Zenj
The majority of the Mwangi Expanse is populated by the Zenj people. While this ethnic group makes up thousands of tribes, they’re primarily divided into two groups: the matriarchal people of the savanna and the patriarchal people of the jungle.
The semi-nomadic people of the savanna, who refer to themselves as Zenje, typically build temporary settlements for months at a time, taming and herding cattle before they begin moving again. Their movements serve as natural trade routes, and most Mwangi people keep track of their local Zenje tribes’ migration patterns to gain access to cattle and herbs that aren’t typically available locally. The most popular Zenje fashion involves wearing animal skins, with rarer animals indicating one’s wealth and status. The matriarch of a tribe usually wears a headdress fashioned from the predator she had to hunt, kill, and fully use every part of following the democratic matriarchal election. This process usually happens every ten years, or upon the matriarch’s death, whichever comes first.
The people of the jungle refer to themselves as Zenju. Their tribes are very stationary, usually building simple log homes. They trade primarily in plants, and most tribes have developed vegetarian cultural traditions—Zenju believe that this diet is significantly healthier and more civilized than the Zenje people’s cattle-based society. Brave Zenjus have also discovered the medicinal secrets of numerous poisonous plants, often via testing these plants using their own bodies. Zenju medicine is some of the most advanced on the continent, and it’s not unheard of for people to come from miles away when magical healing has failed. Zenjus are also one of few Mwangi peoples who can make dishes out of fruits and vegetables widely known to be poisonous. When foreigners attempt to try such dishes, many Zenjus love to make morbid jokes about it being the chef’s first time attempting such a dangerous dish or wait until the visitor has taken a bite before pretending there was some mistake in the preparation.
The Zenje and Zenju tribes remain closely related people and share many customs. The groups typically don’t intermarry due to major cultural differences and lack of geographic proximity, but they have a fondness and trust for each other like family and have numerous annual rituals together for wealth, prosperity, and fun. Zenje legend has it that a long time ago, when the Zenjes and Zenjus were one group, a patriarch insisted that a vegetarian diet was far healthier out of fear of hunting a predator, which caused the two groups to split. No one can prove this tale, but the oral tradition persists, which Zenje women use to playfully tease Zenju men.
The Zenj people tend to be very easygoing and practical, never taking their freedom for granted. They worship many different gods but have a special love for Nana Anadi—Grandmother Spider—due to the “Mama Schools” that adherents of her religion often run. Both Zenje and Zenju craft as well, making beads that hold much cultural meaning. More beads tend to indicate wealth; various colors can represent skills, professions, life events, and other complex information. Magic users typically have at least one prominent magical glowing bead with the material used in its creation indicating the type of magic they employ. Those outside of Zenj culture don’t have a clear grasp of this bead symbolism but most are aware of its significance. Most other Mwangi peoples either have a fondness, or at worst a neutral perception, of Zenj people. Zenj individuals don’t go out of their way to disrupt other Mwangi peoples’ lives and are generally happy to keep on with their traditions and primarily peaceful ways.
The semi-nomadic people of the savanna, who refer to themselves as Zenje, typically build temporary settlements for months at a time, taming and herding cattle before they begin moving again. Their movements serve as natural trade routes, and most Mwangi people keep track of their local Zenje tribes’ migration patterns to gain access to cattle and herbs that aren’t typically available locally. The most popular Zenje fashion involves wearing animal skins, with rarer animals indicating one’s wealth and status. The matriarch of a tribe usually wears a headdress fashioned from the predator she had to hunt, kill, and fully use every part of following the democratic matriarchal election. This process usually happens every ten years, or upon the matriarch’s death, whichever comes first.
The people of the jungle refer to themselves as Zenju. Their tribes are very stationary, usually building simple log homes. They trade primarily in plants, and most tribes have developed vegetarian cultural traditions—Zenju believe that this diet is significantly healthier and more civilized than the Zenje people’s cattle-based society. Brave Zenjus have also discovered the medicinal secrets of numerous poisonous plants, often via testing these plants using their own bodies. Zenju medicine is some of the most advanced on the continent, and it’s not unheard of for people to come from miles away when magical healing has failed. Zenjus are also one of few Mwangi peoples who can make dishes out of fruits and vegetables widely known to be poisonous. When foreigners attempt to try such dishes, many Zenjus love to make morbid jokes about it being the chef’s first time attempting such a dangerous dish or wait until the visitor has taken a bite before pretending there was some mistake in the preparation.
The Zenje and Zenju tribes remain closely related people and share many customs. The groups typically don’t intermarry due to major cultural differences and lack of geographic proximity, but they have a fondness and trust for each other like family and have numerous annual rituals together for wealth, prosperity, and fun. Zenje legend has it that a long time ago, when the Zenjes and Zenjus were one group, a patriarch insisted that a vegetarian diet was far healthier out of fear of hunting a predator, which caused the two groups to split. No one can prove this tale, but the oral tradition persists, which Zenje women use to playfully tease Zenju men.
The Zenj people tend to be very easygoing and practical, never taking their freedom for granted. They worship many different gods but have a special love for Nana Anadi—Grandmother Spider—due to the “Mama Schools” that adherents of her religion often run. Both Zenje and Zenju craft as well, making beads that hold much cultural meaning. More beads tend to indicate wealth; various colors can represent skills, professions, life events, and other complex information. Magic users typically have at least one prominent magical glowing bead with the material used in its creation indicating the type of magic they employ. Those outside of Zenj culture don’t have a clear grasp of this bead symbolism but most are aware of its significance. Most other Mwangi peoples either have a fondness, or at worst a neutral perception, of Zenj people. Zenj individuals don’t go out of their way to disrupt other Mwangi peoples’ lives and are generally happy to keep on with their traditions and primarily peaceful ways.
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