too closely, it is rare to marry within your kawiru to someone who is entirely unrelated to you.
The smallest concept of family is the paritula, though that more closely translates to "partnership." This is a person's immediate family: their spouse(s), and biological children.
Sexuality, Love, and Marriage
Sexual and romantic relationships within Okoiama society are largely seperated. To the Okoiama mindset, you may have sex with your lover, but you do not necessarily love the one with whom you're having sex. Likewise, a romantic relationship is not necessarily sexual.
Love, or netimo, is a concept of caring emotion toward another individual. There are a few different sorts of love that the Okoiama recognize, such as familial ("netchimo") and romantic ("nefitimo") love. Unlike in English, the word "netimo," or any variation thereof, is never synonymous with a sexual act. (The phrase "making love" is impossible to translate directly as the concept implied is utterly foreign.)
Sex, or phikmar, is accepted into their society without shame. Considered simply a natural need, sexual orientation is assumed to be a fluid and undefinable thing. Despite this, there is a cultural leaning toward same-sex liaisons outside of one's marriage as these are purely for pleasure and run no risk of conception.
Fun Fact
"Naba phikmar," literally translates as "easy sex" but is more accurately translated as "casual sex." It's direct opposite is "phikmar ga liphi," literally c"sex for the womb" but would translate to "procreative sex."
It should be noted that several contraceptive means, as well as contraceptive fallacies, serve to enable extramarital affairs; a thriving institution in the Okoiama's polyamorous society. However, even if children are produced in an affair, the child is always considered the biological family of the birthing parent's family.
While the word "marriage" is a close approximate of the gaphin word "paritula," a more accurate translation might be "partnership." There are different kinds of paritula among the various tribes, but all start with a similar base: two adults of breeding age and compatibility. In the admittedly rare event that both partners are of the same gender, a third of the opposing gender will be incorporated into the paritula from the start, due to the Okoiama's strictly enforced gender roles.
Each partner in the union (individually referred to as a "parituli," specifically a "life partner") is expected to contribute specific things to the household which keep it in balance. In this way, each household is able to provide for its own members, though the tribal family is always ready to step in during times of absolute need.
The female members of a paritula are expected to provide the marriage's outside support, such as food and currency, by performing jobs for the benefit of the tribe as a whole, and/or participating in tribal government.
The male members of a paritula are expected to raise the children, and to make, keep and protect the paritula's home. They are also often artists, contributing much in the way of painting and pottery. In some smaller tribes men may also contribute to the construction of tribal assets, and communal meals.
The non-binary members of a paritula can fill either role, though they most often assigned the social role of a female.
Breeding compatibility, the second requirement for a paritula to be formed, means that the paritula must be capable of producing children. Some tribes allow a paritula between two adults who meet the gender role requirements, but are both barren and/or sterile. These individuals, known as pamagu, more often end up joining the paritula of one of their lovers as a third (occasionally fourth or fifth) parituli, or simply continue to live with their parents and/or adult siblings.
It's important to remember that marriage among the Okoiama is completely removed from the concept of romantic love. While there are many reasons to form a paritula, including friendship and an ability to work well together, neither romantic love nor sexual chemistry factor into the final decision in most cases. A paritula is an institutionalized union of duty and mutual respect.
In most tribes, these arrangements are made by the tribe's priests, matchmaker, or by the parents of the soon-to-be spouses. While a few tribes allow for children proposing their own arrangements, this a rather new and non-traditional upset.
Though children are a primary factor in paritula, partuli are not expected to conceive right away. In fact, having children too soon after forming a paritula is frowned upon. The first few months, to a full two years, are considered to be a trial age in which the parituli become used to working and living together as a unit.
In fact, many Okoiama use contraceptives to time births among the population. There are several reasons for this:
- Tribes who rely on huntresses must re-arrange the workload to accommodate any huntress that is ill, injured, or pregnant.
- Having multiple women lactating at all times within a tribe ensures that no baby within the tribe will go hungry..
- Children of a like-age are believed to form closer ties. The Okoiama prefer to strengthen tribal bonds by having many children of a similar age within the tribe.
As noted above, a household's set up may reach beyond just the immediate family of one paritula and their offspring. The pamagu (barren/sterile) will often join the household of their lover, or a paritula which needs extra help for one reason or another. Larger tribes, who may not need to worry as much about birthrates, may also allow multiple spouse households as a matter of course. It is not uncommon for there to be three partiuli to a single paritula. Higher numbers are more rare, but do exist.
Comments