Nystapi People: Difference between revisions

After Niväk however, lacquerware took a new life being natively produced by Nystapi for the first time. The Lacquerware produced in the beginning was only made in a religious nature, as part of their transition from folk [[Akuanism]] to more structure shrine [[Akuanism]]. The inclusion of lacquerware into more formal shrine structure, which proved to be critical during the transition and during the Blåskovian civilizing policies, as well adaption. Lacquerware became a symbol of old Nystapi culture of the pre-Niväk era, in its placement of the shrines. Lacquerware being used in such a way, was done for a few purposes aside from religious foci, lacquerware served as a method of solidify control and focal point for cultural reform that made up the Niväk reforms. Example of this cultural solidification being the adaption of local bands cultural symbols and making them part of all Nystapi religious lacquerware designs, in a crude terms of this 'merged' the different bands own united cultural symbols and beliefs. More importantly, the new lacquerware was Nystapi own creation rather than trading it or having it constructed for them. The creation of their own lacquerware, became a symbol of Niväk changes and reform, which was seen as least controversial part and if not outright the most positive and accepted part of the reforms for a multitude of reasonings. Central reasoning being as select scholars put it, it was whole heartly Akuan in design and nature, despite the pressures from being forced to settle down. Nystapi Lacquerware was completely Akuan in religious form, without any Blåskovian influences or at least clear signs of Blåskovian pressure.

=== Hunting and Fishing ===

Nystapi hunting and foraging practices differences widely from other Akuanists in the region even before Niväk changes. Nystapi foraged and hunted throughout the year, examples being in the winter Nystapi herded their reindeer towards the hot-springs pockets near modern day Kala in [[Nystatiszna]] and ice-fished in nearby lakes. In addition to their ice fishing, they harvest nearby berries, which they turned into wine and if the food stores were low that winter, they would trade with the local Ny'Jørd federation based around the area. In most cases, trading was seen as a negative for Nystapi as it acted against their custom of collective self reliance.

Traditionally, pre-Niväk bands of Nystapi would meet once a year to discuss hunting grounds, share information about prey and collective agreement to limit how many animals they hunted per band. The agreement to limit their own hunting was driven by religious reasoning and fear of the spirits of the animals' guardians striking the bands down. Nystapi while having domesticated reindeer, still hunted quite often seeing it as a religious role and as well to limit how many predators threaten their herds. In particular when it does come to hunting, Borean bear was a frequent and favorite target for Nystapi hunting parties. As Borean bears, not only being pack hunters, but are extremely dangerous towards virtually any living creature on Borea during the time. Borean bears were apex predators, and only animal during this time that had no limit on how many could be killed. Nystapi bands would use mixtures of poisons-coated points on their arrows and spears, various traps and thick smoke to choke them out. Nystapi hunted in groups, using [[Domesticated Fox|foxes]] and regularly trained all adults in the practice in hunting Borean bears. Before they go on the hunt for Borean bears or any other dangerous animals, they pray to band guardian spirits, for protection and successful hunt. They would cover themselves in various scents closely resembling pine wood, and prepared leather pouches filled with putrid scents that would be opened up and spread around to confuse the bears' sense of smell.

[[File:South Indian elephant goad, Japanese matchlock, and Balinese Long Gun.jpg|thumb|Example of matchlock used by Nystapi hunters for Borean Bears]]

Borean bear hunting had a strategy first, finding the territory of the bear colony and establishing various traps throughout the edges of the colony's hunting grounds. Then to setup poisoned bait deeper into the grounds, and then setup hunting posts in the trees with a clear sight of line towards the bait. After a suitable number of bears, often the young ones have been killed. The band's hunters would begin to further push into the territory, moving the traps from the edges further in and started to look for the nest of bears proper. When they discovered the nest, which was often a cave. The half the hunters would setup traps in front of the nest, while the others kept on guard. After the traps was placed, the hunters would position themselves in the trees to shoot poisoned arrows down at the bears and a chosen hunter would throw bag of burning pinecones alongside the putrid smells into the cave. The bears along with their cubs would come running out of the cave and either die or be seriously hurt from the traps. The goal for the hunting party is to always wipe out the Borean bear colony, and these hunting parties required joint effort between bands. The strategy, preparation and executive has often been referred to as war, in particular war against bears. Borean bear hunting by Nystapi proved to be a positive as Blåskovian nobles and scholars generally found Nystapi ways of hunting to be deeply interesting. It proved to be a key point mentioned by the Blåskovian king during Niväk period and civilizing policies as a reason why Nystapi was personally select above other Akuan ethnic groups as it was seen as uniquely Nystapi that hunted Borean bears in such a way.

The reminds of bears, such as fur and meat was shared collectively among not only the band but the Nystapi ethnic group as a whole as a way for smaller Nystapi bands to benefit from hunts. Results of the hunts could feed two to three bands for a full year and provided enough fur that it could provide coats for the same number. The bones of the bears, was used as honorifics for the hunters, in particular the skull of the bears hunted are handed out to the elders of the hunter party and the claws of the various bears are given to most senior hunters then towards the younger members of the band. The left over bones being used in decoration for the traveling shrines for the bands. Often the bones would be curved with the date of the hunt and the bands who was part of the hunt.

Post-Niväk, bands being unified into a single entity, and adapting Blåskovian culture. Forced the Nystapi to change their way, almost abandoning foraging all together in favor of farming and animal husbandry fully embracing the agriculturalist way of life. Borean bear hunts became more aggressive, as hunting parties started to use firearms against Borean bears and using metal in their traps alongside coating it in poison. While they still used spears, firearms traded or given by Blåskovian crown spears was used for when the Borean bears got to close to them. Firearms, while a major upgrade to killing bears still lacked the killing blow when compared to modern day rifles used for hunting. In the modern era, when hunting bears, the use of advance traps and bait are frequently used and rifles being far more powerful are still used. Fishing after Niväk is no longer a year round affair, and is reserved for the winter season in [[Lapliszna]]. Nystapi still ice fish, and following tradition they use fish bones as ritual materials for the Akuan shrines. Rituals heavily use fish bones, across any number of Nystapi centric and Akuan holidays. The bones having small cuts into it, marking the number of fish that was caught by the fisher and their age.

=== Marriage and Gender Traditions ===