Cultural Reform: Midway

[Auditorii]

This is Midways current cultural protocol:

Background: Midway is a former colony of Seko, ever since the construction of the Midway Canal the nation has played a pivotal role in Dovani economics as a whole. It has remained largely neutral in conflicts and does its best to continue its large financial success. Kunikata (Japanese) remains a widely spoken language alongside Luthorian (English) due to the importance of communication across the dozen or so ethnic groups that call Midway home. There is no clear "majority" ethnicity in Midway but dozens of ethnic communities: Dovani Majatran (African Arab), Kitembo (Swahili), Keobi (Igbo), Orun (Yoruba), Watembo (Somali), Huhoa (Hausa), Yingdalan (Chinese), Pilese (Sri Lankan/Maldivian/Mauritian combo), Phra (Thai), Mava-Neleyan (Indonesian Malay), Nelayan (Javanese) and Kahadean (Sundanese), New Aldurian (Haitian), Tropican (Polynesian), Manmerian (Papuan) and Malgy (Malagasy).

I'm proposing that instead of the multicultural mess that it is, its updated to be split between Bengali, Nepal and Dzongkha adding in some South Asian influence as a sort've landbridge between our games Asia and Africa.

[jamescfm]

I appreciate I am no longer active in the game, so attach whatever weight to my views you deem appropriate. In my opinion, the current description is unclear and this has led the country to be avoided. 

I don't agree with the proposal to introduce Bengali or Nepali though. Both of these languages have been role-played in Vascania previously. If I remember right, Hamal Pradesh is based on Nepal, and Utsal is based on Bengal. Dzongkha is probably not widely spoken or accessible enough on its own. I would suggest it makes sense as a minority group in Xsampa personally, given the language is related to Tibetan.

I have attached below the unrealised proposal for a cultural protocol that Pragma and I drafted last year. I am not necessarily suggesting it as an alternative but thought it might be useful for reference.

MIDWAY

Midway is very multicultural, but is partially based on Central Africa

ETHNIC GROUPS

Midway natives (various Bantu tribes) - 41%
Kudan (Hausa) - 20%
Kitembo (Swahili) - 11%
Yingdalan (Chinese) - 7%
Dovani Majatran (African Arab) - 4%
Sekowan (Ryukyuan) - 4%
Kalam (Tamil) - 3%
Other- 11%

RELIGION

Hosianism (Christianity) - 37%
— Aurorian Patriarchal Church (Catholic Church) - 20%
— Abjurantism (Protestantism) - 17%
Ahmadism (Islam) - 29%
Traditional beliefs - 16%
Daenism (Buddhism) - 9%
No religion - 5%
Other - 4%

LANGUAGE

Midway is linguistically diverse. Lindelo (Lingala) and Kitembo (Swahili) are widely spoken as a lingua franca among native Kuragic (Bantu) people. Kunikata (Japanese) and Luthorian (English) are also widely spoken as lingua francas. Kudan (Hausa) is also common.

[beifengxiaoxiao]

I'm proposing that instead of the multicultural mess that it is, its updated to be split between Bengali, Nepal and Dzongkha adding in some South Asian influence as a sort've landbridge between our games Asia and Africa.

I agree with Auditorii's proposal to redefine Midway as a South Asian-influenced culture. Whilst it is true that the groups have extant populations, these are minority groups that have been subsumed under a greater Indian influence. I still believe that it would be beneficial to RP for them to constitute an independent nation in Midway. I think it would incentivize cultural RP and make for an intriguing experience if Midway were to become a majority state influenced by Bengali, Nepali, or Dzongkha people. I would especially be interested as an individual if Dzongkha were to be added as a major ethnic group.
 
For language, Dzongkha language resources, dictionaries, and grammars are all available to those who search, and Google Translate has added the language. Given that the most common approach people in this community seem to take is through Google Translate, I think most people would be content in the language department. As someone studying the Tibetan script and bits of grammar myself, I think any resources beyond Google Translate are sufficient as well for those who want a deeper dive.

[Auditorii]

I'm proposing that instead of the multicultural mess that it is, its updated to be split between Bengali, Nepal and Dzongkha adding in some South Asian influence as a sort've landbridge between our games Asia and Africa.

I agree with Auditorii's proposal to redefine Midway as a South Asian-influenced culture. Whilst it is true that the groups have extant populations, these are minority groups that have been subsumed under a greater Indian influence. I still believe that it would be beneficial to RP for them to constitute an independent nation in Midway. I think it would incentivize cultural RP and make for an intriguing experience if Midway were to become a majority state influenced by Bengali, Nepali, or Dzongkha people. I would especially be interested as an individual if Dzongkha were to be added as a major ethnic group.
 
For language, Dzongkha language resources, dictionaries, and grammars are all available to those who search, and Google Translate has added the language. Given that the most common approach people in this community seem to take is through Google Translate, I think most people would be content in the language department. As someone studying the Tibetan script and bits of grammar myself, I think any resources beyond Google Translate are sufficient as well for those who want a deeper dive.

Initially I was unaware that Bengali and Nepali were represented in Vascania as a whole. I would agree that Vascania seems to be all encompassing and perhaps we could recognize that the Utsari (Bengali) and Hamali (Nepali) people were deported or otherwise left Vascania en mass to Midway or visa versa, they were taken from Midway en mass to essentially be enslaved by Imperial Vascania. I'm not sure if Dzongkha exists but I think it would be neat to introduce, even if a minor sub-group, in Midway.

[jamescfm]

I disagree strongly with the proposal to duplicate or retcon the existing role-play that has been done with the Nepali and Bengali languages and peoples in Vascania. I think it is reductive to say that they have been subsumed under a greater Indian influence. Pragma spent a lot of time developing the culture of each of the states and ethnic groups in Vascania, and I do not think this work is worth less simply because it was done in the context of a larger country.

In the case of Dzongkha, I will admit that I did not realise that it had been added to Google Translate. In light of that, I do think it is probably reasonable to include it somewhere in the game world. I would personally still suggest Xsampa makes more sense but I am not wholly opposed to including it in Midway. As a compromise between the current "multicultural" background and the various proposals discussed here, I have a rough alternative:

(Dzongkha) = 25%
Kudan (Hausa) = 22%
Midway natives (various Bantu tribes) = 19%
Kitembo (Swahili) = 11%
Other = 11%
Yingdalan (Chinese) = 4%
Dovani Majatran (African Arab) = 3%
Kalam (Tamil) = 3%
Sekowan (Ryukyuan) = 2%