[Traders: Language and Culture]
nabbed from here
Language:
Tradertalk
The language spoken by traders. Known words include:
azigazi (pronounced ahzee-GAH-zee) - mirage
bijili - power source/storage
Blue Traders - those who trade with boats, on salt or fresh water
daka - a negotiator who brings profit
gilav - a caravan's leader (same as a ship's captain)
hamot - idiot
jishen - something that feeds of others and then kills them
kaq - the lowest kind of non Trader, tanslates as "dirt under foot"
lugsha - craftsperson or artisan who provides goods
mimander - Trader mage mutant
nisamohi - woman who loves other women
pijule fakol - the afterlife for those who don't pay debts
qunsua(nen) - to clease, literaly to wash off bad luck
saati - a non-Trader who is a true friend
suraku - survival box with food and water (mostly on ships)
trangshi - outcast, unclean
Tsaw'ha - the Trader's name for themselves, translates as "the People"
uvumi - patience
White Traders - those who trade with caravans, in sand or snow
wirok - a person who buys provisions, low-status
xurdin - non-Trader mage mutant
yerui - a ghost-devil that feeds and destroys
zokin - balance on the Trader books, a persons stock of honor
--
Culture:
Gods/Goddesses:
Bookkeeper Oti
-Bookkeeper Oti is a Trader goddess. She is the wife of Trader Koma. Oti keeps the record of life with its debths and credits.
Trader Koma
-Trader Koma is a Trader god of the open road, the great steersman, supreme negotiator. He is known for his peculiar acts but also as the god of deals and rewards. Koma's wife is Bookkeeper Oti.
((Daja also prays to Mila of the Grain, and Hakkoi the Smith, who are not Trader gods but belong to the Living Circle religion))
Religion:
The Trader creation myth begins thus: "In the long ago, Trader Koma and his Bride Oti saw that they had no savings in their account books, no warm memories laid up for cold times," and describes how Trader Koma created the Traders and wrote their names in the great books. Framing one's eyes with two fingers is seen as a holy vow to Koma and Oti, and the gesture for asking help of the gods is to place one hand atop the other as if climbing a rope. Traders recite the following prayer before going to sleep each night: "Trader, watch over those at home and at sea. Send them fair winds to speed them home."
Traders believe in an afterlife, and the afterlife for those who do not pay their debts is called pijule fakol, in which probably fires similar to forest fires burn. They also have a belief in ghosts and spirits, such as the yerui, a ghost-devil.
Customs:
Traders fix blue pompoms and strings of bells to belongings to scare away demons. Babies and older children also wore blue things and bells for that purpose. Thus every child younger than two years wore earrings with bells and girls also wore ankle bracelets with bells, while babies wore blue strings on their wrists and boys had azure blue wrist bands.
Traders mourn in crimson as red stands for blood. Traders normally carry a long ebony staff with brass caps which have two purposes. For one the staff allows the carrier to defend himself or herself when they are with non-Traders. For another the staff shows the deeds and important events in the life of the carrier.
Although Traders deal with outsiders, they don't normally do business with pirates. A Trader dealing with a pirate is normally executed by his own crew. They also normally don't share their secrets, or even normal custom, with outsiders and disapprove of Traders who tell outsiders too much.
When bargaining for valuable objects it is customary that Traders provide refreshments--food and tea--, a comfortable environment, musicians and a present for the negotiations. All important Trader gifts were wrapped in yellow silk. The customary words to indicate that one wants to do serious business are: "It is a fine day for conversation". Another Trader proverb is that "Talk needs food, or the talkers weaken".
Each caravan was lead by a wirok--a position which could also be held by women--who was also the first wagon in the caravan, just behind the caravan's journey leader and a handful of other riders. The journey leader wore a short, green-and-orange-striped cape and announced to the caravan when it was time to set out, probably also when to rest and where to go.
Food:
Traders drink a special tea, which is strong and flavored with smoke. Their unique tea blend was never included in business with outsiders. Those dealing with Traders might taste it in the bargaining process but were unable to purchase their tea.
Traditional Trader food includes "cold vine leaves stuffed with rice, onion, garlic, and mint, tiny pickled onions, pastries filled with chicken or eggplant and spices, apricots stuffed with almond-rosewater paste, and small fruit tartlets" as well as almond and orange cakes. Those dishes are known in caravans and ships alike.
Being able to prepare good meals is an important skill in Trader society, because they believe people let their guard down, when they're well-fed. Thus even the clan leaders cook and people being able to cook well have a high status in the caravan or ship.
Language:
Tradertalk
The language spoken by traders. Known words include:
azigazi (pronounced ahzee-GAH-zee) - mirage
bijili - power source/storage
Blue Traders - those who trade with boats, on salt or fresh water
daka - a negotiator who brings profit
gilav - a caravan's leader (same as a ship's captain)
hamot - idiot
jishen - something that feeds of others and then kills them
kaq - the lowest kind of non Trader, tanslates as "dirt under foot"
lugsha - craftsperson or artisan who provides goods
mimander - Trader mage mutant
nisamohi - woman who loves other women
pijule fakol - the afterlife for those who don't pay debts
qunsua(nen) - to clease, literaly to wash off bad luck
saati - a non-Trader who is a true friend
suraku - survival box with food and water (mostly on ships)
trangshi - outcast, unclean
Tsaw'ha - the Trader's name for themselves, translates as "the People"
uvumi - patience
White Traders - those who trade with caravans, in sand or snow
wirok - a person who buys provisions, low-status
xurdin - non-Trader mage mutant
yerui - a ghost-devil that feeds and destroys
zokin - balance on the Trader books, a persons stock of honor
--
Culture:
Gods/Goddesses:
Bookkeeper Oti
-Bookkeeper Oti is a Trader goddess. She is the wife of Trader Koma. Oti keeps the record of life with its debths and credits.
Trader Koma
-Trader Koma is a Trader god of the open road, the great steersman, supreme negotiator. He is known for his peculiar acts but also as the god of deals and rewards. Koma's wife is Bookkeeper Oti.
((Daja also prays to Mila of the Grain, and Hakkoi the Smith, who are not Trader gods but belong to the Living Circle religion))
Religion:
The Trader creation myth begins thus: "In the long ago, Trader Koma and his Bride Oti saw that they had no savings in their account books, no warm memories laid up for cold times," and describes how Trader Koma created the Traders and wrote their names in the great books. Framing one's eyes with two fingers is seen as a holy vow to Koma and Oti, and the gesture for asking help of the gods is to place one hand atop the other as if climbing a rope. Traders recite the following prayer before going to sleep each night: "Trader, watch over those at home and at sea. Send them fair winds to speed them home."
Traders believe in an afterlife, and the afterlife for those who do not pay their debts is called pijule fakol, in which probably fires similar to forest fires burn. They also have a belief in ghosts and spirits, such as the yerui, a ghost-devil.
Customs:
Traders fix blue pompoms and strings of bells to belongings to scare away demons. Babies and older children also wore blue things and bells for that purpose. Thus every child younger than two years wore earrings with bells and girls also wore ankle bracelets with bells, while babies wore blue strings on their wrists and boys had azure blue wrist bands.
Traders mourn in crimson as red stands for blood. Traders normally carry a long ebony staff with brass caps which have two purposes. For one the staff allows the carrier to defend himself or herself when they are with non-Traders. For another the staff shows the deeds and important events in the life of the carrier.
Although Traders deal with outsiders, they don't normally do business with pirates. A Trader dealing with a pirate is normally executed by his own crew. They also normally don't share their secrets, or even normal custom, with outsiders and disapprove of Traders who tell outsiders too much.
When bargaining for valuable objects it is customary that Traders provide refreshments--food and tea--, a comfortable environment, musicians and a present for the negotiations. All important Trader gifts were wrapped in yellow silk. The customary words to indicate that one wants to do serious business are: "It is a fine day for conversation". Another Trader proverb is that "Talk needs food, or the talkers weaken".
Each caravan was lead by a wirok--a position which could also be held by women--who was also the first wagon in the caravan, just behind the caravan's journey leader and a handful of other riders. The journey leader wore a short, green-and-orange-striped cape and announced to the caravan when it was time to set out, probably also when to rest and where to go.
Food:
Traders drink a special tea, which is strong and flavored with smoke. Their unique tea blend was never included in business with outsiders. Those dealing with Traders might taste it in the bargaining process but were unable to purchase their tea.
Traditional Trader food includes "cold vine leaves stuffed with rice, onion, garlic, and mint, tiny pickled onions, pastries filled with chicken or eggplant and spices, apricots stuffed with almond-rosewater paste, and small fruit tartlets" as well as almond and orange cakes. Those dishes are known in caravans and ships alike.
Being able to prepare good meals is an important skill in Trader society, because they believe people let their guard down, when they're well-fed. Thus even the clan leaders cook and people being able to cook well have a high status in the caravan or ship.