These regular get-togethers/festivals seem to be a break from the day to day activities of the Kangaans. They also seem to be something that the Kangaans really look forward to. While I watched this behavior, even I wanted to join in the festivities. Everyone was accepted and all tried their best at all of the activities; it was much more beautiful than any painting I have every seen.
Culture
Due to the fact that the Rupples are so success driven, only those
who have become successful are glorfied in history. History is taught by
parents and grandparents to their children. History is presented as it
relates to the person doing the telling, this means that usually only the
good that your family has done is passed on, and the not so good of the
other families. This causes families to be stronger, and a feeling of
mistrust in the communities. This is a problem that the communities are
begining to try to improve by starting to write down major events, so far
the written histories are starting to catch on as more and more people
realize that others in the society have good points, and aren't really as
bad as they thought they were.
Their favorite method of passing history down is through old folk songs. Some of these folk songs tell about a group of people going across the mountains, but no one really knows for sure if they are really people on the other side of the mountain. By working together and learning the folk songs the communities are starting to improve.
Political and Economic Organization
The economic system of the time did lend itself to form social
classes which I gave the names of owners... traders... workers... harvest
people. There was much opportunity for social mobility, but all tried to
strive for perfection in their work. The ec onomy tended to organize these
people into families, communities, and cities. They were what I would
call a primitive industrial society. They made boatlike objects,
household items, and even their own homes seemed to be made by
corporation-like workpla ces.
The coral and other sea-produced items were very important to the Kangaans for food sources, religious importance, etc. They did seem to have a currency, Joey, based upon a valuable mineral. We could not trace the origin of this material. Trade was ve ry important to these rooples. One community could work with other communities to make sure all Kangaans were provided for efficiently. And yes, there was an equality between the two sexes of rooples. The rooples of Kanga have a round table of leaders ba sically elected from different communities who come together to negotiate the problems in the country. Along with the other rooples in Kanga they are looking for the best way to help their country come together. All are looking to work and strive for pe rfection and for ways to better equip their own community. I could find no written laws or constitution for Kanga, so it seems decisions are carried through on an oral basis. The government seems to work on a need-based philosophy.
These rooples at the round table are highly regarded and work very hard for their success and that of all the Kangaans. There is a community council that judges and enforces these negotiations again with the major theme of perfection and success in m ind. The act of going against a law is rarely commited committed in Kangaan society. Committing one of these violations against societal norms results in losing face in the community, one of the worst things that could happen to a Kangaan. When one los es face it is known that they are not striving for perfection, an important basis in Kangaan life.
Religion
All good things come from the sea, but especially the major part
of their early food supply. The Kangans believe that god, otherwise known
as BOB lives somewhere on the other side of the sea, and although they
never see him, he knows all of their needs and supplies them. The
religious leaders live on the sea, and spend a lot of time in the water
communing with BOB. Far out from the shore large storms will brew and
shipwreck any ship that attempts to get to close to BOB's island. This is
why no one ha s ever seen BOB. Every person is encouraged to make a
pilgrimage to the sea as often as they can to worship BOB. This is not
necessarily a weekly event, but everyone wants to visit the sea at least
once a year. Those that harvest the meat from the sea are seen as great
spritual role models, and it is every child's dream to one day be a
harvester.
Death is a great honor in this land, because they are going to live with BOB. BOB will not let you die until you have succeeded in all the goals that BOB had for your life. This is why they are so driven for success, because the sooner you conpleate th e goals that BOB had for you, you are ready to live with him. Upon death or "success", their is a short service by the seashore prasing the deceased as a role model for all, because he has pleased BOB. The body is then sent out to sea in a small boat de signed to carry the body far out into the sea, to the place where BOB lives. Following the service on the seashore, a very large party is thrown for the family of the successful, and after a week of celebration, life returns to normal, and they can conti nue their quest for prefection. Deaths of any kind are celebrated. Someone who is murdered is no worse off than someone who dies late in life, because death of any kind is considered success.
Religion does not always play a part in day to day roles as far as ethics or morals on this planet are concerned. The only command from BOB is that you are successful, their are no commands of what is right or wrong, that is decided by the citizens of t he community.
Social Organization
The rooples of Kanga have a philosophy that was hard for us to
understand. They seem to strive for perfection.... or success. Those are
the closest terms I can find to describe their lives. They are a sort of
individualistic society but with close tie s to their family. That
probably has a biological basis. They seem to strive to understand
themselves and search to make themselves perfect above all else in the
world. I would think this would be a constantly losing battle, but the
Kangaans lived like that is their purpose on this planet. It was why they
were there, to live to their fullest potential... emotionally,
financially, education-wise, etc. Everything they did, they were striving
to be the best. They didn't use this to make themselves be tter than the
others, there was encouragement among the members of this world � a hard
concept for us humans to understand. There was dating among Kangaans and
they looked to find perfection in that aspect of their lives as well.
There also are social n orms in Kangaan society; violation of these norms
is discussed in the political section of this book.
This idea of perfection is not just an individual one, but the Kangaans spread this idea to their community as well. Although it is not always successful, the Kangaans ideal is one of peace. These social norms and roles are usually guided mostly by the family, which plays an extremely important role in the life of a young Kangaan. The largest problem in Kangaan society, in my opinion, is the amount of stress they place on themselves by always striving to be better. Although this idea comes from both religion and socialization, it seems to be what may cause some premature deaths in Kangaan society.