Dispan

Bullfrog Parafey, Dispan ambassador to Louisia, wearing a good deal of leather denoting her status as someone who travels beyond the Dispan islands

Dispans are a proud people primarily settled on the island of Dispa and the smaller surrounding islands. Culturally, they specialize in the crafting of spears, staffs, and similar weapons. These are used in various martial and performing arts, as well as in trade. On islands with very little accessible metal, wooden weapons are perfected out of necessity. Generations of training have honed these skills.

Numerous rivers and a rainy northern climate allow for access to plenty of fresh water and ease of travel. Uniquely graceful and narrow boats for river travel are perfected by the Dispans. Smooth, sleek oars are surprisingly multipurpose.

Along the coast, it's not hard to find the recognizable style of Dispan sand art. Dispans of all ages find relaxation and meditation in this ephemeral decoration.

## Naming Traditions

### Unisex names

As in the majority of cultures of Paan Atta, Dispan personal names are not gender specific. But uniquely, these names are generally given after something in nature or weather, rather than human features. Names pertaining to the sea are the most common.

### Family names

Dispan family names are rhythmic, almost musical, like the pattern of the sea's tides. Examples include Lakazha, Parafey, Du'ogda, and Sijami. Names are inherited from the birther, as is the norm of those cultures of Paan Atta whose family names are inheritable.

## Culture

### Cultural Garments

Clothing is most beautiful to the Dispan when it lets the collarbones and shoulders get sun. Folds in fabric, rolled-down collars, and rolled-up sleeves are particularly attractive. Shells are often sewn onto belts, worn on seams, or included in jewelry. This is a symbol of Dispan pride. These shells are preferably chosen by oneself or as a gift from a loved one, and the size and color coordinated on an outfit are standard. Embroidered hems demonstrate regional pride and family lineage. Tall wading boots are another common icon, especially for those from islands off the main island.

### Foods & Cuisine

Dispan cuisine is known for open-air, outdoor ovens and a crispy, well-cooked texture on the outside of many dishes. A sort of burnt plant sugar present on many desserts is a delicacy to Dispans, but many unadventurous foreigners see this as overcooked and are unable to look past its browned appearance to experience the appealing texture and unique flavor.

Another unique characteristic of Dispan food is the use of algae, seaweed, and other water plants in the majority of meals. While foreigners may see algae as slimy or unclean, it is expertly prepared and very sanitary, and provides numerous nutrients.

### Birth & Baptismal Rites

Birth is ideally undergone in natural bodies of water, especially more fleeting and saltier ones such as tide pools. Young children will play in tide pools and be educated on their creatures and temperature/tide dynamics. There is also a standard of children being given the freedom to prod and bother whichever sea creatures (for which this is safe). This is to naturally teach a child about boundaries, as well as repercussions for overstepping these. A gentle pinch from a crab or a gentle jab from a sea urchin is seen as a practical lesson with more efficacy than the child simply being told something without proof.

### Coming of Age Rites

Training to hold one's breath underwater for longer and longer periods is a major part of growing up Dispan. The results of this training are boasted and demonstrated at birthday celebrations. The birthday person will race their extended family in the water, show off different techniques, and try different tricks.

### Funerary and Memorial customs

Bodies are generally buried as far inland as possible. Coral beads are reserved for memorial purposes. These are buried with the dead in larger quantities and used to adorn burial and memorial sites. The grieving will sometimes wear coral in smaller quantities, but this is dramatic and reserved for mourning a close loved one.

### Common Taboos

Those who have never seen death or the dead are forbidden from carving coral or using it for adornment. This is due to mythological connections between coral, the dead and dying, and the afterlife.

Touching coral reefs is very sacred and is generally only undergone in supervised, educational settings or as a grieving-related ritual.

## Ideals

### Beauty Ideals

A suntan is beautiful in Dispan culture, especially a warm flush on the cheeks from a mild burn. This is hard to achieve on such a rainy island and thus indicates an ability to voyage elsewhere. With berries and paints, a false flush is created on the cheeks. This is also applied to the shoulders when it is warm enough to expose them. These flush paints are exported to individual actors and theaters all over Paan Atta.

### Courtship Ideals

Swimming together with no other people is the main language of Dispan courtship. Generally, less modest swimming clothes, if any, are worn with someone one is courting. In the more advanced stages, one will swim down to fetch gifts from the seafloor for their partner. Shells, rocks, and even sea glass are turned into adornments or sometimes placed inside a locket.

### Relationship Ideals

Sharing, both physical and intangible, is ideal in relationships. Those in a long-term partnership will symbolically eat from the same bowl or plate (generally double-sized and accommodatingly oblong). There is even a tradition in some regions of partners sitting side-by-side in an especially wide chair.