Traditions

Every culture has its traditions. These little details will often make the difference between a believable culture and a cardboard-cutout world.

Perhaps it's something small--I remember a book I read when I was in fourth grade called Daughter of the Mountains, by Ellen Rankin . The only reason I remember it was because the book, which takes place in Tibet, explained how some of the inhabitants put butter in their tea. That one small detail really brought the world to life--I mean, something like five sugars no milk might be bizarre in America, but not unheard of...but butter? It's possible, but just strange enough that you wouldn't think of it. This is a pretty good form to follow for all your traditions. Don't go for something that doesn't make sense, but don't go for something that seems normal, either.

	In one of the countries in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time books, all women get a knife when they are of marrying age. This knife is worn about the neck and its sheath declares the woman's marriage status and also the number and gender of her children. In the context of the country, this makes perfect sense: women have a great deal of power, and it's also a very violent place. In one item, one tradition, Jordan reveals something about the country and something about the character.

On the other hand, you can also do something interesting with a lack of traditions. Here on Earth, every culture has traditions—--why would such traditions have been wiped away? What could have caused it? What are the reactions? How does a culture's identity change because of it? In a similar vein, what happens if old traditions are suddenly supplanted by new ones? What could cause that kind of change? Traditions are mutable, and sometimes the really interesting ones are the ones that didn't develop organically at all.

	In Ursula Le Guin's novel The Telling, the protagonist comes from another world to discover an entirely beaurocratic planet. The nation has achieved a startling level of advancement, but everything seems very dry and stilted. The protagonist goes in search of the original traditions of the planet, and when she finds them, she also finds the things which the new government will do to keep the traditions silent. The interplay between the old traditions and the new beaurocracy creates the main conflict in the book, but Le Guin is also careful to show both sides and why some think the beaurocracy is necessary.

The traditions (or lack thereof) in your world can give subtle clues about the background and values of your world. As with everything else, make sure they fit the rest of your portrait. Used well, they give you incredible depth with very few words or actions.