Sefdaanian ethnography Ch. 5, Customs and Social Life

Rites of passage

• For the four Loquent Peoples who grow and mature (Pyrans, Hydorans, Humans, Lithans), there are two rites of passage.

Rite of Initiation (èqṙëðȩsṁéṙƶos)

• The rites of initiation of the four Peoples are similar. In these rites, the newborn infant is introduced in a presentation (féḷas) to the avatar of God (ȝúmus) of his people by being symbolically surrounded by the element of the people.
  • The newborn Pyran is encircled by fire.
  • The newborn Hydoran is dunked in water.
  • The newborn Human is placed in a hole dug in the earth.
  • The newborn Lithan is taken into a cave and placed in a vessel of stone.
• Each of these gestures is known as an encirclement (ą́nas).
• Along with the encirclement, prescribed prayers for the health and well-being of the infant are prayed and prescribed songs in praise of ȝúmus are sung.
• These rites of initiation take place on the first quarter day after the birth (12/22, 3/20, 6/21, 9/23).

Rite of Maturation (ȝèndëðȩsṁéṙƶos)

• Even though the four Loquent Peoples know how many years they have lived, age is not counted by the number of 365-day years they have lived, but by how many vernal equinoxes they have lived. Thus all the children born after the vernal equinox celebrate their “birthday” on the following vernal equinox.
  • When a male has celebrated his 17th vernal equinox, he has reached his maturity and joins the other men in the men’s duties of their People
  • When a female begins her menstrual cycle, she has reached her maturity and joins the other women in the women’s duties of her People.

Free time

• The main times for free activities are the nights and the winter. At these times, time is spent in making items for the use of the family: cooking implements, tools, clothing, etc. There are games for the children to play. The Peoples are fine musicians and love to sing and dance. And there is always time to tell stories.
• There are eight solar celebrations:

winter solstice ȝ̇emsúĸas 12/22 spring festival ṁesṙëtúȝnos 2/2 vernal equinox ṁèsṙëpáṙas 3/20 early-summer festival nèngëtúȝnos 5/5 summer solstice lęþsúĸas 6/21 autumn festival òsnëtúȝnos 8/6 early-winter equi¬nox tèlmëpáṙas 9/23 early-winter festival tèlṁëtúȝnos 11/5

• And there are 13 lunar celebrations, the days after the full moon. These are days of recreation (ṁelpą́mṙas), when no work is permitted. If a solar and lunar celebration fall on the same day, then there is a two-day holiday. In the warm weather, athletic competitions of various sorts are held.

Roles

• There is a relatively strict division of roles among the Loquent Peoples.

The Pyrans

• The Pyrans are primarily goat herders. The goats are the livelihood of their society. All care of the goats is the responsibility of the men. They care for their unicorns as well. The women are responsible for all other societal roles. They take care of the household chores; they tend the children; they do the gardening and the farming.

The Hydorans

• There is not much role division among the Hydorans since their society is not complex. Both men and women fish and collect food from the water. However, the harvesting of cattails and their processing into food, cloth and other products is the role solely of the women.

The Humans

• The Humans have a role division similar to the Pyrans. The men are exclusively concerned with the care of the horses. The women take care of the household tasks, tend the children and care for the gardens.

The Xylans

• Because the Xylans lead solitary individual lives, there are no roles among them.

The Lithans

• To the Lithan men belong all the roles involving the mining of the metals and precious stones they find in their mountains. They also the operate the smithies (ĸoṁdáṙos) for forging the metals and crafting the jewelry. They also have exclusive responsibility for the care of the argalis. The women take care of the household tasks, tend the children, care for the gardens, and tend the donkeys.
• The children share in the household and gardening tasks as much as they are able. Upon reaching maturity, they take on the fulltime roles of their sex.

Role of religion

• Religion is the central force in the lives of the Loquent Peoples. This will be discussed more in detail in a later chapter.

Obtaining Food

The Ethrans

• In their mountain top citadels the Ethrans have many greenhouses for growing the plants they eat. There are hives for the production of honey. Flocks of geese provide meat and eggs. Falconry is a popular sport and provides game for a change of taste.

The Pyrans

• Although they occasionally eat chevon (or cabrito), the Pyrans utilize their goats primarily for the production of cheese (séṙḑos) which constitutes a large part of their protein intake. They make a hard type (tįṙsérḑos) for grating and a soft type (mèldüséṙḑos) for slicing and melting, but most of the milk is used to make a fresh cheese (ṁezséṙḑos). Excess whey (ĸónos) is used to make a curd (ténĸos) food. The goat milk is churned to make butter (qéṙtos) but it is never kept in this form. Instead, it is clarified. The liquid portion (ìsĸëqéṙtos) is kept for future use; the remaining solids are used immediately. The goat corrals are made from sloe (Prunus spinosa) hedges. These provide a readily accessible source of the sloe berries that they use for a number of purposes.
• Their gardens supply them with the vegetables they eat. Wild plants are gathered on occasion from the fields and river banks.

The Hydorans

• The Hydorans exploit their water environment for their main source of protein, mainly fish, frogs, and crayfish. Fish are preserved by drying (mímços).
• The products of the cattail are a vital part of their diet and other water plants provide variety to their menu.

The Humans

• Game taken ahorseback is the main source of the Humans' protein, especially with the aid of their golden eagles, although horse flesh is eaten as needed to keep the herds manageable.
• Their gardens supply them with the vegetables they eat. Wild plants are gathered on occasion from the fields.

The Xylans

• The various nutmeats consumed by the Xylans constitute their primary source of protein. They also have access to all sorts of fruits, leaves, etc., in their forests.

The Lithans

• The Lithans discovered that mushrooms would flourish in their caves and mines and they developed varieties of many sizes, colors and flavors. They are the main source of protein in their diet. Animal protein is provided by rabbits which they hunt with the help of their domesticated foxes.
• The Lithans also have gardens which provide them with the vegetables they enjoy.

Typical dishes

"Every culture tends to combine a small number of flavoring ingredients so frequently and consistently that they become definitive of that particular cuisine....It is these characteristic combinations of seasonings that clearly define each ethnic cuisine." (Ethic Cuisine:The Flavor Principle Cookbook, Elizabeth Rozin)

• As each of the loquent peoples was created they investigated their assigned ecosystem to discover which plants grew best and which ones they preferred. Thus they created the flavor principles that best suited their temperament. This eventually gave rise to the special cuisines associated with each people.
• This does not mean that there is no sharing of dishes, but each people has some signature ingredients that they enjoy and which characterize their cuisines, in ways similar to the ways special ingredients characterize contemporary human cuisines.
• All the Peoples, but the Xylans, eat two meals a day. Breakfast (ąȝṙédos) is eaten shortly after sunrise (sųlm̧ácas). Supper (dóṙĸ̌os) is eaten at sunset (dų́as). These times take full advantage of daylight for work. The Xylans eat whenever they want.

The Ethrans

• The Ethrans’ staple, buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) (ȝ̇ólis) figures in the morning meal as pancakes (sĸòṙðëxlaíbos) or porridge (ȝ̇olĸų́zos) and in the evening meal as noodles (ȝ̇olvéndos). The buckwheat starch is also made into a "jelly" which is served as a side dish.
• Geese and game birds are most often served grilled or preserved in goose fat. A baked dish of goose and broad beans (Vicia faba) (vávis) is also a favorite. Goose liver is made into a pâté, flavored with goose fat, onion, garlic and fenugreek. This is frequently eaten spread on a pancake and rolled up.
• The fat of the birds is rendered for culinary fat.
• The Ethrans cultivated the dog rose (Rosa canina) (ṁṙódis) for its beauty, its fragrance, and its taste. The rose hip (ṁṙoðǫ́gos) is their fruit of choice. The rose pervades the Ethran culture, appearing as the emblem of the Ethrans. When entering an Ethran citadel, one immediately notices the rose fragrance. They make a rose hip tisane (ṁṙoðņúṙos) as their hot beverage of choice. They drink rose water (ṁṙoðpǫ́ȝos) as a refreshing cold beverage.
• Although honey is available to all the Peoples, only the Ethrans use it to make the fermented beverage mead (méð̬os). Most often it is flavored with rose, a variety known as rhodomel (ṁṙoðméð̬os). They also make a brandy from the rose hips.
• Their beer is made from buckwheat.
• They make their vinegar (soṙmę́ðos) from mead. Pickled goose eggs (soṙǫ́ȝos), flavored with beet juice, are a delicacy.
• The Ethrans use honey (mélnos) exclusively as a sweetener.
• Rose flavor is the sweet spice.
• Crocuses are cultivated, as well as roses, and saffron (Crocus sativus) (àṙisánis) is *their characteristic savory spice.
• The typical dessert is a custard (ǫȝṙúqmos) made from goose eggs, sweetened with honey and flavored with rose water, or unsweetened and topped with rose petal jam. The custard is baked in individual ramekins.
• As the only one of the People with access to snow and ice year-round, they also make a rose or saffron sorbet, usually served together to experience the sharp difference in flavor.
• Using very thin buckwheat noodles they make a frozen dessert called frozen noodles (peùṙsëvéndos).
• The culinary trinity of the Ethrans is saffron, leek and celery sautéd in goose fat.
• Typically, the Ethrans eat their meals at communal tables seated on chairs. Each place setting includes a knife, a two-tined fork, a spoon, a plate and a bowl. Out of respect the dishes of food are placed on the table in front of the eldest, who then serves himself or herself, then passes the dish sunwise to the others. A typical dinner would include hot buckwheat noodles as the staple, perhaps with a saffron sauce or in a goose broth; a squab or other game bird, grilled and basted with its own fat, honey, and rose water; and cooked vegetables or a fresh salad. The typical dinner would close with an egg custard flavored with attar of roses or, perhaps, attar of roses over shaved ice. Pitchers of beer are placed on the tables. When the diners are finished, they are offered the choice of chilled rose water or a rose tisane. At gatherings away from the dinner table, rhodomel is sipped.

The Pyrans

• The Pyran staple, the chickpea (Cicer arietinum) (ȝ̇áṙlis) is cooked and served cold in salads or included in soups. They are made into a flour which is made into a dough. Every meal is accompanied by chickpea bread (ȝ̇aṙlðǫ́nos) and/or dumplings (ȝ̇aṙlbólos) which may or may not be flavored.
• Fresh curds (sèṙdïténĸos) are served on top of fried parsnip slices and heated, a dish known as sèṙdïnípis.
• When chevon is used, it is most often in the form of a dry fennel (maðúṙĸis)-flavored sausage (áļos).
• The Pyrans cultivated the sloe berry (Prunus spinosa) (slíṁĸis) as their fruit of choice, enjoying the fruit's astringency.
• A hot tisane is made from the sloe berries.
• A chilled sloe tisane is drunk as a cold beverage.
• The Pyrans make a fermented beverage from whey and a wine from the sloe berries.
• The Pyrans make their vinegar (soṙĸónos) from whey.
• Sloe syrup, as well as honey, is used as a sweetener.
• Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) (maðúṙĸis) is the sweet spice. Fennel is used in many ways and the anise-like flavor pervades the Pyran cuisine. The bulb is eaten raw or cooked in a variety of ways. The dried or fresh leaves and seeds are used to flavor dishes.
• Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) (ĸàvṙëṁę́ṙdis) is the characteristic savory spice.
• The usual dessert is fennel-flavored whey curd or unflavored and topped with sloe syrup.
• The culinary trinity is fennel (or horseradish), parsnip, and onion sautéd in ghee.
• The Pyrans eat as family units at tables seated on chairs. Each place setting includes a knife, a two-tined fork, a spoon, a plate and a bowl. A typical dinner would include roasted or grilled chevon, a cooked fennel dish (perhaps with a cheese sauce), a salad including fresh dill, accompanied by a warm or chilled sloe tisane, and the ever present vṙįqȝ̇áṙlos or ĸìṙpëȝáṙlos. The dinner would close with fresh cheese sweetened with sloe syrup.

The Hydorans

• The cattail (reedmace) (ĸúṙðis) (Typha latifolia) that grows so abundantly in their environment Is the staple of the Hydoran diet. Because of the many uses of the cattail, it figures prominently in their culture. It is, therefore, the emblem of the Hydorans.
• Although tiny, the seeds of the cattail pose no problem to the Hydorans who press them for an edible cooking oil.
• Milk from the ponies is drunk whenever obtained. The Hydorans do not make cheese or butter, but do ferment the milk for drinking.
• The cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos) (ĸitém̹is) is the favorite fruit of the Hydorans.
• Mint tisane is their hot beverage of choice.
• A chilled mint tisane is drunk as a cold beverage.
• A fruit wine and a brandy are made from cranberries.
• The Hydorans make their vinegar (sòṙĸitém̹os) from cranberries. They also pickle fish in this vinegar.
• The Hydorans make a cranberry relish.
• Cattail syrup is used as a sweetener.
• Water mint (Mentha aquatica) (ṁèfluqsámis), which grows profusely in water environments, is the characteristic sweet spice of the Hydorans, appearing in many of their dishes.
• Water cress (Nasturium officinale) (àṁdëðémnis) is used as a savory spice.
• The typical dessert is a dish of cranberries, sweetened with mint-flavored cattail syrup.
• The culinary trinity is water cress (or mint), garlic and onion sautéd in cattail oil.
• The Hydorans eat while seated on the floor. A rush mat is set before each of them on which are placed the various dishes of the meal. The Hydorans seldom use table utensils except for a spoon. The main dinner food is fish served in a variety of ways, perhaps grilled or, more typically, in a kind of chowder or bouillabaise (hence the spoon). This is eaten with cattail bread (ĸuṙðǫ́nos) made from cattail flour.

The Humans

• The Humans eat lentils as the staple of their diet. Most frequently they are served in the form of fried (vṙį̀gedą́ĸis) or steamed (nèmvedą́ĸis) cakes. When accompanying a meal, they are unflavored.
• The annual proliferation of poppies (Papaver rhoeas) (mąĸénis) enables the Humans to harvest the seeds and press them for an edible cooking oil. The poppy is the emblem of the Humans.
• The cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera) (slį́ṁis) is the fruit of choice of the Humans. A wall of these trees surrounds the Humans' compounds.
• The cherry plum is used to prepare a cold beverage, either the juice by itself or as an ade.
• The Humans drink mare's milk as a hot beverage. In the spring, when eggs are available from ground-nesting birds, an eggnog is made, sweetened with poppy syrup.
• The Humans make a fermented beverage from mare's milk and a brandy from cherry plums.
• Vinegar is made from the juice of the cherry plum.
• Distillation of the petals of the poppy produces a sweet red syrup.
• Sweet desserts are flavored with poppy seed.
• Wild basil (Ocimum basilicum) is the savory spice that flavors their meat dishes. A sauce is made from fresh basil for use in the winter. The floor of the home is strewn with basil leaves.
• When served as a dessert the vṙį̀gedą́ĸis or nèmvëdą́ĸis batter is sweetened with poppy syrup and the cakes are rolled in poppy seeds or spread with cherry plum jam.
• The culinary trinity is poppy seed, basil and onion sautéd in poppy seed oil.
• When herding the horses on the steppes, the men take with them smoked meat and vṙį̀gedą́ĸis. Mare's milk is always available.
• The Humans eat while seated on the floor around a wooden table. A knife, fork and spoon are the utensils used. The typical meal consists of some cut of grilled meat, either horse or game. Lentil cakes are served, perhaps with a basil sauce. This is accompanied by an assortment of vegetables, raw or cooked. There may be fresh cheese made from mares' milk.

The Xylans

• The Xylans chose the acorn (méðtos) as the primary staple of their diet. The tannins present in acorns do not affect the Xylans and they seldom leach the acorns. Other nuts are also used. The acorn is the emblem of the Xylans.
• The various nutmeats consumed by the Xylans constitute their primary source of protein.
• The Xylans press acorns and other nut kernels, especially the hazelnut (Corylus avellana) (ĸóslis) to obtain cooking oil.
• The Xylans enjoy the wild cherry (Prunus avium) (ĸɔ́nis) as their favorite fruit.
• The acorn, when dried and powdered and, in this case, leached, is used to brew a hot beverage similar to coffee. Alternatively, they brew a spicy tea from juniper berries.
• The Xylans make a cold beverage from the sap of various trees, most especially the silver birch (Betula pendula) (véṙqis).
• They enjoy their wild cherry wine and brandy. They make a beer from the needles of the spruce or other evergreen.
• They make their vinegar from tree sap. Most of the time they flavor it with juniper.
• Tree sap, especially that of the various species of maple tree, is used as a sweetener either in liquid form or crystallized.
• Wild angelica (Angelica sylvestris) (cunðónis), with its licorice-like flavor is their favorit sweet spice.
• The fruit of the juniper (Juniperus communis) (elénis) serves as the Xylans' savory spice.
• Angelica candied in a tree sap sugar is their favorite sweet.
• The culinary trinity is juniper, garlic, and onion, sautéd in a nut oil.
• The Xylans are vegetarians who live isolated lives so their dining habits are individual. They eat sitting, standing, walking. They use whatever utensils are needed. Their jaws are powerful enough to crack open acorns. A good portion of their food is eaten raw. They do make a jelly from acorns. This is sweetened with sap and mixed with bits of cherries and crushed nuts before gelling. It is also made unsweetened and flavored with juniper, then served with an assortment of cooked vegetables.

Clothing and Fashion

The Ethrans

• Ethrans of both sexes wear loose-fitting long trousers (uȝúĸos) over which is worn an ankle length robe (ṁéstos) (collar) with close-fitting cuffs (dívlos). The sides of the robe are slit up to the waist for ease in riding. For formal affairs the sleeves are much more ample. When outside the citadel in cold weather a fur cloak (ĸų́ṙos) is worn. Robe and cloak are lined in silk.
• Every Ethran is assigned to one of the six Peoples. This is symbolized in the color of the lining of the robe and cloak. The color symbolzing the Ethrans is yellow; of the Pyrans, orange; of the Hydorans, blue; of the Humans, red; of the Xylans, green; and of the Lithans, purple. The exact shade is left to the wearer’s taste.
• The Elementals, the lowest order of Ethrans, do not wear the robe, merely the trousers and a hip-length smock (ĸų́ṙlos).
• The Ethrans do not wear jewelry for adornment. However, an Ethran may wear a jewel in some style as a means of concentrating his/her use of the earth energy known as “magic” (séfƶos). Armazdus, the archimage of the Ethrans, wears his yellow diamond in a ring. Amertus of the Pyrans wears her orange diamond in a diadem. Asus of the Hydorans wears her blue diamond affixed to a torc. Hurvatus of the Humans wears his red diamond in a ring. Saþrus of the Xylans wears his green diamond in a bracelet. And Vumanus of the Lithans wears her purple diamond on a silver chain as a choker.

The Pyrans

• The Pyrans wear woolen clothing of homespun goat hair. The men wear heavy woolen trousers and a more lightweight woolen shirt, long-sleeved in winter, short-sleeved in summer. Goat-leather chaps are worn when riding herd on the goats. Dress chaps with the fleece still on them are worn at sporting events. The women wear homespun dresses and a leather apron when necessary. The children wear smaller versions of what the adults wear.
• Various types of jewelry are made from goat horn. The horn is obtained from dead goats or by polling. Various articles of adornment are also carved from wood.

The Hydorans

• The Hydorans wear clothing made from spun cattail fibers. Indoors they wear a simple ankle-length robe. For outdoor wear, a type of cape (ĸų́ṙos) is made from cattail leaves. Nothing is worn when they are swimming.
• The Hydorans wear freshwater pearls as necklaces and ear studs. As these pearls are produced in many shapes and colors, interesting combinations can be worked into a necklace. A matched pair for ear studs can be very valuable. Jewelry made of mother-of-pearl is also worn.
• The pearl necklaces are also worn as a sign of social status. With her first menstruation, a Hydoran is presented with a single-strand pearl necklace (móņos). As she grows pearls are added. When a Hydoran gives birth to her first child, she is presented with a second strand of pearls (d̬omóņos). Only the high priestess (ùftovéṙus) may wear three strands of pearls (tiṙmóņos). An epithet of the high priestess is tiṙmònïȝópus, She who wears three strands.

The Xylans

• Xylans do not wear any clothing. Many of them will carry with them, when they travel a loincloth to be worn when in the presence of the other Peoples. They also wear a utility belt woven from twigs (ṁáxlos) which contains any items they might need in the course of their day’s work.

The Lithans

• Ethrans, Pyrans, Humans, and Lithans all wear some type of loincloth as an undergarment.

Entertainments

The Ethrans

• The Ethrans are skilled vocalists and gather on occasion, especially to celebrate the religious festivals, to entertain each other with both soloists and choirs. Many are accomplished composers and have written many songs and hymns. Many of the Ethrans are also skilled whistlers. The music of Sefdaania is hexatonic.

The Pyrans

• The Pyrans are skilled at playing stringed instruments, especially the lyre (xṙútos). The lyres are carved from wood and have goat gut for the strings. In the winter when the nights are longer, tales are told to pass the time before going to bed.

The Hydorans

• The Hydorans use various reeds to make reed instruments. Though they are short in stature, they make bass instruments which they rest on some kind of support. They are especially skilled on the syrinx (nédos). The telling of tales takes place in the long winter nights.

The Humans

• Humans have developed drums (túmos) and tambourines (d̬ą́nos) to an art, which they use to accompany their singing and dancing. In the winter when the nights are longer, tales are told to pass the time before going to bed.

The Xylans

• Because the Xylans are solitary, they have no need to entertain each other.

The Lithans

• The Lithans have created instruments from the metals they mine and from the rocks of the mountains. These are mainly bells (záṙos) and a xylophone-type instrument (àṙðëĸumúṙos). Each village has a lithophone (òndëĸumúṙos) in the public square (ĸàntïdáṙos) to accompany communal singing.
• All of the Peoples, except for the Xylans, dramatize the Creation Story at the winter solstice celebration as a religious ritual.

Literacy

• Most of the Peoples are illiterate and, although they can count, they do not know how to write the numerals. Among the Ethrans, of course, literacy is widespread. Among the other peoples (again, except for the Xylans), only those destined for positions of leadership are taught to read. And certainly there are those individuals who have taught themselves to read. For this reason, oral tales are the usual medium for entertaining and passing on the traditions of the Peoples.