Ocarran - Ethnicity

Ocarrans are a culture and ethnic group of humans originating from the planet Ocarro. 

It is unknown when exactly the planet was colonized by humans, but shortly after colonization began, for reasons unknown the planet and its population became isolated from other human colonies. This has resulted in the human population adapting to the planet’s environment and developing their own culture. In recent times, the galactic coalition has reestablished contact with Ocarro, bringing new technology, species, and ideas to the planet.

Due to the dominant environment on the planet being plains and cold steppes, the Ocarrans historically were semi nomadic pastoralists who also dabbled in horticulture. This traditional lifestyle affected much of their culture including food, fashion, and kinship structure.

Modern technology, interplanetary exchange, and growing urban centers on Ocarro have also impacted their culture, changing it from a mostly semi-nomadic pastoral existence to a more sedentary agricultural and ranching one with non-native species and technology now having a great influence on their culture.

The majority of Ocarrans today, live in rural areas and make their living by farming, and stick pretty closely to their traditional lifestyle. There is also a chunk of the population that live in urban areas, especially the capital of Cantaro, where there is access to spaceports and greater influence from other planets, particularly in terms of clothing, food, and technology.

Social structure

Kinship

Due to their traditional semi-nomadic culture and the harsh environment they live in, large kinship systems are very important, giving one a wide variety of family and friends to call upon when in need. Individual family units are often multigenerational, stemming from a single couple -often grandparents- and including their children and grandchildren. Extended family ties such as in-laws, cousins, and even sworn fellowships are also held in high regard, with expectations to give aid to each other even when they do not live in the same household.

Weddings & Courtship

For more info see:  Ocarran Weddings

There are specific traditions that are followed when it comes to courtship and weddings. With family playing a big part, especially when it comes to the proposal which traditionally takes place during a family dinner. Historically arranged marriages took place but modernly this familial influence has been reduced to more of a parental pressure.

Gender

There is little gender preference on Ocarro when it comes to work, with all family members regardless of gender expected to take part in the farming or family business.

The culture does have patriarchal elements with families being patrilocal and children taking on the father’s name. Women typically do more of the gardening and domestic tasks like cooking, while the men do more of the hunting and building. When it comes to decisions, the opinions of all family or community members are taken into account when the decision is being made.

Gender nonconformists are somewhat commonplace, and are widely accepted as a part of the community. If the nonconformity is significant, they are seen as being of a sort of third gender, believed to be part of both the male and female spheres at the same time.

Sexuality

Being heterosexual is the norm on Ocarro, however if one is not heterosexual, they are still accepted. Non-heterosexual people are seen, similarly to gender nonconformists, as taking part in both male and female spheres.

People who remain single for life and show no interest in marriage, may be seen as another fourth gender existing outside the gendered spheres all together.

Architecture

On Ocarro most buildings are located in a courtyard enclosure, with multiple buildings enclosed. In rural houses, this means that the living space, the kitchen, and the storage spaces are all in different buildings. In urban areas there are not as many of these spread out multi-building courtyards, mostly due to space constraints, with larger buildings with a single central courtyard being more popular even for houses and apartments.

Roofs are typically flat, though if the roof is big enough and the builder wealthy enough domed roofs may also be used. Doors are typically made of wood and carved and decorated, often with protective symbols. Multistory buildings are really only seen in urban areas, with rural architecture mostly being single story.

Walls are typically covered in stucco, regardless of what the structure was made off, and this stucco may be carved or painted to add decoration. Carved or painted wooden panels may also be used for decoration, especially in interior architecture.

Fashion

For more info see: Ocarran Traditional Fashion

Due to the semi-arid environment of Ocarro, most of the fashion developed was long sleeved and loose to protect from the sun as well as having heavier articles of outer clothing -like jackets- to protect from the cold winters and nights. 

Typical outfits include a long sleeved top or dress worn over a pair of trousers, preferred over skirts as they allow for a greater range of movement. Clothing is typically embroidered along the hems which is decorative as well as giving reinforcement to the fabric.

There are many other elements of Ocarran fashion, with traditional tattoos being commonplace and elaborate jewelry being worn for formal events, among many other things like headwear. 

Farming & Pastoralism

Most Rural Ocarrans make a living by growing crops and raising livestock, especially Crocela and other herd animals. Many farmers use the food and products that they produce for household use, with surplus goods being sold to add to family savings.

Ocarran agriculturalists grow native crops like Ardo or Preka shrubs, as well as some non-native crops like Iagus grain. They use both fields and gardens for growing crops which are often planted close to the house. 

Both Native plants, like Ardo and Preka shrubs, and non native plants, like Iagus grain, are grown for their crops. Ardo and Iagus are often planted in fields, while other plants like Preka shrubs are often planted in gardens.

Livestock like Crocela are commonly raised with some families also raising Giant Running Lizards. Farmers can get meat, eggs and other food stuff as well as wool and hides from the various livestock they may raise. 

These livestock are often kept in large free-range pastures -upland pastures in the summer and lowland pastures in the dry winter- often in large herds which are controlled and guided using trained animals like the shuda, mounts like the giant running lizards, and things like herd calls.

Smaller animals such as Jumper Rats, may also be raised for meat or fur -or simply as pets- although they tend to be kept in small pens near the home.

Farming families will typically have their main homestead located near their lowland pasture and nearer to town, they will also typically have any gardens or fields near here. The upland summer pastures will typically have a small cabin and kitchen where the herdsmen will stay. Not all of the family will go to the upland pasture in the summer, typically only a few of the younger members will go with the rest staying at the lowland homestead and doing more agricultural work.

Food

Preka beans, Ardo, and Crocela meat and dairy are the traditional staples of Ocarran food, with most traditional foods being made out of these ingredients. Things like Iagus grain and Giant Running Lizard products -which are not-native to the planet- have also made their way into Ocarran cuisine.

Most traditional cooking is done over coals or small fires, some dishes are made without cooking, with drying often being used to make food last longer. Modernly, ovens and stoves have taken the place of other cooking methods.

Notable Dishes Include

Flatbread - a thin bread made from Preka dough or Iagus Flour, cooked over coals or in a hot pan. This bread is often used to pinch up food and eat it, especially when not using silverware.

Preka Bean Porridge- a porridge made of ground Preka Beans, which also commonly contains spices and other ingredients like sliced ardo or pieces of meat.

Meat Wrap - roasted meat, cooked vegetables, cheese, and spices wrapped in a thin flatbread. These are often sold as street food and are popular as a takeout meal.

Sun Dried Cheese - a creamy cheese made from salted strained yogurt, shaped into balls, and left to dry in the sun. It can be eaten in its dried form or soaked in water to be softened up and used for cooking. When fully dried it can be preserved for many months if they are kept in a dry environment.

Dried Jerky - meat -traditionally crocela but other meats may be used- that has been cut into thin strips and dried, with methods like smoking, sun drying, and salting being used. The dried jerky may be eaten as is, but to make a more substantial meal the jerky may be chopped up and mixed with tallow and cooked in a pan or made into a stew. This jerky can last for many months -even years- if stored properly.

Spirituality

For more Info see: Ocarran Spirituality

Ocarran Religiosity focuses around a large group of gods and spirits, with the deity being held as most important varying from place to place and family to family. There are some set myths that are believed about the deities, with some variation across the planet, and many of them are related to spiritual rituals performed.

There are also many superstition related elements of Ocarran religiosity, which include the use of the Kimun symbol which is believed to ward off bad luck and bad spirits, believed to be the cause of illness and other bad events.

The Arts

Music

For more info see: Ocarran Traditional Music

Ocarran music focuses a lot on melody and rhythm, with their traditional instruments mostly being stringed instruments and drums.  Singing is also common in Ocarran music, with high-pitched calls, throat singing, and spontaneous ornamentations being common elements alongside simple melodic singing. In songs with more than one singer, call and response is common.

Much of Ocarran traditional music developed out of ritual music used in religious and celebratory rituals as well as loud high pitched herd calls used by pastoralists.

Dance

For more info see: Ocarran Traditional Dance

Ocarran traditional dance is typically very fluid with more focus on the larger arm movements over small precise steps and hops. Masculine dancing tends to be more dynamic, involving more crouching and jumping. Feminine dance tends to focus a lot more on gracefulness and typically involves more fluid spinning.

Ocarran dance is often performed for special ceremonies as well as during celebrations. There are a few different forms of Ocarran traditional dance including the very graceful more ritualized Beshna dance and the more dynamic circle dance, which is often done at celebrations.

Traditional Arts

Ocarro also has various forms of traditional arts and crafts, many of which were used to make everyday objects before machine manufacturing became more commonplace. These crafts include various forms of textile production, most of which used crocela fur for material, embroidery, pottery, and woodworking.

Ocarran woodworking was often used to craft wedding chests, which traditionally contained a woman’s dowry after she married but modernly are used more for storage. These chests are often covered with geometric and arabesque designs, which are common in Ocarran woodworking and other surface decorations.

Ocarran Embroidery is used to reinforce along the hems of clothing, such as the arm holes and necklines, and typically is created in bands along the hemline. Patterns are often stylized depictions of plants, animals, and other things that people would see in their everyday lives; the different symbols typically are enclosed in linear bands and grid patterns along the hemline. 

Some of these crafts -such as traditional pottery and basketry- have fallen out of style, often being replaced by machine manufactured goods. However traditional crafts still hold an important place in Ocarran society with traditional craftsman ships often being used to make items and outfits for formal occasions. Traditional styles are often style replicated, even when modern manufacturing techniques are used.

Activities & Sports

Giant Running Lizard Riding

Giant running lizards are a reptile native to the planet Epra that have been commonplace on Ocarro, especially in rural areas, as mounts. They are ridden when herding livestock like Crocela, and also can help pull wagons and heavy equipment.

The racing of these giant lizards is a common pastime, both for the riders and for the spectators. Most races are unofficial and for fun between friends out in the country, but there are also bigger professional races which take place in stadiums or racing tracks. These professional races often also have betting, food stands, and general celebrating involved.

The biggest of these races is called the Cantaro Race, which takes place in the capital in spring every year and is a large event in the city and planet. The Cantaro Races -as well as some of the other big races- are recorded and streamed across the planet.