Culture of Varshan

The culture of Varshan is one of the oldest in Crona. Varshan has traditionally been one of the most populous nations in the world, but its historic isolationist tendencies combined with its isolated geography and position relative to the more prosperous North Songun civilization have limited its cultural influence.

Non-ethnic Varshanis
Non-ethnic Varshanis ("NEVs") refers to Varshani nationals who have no identifiable national homeland but are not ethnically Varshani. These people originate from the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of identifiable Cronan ethnolinguistic groups enslaved or conquered by Zurgite Varshan. The origin of these people shared with some of the prehistoric people of Quetzenkel, plus many more who were conquered and acculturated so long ago that any knowledge of them is lost. Many of these people are related to the descendant nations of the North Songun civilization, taken into slavery during the period of the Hunts.

Foreign Varshanis
Foreign Varshanis are a small group of Varshani nationals who are ethnically not Cronan at all but nonetheless originate in Varshan. Most of these peoples are descended from Occidental or Alshari slaves who intermarried.

Diaspora
Because the Zurgite government placed heavy restrictions on foreign travel by ordinary subjects, the Varshani diaspora in other nations is small. The largest overseas population with ancestral origins in Varshan were the Kulukusi people, a tribe of moon-worshippers whose civilisation was destroyed by God-King Burusho IV for heresey against the Sun God. The Kulukusi survived as a tribal people in the mountains of southeast Varshan, and aided the Kiravian Army Rangers during the Bootleg Wars. As a token of gratitude, the Federal Stanora helped to resettle the Kulukusi in South Ateranda and Intravia. There is also a significant Kulukusi community in Azikoria.

Education
There was no public education system in Zurgite Varshan. Instead, those higher up the social ladder made use of private schools, tutors, and religious institutes for education, while the lower classes of free persons relied upon informal schools and tutelage by country priests.

Literacy
Varshan has an estimated literacy rate of 58%, and a majority of its population were illiterate until the 1990s. Until 1956, it was illegal to teach slaves to read, but this law was gradually relaxed over time as slaveowners themselves became more literate and wanted the convenience of being able to issue written orders to their slaves. In 2002, the law was waived for slaves kept in urban areas, but almost all slaves and most free persons living in rural areas remain illiterate.

Slavery
Slavery in Varshan was the primary source of labor for most enterprises throughout the existence of Zurgite Varshan.

The largest ethnic group slaved were ethnic Varshanis who became enslaved for military ineptitude, failure to complete certain cultural and religious rituals, or as a criminal penalty; as well as millions of ethnic Varshanis born into slavery, mostly as descendants of people in the previous categories or as the result of sexual slavery under free Varshani masters. Many slave children fathered by their owners are allowed to become metics, especially if their mothers are also ethnic Varshani.

During its existence, many Occidentals lived as slaves in Varshan. Most were kidnapped from Occidental possessions in Crona or captured by pirates and sold into slavery, particularly during the period of the Vallosi Piratocracies. Occidental women were especially prized for their "exotic" appearances.