THE COMMON PEOPLE OF HYSPIA

[La Corte De Girasol 130]

 

Culture of Hyspia

The Common People 

La Corte de Girasol
5th of Horen’s Calling, 89 D.R.

Within the Viceroyalty of Hyspia, many types of people can be found, of varying backgrounds, families and influence. The highest in status cannot be so high without their support, their pillars, that being the common people, i.e. commoners. The backbone of any nation, and all with traditions, aspects born of their upbringing that are brought to light in this document today.

 

The Common People

The average Hyspian awakes early, before that of the higher class, and prepares for work. The smallest meal of the day, breakfast is had, often consisting of a form of stimulant to drink or freshly squeezed orange juice, accompanied with a piece of toast or some variant of egg. 

Before work, they don the traditional garb - though based heavily around their profession, it would consist of many layers of vibrantly colored fabrics.

Nothing is laid to waste. Scraps tied together to cinch at the waist, a skirt outgrown used as an apron, layers and the best use of them beneath the desert sun is everything.

 

And so afterwards, they would go to work. Whether this is to till the fields, to start a guard shift or to work within the palace to prepare it for the day.

They toil, and bring life to the land. They sit within the gate, awaiting a visitor to the city.

They fuel the oven as a meal is prepared.

They work, until the time comes for lunch - their heartiest meal of the day.

It is when they splurge, and have something bigger compared to their breakfast.

It begins with some form of soup, depending on the season, Gazpacho - a cold soup to have in the summer or some form of bean or seafood soup in the winter. Following this is the second course, something with some form of meat and vegetables, el cocido or paella being popular options.

A beverage is had, alongside some form of piece of bread - followed by a dessert, such as fruits, cheese or pastries.

After lunch, which is often times their longest break of the day, is when they go back to work. They finish off their shift, and get off a bit later, departing to take care of errands before returning to their families and home.

 

The Family Unit

It is once home that their priorities are focused on the family unit. Errands must be taken care of before arriving home, so their full attention is on the family.

The average household hosts two bedrooms, max three for those a bit more well-off - with a kitchen, small storage and a base place to eat set within the kitchen.

Before eating, prayer would take place before a veladoras candle, a religious candle that is believed when lit - it opens up a conversation with DIOS and brings His light into their life.

Prayers would be had for the family, health, their meal and any troubles and hopes alike the family may have.

Afterwards, they would enjoy a light meal, which often consists of some form of salad, a sandwich and a piece of fruit.

 

 

The average family unit hosts two to three children, of which are generally brought everywhere with an adult figure from a young age. They will be taught a skill or profession, which oftentimes generations of that family will be known in particular for - and not given much time for outside schooling. Complete illiteracy is uncommon, the children being given a basic understanding of reading, writing and math.

They would not be set down to be taught this, and often learn from doing rather than seeing. Whether this is bartering in the market for tomatoes alongside a parent, or helping to write down an order in their parents shop. Their clothing would be hand-me-downs, or something sewn in what little downtime the average Hyspian family has - a size or two bigger to allow for room to grow into it.

 

Traditions of the Common People

 

When the family learns of a child to come, it is tradition to implement the old and the new. They take their own baby blanket, a piece taken and a separate swatch of fabric bought -the richer the blue in color, the better. Both pieces are sewn together, this fabric used to make a blanket, the color blue meant to symbolize the prosperity of the Viceroyal family and to wish prosperity upon the baby. It is embroidered with any number of colors, symbolism or otherwise - sometimes even taking as long as the entire length of the pregnancy to finish.

This blanket is treasured throughout life, to be used from generation to generation, some even coming to make a patchwork blanket of which tells a story of generations and family past.

 

Before a child, comes first a marriage. Much like in any class and station in life, the individual intending to propose must ask a close family member for their blessing - often granted via the sharing of a drink. If there is no family, a close friend would do.  It is once that blessing is granted, is where the romantic aspects that the Hyspians are known for come into play.

A guitar, more commonly known as the charango is used, some having taken classes for months beforehand in order to learn to properly play - is taken and a song played, a song from the heart.

Tales of a Hyspian man playing beneath a woman's window, each more romantic then the next as they pour out their heart and soul. It is said that if the proposal is accepted that first night, the marriage is doomed to fail, so easily swayed.

The second aspect of a proposal is the gift. They are to be unseen that next day, save for gifts left within sight of the individual. Nothing of great expense, but something that holds meaning, such as flowers, a hand-make snack or mementos of previous moments.

 The third day is when the proposal may be accepted, having been ‘won’ over by the wooing and courtship - should the individual wish to accept the proposal, they are to knock thrice upon the door with a single tulip of pure white. If the wish is to reject the proposer, they must not see them for that entire day and consequently cannot accept another proposal for the rest of that year.

 

 

Other such traditions of the common people consist of the naming of their family members, consisting of a first, last and two middle names which indicates their class. Commonly, they are named after family members, ancestors, close friends or religious figures they wish their children to embody. Iconography is practiced, in which a doll is made, its materials based around what they wish their children to become. One such example, should the family be smiths, a strap off of a smiths apron may be tied about the doll's waist with a iron looped about the neck - and given to the child to carry with them. More often than not, the doll would represent the parents profession - signifying their wish for their child to go into the same.

 

Conclusion

In conclusion, the common people of Hyspia hold storied and romantic traditions, with a heavy sense of familial duty and nationalism for their home. This document by no means covers the whole of what they are, for they are a storied people, with hopes and dreams that cannot be hoped to be fully covered - but a beautiful piece of the Hyspian culture nonetheless.

 

 

Spoiler

OOC:

All writing credit goes to the lovely tada @tadabug2000

 

 

Signed,

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS, Dimitri Otto of Korvia,

Crown Prince-Consort of Hyspia, Duke-Consort of Pariso, Gran Chamberlan of La Corte de Girasol

 

SENORA, Mariposa Murietta

 

[Javert 5594]

Vicente Murietta II smiles extremely proudly as he reads his wife's work, and he promptly has a copy of the missive framed next to his work tools. He mentally reminds himself to tell his Wife how proud he is of her and thinks about taking her on a nice date. "Well done, mi amor." Vicente said to himself as he grabbed his farming tools and went back to work.

[Nowak 877]

Jan would be fishing