The K'anerhtóh people: presentation of an ice-cold culture

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Evynova
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The K'anerhtóh people: presentation of an ice-cold culture

Post by Evynova »

The K'anerhtóh are, along with the Soo ta Aangii, native to the country of Rajnlokem*. Isolated in the frigid and harsh mountains of the North, they are infamous for their distrust of anything foreign, and their violent reaction towards intruders of any sort. Accustomed to the cold temperatures and the scarcity of vital resources, this rough lifestyle undeniably affected their philosophy and their approach to life, leading to contempt, and even fear from their two cultural neighbours who regard their ways as cold, depressing and sometimes selfish. Mutual rejection and the deep misunderstanding of their peculiar culture contribute to maintain the thought that isolation is indeed the best way to protect oneself, in the process engaging a vicious cycle of ever-growing ignorance and repudiation.

This presentation will – hopefully – help better comprehend this mysterious, distant folk. From their political organisation to their religious beliefs, from the values they appraise to the food they cook, this in-depth description should shed light on the most obscure aspects of the K'anerthóh people.

Table of contents:
1. History
1.1. Origins
1.2. Settlement in the mountains
1.3. Relationship with neighbours
1.4. Hafnjan invasion

2. Geography
2.1. Landscape
2.2. Climate
2.3. Fauna and flora

3. Politics
3.1. Political system
3.2. Capital city
3.3. The Esteemed Rulers
3.3.1. Their actual power
3.3.2. Oppressive regime or democracy?
3.4. Social classes, clades

4. Economics
4.1. Agriculture
4.2. Trade, currency

5. Culture
5.1. Habitat
5.2. Clothing
5.3. Food
5.3.1. Daily
5.3.2. Celebrations
5.4. Social organisation
5.5. Social practices
5.5.1. Marriage
5.5.2. Birth
5.5.3. Celebrations
5.5.4. Values
5.6. Education
5.7. Beliefs
5.7.1. Worldview
5.7.2. Supernatural
5.7.3. Philosophy

The table of contents is obviously prone to change over time: ideas might be added or reorganised. Once again, no schedule but I'll do my best to update as often as possible. I hope I don't do too bad of a job! ^-^"
Last edited by Evynova on 08 Jan 2017 01:38, edited 1 time in total.
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elemtilas
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Re: The K'anerhtóh people: presentation of an ice-cold cultu

Post by elemtilas »

Everything here looks to be of great interest! I look forward to reading much about this culture!
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Evynova
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Re: The K'anerhtóh people: presentation of an ice-cold cultu

Post by Evynova »

elemtilas wrote:Everything here looks to be of great interest! I look forward to reading much about this culture!
Thank you :) The first part, history, should be finished and posted later today or tomorrow!
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Evynova
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Chapter 1: History

Post by Evynova »

1. History
1.1 Origins
The K'anerhtóh people originally inhabited the vast tundra plains to the North-West of the country. A mostly nomadic hunter—gatherer society composed of homogenous tribes at first, they quickly diverged into two clans: one of them sailed off to nearby islands on pirogues, and the other one migrated up North, and settled in the mountains, slowly evolving into the society presently known as the K'anerhtówhí.

Very little is known about the culture of this proto-people. Sources are poor, and in spite of the legends of the Soo ta Aangii (who most probably interacted with them) that speak of pale-skinned hunters in the sun-coloured plains, one must be cautious with such information: it is not known to what extent details were deformed over time. The timeline of their evolution itself is highly speculative, ranging anywhere between two to ten centuries. The Soo ta Aangii mention a people of hunters who allegedly refered to themselves as Too Koawii (/tɔːˀ ko̰ˀ.ˈawḭː/). Regardless of the authenticity of this name, it was more than likely deformed, first in the transfer from proto-K'anerhtówhí to proto-Soo ta Aangii, and then in the evolution of proto-Soo ta Aangi to the modern day language. Neither proto language is known; the first inscriptions are a relatively recent K'anerhtóhnian innovation. The lack of factual evidence renders the research all the more difficult, as most of our knowledge of their history consists of speculation and old tales and legends.

1.2 Settlement in the mountains
Over the course of a few centuries, the two proto-K'anerhtóh clans diverged and took different paths. The reason of this unexpected separation is unknown, but wars for resources or ideological differences are plausible causes. One of said clans, the bigger one, colonised nearby, uninhabited islands or remained in its native plains. The latter disappeared without leaving a trace, and it is not known whether they died due to reduced numbers, got integrated into Soo ta Aangi tribes or joined their fellow explorers on the islands; their drastically reduced population may also have been killed by the Hafnjan colons. The other clan, considerably smaller, slowly made its way into the mountainous region of the North. The adaptation was slow and progressive: the tundra they inhabited before may have been cold and harsh, but it was nowhere as merciless and unforgiving as the relentless cold of the far-North. This brutal change of environment undoubtedly affected their lifestyle, and influenced their perception of the world, altering in the process core values of their ancestors' philosophy. While this shaped a fascinating and unique culture, distinct from anything else found in the country, it makes the task of reconstructing the culture of the proto-K'anerhtóh people extremely difficult. Indeed, the adaptation to the brutal conditions of the North was followed by an abrupt cultural change, so much so that the Soo ta Aangi do not consider the pale-skinned hunters of the plains to be related in any way to the modern K'anerhtóh people.

Limited availability to resources, considerable isolation from the rest of the world, extreme weather conditions: such are things that can transform a man, let alone a society. A couple of rulers now govern, cultural traditions are practised, an impressive architecture, reflection of their ingenuity, was conceived, schools welcome the children whose families can afford to pay for an education, ... The K'anerhtóh worked hard to become the most technologically and culturally advanced people of the country, and by far.

1.3 Relationship with the neighbours
Despite the lack of factual evidence, it is safe to assume the proto-K'anerhtóh people had contacts with the neighbouring Soo ta Aangii tribes. While no exchanged artefact has been found to support this claim, Soo ta Aangii terms with obscure origins may have been borrowings from proto-K'anerhtówhí. The Soo ta Aangi speak a continuum of very closely related dialects, intelligible for the most part, save for more isolated tribes. This is a golden opportunity to spot and study loanwords, as all tribes will not have adopted them, or at least not in the same way. For example, so-called standard Soo ta Aangi possesses its own word for the term 'mountain': leolewaate /ˈɭɛ͡ɔ̰ɭɛ̰ˌwa:ʈɛ̰/ from waate, hill and leole meaning snow (itself a compound of ole, sand and le, cold), while a number of other tribes, especially in the West, call a mountain a peme /ˈpɛmɛ̰/. The K'anerhtówhí term, strikingly similar, is phemh /pʰɛm̥/. There are countless examples of these surprising similarities between Western Soo ta Aangii and K'anerhtówhí, which can only be sensibly explained by old borrowings, thereby indicating a certain proximity between the two cultures.

However, after the big migration, contact became relatively limited due to the distance that separated them, yet did not cease entirely: some proto-K'anerhtóh stayed in their native plains, and a system of trade was progressively elaborated between the Soo ta Aangii and the K'anerhtóh. As time went on, this commerce became more complex, more precise. As their culture starts to bloom, the K'anerhtóh put in place a calendar* under which periods of trade are organised at regular intervals throughout the year. Goods and foodstuffs are exchanged: precious stones, tools, leather, clothing among others. Because the semi-nomadic, tribal Soo ta Aangii had not developed a currency, the worth of exchanged objects are agreed upon on the spot: if a precious stone had been particularly difficult to obtain, the seller could decide to ask for more in exchange. Likewise, if animals devoured significant amounts of berries, the trader would be required to offer more to purchase them. Surprisingly, traders are for the most part honest: very few cases of theft or fraud are reported, and all of them are severely punished. The two folks commerce for many years, long enough for the practice to become a K'anerhtóh tradition and even celebration, and long enough for the Soo ta Aangii to mention it as part of their history. The K'anerhtóh being very defensive of their culture, they refuse to speak their own language while trading, afraid to otherwise 'corrupt' it. Minutious descriptions of the Soo ta Aangii dialects are compiled and brought back to the capital, where they began to be taught in the main university of the country. Soon, bilingualism becomes a requirement to trade abroad and merchants eager to acquire Soo ta Aangii goods are compelled to attend language classes where they will learn just enough to be able to communicate with their foreign clients.* Guards accompany every convoy, to ensure laws are respected, and not a single K'anerhtówhí word is uttered. Instances of merchants being forbidden from trading abroad because they had spoken their own tongue in front of foreigners are much more frequent than one might think. Their desire to preserve their tongue and culture has always been strong, often on the verge of paranoia, leaving foreigners perplexed and confused. The Hafnjan invasion, explained in the next point, will worsen their fear of losing their identity and lead them to act in a radical, extreme way and entirely isolate themselves.

With mostly economic interests (and survival) in mind, and because of the distance that separates them from the rest of the world, the K'anerhtóh never develop close bonds with their neighbours. Though they are not hostile in any way, they are extremely cautious and every interaction that occured is carefully planned in advance, exhibiting the flawless composure they are renowned for.

*This said, students can also learn what is known of the Soo ta Aangii languages, granted they can afford university.
*The K'anerhtóhnian calendar was created in the years following the foundation of Ómherhsán /ˈɒm̥ɛr̥͡sɑn/ , their capital city. It begins in year 1, the year they believe the construction of their citadel began. It is a lunar calendar consisting of 12 months of approximately 30 days each. Because the Hafnjan also have their own calendar, K-xxx refers to K'anerhtóhnian years, and H-xxx is used for Hafnjan years.


1.4 Hafnjan invasion
In the year K-173, colons under the orders of the Roderan empire accosts the beaches to the West of the country. 5 years later, their citadel, Hafnja, is built in close proximity to the coasts, permitting the exchange of goods between the colony and the metropolis. Because the westernmost part of the land was devoid of any population, their arrival was not seen as a threat by the Soo ta Aangii whose population is mostly concentrated in the Eastern forests. Around Hafnja, farms start to appear, producing local cereals that will then be shipped to Rodera. Prospectors are assigned the desperate task of exploring the wild in search of resources, scarce in the arid plains they have settled in. They build mines in which their slaves and prisoners work. A peaceful climate of let-me-do-my-stuff-and-I-won't-bother-you takes place over the years, Hafnjan and Soo ta Aangii both avoiding contact. The K'anerhtóh, via their trade with the Soo ta Aangii, hear about the arrival of the new settlers. The news prompt fear among the K'anerhtóh, who do not know whether they face the danger of being invaded. As Hafnja grows, the rates of trades start to decrease, hitting historical lows. Big works of fortification around Ómherhsán are commissioned, the army increases in size, while famine starts to spread: the population suffers the consequences of reduced trade, a choice that is the theirs. The situation remains tense for another couple of years but the ties with the Soo ta Aangii are not severed.

Year K-202, a rich Hafnjan noble hires a private army and organises a successful coup d'état. Hafnja becomes an independent country, no longer subject to the rules of the Roderan emperor. The self-proclaimed duke of Hafnja, Duke Herreld, takes measures to silence the opposition: the mines, now much more numerous, continue to serve as prisons and labour camps, but now welcome rioters and political enemies. Year K-205, after growing a considerable military force, by making every man aged 16 follow a military training and allowing women to fight*, Duke Herreld launches an assault on the Soo ta Aangii after prospectors report hidden resources in the forests. Unconditionnally pacifist due to their religious practices*, they do not know how to defend themselves and are slaughtered by the hundreds. They do however ask for the help of the K'anerhtóh, who refuse to take part in a war that they can avoid by withdrawing themselves, which is the decision they make. Trade with the Soo ta Aangii definitely ceases. The doors of the newly built walls close. It is now illegal to leave the country without a decree, under penalty of being indefinitely banned. Strangers who get too close are emprisoned and interrogated, if not shot on sight by archers. Terror reigns as the number of deaths from malnutrition increase. They are now completely isolated from the rest of the world, voluntarily blindfolded so as not to see the bloodshed taking place at the feet of their mountains. Xenophobia marks the beginning of a new K'anerhtóhnian era.

*Though they are allowed on the battlefields, women are restricted to bows, and cannot fight on the front line. They are still not allowed to ride horses and cannot wield swords or spears, such weapons being masculine attributes.
*The Soo ta Aangii religion is pantheistic. They believe every living creature possesses a soul, that is in fact the remnants of their two primal gods that sacrificed themselves. The very essence of their being rained down on the ground, rocks and trees, which came to life and became people and animals. As such, killing an animal or a human is considered deicide, and is the worst crime a Soo ta Aangii could commit, followed by suicide.
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