Helɉan (hel-JYAN)
The Helɉan people are descended from the Iɉen, but have been isolated in Helɉarva long enough that their traditions and culture has taken on a life of its own.
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Feminine names are typically combinations of Kumâian words for colors, jewels, ornaments, types of snow and astronomical events.
| Name | Meaning |
| Dihitja, D'itja, Dihtja | Moon Jewel |
| Chyagh'rim, Chyah'rim | Ruby Powder, Red Powder |
Masculine names
Masculine names are typically combinations of Kumâian words for stones, metals, sea creatures, types of ice and weather events.
| Name | Meaning |
| Izadnich | Steel Storm |
| Fputlumar, Futlumar | Gold Fish |
Family names
In Iɉen tradition, family names are tied to profession and only apply to the immediate family. However Helɉan's break this pattern due to their tribal rulership of the largest families. So the family names became extremely important and carried from generation to generation. Family names for the Helɉan typically take the form of "Family of" combined with the most famous member of the family. This means family names do change from time to time as major tribal events and heroes take place, and it is a great honor to be a "The Named One" in the family.
Occasionally you will also see family divisions when one part of the family thinks a renaming should happen but the entire family doesn't necessarily agree. While this is extremely rare for the larger and more powerful family lines, smaller families may squabble over the most famous in their lines and divide because of it.
This also means that family names do not necessarily follow the man's line. If a man marries into a larger or more prominent family he will take his wife's family name as it elevates his own status. While this scenario is less common, it's not looked down upon as a practice. If a father only has daughters, he may marry one of them to a man from a lower-status family to bring a son into the household, ensuring the family has a patriarch if the father were to die and that the family line will continue. It also ensures that large, powerful families continue to grow despite the gender of their children and it tends to mean the smallest families die out, thus balancing the new creation of families and family names with ending lines of smaller families.
Family names may also change in one other scenario. If a woman is widowed and has descendants, if she remarries into a more prestigious family then her name as well as her descendants names will change. Because of this, marriages later in life or second marriages tend to be more politically strategic than about securing family logistics.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
The Helɉan people speak a unique dialect of an old Iɉen language, Kumâian with some mix and influence from the northern dwarf language of Yäfaegian.
Comments