Xiyeru

The Xiyeru were a group of peoples native to Udovuʼo, a small group of tropical islands in the ocean north of Fountainhead.

Name
The name Xiyeru [ʃiˈjeɾu] is a Xiri language endonym meaning "true-people", from xi "true" and eru "person". The name of the language Xiri [ˈʃiɾi] is reconstructible as *ki-li[si] ("true-tongue") in Proto-Xiri, thought to have been spoken around 1000 BGS. "Xiyeru" cannot be reconstructed in Proto-Xiri, since the formation *ki-elu would be expected to yield the later form xuru. This indicates that the endonym was coined not long before it first appeared in writing, around 0 AGS, and that it was likely derived from the language name. Xiri became widespread as a lingua franca around this time, the name Xiyeru may have been a way to unify the peoples of Udovuʼo under a single name based on their shared language, Xiri.

Eruweʼa
Xiyeru social structure was primarily based around parent-child relationships, where all parents assumed a particular social role called the Eruweʼa. Typically only around a quarter of people chose to become parents, as the role of Eruweʼa was considered a full-time occupation which rarely allowed travel away from the home village or much recreational time. The word Eruweʼa literally means "river person", symbolising the parent's connection to the deity Fadanaweʼa "who guides the rivers", the goddess of rivers, leadership and parenting. The role of the Eruweʼa was to raise their own children and act as a supportive figure for all people, spending their life accumulating wisdom and offering guidance to their community.

Tattoo tradition
The Xiyeru tattoo tradition was a key component of their culture, and the continuation of a practise originating in Udovuʼo several millennia prior, perhaps as early as 5,000 BGS. The native Xiri term Ńaʼay [ˈŋaʔai̯] refers to the cultural practice and act of tattooing, the tattoo itself and the symbols used to compose the tattoo.

The Ńaʼay served many purposes, it represented a person's individual identity, their connection to their ancestors and the world around them, as well as honouring a their achievements and good deeds.

Language and writing
Xiri ("true-tongue") was the primary language of the Xiyeru for most of their history.