The distinction between some of the sections below is not that important. After all something considered taboo in one culture might be completely normal in another. A folkway for some people could be a mores for another. Further below I've linked to a video that quickly explains the difference between Folkways, Mores, Laws and Taboos.
Status Symbols
How do people show their status within their culture.
1. Personal decoration or clothing.
2. The way people speak to each other.
3. Weapon or tool privileges.
4. Control or ownership of particular resources.
5. Sponsorship or patron.
6. Access or right of way.
7. Mercantile rights or obligations.
8. Ceremonial rights or obligations.
9. Military rights or obligations.
10. Political rights or obligations.
Personal Decorations
Which aspect of a cultures personal decoration are particularly important, unique or notable.
1. Tattoos
2. Piercings
3. Scarification
4. Branding
5. Head binding
6. Body paint or makeup.
7. Teeth filing, painting or jewellery.
8. Unique or elaborate hairstyles.
9. Masks
10. Elaborate clothing, headdresses or jewellery.
Religion
Which aspect of the religion is most important.
1. Sacrifice or offerings
2. Honour and praise
3. Pilgrimage
4. Dream or vision questing
5. Trials
6. Charity
7. Asceticism
8. Indulge
9. Meditate
10. Proselytise and convert
Burial
What do people do with the dead.
1. Burial in a pit, grave or tumulus (mound, barrow or kurgan).
2. Cremation
3. Burial at sea, in a lake or river.
4. Exhumed and paraded, place in an ossuary.
5. Mummify, entomb, placed in a catacomb or mausoleum.
6. Sky burial or otherwise left to the elements.
Ceremonies
What is the key feature of their ceremonies.
1. Dancing
2. Hallucinogens
3. Sports or games
4. Theatre
5. Mock battles
6. Chanting
7. Meditation
8. Story telling
9. Singing
10. Drum or music circle
Customs
1. Bring a gift when visiting someone.
2. Arranged marriages with prerequisites.
3. Unusual dowry, dower or bride price.
4. Men and women live separately or in non-familial groupings.
5. Collective child rearing.
6. Holy sites with special rules of behaviour.
7. Disputes can be settled with fines, through combat or competition.
8. Rites of passage through combat, survival, physical or mental tests.
9. Periodically destroy or abandon the home settlement.
10. Particular significance of singing, poetry or storytelling.
Folkways
1. Clap hands to show anger.
2. Speak in a volume appropriate to your status in the family.
3. Avoid showing strong emotions in public.
4. Conversations and interactions between different groups of people follow formal rules.
5. Toast a drink or smoke from a pipe before eating. (Remember tobacco is from the Americas).
6. Spit on the ground for good luck.
7. Always leave a little food left over to indicate to your host that you are full.
8. Youngest or oldest people eat first.
9. Request council or blessing from religious leaders when making important decisions.
10. Honour and face are important to uphold.
Mores
1. Don't kill, harm or hurt particular animals.
2. Don't kill, harm or hurt particular people.
3. Displaying a particular body part to other people such as the soles of your feet is insulting.
4. Share a percentage of your takings (crops, hunts, trade income) with the group.
5. Don't abuse alcohol or drugs.
6. Be grateful for what the forest, river or sea provides.
7. Listen to the guidance of your elders.
8. Treat prisoners or enslaved people with respect.
9. Work hard to benefit others of yourself.
10. Don't imitate people or animals.
Laws
1. Tax on the import or export of particular resources.
2. Ban on a particular resource.
3. Religious freedom.
4. Restrictions or bans on particular religions.
5. Corvée labour (regular compelled labour for the authorities).
6. Ban on slavery or slaves are set free periodically.
7. Certain games can only be played in particular cultural or religious circumstances.
8. 'Skin in the game' laws. E.g. builders must sleep in the building after it's finished.
9. Only certain people are permitted to acquire particular skills. E.g. reading, mathematics, masonry.
10. Ban on debt and usury or debts are periodically cancelled or under particular conditions.
Taboos
1. Against killing, harming or hurting particular animals.
2. Against killing, harming or hurting particular people.
3. Against eating particular plants or animals.
4. Against consuming drugs or alcohol.
5. Allowing yourself to be captured alive during battle.
6. Against anthropophagy.
7. Against public physical contact between members of the same or opposite sex.
8. Against body modification, or conversely not having it done.
9. Against using or trying to attain magical powers (whether they really exist or not).
10. Against blasphemy, desecration or ignoring religious rules and laws.
No comments:
Post a Comment