The Ormanala Culture

The Ormanala Culture was a lithic culture that inhabited the *Sihikan subcontinent. It was the first archaeologically-attested culture in the *Suthan River Basin.

Mainly a hunter-gatherer culture, the Ormanala dominated most of the lands east of the *Ante Mountains until the early 2000s AL, when the Dei peoples migrated eastwards into the *Masan Peninsula and the northern *Suthan Valley, forcing most of the northern Ormanala to flee northwards, across the *Tormas Sea. The southern Ormanala eventually became the Valal Tenger civilization, and are considered the ancestors to the *Asik nation, as well as the Khapas (*Üwer) hill tribes of northern *Sihik.

Timeline
The Ormanala Culture is generally split into 2 periods, the Early Ormanala and Late Ormanala. The Preformative period of the Tenger Valal civilization is also classed as the “New Ormanala Period” by some historians.

Ormanala Architecture
The Ormanala used the native Sarlamagas Tree to construct their dwellings, which is a relative of the Ashin’ki Tree used by the inhabitants of the *Nazuyato Archipelago. With its large vines and waterproof leaves, it is used by the Ormanala to build structures that do not blow away in the constant storms and hurricanes that ravage the tropics of *Earth Omega. In fact, many Ormanala dwellings actually use trees as support columns. Due to the hot and humid climate, many homes are placed on hills, providing natural ventilation.

Ormanala Music
Throat singing is gang gang. Also some dudes decided to bonk their bows with their arrows.

Ormanala Religion
The general philosophy of the Ormanala is similar to that of the Kibaranhar, but instead of Allah still retaining control over this world, Allah, sick of humanity, gave away the human race to Tengri, the god of the world next door.

Tengri is said to be a very capricious god, often arbitrarily meting out punishments to people via storms and earthquakes. Much of Ormanala religion centers on rituals and habits to ask for forgiveness of sins, appease Tengri and/or call for the return of Allah. These rituals often involve blood sacrifices of game (or ritual suicide, in the most grave circumstances), as well as heavy use of ritual music and astrology.

A major tenet of Ormanala religion is the idea of moderation, where in order to not disturb Tengri and invoke his wrath, one must return what is taken from the world during their life. For example, game must be hunted quickly and leave the animal with as little suffering as possible (because Tengri doesn’t like his creations hurt), no one is to hunt on every tenth lunar month (to allow Tengri’s animals to have a break), and all dead bodies are to be cremated and kept in an urn (because Tengri doesn’t want human remains interfering with his world).

Contrary to most other religions, the Ormanala religion holds that humans are unwanted guests on this planet, and should live their lives with as little impact as humanly possible so as to avoid the wrath of a moody god. As a side effect, the Ormanala religion exalts animals above humans.

Ormanala Food
The Ormanala are hunter gatherers, and they live on whatever they find. One particular food they consume is the [something] plant, which is the same as the one the Altapech use to make cloth. However, it is selectively bred to be as nutritious and high calorie as possible.

By 1500 AL, the Ormanala had domesticated the Sihikan pygmy elephant, and began using them pervasively for carrying goods, as well as for milk, food, and as a source of wealth. Most successors to the Ormanala culture value the elephant almost as much as the steppe cultures in central (whatever we name this continent) valued horses.