Wheel of Time Ethnicities

[Fains nose]

i was wondering how everyone pictured the different nationalities in WoT, and what race/ethnicity you see them as, or what country you compare them to in our world. Here are some of mine

 

Illian-Greek

Sea Folk- Indian/Sri Lankan

Dark Tairens- Arab

Two Rivers- Italian

Andor- English/Anglo Saxon

Saldean- Half Asian Half white

Ebou Dar- Italian/Spanish 

 

I base mine mainly on their appearance, but Illianers names (Dragynos, Pedros) have a Greek ring to them to me, and Andoran names  are like English names to me. What are yours?

[Durinax]

depends what criteria you use, cause if you use military it changes TR to english (heavy emphasis on longbow)

 

but i think that Tairens are spaniards

 

Andor is def anglo saxon

 

seanchan asian (likely japanese with such reverence to the emperor(ess))

Sea Folk could be dark Dutch (middle ages known as very good merchants and sailors)

Ebou Dar I would say Italian too

Illian would be a dark portugal (based on the rivalry between spain and portugal)

[Majsju]

http://www.darkfriends.net/wheel/3_sources/3.14_countries.html

[wipe]

http://www.darkfriends.net/wheel/3_sources/3.14_countries.html

 

I agree with a lot of this, but based on apperances, the Aiel strikes me more as norse or irish (of norse decent). Tall, light skinned, and red hair. Not very typical in the cultures you named for them. Their culture on the other hand is in line with those, so I would say vikings that setteled in a new enviroment (kind of ironic if you think of their pacifistic roots  ;)). But then again, vikings vere warriors, survivors and great adaptors.

 

And yes I saw the (RJ); but I think it referres to their culture and way of living, while their apperance doesn't match those ethnic groups at all. It's more in line with scandinavian apperance.

[Majsju]

Red hair is by far more common on Ireland than in Scandinavia (And it is speculated that the red hair in Scandinavia was, uhm, imported from Ireland in the first place). And the typical Irish people are paler than the typical Scandinavian. So the only thing in appearance speaking for Scandinavia is the height, and the Irish are not that much shorter than us.

 

As for vikings being warriors, that is mostly a myth. Sure, they fought if they had to, but mostly they were traders and explorers.

[wipe]

Red hair is by far more common on Ireland than in Scandinavia (And it is speculated that the red hair in Scandinavia was, uhm, imported from Ireland in the first place). And the typical Irish people are paler than the typical Scandinavian. So the only thing in appearance speaking for Scandinavia is the height, and the Irish are not that much shorter than us.

 

As for vikings being warriors, that is mostly a myth. Sure, they fought if they had to, but mostly they were traders and explorers.

 

Hehe, difference of opinion here :-) Ireland was more heavily populated by the vikings than UK, therefore more blonde and red heads. As for the trading part, I know this, but they were still considered great warriors. As an example, they were the bodygards for the eastern roman emperor.

[Majsju]

Red hair is by far more common on Ireland than in Scandinavia (And it is speculated that the red hair in Scandinavia was, uhm, imported from Ireland in the first place). And the typical Irish people are paler than the typical Scandinavian. So the only thing in appearance speaking for Scandinavia is the height, and the Irish are not that much shorter than us.

 

As for vikings being warriors, that is mostly a myth. Sure, they fought if they had to, but mostly they were traders and explorers.

 

 

Hehe, difference of opinion here :-) Ireland was more heavily populated by the vikings than UK, therefore more blonde and red heads. As for the trading part, I know this, but they were still considered great warriors. As an example, they were the bodygards for the eastern roman emperor.

 

As I said, it has been speculated. It is quite difficult to actually prove one way or the other. Though it is interesting that red hair is more common in Denmark and Norway than in Sweden. Swedish vikings never went to Ireland, they headed east instead.

 

As for the warrior aspect, it is one thing to master your weapons because you are going out for an expedition in foreign lands that might last several years. Quite a different thing to have an actual warrior culture in your own lands. That kind of warrior culture fits much better with the Irish tribes than the Scandinavian villages at the time (The word/title viking was only for those who actually went travelling).

 

The stringest relation between Aiel and vikings other than exceptional height would be the habit of not using swords, vikings mostly relied on axes and spears. Of course, for the vikings it was a matter of cost and know-how, spears and axes are much cheaper and way easier to manufacture than swords.

 

And while I am in lecturing-mode...Vikings never used horned helmets, and never used mushrooms to reach the berzerker-rage.

[Shoulderthumper]

I always thought the Illianer speech pattern was similar to that of the Irish, though I agree with the Greek naming and geographical identity.

[MikeRiley]

Just a little extra on Arafel, it's a hebrew word that means the fog that comes with the apocalypse. Lan is currently riding to Tarwin's Gap and Shol Arbela in Arafel will likely be one of his last stops before the Last Battle begins. It's sort of off topic but that link did mention the meanings of some names.

 

Of course, the trollocs are being gathered on the Shadow Coast. Wouldn't that be something if Lan rides up to Tarwin's Gap in all his glory and there's nobody there to fight?