Oye

The Oye are an ethnic group of Okrit originating in the lowlands around the Omolai Straight. The Oye are the largest of the five traditional lowland ethnicities make up a majority of the population around the nations administrative centre in Nakrama. OF all the Okriti cultures, the Oye are the most exposed to eastern culture, technology and politics, primarily Akaria. They reside primarily in the provinces of North Waaq, Datwa, Oombo, Akoni & Omolai province.

History

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Culture

Oye culture has many of traits shared by other lowland ethnicities, as well as Okriti cultures as a whole. The Oye have still maintained a strong identity due to their percieved superiority over the other cultures of Okrit, primarily originatin in the historical economic domination of Oye traders and traditional perceptions of sophistication they claim to have inherited directly from the Ukubians.

Subdivisions

Although they maintain a consistent identity, the customs, laws and beliefs of various Oye communities will differ from location to location. Each community will have its own developments and influences depending on their respective history and geographical situation. In this way, the Oye can be categorized into several ethnic subdivisions based on their shared developments, however care should be taken when approaching the matter as the Oye's own perceptions of these divisions may not best represent those similarities.

Inland and Coastal Oye

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'Crocodile Oye'

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'Forest Oye'

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Familial system

The Oye familial unit is a fundamental part of Oye society which serves as the core of many customs and social systems. Oye society is heavily concentrated around family and blood connections, with many laws and traditions regarding marriage, property management and inheritance.

Marriage

The Oye marital system is polygamous, allowing for a maximum of six spouses, counting divorced ones. This applies to both sexes, however this restricted to one's social standing relative to the other within that marriage. The spouse of 'higher standing', perceived through wealth, reputation or nobility of birth, is termed 'Ode' and is allowed to have multiple other spouses, 'Kinta'. Each Kinta however can have no more than one spouse, being their Ode. If a is discovered to have been committing acts of a sexual, romantic (and in some cases platonic) nature with anyone other their Ode they are considered guilty of Adultery.

Within the system, a man may have multiple wives and a woman may have multiple husbands - allowing for same-sex relations as well - however said man or woman will be perceived as being of inherently higher social value. This system in practice however only applies regarding the nobility and those living in urban areas where there is larger variety in social standing, and where it is much more 'evident' to tell as such. Within poorer, rural communities monogamous marriages are common, as the two participants of a marriage are of equal social standing. Various systems regarding equal-class polygamy do exist in some communities however they vary from village to village.

Agak

Usually, the oldest & most respected living member of the family is considered the ‘Agak’, an Agak being their respective families’ matriarch/patriarch. The Agak is the spiritual head of the family, and holds great influence on the financial & marital decisions made within that family.

Language

The majority of Oye speak Omolain, with a split between high-class and low-class dialects.

Religion

Religion and spirituality comprises a core part of Oye society. Oye spirituality often informs their laws and customs as well as their societal structure

Ojo

The Oye word 'Ojo' can be translated as 'power' or 'merit', but ultimately refers to the spiritual concept that one's own spiritual, emotional and physical energy, as well as wisdom and personal strength is epitomized into a single 'substance'. An individual being's level of ojo determines the amount of influence they have on the world around them, to a physical and spiritual degree. The level of ojo is increased through one's own personal spiritual dedication and participation in rituals, also including one's own personal life experiences, wisdom and social merit. Someone may also increase their ojo by appeasing spirits, whom grant them ojo as thanks for their deeds. It is important that the subject is careful in the pursuit of obtaining ojo as certain methods of increasing one's ojo are seen as taboo, and participating in these methods will cause them to be labeled a 'sakate', roughly translating to 'witch'. The acts which would would end in someone being condemned as a sakate are considered "unnatural means" of obtaining ojo, and thus, sakate are considered inherently wicked for violating the natural order of life. The most common of these taboo acts are; taking the ojo of another person and utilising it increase one's own ojo, often referred to as 'stealing' or 'eating' another's ojo; cannibalism and the consumption of taboo foods; appeasing malicious spirits who grant ojo for illegal and immoral acts such as murder, theft, adultery et cetera; 'creating ojo' wherein someone seeks to artificially generate ojo through esoteric and often scientific or pseudo-scientific means. To this effect, ojo can be considered the same as the Taaqbal concept of kundu.

Spiritual hierarchy

Oye tradition holds that their are four main categories of spirits that inhabit reality alongside the tangible world, these four categories are the Dakwe, the Agayok, the Emtokli and the Xok, also known as the gods, ancestors, nature spirits and demons respectively.

Dakwe

The Dakwe or 'godly spirits' are the spirits that are considered to have the most ojo and consistently emanate it. With this immense ojo, they have the power to create and command a wide range of creatures and objects, as well being able to give individuals vivid emotions or visions. In being so strong in ojo, Dakwe are not only capable of existing without a physical form, but can also create a completely new one once a former one has been destroyed. Various communities worship a wide range of Dakwe and they can vary from region to region. One of the more affluent Dakwe is the 'big river man' whom is the patron of Nakrama.

Agayok

The Agayok or 'ancestral spirits' are the spirits of people who have died and have had ordinary burial circumstances. Agayok most often interact with and influence individuals who they are related by blood or law or were otherwise close to in life. The strength of these actions is determined by the spirit's respective ojo at the time of death, wherein stronger spirits have greater influence on the world. Agayok most commonly influence people's emotions or bestow visions, being more vivid the stronger the individual spirit is. Especially strong spirits can manipulate the physical world around them. Family heirlooms are often given the credit of having being blessed by a specific ancestor and accumulating the ojo of all family members who have used it.

Emtokwi

The Emtokwi or 'natural spirits' are spirits that originate in nature and are an integral part of reality. They are usually are attributed to or inhabit plants, animals and natural landmarks, varying immensely in physical form. While not as powerful as the Dakwe, the Emtokwi still have much ojo and are capable of a large variety of abilities. In this manner, the Emtokwi can be considered to embody various aspects of nature, thus being a key part of the oye worldview.

Xok

The Xok or 'malicious spirits' are spirits whom have been created through unnatural circumstances. Xok are malicious spirits often attributed as the causes of diseases, bad luck and various other bad events. Xok are cften the spirits of sakate or otherwise result of their actions, however they can also originate from the spirits of criminals, forgotten and mistreated ancestors and other conditions.