Koanka

The indigenous people of the Dozango islands, refer to themselves as Koanka, though they appear so diffrent from another at times in their seperate kingdoms and islands they are bound by common past and culture, claiming descendant of a mythical kingdom called the Koa'Kaiki. The Koanka are now a scattered people of hundred kingdoms and islands

Religion

The Koanka believe and venerate what they refer to as The Serpent Gods., supposedly ancient beings which once walked and shaped the earth and helped the Koanka's ancestors in times of great peril. Their relation to the gods is an impersonal one, the people go the priest with their prayer's and sacrifices, for only they can relay their prayers to the gods directly and hope to survive.
The Koanka believe that life is cyclical; that which was, shall be again, and that all souls will be reborn through the bowels of the The Mer-serpent. So even if you are born into a low caste, if you adhere to your duties and do not disappoint the Timeless serpent then surely you will be rewarded in the next life.

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Check meso american names, but here are some examples: Ahumzfli, Atl, Citali,Coszcatl, Eleuia, Ichtaca, Mecatl, Nahuat.

Masculine names

Check meso american names, but here are some examples: Amoxtli, Cipacth, Cuixtli, Huemac, Huitzilihuitl, Iccauhtli,Itztli, Olllin, Qua

Family names

Koana do have family structures, they do not have family names.

Other names

epithet

Usually Koanka who come of age are given an epithet to denote themselves, the practice is as varied as the tribes, but usually the epithet derives from the four colours of humanity: Red(Chak) is the emotional side of humanity, White(Sac) is the spiritual side of humanity, Black(Boox) is the Physical side of humanity, While yellow(K'an) is the mind of humanity.
The color red is often associated with anger, war, things moving quickly, and authority. When the red colors of humanity is present, as shown in the Mayan calendar or an astrological sign, then calmness must prevail. Looking at irritations, issues, or problems in a rational manner, takes the emotional side of the color red out of the picture.
The color white is associated with truth, purity, innocence, and the essence of being human. Searching for facts, seeing the good in bad tidings, and learning from our mistakes, help us make good choices or gives us a better understanding of the world around us.
Black is a transforming color, black seeks to bring us into a new stage. This new stage can be better health, seeing things in a new light, or a possible change in attitude.
The color yellow represents maturity and wisdom. Whatever has been going on in the world or your life should now be finished. Transformation has occurred and knowledge has been gained from the cycle. The color yellow gives us firm ground to stand on and roots us to the earth, which gives us power.

Caste Name

All bear their caste in their names.

Namng Structure

So in essence a name is a first a given personal name, followed by an epithet and the caste name.
For example Amoxtili K'an Maccuava

Culture

Shared customary codes and values

In general the lowercast though often given the least are also given the least expectations, while the higher cast may take for themselves great wealth and prestige, there are high expectations placed upon them, and failure to live up to them can easily meet them in great punishment if not death.

Hate for Heaven

The Koanka no more than any people that the involvement of the celestial gods always mean trouble, for they have fought their angelic host in the past for the right to retain their way of life and their worship of the blessed serpent. As such the Koanka hold great mistrust towards those who worship the celestial gods, seeing them at worst as spies sent by them, or as ignorant savages and slaves to their will.

Vampire menance

The Koanka hold great grievances towards vampires, where other nations may even doubt their existence, the Koanka hold no such doubts, they celebrate the deaths of vampire tyrants of the past and some cities hold long and proud traditions as vampire hunters and slayers.

Common Etiquette rules

The lower caste, should show reverance to the higher caste in all matters.
Fellow caste members should support one another.

Common Dress code

Cloths should hide one's nether regions. Cloths are expected to reflect your social standing, only the higher caste may display themselves in fine robes and jewelry.

Common Customs, traditions and rituals

The Koanka have deep traditions and believe in a stratified world, believing that all in the world has a place and a function in it. This partly stems from their religous believe in the serpent gods

Caste System

The Koanka have strict caste society, in which the better one fulfill ones own role the greater chance of rebirth into a higher caste. They value adherence to tradition, and loyalty towards one caste and betters. Family and community is not a strict thing in their culture, and an individual is may seek their own desires before others within his caste. And all rewards function in trickle down sort of way, the lowercast provide and the higher cast see it fit to distribute it among the lower ranks.

Tequitl

Caste/lot in life=tequitl:

1. Oachto:
Rulers and cheiftans of the tribe, they are chosen from among the Maccuava or Tonlacto, his word is law and his will is to be made manifest.

2. Tonlachto:
The Tonlachto are speciel and revered position among the Kuanka, they are priest and magicians, though they are below Maccuava they are given great respect and often hold close ear to the Oachto for they are the mouth piece of the gods.

3. Maccuava:
The Maccuava are the nobels and warriors of the Kuanka aswell as its scholars and leaders, they are expected to defend their tribe and see it prosper with all their might and intellect.
4. Nicchichua: Labor and craft.:
A lower cast, but respected as they provide the tribes with sacred fish and create weapons, cloths and tools for the higher caste, they are craftmen are fishers.


5. Quiztli:
Lowest of the caste, and viewed like the dirt they work upon, they are givevn the least of all, but are promised reincartion into a higher cast upon rebirth.

Familial Ties

To the Koanka Family holds little value, and though a mother/father and their offspring usually holds fond relations towards one another, there is little to no notion of family and especially not for an extended family. A strange notion to many foreigners to be sure, but to Koanka the notion of an extended family is redicules, instead they hold their caste as the closest relatable thing, caste members are suppose to help and assist one another and share a bond much akin to what a family might do. But this notion is not always true, in times of hardship, close ties will usually bond together survive, and help each other over other caste members, and in the higher echilons of society this holds escpeially true, for the higher caste are always competing for power, and as such alliances of blood or shared notion often arise between them, to consolidate their power and holdings.

Cross Caste interactions

On a daily basis the caste rarely interacts with one another, there are common shared activities beyound that of the sacred days of the serpent gods, or when the priest holds sacrifices. As a matter of fact the only caste which usually interact, would be when merchants sell their wares, when the lower caste, seek attendance at the chiefs court, or when the priest listen to prayers.

Birth & Baptismal Rites

Children are taken to one of the great temples in the city or nearby cities to be blessed by one of the serpents, in the hope that the serpents will take notice of the child and bless their futures.

Common Myths and Legends

The Old Kingdom of Koa'Kaiki

Once the Koanka were of one people, ruled by a line of strong Oachto, bound by ther codes and traditions the Koanka thrived and spread across the islands, the banner of Koa'Kaiki could be seen where ever the lands of the Blooming Serpent rose from the depths of the Mer-Serpents domain. This prosperity begot hybris and averaise, the people stopped their sacrifices and gift to their once generous gods, and the serpents grew displeased, as their tempels became dens of debauchery and sin, the people forget the old ways, and man forgot his Tequitl, and thus began an age of strife and darkness for the Koanka, with three great ages of conflict for the people of Koa'Kaiki The Blood war, The Fang wars and the Serpent wars. that would envitably result in what is known as the wrathstorms, which sunderered the domain of the Koa'Kaiki and forever fractured the people of the Koanka.

The ages of Conflict

The wrathstorms wiped away much knowledge of the past, but some fragments remain, left overs of a great oral and written tradition now as fragmentented and scattered as the people who told them.

Origens of the Caste System

In the days when the world was young, and mankind dug it's way out of the mud, they were little more than wild beast, when the old kingdoms stood in fire, seeped in chaos and brought low by strife. The Great Serpent saw this and in pity gave man structure and purpose, for when all know their tequitl, the land will know peace.

Diverged ethnicities

• Xehira

Related Organizations

• Serpent Gods.

Related Locations

• Bar'Kur
• Xer'Pakti