Andorian/Society
Culture
Dress
Andorian dress varies as much as would be expected of any member-race of the Federation. However, there are some traditions that have been upheld since the Federation was founded.
Hair
Members of the Andorian Imperial Guard have short hair cuts. Civilians wear their hair long, and often braided.
Recreation and the Arts
Andorians make prodigious artists; Ezri Dax's mother, Yanas Tigan, bought handpainted Andorian tiles for her solarium in 2375, and Andor's Academy was widely considered the best art school in the Federation.
Andorians excel at many performance arts such as poetry, literature and especially music. They have also been known to create impressive forms of two and three dimensional art.
There are many different Andorian musical instruments but Andorians have no problem learning and using off-world instruments as well. One of their best known native instruments is the hyperblat, another is the flabbjellah which is a combination musical instrument and combat weapon.
Andorians do not have very many forms of recreation as this is seen as a waste of time, however thay do play one sport, elan'tina, which seems to have developed out of their strong militaristic background. It is very similar to various military simulations like capture the flag.
Society
Andorians of all four genders enjoy an equal position in society, both in civilian and military circles.
As a race and a culture the Andorians can not stand disabilities among their people. Some even say that imperfect infants may be exposed to the environment.
While obesity is not unknown among them, it is culturally condemned by the majority of them.
Declining Population
Due to the requirement of four parents in the reproductive cycle and the usual production of less than four offspring, the Andorian species is in decline.
With the decline in population the Andorian Science Institute has been hard at work exploring possible solutions to this problem.
The most promising form of research has been into altering the Andorian chromosome #17. It is believed that by altering this chromosome they could increase the length of fertility considerably, thus increasing the number of years during which conception would be possible.
Another area of research is into the possibility of altering the way the gametes divide in the body. If successful, this would make both the Thaan and the Chan fully functional males with viable sperm. The long term implications for them as a race would be the elimination of the need for paired quads as their would eventually only be two sexes.
However this research has produced great controversy within the Andorian society. It goes against all their customs and traditions. Many Andorians are outraged by this research and feel that any and all work into altering the four sexes should be stopped and destroyed.
Upbringing
A nursing zhen is called a zhavey and will go into seclusion for the safety of her child while it is growing within her pouch. During this time she will wear a modesty drape over her pouch. She will also have a purplish pigmentation on her neck that will identify her as a nursing mother. This is usually still visible once she comes out of seclusion.
Education
Andorian classes are held at any time of the day or night as they have no set sleep cycle. Students sit in age groups and will all wear a tunic like uniform of brown. Young children learn to chant the history, legends and traditions of their people, thus memorizing this information at a young age. Older students wear a fitted brown uniform.
Kethni
Andorians are divided not by countries or political boundaries, but by family and clan groups. The clans, known as keth, each specialise in an area of expertise, as well as representing a portion of the Andorian government. Below is a sample of some major Andorian clans and their specialisms.
| Clan | Specialism |
|---|---|
| Aldin | Sciences |
| Athrun | Piloting |
| Birev | Engineering |
| Dara | Black Ops |
| Dovoro | Business and Trade |
| Idrani | Armed Combat |
| Idisha | Theater |
| Kor | Negotiation |
| P'Trell | Medicine |
| Talliryen | Industry |
One Andorian clan of note is Reiji, a near-forgotten clan who devote themselves to representing the old way of life. They have been known to take part in an archaic form of gambling in which they stake their own teeth.
Clans meet in keeps, underground fortresses that are formed either naturally in the case of volcanic caves, or else are man-made. A representative from each keth, known as a Presider, is sent to represent the clan on the Andorian government.
The upper floor of council chamber contains an eight-sided room known as the Heroes’ antechamber. The Andorian Chancellor and the Federation Ambassador are both elected by members of the keth and serve on the Andorian government.
Politics
All Andorians are members of clans, or keth, which specialise in different professional skills. These keth all have different views, which need to be represented in some way in the global government. As such, the Kethni council, made up of a number of members from different keth is the global government of Andoria, and it comprises around 300 members. Legislation, as well as the election of a Chancellor, is decided democratically. The Council is directly responsible for the Andorian Defence Force, which does not fall under the jurisdiction of Starfleet Command.
Commerce
The most important overland trade route on the planet is through the Tharan Mountains. This trade route was the source of a great deal of dispute during the Time of Lament. Its importance has dwindled since the introduction of atmosphere-capable shuttlecraft and transporter technology.
The Federation underwent an Andorian fad in the early 23rd Century, as Andorian clothing and cuisine became fashionable on Earth. Many humans purchased Andorian Hrisal (ceremonial blades) as well as fake antennae. Andorian silk is prized for its softness, and Andorian jewellery is highly collectable. Andorian Ale remains a well-loved beverage throughout the Federation to this day.
Andorian tiles are exported to many different worlds as they are regarded as being extremely well crafted. Their high quality lends itself well to hand painting.
Saf
This is a aphrodisiac and psychoactive chemical that is refined from a native Andorian plant. It does not replicate well and only grows successfully on their native homeworld of Andoria. It is used by Andorians during sex as it provides a number of benefits when it comes to pleasure and sexual function. Normally only sanctuary priests and priestesses are allowed to dispense it to bonded groups. It is generally only available by medical prescription.
It is illegal to possess Saf offworld and can be fatal to some non-Andorians. It has been used by some as a recreational drug and is still available on the black market. The Cardassians were known to use it during the Bajoran Occupation.
Food & Drink
Alcoholic Beverages
- Probably the best known alcoholic drink is Andorian Ale which comes in a few different varieties. The most common is a colorful blue ale with a very high alcohol content. They also produce a yellow ale that has a nutty flavour.
- Another very popular and well known alcoholic drink is the Andorian Sunset cocktail.
Hot Beverages
- Katheka is a stimulant drink that is very similar to Terran coffee.
- Srjula is a bright yellow tea that is very bitter yet tart at the same time. It is made by dissolveing orange colored leaves in hot water.
- Another Andorian tea is Talla which is made from the bark of a talla tree. It is a cheaper drink and not as popular as srjula.
Vegetable Dishes
- Andorian Tuber Root may be served in a variety of ways. One way is to serve it raw sliced into a salad. It is considered a staple for most Andorians and is very high in calories.
- Flat Root is usually roasted and is a brownish, orange vegetable dish.
- Fat-grass, a grain bearing plant found growing all over Andoria except in the Northern Wastes, is a highs source of protein.
- Most babies are fed mashed xixu fronds (a marine plant) once they have started to be weaned off of zhiassa, which is the milk produced by a nurseing zhen who is also called a zhavey while nursing.
Other Food
- Hari is the traditional Andorian bread served with most meals.
- Another popular dish is Impararay Redbat which is made using an Andorian redbat.
- Many visitors to Andor are offered steamed Shaysha which is a barely edible orange speckled beetle like andorian insect. Many unwary newcomers to Andor have been encouraged to try them.
- Seafood of many kinds are also a staple of most Andorians diet.
> HONAR + Memory Beta entries
Deities and Religious Principles
While Andorians do not appear outwardly to be religious, there are tenets and beliefs that they hold dear. Perhaps the most important axiom of the Andorian people is: “With the bond we are whole, without the bond we are nothing”
Uzaveh the Infinite is the main deity in the Andorian belief system. It is believed that he was responsible for the Breaking (dividing of the Andorian people into four genders). The Tale of the Breaking recounts in detail as to how the four Andorian genders tie in with religion. This relates to each representing an element of Andorian spirituality.
- Thaan are believed to represent wisdom. Their spiritual element is Star.
- Zhen are believed to represent strength. Their spiritual element is Earth.
- Shen are believed to represent blood. Their spiritual element is Water.
- Chan are believed to represent passion. Their spiritual element is Fire.
Thori is the Andorian deity who governs nature, including the growth of crops and the ecology of Andoria.
Rituals
Bonding
Andorian weddings require four people.
While this is hard for outsiders to understand a bond is whole even if the members are far apart pursuing their own lives and careers. When one of the members of a bond is lost due to death or removal from the bond they will seek to try and replace that individual as quickly as possible. Once the fertility period is over and any children have been raised it is not uncommon for bondmates to move away and pursue lives and careers that may result in their being totally secluded from the other members of their bond for years at a time.
While sexual union outside of the bond is frowned upon it is also understood that young adults will experiment. However once the bond has become formalized it is generally uncommon.
Due to the fact that Andorian fertility periods have been slowly getting shorter they will try to conceive as many children as possible during this period and since fewer viable children have been born the Andorians have been forced to arrange bondings among genetically compatible members of their society. This has replaced allowing the young people to pick their bondmates.
If they are found to be genetically acceptable they will generally be bonded by the age of 23.
Whole Vessel Law
Once a bonding has occured between a compatable set of 4 Andorians, only the clan's ruling Zhavey (oldest zhen) can give permission for one of them to be released from their bond. In rare cases bondmates can ask the elder to invoke the Whole Vessel Law to evict a bondmate from the bond. This is an extreme act as all 4 Andorians will suffer but not nearly as much as the one evicted, who will suffer the most psychologically from being alone.
The Time of Knowing
The Time of Knowing is a ritual of betrothal between a member of each of the four sexes. A locket containing a strand of each member’s hair, and the symbols of each sex placed around a cross-shape is given to participants.
The Sending
The Sending is a ritual that is observed to mark the death of a clansman.
- It is preceded by the Rite of Memory in which mourners record memories of the deceased in the form of biochemical imprints on a crystalline cipher.
- Mourners create their own mask of death for this ritual. It cannot take place until all members of the clan concerned are present to participate. As such, the deceased is kept preserved in the clan keep until the ritual can begin.
- The ritual is timed to be completed before midnight. Clan members are summoned by five tolls of a bell, at which time the coffin is brought out from the keep by hooded, robed figures to the rhythm of a drum beat. The procession is led by the three surviving bond mates of the deaceased, and a priest or priestess who represents the missing gender from the bond. Each one represents one of the four Andorian elements – Wisdom, Strength, Blood and Passion.
- The coffin is placed on an obsidian coffin while ritual songs are sung. When the entirety of the procession reaches the table, the leader of the ceremony offers a prayer before both the body and the memory cipher are cremated.
Ritual attire
The attire used for formal Andorian rituals differs by gender:-
| Gender | Ritual Attire |
|---|---|
| Thaan | Suit of chain mail. |
| Chan | Traditional Andorian warrior's attire. |
| Shen | A robe that exposes the whole of the shen's back. Shen often wear body paint to ritual ceremonies. |
| Zhen | Three piece bodysuit. This is knitted and form fitting. An over-garment is worn to protect the privacy of a zhen who is carrying a child to term. |
Spring Water Festival
This is the most important Andorian holiday. It involves a chan and a shen joining together in a ritual to plead for the protection of the Water Guardian. It is a widely celebrated festival that is so important that many Andorians return home to Andor to participate even though it occurs during the stormy season.
This holiday involves fasting, prayer and personal sacrifice. In the past after the proper rituals were observed the people would indulge in drinking, overeating, saf and tezha which is sex with strangers. Many of the older practices have now been outlawed but are still practised in the oldest levels of the cities. The recreation use of saf is still a major part of these festivities.
Military
Andorians are a militaristic race, exemplified in small part by weaponry without stun settings. They consider it an honor to serve in their Imperial Guard, and military rank greatly influenced social reputation.
Ships
As members of the United Federation of Planets, the Andorians have access to many different types of Starfleet Vessel. However, Andorian Battle-Cruisers are used as the mainstay of the Andorian Imperial Guard.
Federation Intelligence Files
- The Andorian Merchant Fleet is the largest in Federation space.
- Andorian Volna Viria gangsters are often involved in the affairs of the Orion Syndicate.
- No members of this Federation race were aboard the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) when Data's offspring, Lal, was "born." Lal rejected an Andorian female as one of four final choices for a racial type, instead opting to become a human female.
- Andor is among the many planets providing a registry home to numerous ships that use Deep Space Nine.
- Chirurgeon Ghee P'Trell, an Andorian, was nominated for the Carrington Award in 2371.
- It is said that Andorian renegades, in the Triangula system, once embarrassed a Starfleet admiral's supposed search when they hid their ship by dismantling it.
- This Federation member-race was the subject of some kind of gender-swapping joke by Quark but Morn was slow to catch; the punch line was "and the Andorian says, 'Your brother? I thought it was your wife!"
- Interestingly, Andorians are amongst the only aliens who are approved as alien partners by the Deltan people as regards their policy on Deltan partnerships on starships. This is possibly due to the Andorians' four gender reproductive system and the nature of the sensitivity of their antennae, which would safeguard them from the same levels of emotional trauma that could potentially be caused to other species.
Code of Honour
A strict code of honour is adhered to for settling disputes in order to prevent a return to the Time of Lament, an age of planet-wide civil war which almost resulted in the extinction of the Andorian species.
In order to limit disputes to small numbers of individuals rather than entire clans, Andorians follow a strict code of honour that governs duelling as a means of resolving differences.
A crucial part of Andorian tradition is Ushaan, a code of honor demanding a duel to the death, with combatants pitted against one another using an ushaan-tor (iceminer's tool). A vast body of regulations with around 12,000 amendments binds this code. Such a fight can be called off if one combatant disabled the other enough to prevent its continuance. Though Ushaan can be called by someone to avenge a personal loss, there exists a right of substitution wherein each combatant can offer up a replacement, and married combatants could postpone duels indefinitely if they had no children to continue their clans.
Invoked for personal grievances, the Ushaan can be settled by first strike, first blood, or in the cases of extreme actions such as murder, to the death. Most Andorians reserve these customs for other Andorians only, but traditionalists may hold other species to the same values.
Imperial Guard members who died far from home could count on their companions to transport a body part back to the Andorian ices.
Weapons
| Image | Name | Dimensions | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
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Chaka | 35cmx75cm | A claw-like weapon designed to be cradled between the fingers to form a punch-blade. Multiple blades protrude from the sides of the weapon, allowing for multiple lacerations in one stroke. |
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Hrisal | 60cm long | Single-edged fighting knife favoured by the Andorian Imperial Guard. Known as an "everyday" weapon, the single-edged blade has a slight curve at the end of the weapon and looks a lot like the human "scimitar".
|
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Flabbjellah | Unknown | Combined musical instrument and weapon and the typical side arm of the Andorian race. |
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Ushaan-tor | Unknown | A Miner's icepick, also used as a duelling weapon in Ushaan duels and played witch by children. |
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| Andorians |
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