Domoni

Domoni

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A Domoni family on their boat, 1920
Total population
~15,000,000
Regions with significant populations
Dezevau	10,000,000
Other	5,000,000
Languages
Ziba
Religion
Primarily Badi and irreligion

The Domoni (Ziba: [dɒmɒni] lit. 'boat people') or Jaujeni (Ziba: [ð̠ɒɯð̠əni] lit. 'river people') are an ethnic group or social class, primarily in Dezevau and the Dezevauni diaspora. They traditionally live on and make their living on water, inhabiting boathouses or similar dwellings, and engaging in activities such as fishing, navigation and aquaculture, as well as waterborne nomadism.

The Domoni have been an identifiable group since at least the 15th century, and have historically been subject to discrimination, marginalisation, and assimilationist policies, despite their importance as sailors in the riverine infrastructure of the Aguda Empire, and in the navies of later states in and around Dezevau. Folk conceptions of culture in Dezevau conceived of the Domoni as the smallest of three main groupings, the other two being peasants and urbanites. In modern times, economic changes have resulted in the decline of the traditional lifestyle of the Domoni, with many of them migrating away from ancestral waters or settling on land.

Like most people in Dezevau, Domoni generally speak varieties of Ziba, and traditionally practiced Badi. High levels of contact, migration and intermarriage between Domoni and neighbouring groups mean that categorisation is difficult, but it is estimated that there are about 15 million Domoni, mostly in Dezevau, forming about 5% to 10% of the Dezevauni population (a proportion that has been maintained roughly for the last century).

Name

domoni cursively handwritten in Ziba by a Domoni person as part of a 2005 ethnological study

The usual Domoni endonym is (jaujeni), meaning "river people" in Ziba. However, the usual exonym applied is (domoni), meaning "boat people". The terminology can be said to reflect the conceptions of identity; while the Domoni regard themselves as people whose home is the waterways, (in contrast with the juni, urbanites, and the geguoni, peasants) they have been regarded by outsiders as merely inhabitants of vessels on them. In the past, the terms were more charged, but Domoni is now the most common term generally, except as used by Domoni between themselves.

These terms might also be used in a more general, common sense, to refer to people associated with, living on or working with boats or rivers. It should be noted, also, that Domoni did not traditionally only live on or near rivers, but also lakes, seas, and other navigable bodies of water generally.

In Euclean languages, the Domoni were sometimes referred to as "Sea Gypsies", drawing parallels between them and Savaders because of their marginalisation, nomadism, and dispersion. This term, like the term "gypsy" itself, is antiquated, and now considered offensive.

Distribution

Historically, Domoni were distributed across the major river systems of Dezevau, and its inland seas—mainly the lower Bugunho, Buiganhingi and Doboadane systems, Binhame Inlet and the Bay of Lights. While most today no longer live on waterways proper, most still live in approximately the same regions, which are broadly the most fertile and urbanised regions of Dezevau.

Around 10 million Domoni live in Dezevau, and around 5 million overseas, forming part of the Dezevauni diaspora. In the diaspora, Domoni mostly do not live nomadically or on waterways.

History

Ancient

The precise origins of the Domoni are unclear, but it is generally thought that they are descendant from the same populations which have inhabited Dezevau and the surrounds for the last two millennia, dating back to the nascent urbanisation of the Dhebinhejo Culture. In particular, it is likely that immigrants from other regions, outcasts from the cities and countryside, and landless migrants formed the stock of the Domoni. Economic activities and transport on and around the rivers of Dezevau were very important to societies in the region since time immemorial, but a distinct waterborne population probably did not develop until development spurred the intensification of navigation, the construction of canals and other hydraulic projects, and in general, an intensification of waterborne activities.

Medieval

In the city-states of medieval Dezevau, the Domoni occupied a middle ground in the dichotomy between urbanites and peasants. While they lived their lives outside the symbolic limina of the city walls (most city-states' ports and docking facilities were outside their walls, so that Domoni visiting or near city-states often did not enter them proper for long), they were also not landed. Because of their frequent migration and involvement with commerce and hydraulic infrastructure (Domoni were often employed as temporary labourers on canals and such), peasants viewed them as more urban than rural. On the other hand, as mentioned, they did not live or work within the boundaries of cities, were dispersed in population, and worked in physical, resource-gathering occupations; the inhabitants of the cities regarded them as essentially rural.

Political power was concentrated in the cities in the city-state systems of medieval Dezevau. Like rural peasants, Domoni were typically affiliated with, but not full citizens of city-states; they provided tribute, taxes or services in return for access to facilities (such as for trade or repair) and goods, but the switching of allegiances was relatively lightly done. However, unlike farmers, Domoni had no immovably permanent fixed abode, and also functioned in smaller units than the rural villages; the result was that the relationships between Domoni and city-states tended to be more commercial, more specific, and more often at arm's length. It has been argued that proto-capitalism developed not only in the Dezevauni city-states, but also as a result of their engagement with the Domoni, necessitating complexity as there were large distances, various jurisdictions and various parties (who might not be as tightly bound by social mores) involved.

At times, Domoni were stereotyped or discriminated against, as untrustworthy, strange or dirty. This was not widespread or severe, and there was continuing intermixture and transmigration, and an appreciation of their role as fisherpeople, navigators and such. Their mobility, however, was important in their developing a shared identity, and being distinguished as a group; if the environment became hostile in one place, they could relatively easily move further afield.

Modern

In the modern day, Domoni traditional lifestyles are in decline due to changes in society; while discrimination is less than it was in the early modern period, many find it difficult to take advantage of educational opportunities, to find employment, to use modern appliances, to formalise their property rights, to legally work the waterways, and so forth, while engaging in traditional waterborne nomadism. Many have emigrated from Dezevau; while not many Domoni became gowsas, Domoni form an above average proportion of post-gowsa period emigrants from Dezevau.

Society

Class

While the Domoni are most commonly understood as an ethnic group, their commonalities based on habitation, occupation and social status, and close integration with other peoples in Dezevau give them characteristics of a social class. It could be said that they had a lower status than urbanites (whose city-states were at the peak of hierarchy) and peasants (whose connection to the land was respected and revered), despite being generally wealthier in liquidity than peasants. However, social class was most significant to the detriment of landless migrant workers, often freed slaves, who did not belong to any of the groups associated with water, land or city. People in that demographic more often joined the Domoni than the other groups when they were not indentured to urban projects, creating a weak association.

With the advent of socialism after the Great War, the separation of ethnicities and classes is substantially broken down, such that the main significance of being Domoni is remnant ethnic identification. Domoni are engaged in society in similar ways to their neighbours, generally having formal (non-traditional) employment and education, fixed abode, and government identification. However, Domoni are on average somewhat less materially wealthy, less formally educated, less represented in positions of power, and more lacking in access to services such as health and emergency relief than non-Domoni. The gap is statistically significant, but it is smaller than gaps which occur in ethnically divided parts of the world, or between recent refugees and non-refugees in Dezevau itself. Most studies suggest that the gap is slowly closing.

Kinship and relationships

Domoni historically were organised around boathouseholds, units created and negotiated through courtship and discussion. This structure can be seen as parallel to the communal village organisational units of peasants in Dezevau, and the diversity of structures that existed in the Dezevauni cities.

Religion

Domoni were historically Badist, but there were some peculiarities to Domoni Badi, which it has been suggested are remnants of ancient customs which fell out of favour in mainstream urbanised Badi. During the early colonial period, there was an upswing in Domoni conversions to various forms of Sotirianity, but this fell by the wayside as the Sotirian Catholic Church became part of the governing institutions, and lost a great deal of popularity among marginalised peoples. Today, in common with contemporary trends in Dezevau, spurred on by socialist agnosticism and atheism, most Domoni are irreligious, though still practicing some cultural customs originating from Badi.

Language

Domoni generally speak the Ziba language, like their neighbours. Some varieties of Ziba are endemic to Domoni communities, though many of these are in decline; Domoni generally speak several registers or dialects of Ziba, for communicating with other Domoni, and with the non-Domoni Ziba speakers of the region they inhabit. There is evidence that state projects for harmonising dialects are reducing this diversity.

Customs

Domoni have some customs. They are influenced by Badi.

Genetics

Domoni are mostly indistinguishable from other Dezevauni people, but some have been noted to have unusually high lung capacities and other adaptations that make them good swimmers and freedivers. It is not entirely clear whether these are a result of nature or nurture; some experiments in upbringing or training have been able to replicate physical characteristics associated with Domoni in non-Domoni. Some common or stereotyped differences between Domoni and non-Domoni, physically speaking, may also be a result of diet (Domoni eat a great deal of seafood) or other environmental factors.

See also

• Gowsa