|
I have already posted part of the for these people. This is another two sections of it answered.
The earliest inhabitants of the plains appeared about 150,000 years ago. The plains were probably the first part of the world called "home" by modern humans. Had sufficient(read: any) records been kept throughout human history, all peoples could trace their lineage right back the grassland. This huge expanse of flatland was the very first frontier of Man.
Agriculture was first discovered by these people two thousand years after taking root in the prairie. It allowed them to grow to a great number, and to expand into several tribes stretching across the savannah. Within just a few dozen generations of learning to grow nourishment from the ground, the population boomed sufficiently to ensure the continued existence of human kind in this world.
The inhabitants of the plain have no written history. Living a hard life of trapping dangerous animals and working tirelessly to wrest a living from the earth, most of their energy is devoted to keeping from going hungry. Under these circumstances, it is no wonder that they have had no leisure time to try to put words down in written form. Furthermore, they have a rich oral tradition, and storytelling is considered an art and a pastime. Having no trade, they have no need to keep records. Their oral tales of myth and folklore are sufficient for their purposes.
Having deep love of stories, both the hearing and the telling, they remember many important events of their ancestors, though the details of oral tales often change over time. But reiterating cultural beliefs and customs has firmly grounded into them their way of life, and has even made it sacred.
That being said, over the several thousand years of their tenure in the plains, society has changed greatly. In fact with each new settlement it changes yet again. But the many generations it takes for a culture to change is too long a time to be recognized by any one person, and for this reason natives believe life has always been the way it is now, and the obvious assumption for them is that it will always be as it has been in their lifetime.
Plains people tell many stories of the stars, the earth and the world beneath the earth. They tell stories of their ancestors, embellishing them freely with whatever details come to mind. They tell stories of gods and great animal spirits who created the earth and everything in it, including people.
Many stories include Father Snake, who crawled on his belly from east to west, creating the world as he went. The great adversary in these tales is the hawk, who swooped down and carried off Father Snake, putting a halt on all creation. It is for this reason that Plainsdwellers kill hawks whenever they can, and shun the meat.
The many tribes of the plains are united by one language family, though the vernacular of any one location necessarily differs considerably from those surrounding it. Cultural taboos(that is, xenophobia) keep them from much contact with each other, facilitating divers modes of speech.
There are no class differences among these people, having just emerged from a hunter-gatherer way of life. There are loose social structures to be found, usually with a chief at the top. This will usually be an unofficial title; all wisened(read: elderly) men are consulted on important matters.
A man will usually take one wife at a time, and build a large tent to house his family. At this point he and his wife move out of their respective family's tents. A couple is married when they have told every tribe member of thier decision in person.
If a man is to take a wife, he is expected to give a gift of several days' worth of food, along with supplies such as blankets, in payment to the parents of the woman.
A man may divorce his wife for any reason, but in so doing he forfeits his familial tent and his children, and must either return to his own family's tent or marry anew and build yet another home for the new family.
The mother of the children is expected to care for the children in the event of a divorce. There are no social implications for being a neglectful father of children from a former marriage; upon divorcing his wife, the man is no longer considered the father. A man may marry the mother of another man's children. He is then considered the father. This is not a rare occurrence.
Families are named after the husband. This name may change in the event of his death or abandoning of the family.
Orphans with no parents usually stay in the tents of the elderly, for these are the only dwellings without children.
A man and a woman will typically have less than a half dozen children.
A family dwelling consists of a man, his wife and their children. When the children marry, they build a tent of their own to house themselves and their children. Male children are hoped for in all situations. This is because males usually do the hunting and most of the farming - more food is brought into the house by a man child.
_________________
I get a big kick out of playing my own language game–it’s a unique thrill only conlangers know.
- J Burke
|
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
