Thanks for your responses!
ABOUT DORADDI LIFESTYLE I had always assumed the Doraddi were like the Masai, but it occurs to me now that there aren't any gods or goddesses in Pamalt's Ring that are connected with cattle and livestock. If herding was a central focus, it seems like there would be some Pamaltelan equivalent to Eiritha. This might be an aspect of Aleshmara in her role as Keeper of the Basket of Life. Then women would own the cattle, men would hunt, and children might tend to herding and gathering until they came of age.
I am inclined to give hunting greater precedence among the Doraddi than among the Praxians. If I understand Prax correctly, there aren't any large carnivores, and the primary large herbivores are the nomads' sacred animals. It doesn't seem like you could do much hunting in Prax without ticking off another tribe. But I get the impression that there's a larger range of game on the Pamaltelan plains, and consequently hunting might be emphasized more. (There's also more plant life for gathering, too.)
David, I noticed in your "Dealing with the Doraddi" article (I especially liked the alesha/vangenya dichotomy) that you cited West African culture as your inspiration rather than East (like the Masai). Were you thinking of the Fulani? I don't know much about West African tribes; the Fulani are the only western nomads I know of. The other West African tribes I know of were more sedentary, like the Yoruba. If you had a specific group in mind, I would love to know who they were.
ABOUT JOLAR'S VEGETATION I bow to the overwhelming weight of clover references. Thanks for the GB reference, Peter; I didn't think to look there.
ABOUT THE KRESH I also like the idea of the Kresh connection with Aldrya. Would that be considered good practice for Aldrya worshippers, though, simply to grow trees with the express purpose of chopping them down for lumber? I don't see Aldrya getting much out of this. Are the Kresh planting more trees than they need as part of the bargain? If so, this behavior might eventually change the ecology of the plains and would certainly be threatening to the traditional savanna dwellers. Or did the Kresh steal their magical tree-growing ability from Aldrya by heroquest?
James
Powered by hypermail