Fiction:Drodo Empire/Culture

Drodo culture is diverse and varied wherever you go in the Empire. There is no official estimate or comprehensive list of the amount of cultures, religions, subcultures, and political entities that exist in the Empire, but it is guessed there are thousands. Some general points and facts evident in all cultures, however, are the concepts of honour, altruism, faith (both in a religious and secular sense) and the willingness to sacrifice oneself for a cause greater than themselves. Most, if not all cultures find there roots in the old ones from before the Space Age, or ones from the First Colonies (planets within Drodo home system and ones established early in Imperial rule).

Fashion
Hats are generally of importance in the Drodo cultures. Not only as a status symbol or fashion trend, but also of there practical benefits. There are many different hats found in different cultures, locations, or professions. Usually for either utility/practicality, to denote authority, because of tradition/religion, or just because they're nice-looking. Common hats include peaked caps, fedoras, trilbies, drivers, and turban-like headwear.

In terms of other clothing, the Drodo are unusual and diverse. Many citizens, from the top classes to the lower classes, wear clothing that resembles 1920's or 1930's Earth. However many other, more "modern" (some would say) themes have also emerged right along side this long-standing trend. Because of this, there is a seemingly endless debate among those educated or obsessed about certain forms of fashion to debate about and insult different forms of clothing.

Almost all adult males wear some sort of facial hair. For Drodo, facial hair is seen as a sign of masculinity, while a lack of it is seen as feminine, or that a man is immature or childish. Drodo men wear their facial hair in a wide variety of ways, but most commonly a small handlebar moustache or goatee for younger men, whilst older individuals often possess full-on beards.

Acceptence of Foreign Cultures
While Drodo tend in general to be open to alien or otherwise Foreign cultures, tensions do at times occur. Oddly enough these tensions, which sometimes become violent, are almost always between two or more conflicting Drodo ethnic groups, nationalities, or cultures settled in the same area, rather than issues with extraterrestrials. This is often due to a historical hatred or rivalry or an old rivalry between two families that becomes a racial or religious issue, as well. A commonly-persecuted group historically and even in the 29th century are nomadic peoples. This is mostly due to historical grievances (the raiding, pillaging and conquest undertaken by nomadic ancestors centuries ago), and the perception that nomads, who sometimes made camp outside of major cities, are vagrants and their camps eyesores. These peoples, as a result of discrimination often settle themselves on entirely different worlds so they may practice their culture in peace.

Religious/Spiritual Beliefs
The majority of Drodo are atheist. Instead putting faith towards the advancement of the Empire and there allies, because of this the Empire has no state religion. Despite this many pre-Imperial religions still survive in the Empire, along with those introduced by aliens and foreigners; Several surveys have even reported in recent years Human religions; Such as Christianity; even gaining a small following, due to increased international contact. Places of worship and some religious foundations are exempt from tax.

Cuisine & Diet
While there are "foodies" among the population, most Drodo eat simply. As a general rule Drodoian diet is mostly vegetables and grains, with some dairy and meat; Usually game or wild meat. Most Drodo cuisine is simple and hearty consisting of a lot of soups and boiled foods, usually eaten with bread and milk or water as a beverage. Most foods are eaten with a spoon, knife or hands; Though forks do exist. A staple of the Drodo diet is boiled dinner with a bread roll on the side.

Despite Drodo having less stomach for alcohol, social drinking is common. Common drinks include wine (often watered-down before being drunk), beer, and a drink named Jivni. Jivni is a mildly-alchoholic beverage made from fermented milk similar to the Terran Kumis. Jivni is often homemade but is also sold in glass bottles, and may be drank at any occasion or for none at all. So popular is Jivni that it is considered the "national drink" of the Drodo Empire.

Entertainment and Games
Drodo games are as diverse as the cultures they hail from. While there are thousands, with many more games invented every day, some of the more popular ones include things like dice or gambling, a very rough, rugby-like sport known as Karassque, cards, knucklebones (jacks), and athletic activities. Many Drodo sports are full-contact and fast-paced, on many occasions the players wear little gear to protect them. While very dangerous, these games are popular with the public, people often betting more on who is going to get beat-up worse next game, then on which team will win.

Video games are a popular form of entertainment within the Drodo Empire. Many genres are played but amongst the most popular are strategy games, shooters, and the interactive types afforded by new French holosuites which have recently had a surge in popularity.

Family
The Family unit is undoubtibly the most important aspect of Drodo society and any Drodo's life. Drodo tend to have many children; On average three to eight, and thus have very large extended families and clans. Clans may have dozens, even hundreds of members and are very closely knit; Usually living on the same planet, town, or neighbourhood together. Most clans have some sort of leadership, be it a Matriarch or council that makes decisions effecting the entire family, which can range from arranging get-togethers to disowning a particularly infamous member of the clan. Drodo also tend to know and take pride in their ancestry; Finding a link to a noble family is a source of great prestige for an individual and, more importantly, the entire family.

Death
Death is a sad occasion within Drodo culture, as would be expected. The Drodo have several unusual cultural practices in respect to the deceased, such as leaving the deceased person's room in the condition it was at the time of death (excluding of course if they died in there) for fourteen days, and not reading the deceased's will for the same amount of time. The origin of this unusual practice comes from Drodo religious practices; It was and still is believed that it gives the recently-passed person's soul enough time to gather any possessions they would want for the afterlife, before finally departing for it.

Drodo also tend to spend quite lavishly on funerals. This is possible mostly because of the close connection that every Drodo has to their family and clan, everyone "chipping in", so to speak with funeral expenses. Most families have a plot of land for the family graveyard or tomb.

Views on Sexuality
Drodo are well-known for their liberal views on sex. While this would seem to be contradictory when compared with the strict Drodo family structure, it should be noted that "swinging", or, agreeing with one's partner to have casual sex with others, is a well-ingrained part of Drodo culture, for better or for worse, and therefore has been made compatible overtime with their other family views.

Drodo simply do not see sex as a taboo. The primary cultural view on intercourse is that it is a perfectly natural process, and therefore it doesn't make much sense, nor do they think it is healthy, to try and make it a forbidden subject to discuss or something that should be a guilty act. This cultural outlook, and a similar liberal outlook on other things such as drugs and alcohol, has spawned many "red light districts" in Drodoian cities, to which both locals and tourists flock to in order to have a good time.

At times this attributes the negative stereotype of Drodo being overly lustful, promiscuous, or even decadent. However most Drodo or those that have experienced Drodo culture claim that this is untrue, and may even be something to the contrary; Drodoian openness on the matter of sex often helps Drodo make more responsible decisions and have more chances to discuss the subject.

Ancestor Worship
While most Drodo consider themselves not religious or atheist, almost all practice some form of ancestor worship. Such worship varies very widely in its rites, rituals, and practices from clan to clan, but all involve the worship of either notable ancestors in a sort of pantheon, or ancestors in general, and the observance of special rituals to please their spirits. This sort of semi-religion is not at all organized, as has been already mentioned.