Silat
Naming Traditions
Family names
A man's name generally consists of a personal first name, the father's name and at least the agnatic grandfather's name. Women keep their father's family name even after marriage.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
Silats speak dialects of Darija.
Culture and cultural heritage
The Silat are recognized by being nomads, special language, social structures and culture. In former days they emphasized on the strong belief in its tribal superiority, in return to the tribal security – the support to survive in a hostile environment. The clan began to differentiate itself from other groups who began to set up permanent nations a sedentary lifestyle.
Family
While traveling, male Silat often live in large, colorful wagons or caravans pulled by animals with their wives and married male children, sometimes with their extended families. Married daughters move away to live with their new husbands but only conservatives families still follow this rule. When a family eventually grows large enough that it can no longer reside comfortably in the van, a new caravan is built, and a son takes his wife and family with him to this new dwelling. At permanent settlements, they live not only in tents, but also in elegantly styled structures built from materials in the surrounding environment.
Shared customary codes and values
As the Silat have long been, and still remain to a limited degree, outside the governing authority of the state, they have used a number of social mechanisms-including exile from the tribe, and the exaction of "blood money" or vengeance to right a crime-to maintain order in the society. The values of Silat society are vested in an ancient code of honor, calling for total loyalty to the clan and tribe in order to uphold the survival of the group.
As said before, many Silat tribes are nomadic, traveling with flocks of camels, goats, or sheep from oasis to springs, and vice versa. As such, even the few established Silat run settlements often has a portion of its members travel for periods of time, usually finding graze able land for their livestock until their lands are suitable again. One ethic various Silat share with other nomads is the cultural demand for treating guests with honor and respect. Innocent visitors (be they jinn, other spirits, faye, or homins) are treated hospitably during their stay, but some day might be expected to return the favor.
Average technological level
Silat make extensive use of traditional artifices like flying carpets and tents.
Common Dress code
The garments worn by cultural Silat mainly included a single cloth wrapped around the whole body and draped over the shoulder. Most initial attires of males are the dhoti, a single cloth wrapped around the waist and fastened at the back or Lungi, cloth wrapped around their waist like a tube. The main costume for the females, sari is a linen or cotton sheet wrapped around their waist, pleated in front over the belly and draped over their shoulder covering their bust area and fastened with a pin at the shoulder sometimes with a Choli (a blouse with shorts sleeves). The young djinn wear collarless shirts, Kurta, as upper garment and loose pajamas or lungi as lower garments. Color palettes popular in their clothing are green and yellow, accented with silver.
Art & Architecture
Oral poetry was the most popular art form among Silat. Having a poet in one's tribe was highly regarded in society. In addition to serving as a form of art, poetry was used as a means of conveying information and social control.
Sheep wool and goat hair is woven into tents, carpets and blankets by women. Important artistic expressions of design, color and patterns is incorporated into these handicrafts.
Poems include advice to children, messages to lovers and enemies, self-deprecating dances, accounts of battles, and accounts of historical events and have traditionally been recited around campfires at night along with folk tales and stories from Farqah.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
Silat Djinn are known for being swift thinkers and fast talkers, and often take professions as tradesmen or merchants. They are often seen as more open-minded and tolerant of other species, and were among the first djinn encountered by people of various non jinn races. Most have the power to hide or reveal oases in the desert, grasslands, or woodlands, depending on whether they like or dislike a party of travelers. Silat Djinn are extremely social, and are known for throwing extravagant parties and festivals. They are sometimes considered to be very whimsical and not all together dependable, though this is an unfortunate and inaccurate stereotype.
Birth & Baptismal Rites
Elaborate ceremonies are held for the naming of newborn children. Children are purified and ritually initiated into the family through rites of seclusion and purification performed by the mother between seven and 40 days after the birth.
Coming of Age Rites
Children are held responsible for taking care of simple household duties and soon after that they are regarded as full working members of the group. Adolescence generally does not get much attention. From late childhood onward Silat are treated as working members of the group.
Ideals
Courtship Ideals
As tribes loosen the most conservative of values, boys and girls are encouraged o explore their romantic feeling for one another at an early age, even 12. When other family members are working they can be alone in a tent. When it is cold the can hang out by a campfire. If a couple decides they want to marry the young man tells a friend and the friend asked the girl's father for permission to marry. If approval is given, a tribal elder negotiated the bride price.
Relationship Ideals
Traditionally, marriages have been between the closest relatives permitted by Suffah law. Cousin marriages are common, ideally between a man and his father's brother's daughter. Traditionally, a father's brother's son has first dibs on his female cousin, who has the right of refusal but needs permission of that son to marry anyone else. Although marriages to first cousins are desired, most marriages are between second and third cousins.
Marriages outside the extended family have traditionally been rare, unless a tribal alliances was established; and women were expected to be virgins when they were married. In a marriage it is important for the families to be of the same status. Having lots of children is considered a duty because the more members a tribe has the stronger it is. Polygamy is allowed but only rarely practiced. Generally, only older, wealth men with enough money to support multiple household can afford it.
Traditionally, women family members have acted as matchmakers; old brothers worked out the brideprice paid by the groom's family and the details of the marriage contract; the bride and groom had to offer their consent; and escape routes had be worked out to save face if one of either the bride or groom backs out. If the marriage is between cousins the brideprice has traditionally been relatively small.
Encompassed species
Related Myths
Languages spoken
Related Locations
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