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-= Kuroras Ethnographical Questionnaire =
-'''[[Dr. Zahir’s Ethnographical Questionnaire]]''' was compiled by David Zahir to help in the description of [[conculture]]s, and can be found in the files section of the [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/conculture/ Conculture group at Yahoo].
-__TOC__
-== Questions of Place ==
-=== Describe the geography of where your society calls home. ===
-From their home city of Neripi, the Kurora people claim 97% of the territory on planet Teppala, but only have settled about 10% .  Even of this, control is very weak outside the coastal strip.  The climate is much milder than the Poswob cities to the east; for example, Neripi's average temperature in winter is about 50F, versus 35F for Blop.  Summer averages are about 64F and 72F respectively.
-=== Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons? ===
-=== What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to? ===
-=== What are the most commonly-grown foods? ===
-=== What are the most commonly-eaten meats? ===
-=== What foods are considered exotic or expensive? ===
-=== What forms of alcohol are common? Rare? ===
-=== Is there usually enough food and water for the population? ===
-=== What is this place's most abundant resource? ===
-=== What is its most valuable resource? ===
-=== What resource is it most lacking? ===
-=== How do people travel from one place to another? ===
-=== Are the borders secure? In what way? ===
-=== How many people live here? ===
-=== Where in this place to they congregate? ===
-=== What part of this place do they avoid? Why? ===
-=== What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for? ===
-=== What are the most common wild animals? ===
-=== Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be? ===
-== Questions of Time ==
-=== How far back does this society's written history go? ===
-=== How far back do its people believe it goes? ===
-=== What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced? ===
-=== What was the best thing that every happened to them? ===
-=== What in their past makes them feel ashamed? ===
-=== What in their past makes them proud? ===
-=== What are they afraid of happening again? ===
-=== What are they hoping will happen? Do they think it likely? ===
-=== What do they assume the future will hold? ===
-=== How has this society changed? Do its current members realize this? ===
-=== What are the most popular stories about the past? ===
-=== Who in the past is the greatest hero? The worst villain? ===
-=== Do people think the present better or worse than the past? ===
-=== Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past? ===
-== Questions of Sex and Family ==
-=== How many spouses may a man or woman have? ===
-=== Who decides on a marriage? ===
-=== Can a marriage end in divorce? How? ===
-=== Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason? ===
-=== How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides? ===
-=== How are families named?(g) What happens to orphans? ===
-=== How are boy and girl children treated differently? ===
-=== Are premarital relations allowed? ===
-=== How does your society define incest? Rape? How do people react to these? ===
-=== What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift? ===
-=== What secret vice is believed to be widely practiced? ===
-=== What secret vice actually is practiced? ===
-=== What sexual habits are widely believed common among foriegners? ===
-=== How do people react to homosexuality? ===
-=== How do the genders dress? ===
-=== Is prostitution legal? How are prostitutes viewed? Is this accurate? ===
-=== What professions or activities are considered masculine? ===
-=== What professions or activities are viewed as feminine? ===
-=== What inanimate or sexless things are considered male or female? ===
-=== What is the biggest sexual taboo? ===
-=== Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love? ===
-=== What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important it it? ===
-== Questions of Manners ==
-=== Who speaks first at a formal gathering? ===
-=== What kinds of gifts are considered in extremely bad taste? ===
-=== How do younger adults address their elders? ===
-=== What colors are associated with power? With virtue? With death? ===
-=== If two men get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved? ===
-=== If two women get into a fight, how should that be resolved? ===
-=== When is it rude to laugh at something funny? ===
-=== What kinds of questions cannot be asked in public? In private? At all? ===
-=== How do people demonstrate grief? ===
-=== What does this society do with their corpses? ===
-=== What kinds of jewelry do people where? And when? ===
-=== Who inheirits property? Titles? Position? ===
-=== What happens to those suffering from extreme mental illness? ===
-=== What are the most popular games? How important are they? ===
-=== What parts of the body are routinely covered? ===
-=== How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating? ===
-=== How do people react to physical deformity? ===
-=== When and how does someone go from child to adult? ===
-== Questions of Faith ==
-=== Is there a formal clergy? How are they organized? ===
-=== What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this? ===
-=== What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion? ===
-=== Are there any particular places considered special or holy? What are they like? ===
-=== What are the most popular rituals or festivals? ===
-=== What do people want from the god or gods? How do they try and get it? ===
-=== How do their religious practices differ from their neighbours? ===
-=== What is the most commonly broken religious rule?(i) What is the least-violated religious rule? ===
-=== What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions? How do they compete? ===
-=== Are there monastic groups? What do they do and how are they organized? How do you join one? ===
-=== How are those who follow different faiths treated? ===
-=== What relationship do religious and political leaders have? ===
-=== What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural ===
-events/beings do people fear?
-== Questions of Government ==
-=== Who decides whether someone has broken a law? How? ===
-=== What kinds of punishments are meted out? By whom? Why? ===
-=== How are new laws created or old ones changed? ===
-=== Is there some form of clemency or pardon? What is involved? ===
-=== Who has the right to give orders, and why? ===
-=== What titles do various officials have? ===
-=== How are the rules different for officials as opposed to the common person? ===
-=== How do government officials dress? ===
-=== Is the law written down? Who interprets it? ===
-=== Once accused, what recourse does someone have? ===
-=== Is torture allowed? What kinds? ===
-=== How are people executed? ===
-=== Who cannot rise to positions of leadership? ===
-=== Is bribery allowed? Under what circumstances? ===
-=== What makes someone a bad ruler in this society? What can be done about it? ===
-=== What are the most common or dangerous forms of criminal? ===
-== Questions of War ==
-=== Who declares war? ===
-=== Who has the power to declare conditions of peace? ===
-=== What happens to prisoners taken in battle? ===
-=== What form of warfare does this society use? ===
-=== Who are the Elite warriors? What distinguishes them? ===
-=== How does someone get command of troops? ===
-=== Where do the loyalties of military units lie? ===
-=== Are there professional soldiers? Do they make up the bulk of the military? ===
-=== Has this society ever attacked another? Do they want to? What would make them do so? ===
-=== Who are their enemies? Who's winning? ===
-=== What do soldiers do when there's no war? ===
-== Questions of Education ==
-=== Does this society have its own language? Its own writing? ===
-=== How common is literacy? How is literacy viewed? ===
-=== What form and value are books? ===
-=== Who teaches others? How do they teach? ===
-=== Who decides who learns to read or write?(f) Who teaches professions, like carpenter or scribe? ===
-=== Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills? Who does that? ===
-=== How do this society's doctors try to treat wounds and sickness? ===
-=== Which medical assumtions of this society are wrong? ===
-== Questions of Art ==
-=== What are the favorite artforms? ===
-=== What are the least-favorite? ===
-=== How respected are artists? ===
-=== Do artists require official or unofficial protection? ===
-=== What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in? ===
-=== How might a very successful artist live? ===
-=== What forms of theatre does your society have? ===
-=== How naturalistic or stylized is your society's art? ===
-=== What shapes are most common in your society's arts, like embroidery or architecture? ===
-=== Which artforms get the most and least respect? ===
-=== What form does censorship take? ===
-=== Who may not be an artist? ===
-=== What qualities equal "beauty" in this society? ===
-=== What makes a man or woman especially beautiful? ===
-=== How do people react to tattoos? Piercings? Facial hair? Make-up? ===
-== Questions of sex and marriage ==
-=== Is sex confined to marriage? ===
-=== Or, is it supposed to be?  What constitutes aberrant behavior? ===
-=== Is there anything about this culture or religion in that culture that specifically addresses sexual conduct? ===
-=== Are there laws about it?  What about prostitution? ===
-=== How old should someone be in your culture to be having sex? ===
-=== What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple? ===
-=== Do relationships allow multiple partners? ===
-=== Should sex be a one-to-one experience? Or are groups allowed? ===
-=== And, of course, what about homosexuality?  Is  it frowned on? Encouraged? ===
-== Questions of death and burial ==
-=== What is their understanding of death and dying? ===
-=== Do they cremate their dead? Or, how are dead bodies disposed of? ===
-=== Is the family  responsible for the body? ===
-=== What part do the priests play? ===
-=== Are there cemeteries at all? ===
-=== Or, does everyone have a crypt in back  with all the relatives in it? ===
-=== Do people visit the dead?  If so, how often and why? ===
-== Questions of suicide ==
-=== What do people in this culture think about suicide? ===
-=== Is it the greatest sin one can commit?  Or is it a sin at all? ===
-=== Is it the great and last comfort of a tormented soul? ===
-=== Is it worse than murder? ===
-== Questions of Law, Justice and Police ==
-=== Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military? ===
-=== Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces? ===
-=== How "military" are they?  Are they usually/ever armed? ===
-=== What is the extent of their authority?  Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy? ===
-=== Are there individuals or groups who are above the law? ===
-=== Is there a secret police? ===
-=== What is the role of police informants, if any? ===

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