create a culture

CREATE-A-CULTURE PROJECT —
INSTRUCTION PACKET
(Instructions for completing the assignment on my behalf)

SECTION 1 — USE MY CULTURE
(NARAKAI) AS THE BASE
Before starting the project, understand that the fictional culture is already created.
You must use The Narakai as the foundation and expand it according to the assignment.

**Do NOT replace the culture.

Do NOT change the environment, climate, or subsistence base.
Do NOT contradict the core details.**

Below is the required description of the Narakai that you MUST integrate into the project:

THE NARAKAI — BASE CULTURE SUMMARY

Environment

The Narakai live on a tropical island-continent with warm, humid weather year-round and heavy
seasonal rains. The island is lush, with dense forests providing hardwoods, bamboo-like reeds,
vines, and plant fibers. Mountains contain clay, copper, and tin. The beaches offer volcanic rock
and smooth stones.

Food sources include tropical fruits (mango, guava, starfruit), edible roots, nuts, honey, fish,
shellfish, seaweed, and occasional small-game animals like birds and boar-like creatures. The
fertile soil supports simple garden plots near homes.

Mode of Subsistence

They use a blended system of food foraging and horticulture.
Foraging provides most daily food; small garden plots grow tubers, herbs, and easy crops using
hand tools and rainfall.

Economic System

Their economy is based on reciprocity.
People share resources—food, tools, materials—with the expectation the support will return
when needed. This system works because the island provides abundant resources and
competition is minimal.

These three components MUST appear in the final essay exactly as the base foundation you
expand from. You may add details, but you cannot contradict or replace them.

SECTION 2 — ASSIGNMENT RULES
(FROM THE PROFESSOR)
You must follow the official assignment rules:

1. Create a fictional culture — cannot be real, cannot copy an existing one.

2. Culture may be human, humanoid, Earth-based, or set elsewhere.

3. Cultural patterns must make sense and follow anthropological logic.

● Example: Foragers cannot have large cities.

● Example: A horticultural society should NOT have a president or a state-level political
system.

● Every choice must align or it costs points.

4. You must use at least 10 anthropological terms.

And they MUST be:

● Bold AND underlined

● Defined clearly inside the essay

● Used correctly, matching class definitions

● Listed at the end of the paper

5. Required terms that must appear:

● Mode of Subsistence

● Political Organization

● Economic System

● Religious/Spiritual Belief System

These count toward the 10 total.

6. Choose at least 6 more approved terms

(from kinship, marriage, gender roles, childrearing, belief systems, economic systems, political
systems, etc.)

7. You may NOT use non-anthropological terms

(Using the wrong kind of “marriage patterns” or business/econ terms not from class will lose
points.)

8. Formatting is strict:

● Minimum 600 words

● Double-spaced

● One-inch margins

● 12 pt font

● Must be saved as .doc or .docx

● Must include list of terms

● Must use citations if outside sources are used

● Turnitin score must be below 20%

9. Consistency deduction:

The professor deducts 5 points for every mismatch in cultural logic.

SECTION 3 — WHAT YOU MUST WRITE IN
THE FINAL ESSAY
The final essay must include the following sections (can be paragraphs, not labeled):

A. Environment
Expand on the Narakai environment with additional descriptive detail.
Include:

● Climate

● Geography

● Raw materials

● Food sources

● Housing materials

● How the environment shapes culture

(MUST align with tropical island + foraging + horticulture.)

B. Mode of Subsistence (REQUIRED TERM)
You must define and apply food foraging and horticulture to the Narakai culture.
Explain their:

● Daily food practices

● Tools

● Labor patterns

● Seasonal cycles

● Interaction with land

C. Economic System (REQUIRED TERM)
Define and describe reciprocity, using Narakai examples.
Include how gift-giving, sharing, and resource distribution works.

D. Political Organization (REQUIRED TERM)
Choose the correct system based on a foraging/horticultural society:
→ Most accurate options: Band or Tribe

Define the term and apply it to the Narakai.
Describe leadership, decision-making, and conflict resolution.

E. Belief System (REQUIRED TERM)
Choose from:

● Animism

● Animatism

● Magic

● Divination

● Polytheism

● Monotheism

● Witchcraft/Sorcery

Define it and build out myths, rituals, spiritual practices, and worldview.

F. Kinship System
Choose terms like:

● Patrilineal, matrilineal, lineage, clan

Describe inheritance, family structure, names, etc.

G. Marriage System
Choose:

● Monogamy

● Polygyny

● Polyandry

Include:

● Endogamy or exogamy (marriage restrictions)

● Economic marriage exchange (if any):

○ Bride price, bride service, dowry

H. Gender Roles
Choose one pattern:

● Flexible/integrated

● Dual-sex configuration

● Segregated pattern

Describe who does what work and why it fits the Narakai environment.

I. Childrearing Patterns
Choose one:

● Dependence training

● Independence training

● Interdependence training

Explain how children learn cultural norms, responsibilities, and social behavior.

J. Technology & Labor
Describe:

● Tools used for foraging, gardening, crafting

● Division of labor by age/gender

● How raw materials shape their tools

K. Final Terms List
At the end of the essay, include a clean bullet list of all anthropological terms used.

SECTION 4 — CHECKLIST FOR THE
WRITER (DO NOT SKIP)
Before submitting the final essay, make sure:

✔ The Narakai environment, subsistence, and economy are kept exactly as
provided.

✔ At least 10 anthropological terms are used, bolded, underlined, and
defined.

✔ All terms are used accurately and align with each other.

✔ The culture stays realistic for a foraging/horticulture society.

✔ Minimum 600 words (ideally 800–1000 to be safe).

✔ Double-spaced, 12 pt font, 1-inch margins, Word format.

✔ A final list of the vocab terms is included.

✔ No contradictions in logic (avoid automatic deductions).

✔ Turnitin score stays under 20%.

SECTION 5 — FINAL NOTES

You are free to be creative, but you must follow the anthropological logic and stay consistent
with the Narakai foundation.

Your job is to expand, deepen, and complete the culture —
not to change it.

If anything needs clarification, ask before writing.