Customs

Saltha was until recently a very isolated country, partly because of geography, and partially from a very isolationist government, until opening of the border shortly after the civil war and the end of the 100 years war.[1][2]   Traditions and customs of Saltha did not have a chance to have any outside influence, and so instead were mostly formed from the religion of Santh, but also is influenced by the cold-blooded people's adoption to survive in the harsh hot climate of the desert.

 

Common Gestures 

 

 

The traditional way of greeting is to raise the hands to mid-chest level palm upward and then give a sort of bobbing bow of the head, keeping the head upright and dripping the neck foreword and down. Showing of the palms as a greeting come from when an old and abandoned practice of branding swindlers or bandits on the palms as punishment was used. So showing ones palm is a way of saying "I am honest". The traditional spoken greeting is "Bika Esha" (Or Bika Eshi when addressing a female, or adding the -ny affix to either to make it plural.). This means literally "Greetings, friend". 

 

This is fairly simple, except there is also tied in a more complex hierarchy system based on the two people’s standing to each other. The factors for this is the person’s age, and how many wives they have (if they are a male adult) their husband has (for women) or how many wives their father has (for children under marrying age). Having a wife is worth the same esteem of being ten years older.

 

Bows can range from a very slight bow all the way down to a 90 degree bow where the body is parallel to the ground, depending on the relative position of the two people. Bowing to children is not expected, though adults will sometimes give a small acknowledging bow back.

 

 

 

Sticking out ones tongue

A common thing that humans would generally find insulting is when a Salthan sticks out their tongue. To Salthans this gesture isn't insulting at all, and is very natural. It is a sign of submission and pacifism and can mean both “I mean you no harm" and "I will do as you say".

 

 

 

Clothing 

 

The nudity taboo in some ways in Saltha is much less strict than other countries. It is considered acceptable for young children under the age of ten to wear little or no clothing at all, generaly wearing as most a simple loin cloth when working or going to school and nothing when playing. This is a sort of reminder to them and a sign to others to keep doing whatever chore they are on, or to pay attention in school. There is a strong cultural taboo for children to speak to those so-clothed, because they may be distracting them from work they should be doing. To be allowed to be unclothed is to say "you are free to play". Female Salthans do not have mamories, and therefore it is acceptable and very common for females to go as bare-chested as the males, but this can be the cause of some embaressment and confusion in distinguishing the genders for visiting humans.

 

 The traditional clothing of the Salthan people for adults is a long sleeved robe called a Hoshi (Ho-shee), and then the Skata, a sleeveless robe that fits over it. Finally it is tied with a Tosha (a belt with a triangle shape cut out.). Pants, an item brought in from the human culture are also somewhat popular, modified with a hole and a tie above the tail.

 

Both male and females who are married or betrothed to marry wear a sort of tasseled cloth over their belt.

 

Movement

 

 

This is less a cultural aspect so much as a biological need. Because Salthans are cold-blooded, it is nessicery for them to regulate their blood temprature. It is very common for shops to have a indoor and outdoor counter that they move to between the day, and stalls have a roof that can be opened. Likewise, school houses are built in a way to let sunlight in, or an alternate area for teaching outdoors.

 

 

 

Bathing, Cleanliness and Purity

 

Salthans find cleanliness very important; in fact you could almost say it's an obsession. There are many practices and laws around this, most dating from the beginning of the

culture at the beginning of the first cities between 2500 to 2000 KG.

 

Bathing in this culture is different than the way most others practice it from the human culture I am from. In this culture a Salthan never ever just gets in to the tub, but instead they thoroughly wash themselves first with soap, rinse completely and then get into the bath of hot water. This means that soap and grime is kept completely from the water.

 

In a home, it is customary to wash the feet of adult guests when they enter a home they are staying at. It is also a custom for all the children in a house to not just “wash up” before dinner but to take a bath. These two rituals comes form two main reasons. One is the practical one that the streets are dusty, and a traveler’s feet are going to be dusty, as it is with children who are playing out doors all day. The second is the religious aspect as part of the mandates of their religion called Santh which is practiced by a majority of Salthans.

 

Mixed sex bathing is very common, it is hardly considered shameful or embarrassing at all, though many public bath houses have changed to be segregated with the new contact with the human cultures there are quite a few that remain mixed sex, mostly in the smaller cities and villages. A whole family bathing together at home is even more common.

 

Public bath houses are very common, and there is always at least one, even in the smallest villages. They usually have a hot bath, a cold bath and a bath of hot sand. Some of the larger ones also have saunas.

 

Going with this purification as a part of the religion is also, the side of physical punishment. This is not only applied as normal discipline, but also takes place regularly at the end of every month in the Salthan calendar. [Note 1.2: The Salthan calendar has 25 days in it; I will explain the calendar in more detail later.]. Salthans see a regular physical discipline as part of this cleaning and as a means of teaching self-discipline as mandated in their holy book [Note 1.3: Das Ksy,  Chapter 2] and is just as important, or ever more important than the outward cleaning. They see it a way of cleaning the inside, the soul from the wrongs they have committed.

 

Physical punishment is seen as a last recourse for deliberately defiant children. Some humans have given the undue impression of Salthans being cruel who wantonly beat their children and this is most definitely not the case. Like humans, the salthans see the posterior as the proper target for punishment, and it is considered thoroughly wrong to strike a child anywhere else. However, the tail is an obvious hindrance and must be pulled out of the way first.

 

The scheduled punishment for children is administered by a parent and consists of a few quick hard strikes on the bare bottom of their children with the hand or a switch. Adults administer a few strokes on their own backs. It is something they believe saves or at least forestalls a harsher judgment from their God.

  

 

The focus focus on physical punishment also goes into the relm of criminal cases. Prison is never used as a punishment of a crime and instead the person works off their debt or for more violent crimes they are flogged, though the severety of flogging is much less than other cultures.

 

 

Bathhouse and Bathing Customs

The city has many public bath houses around the city, and along the street are public fountains not very far apart from each other for cooling off.  The fountains were basins raised on a wall about 10 feet tall, with an extended pump handle to release the water. These fountains were built when one of the first kings ruled thousands of years ago, and are still used today. It is a common sight to see adults pouring water over their hot heads or children showering in them to keep cool. All major cities have a number of bathhouses

 

 

The customs of bathing in the Salthan country are a bit different than a simple shower or soaking in a tub like most humans do. 

 

 Most bathhouses are segregated by sex, though there are still a number of non-segregated bath houses. Many bath houses that are segergated by sex also have private baths for families. It is not uncommon for young children (under 10) to enter a changing room or bath area with a parent of the opposite sex.

 

 

Bathing Etiquette

 

In a bathhouse, you go in to changing room and undress and put your clothes on a shelf. In the next room is the big tub of hot water. It is considered polite for adults to cover their pubic area when walking around the bath house with a washcloth. You do not get in to the tub right away; instead you first go to one the side to one of the faucets and take soap and a washcloth and scrub thoroughly, then rinse off. This water is not heated.Then the bather gets in to the large hot tub.

  

 

 

Traditional Salthan City House

 

 

A Salthan City house is two stories Tall. On the first floor is a large room for eating and cooking. There is a large table, a stove and a sink. In the back is a door to the bathroom. The bathroom has a drain on the floor with a faucet over it. In Saltha, the bathing custom in Satha is to wash up first, and then get in to the hot tub and soak. Upstairs is one large room. Smaller rooms are made by hanging fabric walls. On the floor of each "room" are mats. Here there is a door leading out to the balcony that has a staircase leading to the roof.

 

 

 

 

 

Food, eating and Hospitality

  

 

Salthans pride themselves on their hospitality and generosity. It is part of Salthan custom to fulfill any wish of their guests by a guest, within the law and ethics of the culture. This may only be revoked by informing the guest before the guest steps over the threshold of the host's house. When a guest enters a home, the host (usually the lady of the house) gives the guest a small piece of bread to eat there. It is considered bad luck to enter a house with an empty stomach. The seating of a guest conveys a silent message of the attitude of the person. The place of most importance at the table is the one near wall opposite the door. The lady of the house always sits to the man of the houses left, with the guests sitting opposite as best as possible. Whoever is the head of the guests should sit opposite the man of the house If the host says "Sit by the door" Then his attitude is that of superiority, he will treat you politely, but you should not ask for any great favors. If he tells you to sit by the far wall, then he will sit by the door. This is a place of inferiority, he at the more dangerous place of the door. For families and close friends most time he will say "sit anywhere."

The Salthan Calendar

 

The Salthan calendar is divided into 15 months. The first 14 months each have 25 days and have 5 days in a week. They only have one weekend day a week, but have it more often with 73 weeks in a year to our 52. Oddly enough this means it comes to exactly the same number of weekend days of 15 as a human calendar, assuming a human working Monday through Fridays. This doesn’t count the number of day-off holidays for humans or Salthans.

 

 

The final month has the left over 15 days, meaning it has 3 weeks instead of 5. The first day of the year is the vernal equinox or first day of spring, around late march. Since it is different each year the Salthan calendar changes every year depending on when the Equinox is.

 

 

Societies

When a boy reaches coming of age, and become as Uagi (which means literally “neither great nor small”) it is mandatory that he become part of a society group. Which group the child joins is basically random, dependent only on which groups have fewer members. The child has no choice of what group he will join. These groups teach the boys the basics of combat and tactics, using a weapon called a Uagikathe that is padded on the end with an animal skin. These societies are much like warring factions, opposed to each other.  Members of one group is allowed to attack those of another society that they meet, and do not even need to declare the attack and may ambush them. This means that a society member boy must be on guard at all times. Sometimes when two boys see each other on the street they will recognize the other as a member of an opposing society and have a sort of impromptu duel. The padded weapons reduce the risk of injury, though the occasional minor injury does occur.

 

 

Sports

 

 Salthans enjoy numerous sports including foot racing, wrestling and other sports. One popular sport involves two teams that switch off between guarding a goal and trying to move a leather ball into the goal.

 

Counter-Culture Groups 

 

Some young males, as a way of identifying themselves with a counter culture simular to the human "punk" culture trim the spikes on their heads down so they no longer have points, or even sometimes removing the spikes completly.

 

Preformance Arts

 

 Asausa

Literaly means "dance, circle or cycle of life." and always contains elements that represents a birth or rebirth, a change or coming of age and death.

 

Sanagisany

Literal meaning is "all together". It is a comedic songs, most are legends about foolish people. The songs have parts or choruses that the audience joins in on.

 

Families

 

Often times a man is the head of multiple households. It is a sign of status to be head of more than one household that many poorer men cannot afford. On average a wife will bear around four children, as that is considered a desirable amount. However, it is not uncommon for a man who is “stuck in the middle” who can afford to raise more children, but cannot afford to support another household to have as many as six children.

 

There is no such thing as indivisual ownership. Beloining belong to everyone in a family, even if one person is the only one who can really use the item (like a toy would only be used by a child).

A man who has multiple households may own partially the things in all the households he is head of, but he cannot transfer objects or even permit use of an object belonging to one household to the other since it is not wholly his, unless the entire household agrees to trade it to the other.

 

 

An object may only belong to one social or household group at a time, so an object may not belong to say two families at once. The one exception is if it designated as public and all can use it. Once an object is designated public it cannot be made to loose this status, except through a vote of a majority of the senate.

 

 

Ceremonies - The Six Stages of Life

 

 

 

The Salthan has a series of rituals connected to each major step in life, which is divided in to six parts.

 

 

Birth 

 

A woman who is going to give birth is taken to a private location secretly. No male is told where she is, even her husband. Word is sent to her family immeditely after the birth, but she stays secluded for about two weeks. After which time she returns to her family, and a feast is prepared and the child is introduced to the family and local community.

  

 

Coming of Age/puberty

When a boy reaches his tenth birthday he's given the best presents. On that day his father takes him aside and tells him "secrets": about becoming a man, including about sex and general advice. He then takes part of a big private ceremony that only male relatives and friends may attend. This ceremony is important because it symbolizes the trials of a boy becoming a man. Before the ceremony, two large clay pools of water are prepared. One is filled with water that is left over night and reaches near freezing temperatures. The other is filled with hot water (about 100ºF). Taking part in this ceremony is also a good friend of the birthday boy, who will take part in the same things the birthday boy does in the ceremony. Beforehand, both boys are painted over their bodies in paint of different shapes and bright colors. These shapes include lines running up the legs from the inside of the foot to the hips. A line from the palm to the arm pit, a star of Santh on the forehead (though this may be left off of those few who do not follow the religion of Santh

) and a hand print on the chest. 

 

 

When the ceremony begins, they stand naked before the witnesses, a symbol of their state of birth.  The birthday boy's father performs the ceremony. First he throws each into the nearly freezing cold water tub (symbolizing birth and awakening of the soul) and then quickly in to the hot tub (Which symbolizes trials to become a man.). Because of the quick exchange form very cold water, the hot water feels even hotter. Then he strikes them both ten times (one for each year of the child’s age) across their bare backsides with a switch.

 

 

Both redress, the friend sits down, and the birthday boy chooses a name for himself, which is either a combination and his new name and his given name, or to replace his given name. Then they have a feast that everyone is invited to and they celebrate!

 

 

The birthday boy is now a Uagi (Literaly "between little and big") or Semi-Adult. They are no longer considered a child, and thought they do enjoy some new rights and responsibilities they are not yet given the full responsibility and rights of an adult.

  

 

Service

 

 

At the age of 15, a boy is required at least one month training with a weapon (usually short sword and bow.) He is also drilled and taught military discipline (following orders). Girls at 15 are taught first aid and how to shoot with a bow.

 

 

 

Adulthood

 

At twenty a man or woman may take an exam that qualifies him or her to serve in the senate if elected. He or she is given a series of hypothetical cases and is asked for his or her judgment on them. These cases are different every year. At this age, the young man or woman usually marries, and is considered accountable to the law.

 

 

Wisdom

 

 

Old age is seen as a blessing, and an achievement in acquiring wisdom. Starting at 60, the person shares a piece of wisdom at his birthday celebration. This is celebrated every year with a new wisdom learned until the person dies.

  

 

Death

 

 

Saltans believe that he bodies of the dead should be cremated. They believe their spirits go up to their god Santh in the smoke.

 

 

At the ceremony there is a telling of the life of the dead person before friends and family. But then another ceremony with only the person's closest friends and immediate family where a more honest "bitter truth" (Research Salthan term).

  

 

Honor

 

Salthans feel very strongly about honor. If they loose honor they feel they must right the wrong in way of resitution and then be purifyed.

  

 

Marriage and Family

 

As with the human culture, there are arranged marriages, generaly among the upper class based on wealth and position. A large family is seen as a very good thing; an average Salthan family consists of on average of four children. A extended family unit usually lives fairly close by. 

 

 

At the wedding ceremony they serve each guest a small sweet pastry. 

  

 

Slavery

Slavery

, while legal in Saltha is very different than in other places. In Saltha, slavery is completly that of criminal punishment and restitution and paying of debts. it is also very heavily regulated how a slave may be treated. .

 

 

If a slave is treated too badly, he or she is set free. Also if a slave saves his or her master's life, that slave must be freed. Slavery is currently a very hot topic. There are two ways the government handles dept-slaves. One way is the government rents out the slave, and the proceeds go to the person who is owed the debt. When the debt is paid the slave is set free. The other way is the slave is given to work for the person who is owed for a set period of time depending on how much is owed. 

  

 

Taboos

 

 

It is a taboo to speak the Santh version of the devil's name indoors. It is also considered taboo to eat any reptile, since they believe they are a sort of distant relative.

  

The Ten 

 

 A group in the military, this ceremonial position dates back thousands of years to the time of the begining of recorded history. Each person represents a clan (Dating back to the tribal pre-king days). If one dies, then another takes their place. Though technically it is a military unit, they are never sent in to battle even in times of war, and live in the capital city. Sometimes the ten are used as a mediator though for disputes as an alternative to using courts.

 

 

[1] Bartley, J. M.  - "History of Saltha Vol 3. - War and Change

[2]  Shahrivar, Mattin - "Understanding Saltha". Ten Terak 

[3] National Poll