Vjotercalic culture

Vjotercalic culture combines indigenous heritage with common TBD culture. Because of its history and geographic location Vjotercal has been influenced by the adjacent areas, various Zåmziatic and Rulalitian peoples. Vjotercalic culture may be seen to build upon the relatively ascetic environmental realities, traditional livelihoods and a heritage of militarism, and the traditionally widespread ideal of self-sufficiency.

There are still cultural differences between Vjotercal's regions, especially minor differences in accents and vocabulary. Minorities, such as the Zåmzi, Sjäyffi and TBD, maintain their own cultural characteristics.

Visual arts

Vjotercalic visual arts are characterized by the usage of interlace patterns in mediums including wood, stone, metal, and ivory.

Cuisine

Typical Vjotercalic meals are usually found in the form of stews and grain-based foods and drinks.

Sports and games

Main article: Sports and games in Vjotercal

Traditional Vjotercalic sports and games were characterized by a focus on practicality. Vjotercalic sports and games were designed to train and reinforce their players in skills that were important to Vjotercalic life, such as combat, hunting, logging, and shipbuilding.

Vinnajafisja

Vinnajafisja (trans. "weapon-play") was a form of swordsmanship practiced in Vjotercal. One who participates in vinnajafisja is known as a fisjasut (pl. fisjasutat). Fisjasutat engage in combat with one another with the goal of landing a hit upon every other fisjasut without being hit oneself. Although swords were used, the sport extended other weapons, including battle axes, spears, and goedendags. The sport was essential to the training of boys (and occasionally girls) to properly wield weapons and defend themselves in the event of attack and to be able to fight well during raids.

During vinnajafisja, fisjasutat would be sometimes fitted with armor to prevent grievous injury. Such armor would generally be light enough for a wide range of movement while still providing the wearer with decent protection from falls and blows from weapons. The armor of a fisjasut would most commonly be gambeson, chosen for its relative ease of manufacture, warmth, and protective ability. In most cases, however, fisjasutat would not be given armor, instead wearing normal everyday clothing.

The weaponry of fisjasutat varied from simple wooden staves to swords forged of tempered iron. In many cases, training weapons would be carved from wood in order to ensure safety of fisjasutat, of which were generally children.

Kuscatajafisja

Kuscatajafisja (trans. "food-play") was a batsu game played by Vjotercalic men. A number of "ingredients" would be collected for participants with these ingredients being chosen specifically for their bad-tasting properties. Participants would then compete in a game (most commonly a hand game), the loser of which would eat one or more of the previously collected ingredients. The process of designating a loser and the loser eating one or more ingredients would continue until all ingredients were consumed.

The process of choosing ingredients for Kuscatajafisja did not have many rules surrounding it, although those collecting ingredients were generally expected to collect excessively putrid or otherwise bad-tasting items. Some ingredients would not be accepted for Kuscatajafisja, these items mostly being ones that were outright inedible or dishonorable to eat (such as feces).

Clothing and apparel

Main article: Vjotercalic dress

Common clothing of Vjotercalic people consisted of wool, linen, and animal skins.

Men's costume

The dress of Vjotercalic men consisted of the cloak, tunic, trousers, leggings, and accessories, with costume varying minimally by class.

Overgarment

The cloak was generally worn outside and was composed of linen, sometimes with a fur lining on the inside. Linen was favored as a material for cloaks because of its ease of cleaning, which was needed often considering where on the person and in what places it was worn. Some cloaks were quite elaborately tailored, usually belonging to higher class people.

Overcoats were worn outdoors and occasionally indoors. As the Heklinnkäcal was bitterly cold for the vast majority of the year, an overcoat would be worn almost always whenever one was outdoors. Overcoats were quilted from animal hides and linen, stuffing wool between each of the five to eight layers.

Main garment

The tunic was underneath one's overcoat. Vjotercalic tunics were constructed relatively simply, made from two or more linen garments padded with wool. This tunic had long sleeves and reached just above the knees.

Accessories

Belts were very common among Vjotercalic men and were worn frequently in pairs to secure both an overcoat and tunic. Belts were constructed of a simple leather strap. Only those of the highest classes were permitted to wear belt buckles. Belt buckles were intricately decorated with Vjotercalic symbols such as the TBD. Sometimes the belt itself would be decorated using a metal rod that had been heated to high temperatures to burn designs into the leather; the common people were permitted to decorate belts this way as it did not involve belt buckles. Apart from decorative purposes or as status symbols, belts could be used to hold small pouches and a scabbard.

The TBD Brooch, a pennanular brooch. TBDth century TBD, from the TBD burial mound.

Although more commonly worn by women, brooches were worn by Vjotercalic men to fasten garments together. Brooches were richly decorated with interlace patterns. Brooches of two types were worn, these being pennanular and pseudo-pennanular brooches.

Some distinguished men in Vjotercalic communities adorned themselves with scrimshawed walrus ivory.

Cultural importance

The clothing and accessories of Vjotercalic reflected beliefs, values, and socio-political statuses. The materials and tools used to make clothing and accessories would be specific to the wearer's social and political class.

According to Vjotercalic belief, clothing made from certain animals would impart certain effects upon its wearer. For example, using the sinew of a bear as sewing thread for a garment would imbue said garment with qualities that would transfer the strength, etc. of a bear to the wearer, as well as the social distinction of wearing a garment made from a bear.

Mythology and folklore

Main articlesː Vjotercalic mythology, Folklore of Vjotercal

Vjotercalic mythology and folklore is centered around animism and the concept of honor.

See also

Voterajasolut Ecal