Decourean (Duh-core-an)
Decourean Couple on the Dock by Courtney S Robinson
Culture
Culture and cultural heritage
Decoureans have strong family ties, and communal involvement, likely from living on a small island. Because the culture is knit so tightly, most local issues are decided upon by community gathering, without waiting from Imperial decree. Decourean often treat others in their community as they would family, taking in or caring for those without, assisting a family struck by tragedy, and coming together to celebrate life events, marriages and funerals.
Shared customary codes and values
Decoureans live in a tight knit community. It is expected for Decoureans to take in family members that cannot provide for themselves, despite the length of time. Decoureans will often act as missing family members for one another, such as an elder with no close kin to full care the child of naval sailors. Children are educated communally, learning from their elders, even if not kin. Occupational education is communal, families training the children of other's in trades.
Though cooking is not specifically communal, hot meals are often prepared outside, and might attract others. It is customary to invite them to join the meal, though it is expected that they will contribute, for example a farmer might approach a fish fry with a basket of crops.
Even at sea, Decourean will extend aid to another Decourean ship. While this is law among naval vessels, merchant and civilian crews will often come to aid, even if they are of a rival merchant company, or are strangers to the captain. This courtesy is not always extended to foreign ships. There have been reports of a Decourean naval ship rescuing only the Decoureans from the sea, leaving the rest to drown.
The servants of Decoure of Allseas do not always produce enough food to feed themselves, and have established a communal store house on the home island and among many colonies to provide resources for themselves and other Decoureans in need.
Common Etiquette rules
As with any society, sharing information about the community is vital, however gossiping is frowned upon. Talk of other Decourean is usually matter of facts and observation and rarely speculative, though this might happen when an upcoming marriage or pregnancy might be suspected. However there is never talk of a child before the Presentation Ceremony.
Respect of authority is expected, but comes with merit. It is extremely rude to impress your importance to others based solely on rank. The child of a farmer that captains a small patrol ship with diligence will be more worthy of respect than the child of successful merchant, captaining a ship gifted from the fleet.
It is impolite to stare or comment on a Decourean body, when exposed due to heat.
Common Dress code
Due to the tropical climate, Decoureans dress in light fabrics, often draped loosely around the body. It is not uncommon to see children wearing only a loose garment that covers the crotch. Headwraps are common among both genders, keeping hair out of the way and off the body in hot weather.
Decoureans will often adopt the dress of host kingdoms while traveling abroad, some times to fit in and other times for comfort.
Art & Architecture
Stone carvings are some of the earliest forms of art created by Decourean people. These can often be elaborate detailed works, featuring events from Decourean past, both legendary and historical. Carvings are usually adorned with paints.
Decoureans are skilled weavers, producing as many beautiful tapestries as they do sturdy ropes and nets.
Because timber is scares on Decoure, wood is limited for use in ships and docks, however many consider shipwrights among the artists, as they often decorate ships with carvings.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
Decoureans have common customs to raise children care for family and manage society, regardless of gender.
At birth, a child is sequestered in the family home for the first six months of life, seen only by close family and, if necessary, the healer. At six months, the religious leader will perform the Presentation Ceremony.
Between the age of six months and weaning, children are with one of their parents, even during work, carried in slings or baskets worn on the body. Special work allowances are made for parents during this time, including relief from naval service.
When the child is weaned on to food, the child is passed into the care of the family elders. This care might only be for working hours, but for children of those in naval service or abroad, the elder is responsible for full time care.
At the age of four, children begin their education. Elders are responsible for passing knowledge on, starting with colors, identification of common items, letters and counting. The child will later move on through arithmetic and writing, and might included home skills, such as cooking and mending. Education progresses as the child masters each concept, so it is not uncommon for a child of five to start reading, while a neighboring child of six is still learning their letters.
At ten, children join their parents in their trade, learning the work. At twelve, the children will start learning trade from other adults, rotating among the community. Naval and religious service and merchant shipping are not included in this rotation, and only taught upon majority.
Majority is reached at the age of sixteen and the Five Great Skills have been completed. At majority, they are considered an adult Decourean, and are eligible to enter naval or religious service, marry, become a headsmen or captain, and sit on the community gathering. Adult Decoureans may choose to work in any trade they wish, provided they demonstrate competent skills. Though Decourean are eligible to marry at 16, they are encouraged to wait two or three years. This gives the Decourean time to establish themselves in work, meet people and possibly travel. Decourean are not pushed out of their home, and some live in their parent's house until marriage.
Weddings are celebrated communally, with a feast being prepared for the uniting families. A servant of Decoure of Allseas opens the ceremony with a blessing, followed by the vows of union, witnessed by the headsman and the servant of Decoure of Allseas. After the witnessing, the feast commences, often last long into the night.
At the time a Decourean can no longer work, due to age, sickness or injury, they will be taken in to their family's home, usually of the child with the most resources. In the event the Decourean has no family on the island, they are taken into the Gik'ih House, a place where elders are cared and provided for. Elders of the Gik'ih often assist in caring for children without living grandparents of their own.
All work is allowed and divided between genders, as trade is chosen by skill and interest. Entry skill is low for most trades on island, like farming, mining, fishing or weaving. Others trades require proof ability, such as builder or smithing. While enlisting as a sailor requires no specialty or comprehensive skill, advancing rank on a naval or merchant ship will require demonstrative ability. Entering the service of Decoure requires no specialty or skills.
On island, Decoureans deal mostly in a barter economy, trading resources among the community, however when resources and commodities are sold by port custom, dealing in barter or gold as the economy demands. Merchants keep detailed manifest of supply and seller, and upon return to Decoure, seller can opt to receive their profits in gold coins, goods, or a combination of both.
Birth & Baptismal Rites
The Presentation Ceremony
When a child is born, they are usually hidden from the community for the first six months of life, visited only by close family and the healer or medic. If one of the parents elects to work during this time, they will not speak of the child.
When the child reaches 6 months of age, they are presented to the world and receive the blessing of Decoure, and officially named.
Coming of Age Rites
The Five Great Skills
At the age of 16, and have demonstrated the Five Great Skills, they have reached the Decourean age of maturity, and have the rights and privilege as such.
The Five Great Skills prove the Decourean as a sufficient adult, capable of living without the aid of their family. These are usually done during their trade education between ages of 12 and 16, and will count toward the Five Great Skills if the task has been witnessed by two adults.
- Start a fire
- Make a knife
- Make a rope/net
- Catch a fish or trap a wild animal
- Build a boat
Funerary and Memorial customs
A funeral is observed communally. A feast is prepared for the family of the deceased, a servant of Decoure of Allseas will open the ceremony with a blessing, then the family and community will share memories and stories of the deceased.
Bodies are traditionally cremated, ashes divided among the family. Ashes might be mixed in with soil of a favored garden, or combined with another family members' ashes.
Every effort is made to return the body of the deceased to the family, but a burial at sea is considered as honorable as cremation, as the deceased is embraced by Decoure of Allseas immediately.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
Though all Decoureans have the common black hair and brown skin, eye color ranges in the shades of blue, green and grey - attributed to the Decourean people seeing Decoure of Allseas, as theses light shade are common colors of water. Lighter shades of eyes are considered especially beautiful, and Decoureans often line their eyes in dark cosmetics to make their irises stand out more.
Decoureans often have their bodies on display, due to the tropical climate of their home, and because of that their physical health is often easily visible. As with most cultures, proof of strong reproductive ability are attractive, wide hips on women and muscular thighs and rears on men.
In addition, Decoureans dress and style themselves not just for their own pleasure but for others. Hairstyling, cosmetics, techniques in wearing headwraps, and fashion continue to evolve with the trends, often brought to Decoure from afar via merchants.
Gender Ideals
Considered strange to outsiders, Decoure has no binary gender ideals, outside of reproductive ability.
Gendered titles and pronouns are dictated entirely by the individual. Though Decoure is accepting of those that might live outside of expectation, these individuals rarely leave the island, traveling to a colony at the most extreme, due to persecution from Regartfealians or Rothadicans.
Courtship Ideals
Decourean youth are encourage to spend many years courting, and courting several partners. Loyalty is valued over purity, and there is no stigma toward pre-marital sex. Though this might lead to children born out of wedlock, Decourean youth are strongly encouraged not to engage in sex until they are prepared to bare the consequences of parenthood.
On the island, Decoureans commonly meet during their vocational training, while trading, or at communal celebrations. They might even meet as early as their childhood education. Common courtship activities include local boat trips, swimming, or taking walks or hikes. As courtship progresses more displays of their skills as a partner are put on display, cooking for one another, mending each other's clothes, and bringing their partner around their family.
Off the island and abroad, Decoureans meet aboard ships, in foreign ports, and while training for naval service. Though those in naval services often have limited opportunities for socialization, bonds of training and sailing together strengthen quickly. Other Decourean abroad enjoy a great deal of freedom in courtship activities, with many port cities hosting fine restaurants, theaters, and entertainment venues. For Decoureans living abroad, finally bringing a partner to meet their family usually coincides with seeking approval for marriage.
Relationship Ideals
When two Decourean wish to marry they must both petition their families, the headsman and a servant of Decoure of Allseas. This is to ensure that both partners are entering into the marriage as equals. It is not unusual for the family to request proof of asset before granting approval.
Most Decoure wish to enter marriage as equitably as possible, regardless of the form of assets. Diversity of assets might even be desirable, as this offers protection in cases of disaster. Ideals of equity extend to agreeing on family size, children and future plans.
Though marriage outside of Decourean is not forbidden, in fact it is encouraged, many mixed relationships with Regartfaelian and Rothadican people are not successful. Because of the blurred gender roles, Decourean women often seem too aggressive and controlling to outsiders, while men seem too placating and weak.
Because Decourean naval service and merchant trade with possibly separate a couple for extended periods of time, loyalty is expected and highly valued. The discovery of a "seaspouse" is the cause of a majority of Decourean divorce.
While remarriage is common for Decoureans that have been widowed, or the wronged partner of a divorce, disloyal Decoureans often find remarriage among other Decoureans difficult.
Major organizations
Though all Decoureans with standing allegiance to their homeland are ruled by the Emperor of Decoure, local headsmen and community gatherings are setup to provide guidance and stability for those abroad, or on the home island while the Emperor is at sea.
Parent ethnicities
Related Organizations
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