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Quetzenkel: Difference between revisions
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Quetzen culture has been noted for its extremely rigid mealtime etiquette. In Quetzen society, the practices in and around meals are extremely ritualized. All individuals must be at the table during periods of eating, and if one person must excuse themselves for any reason, all eating ceases until that individual returns. Formal Quetzen meals are divided into three stages; a protein of some kind served alone, then a type of brothy mixture of soup, typically with rice, and then the third round in which an alcoholic beverage is consumed along with various natural sweets. Under the rules of Quetzen etiquette, every individual eating must keep pace with the others, and it is considered exceptionally rude if one person finishes the stage of the meal before the rest of the table; it is also considered exceptionally rude if someone is still eating while everyone else is finished. Before each stage of the meal, the three types of utensils (a {{wp|knife}}, {{wp|tongs}}, and a large spoon) are all subject to a blessing and a brief legendary exposition about the importance of each one that can last between three to five minutes, even if that particular utensil will not be used during that stage. At no point is food consumed with hands, and if someone eats something with their hands they must be removed from the meal. The traditional Quetzen meal is usually observed at the equivalent of dinner time, with the equivalents of breakfast and lunch (food that can be carried with one as they work) being far less formal. The meal format is observed both by adherents of indigenous [[Crona]]n religion as well as by Quetzen [[Catholic Church|Catholics]], with Catholics adding an additional general blessing before each stage. Breaking with the meal custom is considered deeply offensive to the host and shocking to all in attendance and can lead to social ostracization. General non-adherence to the meal custom is considered a popular form of rebellion against cultural hierarchy, practiced by many different groups including non-conformists, radical socialists, and some Quetzen who adopt a more overtly Occidental identity. | Quetzen culture has been noted for its extremely rigid mealtime etiquette. In Quetzen society, the practices in and around meals are extremely ritualized. All individuals must be at the table during periods of eating, and if one person must excuse themselves for any reason, all eating ceases until that individual returns. Formal Quetzen meals are divided into three stages; a protein of some kind served alone, then a type of brothy mixture of soup, typically with rice, and then the third round in which an alcoholic beverage is consumed along with various natural sweets. Under the rules of Quetzen etiquette, every individual eating must keep pace with the others, and it is considered exceptionally rude if one person finishes the stage of the meal before the rest of the table; it is also considered exceptionally rude if someone is still eating while everyone else is finished. Before each stage of the meal, the three types of utensils (a {{wp|knife}}, {{wp|tongs}}, and a large spoon) are all subject to a blessing and a brief legendary exposition about the importance of each one that can last between three to five minutes, even if that particular utensil will not be used during that stage. At no point is food consumed with hands, and if someone eats something with their hands they must be removed from the meal. The traditional Quetzen meal is usually observed at the equivalent of dinner time, with the equivalents of breakfast and lunch (food that can be carried with one as they work) being far less formal. The meal format is observed both by adherents of indigenous [[Crona]]n religion as well as by Quetzen [[Catholic Church|Catholics]], with Catholics adding an additional general blessing before each stage. Breaking with the meal custom is considered deeply offensive to the host and shocking to all in attendance and can lead to social ostracization. General non-adherence to the meal custom is considered a popular form of rebellion against cultural hierarchy, practiced by many different groups including non-conformists, radical socialists, and some Quetzen who adopt a more overtly Occidental identity. | ||
===Tribal identity=== | ===Tribal identity=== | ||
One of the most important elements of Quetzen society is its Tribal system, which is a system of {{wp|kinship groups}} descended from the pre-unification political and ancestral divisions of Quetzenkel. There were, at various times, dozens or hundreds of tribes with recorded names, territorial control, symbols, and shared traditions. By the time of the unification of Quetzenkel, however, these had been consolidated into "over-tribes", or federated groups of related tribes under one council. In the 1810s, the over-tribes were given new formal recognition in the creation of the All-Tribal Assembly, in which 25 over-tribes were recognized. Since then, significant laws have been put into place moderately standardizing the form of governance of the tribes, rules regarding membership, and rights that the tribes are entitled to. As King Telucti I and his heirs were not originally from Quetzenkel, the Royal family have no tribe; this has been a source of both advantage (the Crown is viewed to be impartial) and disadvantage (the King has no natural dynastic allies) to the post-2016 political system. | One of the most important elements of Quetzen society is its Tribal system, which is a system of {{wp|kinship groups}} descended from the pre-unification political and ancestral divisions of Quetzenkel. There were, at various times, dozens or hundreds of tribes with recorded names, territorial control, symbols, and shared traditions. By the time of the unification of Quetzenkel, however, these had been consolidated into "over-tribes", or federated groups of related tribes under one council. In the 1810s, the over-tribes were given new formal recognition in the creation of the All-Tribal Assembly, in which 25 over-tribes were recognized. Since then, significant laws have been put into place moderately standardizing the form of governance of the tribes, rules regarding membership, and rights that the tribes are entitled to. Tribes play a significant role in the cultural, social, political, and economic life of Quetzenkel, governing much of the individual decision-making made by the Quetzen people. As King Telucti I and his heirs were not originally from Quetzenkel, the Royal family have no tribe; this has been a source of both advantage (the Crown is viewed to be impartial) and disadvantage (the King has no natural dynastic allies) to the post-2016 political system. | ||
Tribes generally are organized in a fluid hierarchy based on one's personal prestige, family standing, familiarity by other persons within the tribe, and other similar qualifiers. Generally, children are almost always below their parents in terms of the hierarchical structure, unless given honors by their over-tribal council; such honors include, as a benefit, a higher social rank than one's parents. Older female relatives are also all usually higher in the hierarchy, with older male relatives being higher or lower than an individual depending on their achievements (particularly as younger men). Members of an over-tribal council traditionally circumvent the entire system and assume the highest place in the hierarchy, even above parents and other prestigious relatives. The hierarchical system generally dictates what individual in family groups have social standing to make decisions for the family as a whole. | Tribes generally are organized in a fluid hierarchy based on one's personal prestige, family standing, familiarity by other persons within the tribe, and other similar qualifiers. Generally, children are almost always below their parents in terms of the hierarchical structure, unless given honors by their over-tribal council; such honors include, as a benefit, a higher social rank than one's parents. Older female relatives are also all usually higher in the hierarchy, with older male relatives being higher or lower than an individual depending on their achievements (particularly as younger men). Members of an over-tribal council traditionally circumvent the entire system and assume the highest place in the hierarchy, even above parents and other prestigious relatives. The hierarchical system generally dictates what individual in family groups have social standing to make decisions for the family as a whole. This usually takes the form of family members asking for the advice of the highest ranked person or persons within their family; going against their decision has grave social consequences that can result in ostracization. Accordingly, the hierarchical system has the effect of concentrating oversight of most societal interactions into collective, familial decision-making. | ||
Each tribe has a national council, the over-tribal council, which is the body responsible for governing each tribe. The council has a relatively limited number of powers given the fact that tribes are kinship groups rather than binding economic or ethnic groups, and it lost some authority during the post-2016 reforms. The most common and time-consuming business of the councils is to adjudicate individual cases in which the hierarchical authority of one individual is contested by another, usually in cases where the latter individual is claiming some kind of authority for themselves. While such distinctions may be trivial in Occidental society, in Quetzen society determining who in a family has the authority to make broad decisions has important economic, social, and often political ramifications. With the inauguration of the Constitution, political questions - specifically, who can stand for what office based on their own position within the tribal hierarchy - have become an increasingly important issue deliberated on by the over-tribal council, and the authors of the 2016 Constitution specifically envisioned the tribal hierarchy to be a check on ambitious and unqualified individuals within a democratic system. The over-tribal councils are also responsible for electing two delegates for their tribe to the All-Tribal Assembly. The councils range in membership figures between the tribes. Selection of an individual to serve on over-tribal council is based on democratic election in some of the more liberal-modernizing tribes, but most employ a system whereby the existing council establishes a pool of the most prestigious individuals within the tribe. Once the "council short list" is established and agreed on unanimously, the existing council members will randomly draw names, and the individual who received the most random selections will be appointed. | Each tribe has a national council, the over-tribal council, which is the body responsible for governing each tribe. The council has a relatively limited number of powers given the fact that tribes are kinship groups rather than binding economic or ethnic groups, and it lost some authority during the post-2016 reforms. The most common and time-consuming business of the councils is to adjudicate individual cases in which the hierarchical authority of one individual is contested by another, usually in cases where the latter individual is claiming some kind of authority for themselves. While such distinctions may be trivial in Occidental society, in Quetzen society determining who in a family has the authority to make broad decisions has important economic, social, and often political ramifications. With the inauguration of the Constitution, political questions - specifically, who can stand for what office based on their own position within the tribal hierarchy - have become an increasingly important issue deliberated on by the over-tribal council, and the authors of the 2016 Constitution specifically envisioned the tribal hierarchy to be a check on ambitious and unqualified individuals within a democratic system. The over-tribal councils are also responsible for electing two delegates for their tribe to the All-Tribal Assembly. The councils range in membership figures between the tribes. Selection of an individual to serve on over-tribal council is based on democratic election in some of the more liberal-modernizing tribes, but most employ a system whereby the existing council establishes a pool of the most prestigious individuals within the tribe. Once the "council short list" is established and agreed on unanimously, the existing council members will randomly draw names, and the individual who received the most random selections will be appointed. | ||