Kohinaean

The Kohinaean are a fictional ethnolinguistic group used in worldbuilding and speculative anthropology. They are associated with the Kohina Archipelago in the eastern ocean.

Name and origin: The name Kohinaean derives from the island of Kohina, referenced in early inscriptions. The imagined culture centers on coastal settlements connected by canoe routes to inland villages, reflecting a maritime-adapted way of life.

Language: The Kohinaean language is described as agglutinative with a subject–object–verb order and complex verbal morphology. It historically used a syllabary or mixed script in older layers and incorporated loanwords from regional trading languages.

Culture: Social life follows a clan-based structure with craft guilds, boat-building, and sea-based trade. Artistic expressions include pottery with cobalt-blue glaze and intricate beadwork. Religious practice centers on ancestor veneration and sea spirits, with major festivals marking planting, maritime journeys, and harvest.

History and archaeology: Excavations at Kohina Mounds and coastal terraces reveal settlements dating from the early second millennium BCE, evidence of extensive trade networks, and gradual cultural interaction with neighboring groups. By the medieval period, the Kohinaean polity declined, influenced by climate fluctuations and external pressures.

Current status: Today, some descendants maintain Kohinaean traditions in isolated communities. The language is endangered, with only a small number of elderly speakers. Documentation projects and community revitalization efforts aim to preserve linguistic, ritual, and artisanal practices for future generations.