Kivan
And into the lonely woods I stroll,
To lose my way and find my soul.
Kivans are a small, resilient people. They tamed the swamp of the Forest of Stars into a self-sufficient city and held onto their distinct identity throughout centuries of foreign rule.
Naming Traditions
Other names
Every day of the year is associated with a minor nature spirit representing things like animals, plants, to forces of nature. Traditionally, children's names are chosen to evoke the spirit of the patron of their birthday - this is considered a way to endear the child to that spirit. As a simple example, a child born on the day of the marten might be named Marten, or something evocative of martens like "Swift", "Climber", or "Sleek" (In their Päfan equivalents, of course).
Family names are inherited from the father and are usually the name of some distant ancestor.
Family names are inherited from the father and are usually the name of some distant ancestor.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
They speak Päfan. Those who live in Jausai have a distinct dialect from others who live in more isolated villages throughout the woods. The Jausaian dialect is what is most known to outsiders, and depending how far someone lives from Jausai, their dialect might be met with "Um... are you sure that's Päfan?"
Päfan is notoriously difficult to learn for outsiders due to its large number of cases and compound words. The sentence structure is loose, with meaning depending on conjugation and cases and word order used to demonstrate importance rather than meaning. An idea that would take multiple words in many other languages could be expressed with just one in Pafan - for example "vökoeis" means "child" on its own. "Mösvökoeis" means "You are a child".
Shared customary codes and values
Kivans traditionally have a strong connection with nature. They are a people of the forest, who have built their society among the trees. Their folklore revolves around the trees and the belief that an Otherworld of divine beings and magic is located just beyond the furthest tree. Folklore abounds with stories of travellers who strayed too far from the path and stumbled into this realm.
Treating the forest with respect is important. Those who wander into the woods without the proper respect are likely to be gobbled up by the spirit of the woods. However, walking deep into the woods can be an enlightening experience to those who respect and understand the power held by the sea of trees.
Wilderness is dangerous, and always ready to strike with the power of storms, wild animals, drought, or disease. These calamities are the price humanity pays to live off the bounty of nature. The wisdom of the Kivans is to take only what they need from the woods, so that the woods will take only what it needs from them.
Common Taboos
The greatest taboo is to kill a Great Elk. In general, killing any animal without the intent to eat it is seriously frowned upon.
Nudity taboos are not as strict as some other cultures. Women going topless is unremarkable and stripping naked to go swimming is common.
Ideals
Gender Ideals
Kivan people have a very egalitarian outlook to gender. Though men edge out women with a little more social standing, women are equally likely to be members of the Assembly, be a shaman, or leaders of their communities. Eldest daughters inherit before their younger brothers, and women are able to own property and divorce their husbands.
Courtship Ideals
Kivan courtship is a complicated matter where people attempt to make their interest in the other clear without explicitly flirting. Small gestures, meaningful touches, and prolonged eye contact are all simple ways a Kivan might indicate their interest.
When someone is reasonably sure that the other appreciates their feelings, they ask the other person to spend time with them, such as accompanying them to a community dance, joining them while working on their garden, or taking a walk through the woods. All of this is based around never explicitly admitting that you have feelings for the other - saying "I love you" is very serious, and they value showing affection over stating it.
When someone is reasonably sure that the other appreciates their feelings, they ask the other person to spend time with them, such as accompanying them to a community dance, joining them while working on their garden, or taking a walk through the woods. All of this is based around never explicitly admitting that you have feelings for the other - saying "I love you" is very serious, and they value showing affection over stating it.
Relationship Ideals
A husband and wife are expected to work as a team to run their household. The most common arrangement is for the wife to maintain the home and take care of the children while the husband works, but it is not unusual to see a reversed situation if the children are old enough to not need breast feeding, or couples who do not have children. The one who runs the house is expected to manage the money. Any major decisions should be discussed and agreed upon by both parties.
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