Sekinchans

Sekinchans are a fictional ethnolinguistic group described in works of speculative fiction and world-building documents. They are the inhabitants of the Sekincha Archipelago, a cluster of tropical islands in the western seas of the imagined world of Ardent Isles. The term Sekinchans refers to both the people and their language.

Etymology: The name is said to derive from the ancient Sekin word sekin meaning "sea" and the suffix -chan meaning "people."

Geography and society: They inhabit coastal settlements across several islands, with a strong maritime economy based on fishing, salt production, and boatbuilding. Social organization is historically clan-based, with chiefs exerting authority through councils.

Language: The Sekin language belongs to the Sekinic family and is characterized by vowel harmony, agglutinative morphology, and rich oral storytelling traditions. It exhibits conservative features in traditional chants and flexible word order in everyday speech.

Culture and practices: Notable crafts include pin-built outriggers and plank boats; festivals celebrate sea tides and harvest; music uses carved wooden flutes and drum ensembles.

History and influence: In the lore, Sekinchans established trade routes with neighboring island cultures and developed a distinctive boat-building technique. In modern fiction, they are depicted as intermediaries in regional commerce, facing pressures from colonial powers and climate change.