When creating new story elements, it's good shorthand to say "it's like fantasy Rome..." or "...fantasy Polynesia" or something recognizable so that your players know what visual and cultural references to use. But it's also important not to just rip off aspects of those cultures without consideration, and use them in an appropriate way, rather than just appropriation (although those are similar).
For example, I'm starting a game with friends at the moment in a region inspired by Polynesian and Maori culture, as well as South American societies. The easy way is just to rip off whatever I want to use, throw them all in a blender, and file off the serial numbers. But this doesn't give much respect to those cultures I'm stealing things from, and it feels pretty cruddy of me. So what's a way that I can do this respectfully, and feel like I'm making something interesting and original? Doing some actual research is an excellent start- knowing the difference between Aztecs and Incans, Olmec and Mi'kmaq, Kanaka Maoli and Māori, makes a big deal. Understanding what makes those cultures special and interesting, and considering how you use them, will make a big difference if someone you're playing with knows about, or is from, one of those peoples. Misunderstanding or completely missing the point of a cultural feature can be a great faux pas, and sometimes really distasteful or offensive. Another consideration is how these cultures and the traditions you're using are treated in-game. Just copying existing real-world colonialism can be really un-fun for people whose families have traditionally or recently suffered from this kind of practices. Treating them as "noble savages" doesn't fix that either- it still makes them relegated to a particular cultural role. In my game, the colonists were forced to make a treaty with the local people, causing them to integrate over the last ninety or so years. This means that certain cultural aspects have flowed from each culture to each other- now, captains of colonist origin bear tattoos marking their rank while they give offerings to the spirits before a journey, island warriors take to battle on the seas wearing steel breastplates and rapiers, and the servants of the New Gods preach their religions on the street corners. Ships are decorated and named to give them a spirit, and everyone knows that a loved ship just sails better. I'm not saying my 'fix' is perfect, either- it's still a work in progress. But the way you use aspects of cultures which aren't yours, is something definitely worth considering, and maybe changing. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 9 January 2021. Comments are closed.
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AuthorI'm Luke. He/him pronouns. Archives
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