Topic: What Is the Mando Culture?

What is the definition of Mandalorian culture and their way of life, and what exactly is it that true Mandalorians live for? 

This question has come up in off topic conversations in several threads, so I thought it would be a good idea to make it ON topic, as it’s a question that many of us have a very strong opinion about

I personally believe they *the true Mando culture of Pre-Mandalorian Wars era, a culture I believe was followed by some later generations like the True Mandalorians and *in my opinion* the Fetts* are the Star Wars equivalent of the ancient Spartans: dedicating their lives to gaining honor in battle.

I know many members of the community here have issues with this way of looking at them, mainly due to the question of how they sustained themselves *use of slavery, worker droids, and/or raiding for their needs being beneath them in many of your minds*

However, lets look at the facts:

1. ALL the Mandalorians in Star Wars *that I know of* are warriors, from the Fetts *Jango was a farmer as a child, be he was not Mando at the time, either,* to every one you meet in the KOTOR games.

2. Much of what they use, including the fabled Basilisk War Driods, were prizes of battle, not their own creations.  Outside their armor *and I don’t know of any canon material that even makes THAT clear,* and perhaps a few weapons, *all of which could have been created for them, just under their required specs* is there anything we know of that the Mandalorians created?


That’s my opinion, what’s yours?

"You set a code to live by.  I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted...I won't be laid a hand on.  I don't do these things to other men, and I require the same from them."

Re: What Is the Mando Culture?

What is Hip?

Re: What Is the Mando Culture?

I agree with you completely ralin.  I have always though of Mandos as a spartan type, and I can't see why they wouldn't raid, or use some kind of equivalent to slavery.  They are nomadic warriors, who will do pretty much anything it takes to win  (of course, it would have to be within their honor code.)  Don't know what else they created, just know about the armor.  Other than that, I think your pretty much spot on ralin.  correct me if I'm wrong people big_smile

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Re: What Is the Mando Culture?

Mandalorians are a peoples that will devote 100% to whatever they do. One of the big downfalls of a warring, nomadic society is that losses are suffered in battle.  So after defeats the Mandalorians are put in a boom and bust cycle of sorts. 

During the boom they are constantly gaining new technologies from conquered planets.

The bust would include the Mandalorians being forced to settle on a planet into the farmers we see today.  As they cannot haveothers provide for their troops.

They Mandalorians we know are currently in the bust phase.  They have just come off a devastating civil war and exhasution of resources during the Imperial Era.  Only now in Karen's Mandos are we seeing them beginning to boom.  From the rediscovery of beskar to the whole Verpine deal I hope they become the force of Mandalorians we all know from the Old Republic Era in the Correllian Insurrection.

[i]Like I told your captain, the orphange attacked me.  It was self-defense.[/i]  -Richard the Warlock  [url]http://archive.lfgcomic.com/lfg0002.gif[/url]

Re: What Is the Mando Culture?

Sev Fett wrote:

Mandalorians are a peoples that will devote 100% to whatever they do. One of the big downfalls of a warring, nomadic society is that losses are suffered in battle.  So after defeats the Mandalorians are put in a boom and bust cycle of sorts. 

During the boom they are constantly gaining new technologies from conquered planets.

The bust would include the Mandalorians being forced to settle on a planet into the farmers we see today.  As they cannot haveothers provide for their troops.

They Mandalorians we know are currently in the bust phase.  They have just come off a devastating civil war and exhasution of resources during the Imperial Era.  Only now in Karen's Mandos are we seeing them beginning to boom.  From the rediscovery of beskar to the whole Verpine deal I hope they become the force of Mandalorians we all know from the Old Republic Era in the Correllian Insurrection.

I totally agree sev, but its impossible to be 100% devoted to whatever you do(Being a bit of a literalist  here but I know what you mean) Great theory

[i]The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed[/i]
[url=http://lfgcomic.com/page/1]Interrogations are hard...[/url]

Re: What Is the Mando Culture?

I was more refering to them being resilient.  And more of a metophorical thing.  Because there of course things like rasing children and aring for Mandalore to do while others are out being conquerers.

[i]Like I told your captain, the orphange attacked me.  It was self-defense.[/i]  -Richard the Warlock  [url]http://archive.lfgcomic.com/lfg0002.gif[/url]

Re: What Is the Mando Culture?

good question... I think if i'd try to answer I'd write a book... so I'll spare you guys...(try reading the Karen Travis books "Republic Commando", it'll shed some light on it)

                                                         BB* cool

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Re: What Is the Mando Culture?

Beskaryc Beroya wrote:

good question... I think if i'd try to answer I'd write a book... so I'll spare you guys...(try reading the Karen Travis books "Republic Commando", it'll shed some light on it)

                                                         BB* cool

Yes there is much about Mandalorian culture in Traviss' books, especially in Triple Zero and True Colors. Imbedded in the nature of all languages there is much of Mandalorian culture in Mando'a. Language is very importaint in any culture or society. ( Side note... esp. for LotR fans. Tolkien knew this. So as to fully develope his cultures and societies for Middle Earth he created languages for them, ading in their cultural idenities and values.) 

I am not sure what I personally feel that Mandalorian culture is. I think i am more of an intepreter of facts, a channeler of sorts, so i don't know what I think. But what I did find is this: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Mandalorian#Culture

I know that wiki is not cannon and not always accurate. But this should be at least a little helpful, even if its just supporting existing ideas.

Meat is murder...... tasty tasty murder.
"Suggestion: Electrocution works well. Evisceration and Decapitation are also effective, or um, so I've heard."

Re: What Is the Mando Culture?

Si Titran wrote:

I am not sure what I personally feel that Mandalorian culture is. I think i am more of an intepreter of facts, a channeler of sorts, so i don't know what I think. But what I did find is this: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Mandalorian#Culture

I know that wiki is not cannon and not always accurate. But this should be at least a little helpful, even if its just supporting existing ideas.

I generally like the wiki, but it's usually very general, or if it's not it's one side of an undecided theory. 

And it is all at theory for Mando culture because  *as of the last time I checked*  there is no Mandalorian section of the StarWars.com site.  So there really isn't much of anything canon on them as far as I'm concerned, leaving up to us to debate it

And  @  Sev:

Nobody, certainly not me, is questioning Mandalorian resiliency or dedication.  And I think you are 100% right about the “Boom and Bust” phases of Mando life; phases like that come with the territory when you live a Mando style of life. 

I’m talking about the “Boom” Mando way of life.  My contention is that when they have a choice, they will always live a life of warriors rather then farmers.  Farming and such work is something they do to survive in the “Bust” years, not a career choice.

"You set a code to live by.  I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted...I won't be laid a hand on.  I don't do these things to other men, and I require the same from them."

10 (edited by Si Titran Wednesday, February 13, 2008 8:25 pm)

Re: What Is the Mando Culture?

But this leaves us to question... What exactly is a "Mando style of life"? That too could be open to interpretation.

I know there are the "6 tenants" that a Mando is supposed to live by, but I feel that it is more than that. I think part of it is a certain level of respect of self. That respect pushes Mando's to be the best that they can be, which leads them to be great warriors.

Meat is murder...... tasty tasty murder.
"Suggestion: Electrocution works well. Evisceration and Decapitation are also effective, or um, so I've heard."

Re: What Is the Mando Culture?

Si Titran wrote:

But this leaves us to question... What exactly is a "Mando style of life"? That too could be open to interpretation.

I know there are the "6 tenants" that a Mando is supposed to live by, but I feel that it is more than that.

Those 'Six Tenants' could just be the basic. Individuals or Clans might have more of their own building off the original 6

[i]The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed[/i]
[url=http://lfgcomic.com/page/1]Interrogations are hard...[/url]

Re: What Is the Mando Culture?

ummmmmm, they have a race. They are very, very powerful. umm, jedi have defeated them. They wear really cool armour. They have awesome weapons. They wear helmets. They have spikes on their sholder pads. They sometimes have jetpacks. They kidnapped boba and turned him into a feared  mandalorian. that's all i know , i think....... hmm

You've been holding out on us again haven't you? Since you haven't given us enough money, I'll guess I'll have to take it out of you piece by piece! - Unknown Mandalorian.

Re: What Is the Mando Culture?

Mandalorians make their own armour (as a culture I mean, not individual Mando'ade making armour) and weapons - take the besk'ad - Mandalorian sabre, as a good example of this, not to mention all the products created by MandalMotors. Of-course they still use weapons and ships made by others and always have, sometimes even taking it from a conquered race - as with the Basilisk war-droids.
As to "what Mando's are" Mandalorians are a collection of like minded peoples from many different races that share the same basic outlook and attitude to life. There are farmers, the Fett's (the name Fett is taken from the pronunciation of Vhett (pronounced Fett) which mean farmer) - Jango's father ran a farm whilst he was Journeyman Protector on Concord Dawn, there are blacksmiths - Goran Beviin's partner Medrit is a blacksmith, there are vets, there are engineers - Jir Yomaget, head of MandalMotors and many other jobs, BUT...

...At the drop of a hat or when war or a chance to make a profit fighting, bounty hunting or body guarding or what ever then they do it. ALL this information IS canon and can be found in various sources from KT's Boba Fett: A Practical Man through to The Legacy Of The Force novels and the KOTOR games and graphic novels.

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/OrtharRrith/OrtharRrith-1.jpg[/img]

14 (edited by Werda Verd Monday, March 3, 2008 7:59 pm)

Re: What Is the Mando Culture?

let me add a quote:

"Mandalorians were compulsive adopters, and not just of kids. They seemed to want to collect skills, qualities, technology, any advantage, that wasn't nailed down."---Jaina Solo, Legacy of the Force, Revelation.

excellent book, by the way. anyways, that's another way of saying--they have adopted many things over time--weapons, people, languages, tools, etc---but their culture has scarcely changed at all over millenia. I like the boom and bust model. Well put.

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yff3jH8NECs]"Touch my Awesome Button."[/url]
--Captain Dynamic--

Re: What Is the Mando Culture?

Gah! I feel so inferior because I haven't gotten to read Legacy of the Force yet....... I just started NJO.....

Meat is murder...... tasty tasty murder.
"Suggestion: Electrocution works well. Evisceration and Decapitation are also effective, or um, so I've heard."

Re: What Is the Mando Culture?

Don't worry--NJO is where I got a lot of my view on the Force. It's a great series, and you'll get to Legacy before too long.

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yff3jH8NECs]"Touch my Awesome Button."[/url]
--Captain Dynamic--

Re: What Is the Mando Culture?

I haven't read all the replies so correct me if i'm wrong, but according to what ive picked up, from books in all:

The mandalorians are a nomadic group.  They do not care about race/species, just culture.  They are experts in the art of hunting, and fighting, and also close combat using the beskad.  They mine, because mandalorian metal is strong, and they market what products they make out of that metal.  In the off seasons, a lot of mandalorians are smithies and farmers [except boba fett of course] and because they dont believe in bloodlines, they tend to adopt a lot of kids, and train them to fight-- you're not a real man untli you train.  They are cold blooded fighters when they need to survive, but loving and caring at home [again, except boba fett]

I'd kind of disagree on the spartans part because they remind me more of the maori. Maybe because the two distinctive faces of the two most famous mandalorians-- jango and boba fett were played by maoris, but when the europeans [pakehas] started settling on new zealand, some were sort of "adopted" by the tribes and trained as warriors, some also earned the right to be tattooed. The mandalorians are more ihgh tech of course, but new zealand was a land that was discovered by the maori, and if ou look up some maori weapons, a lot of them resemble the beskad. The women of the maori are elite too.

__[i]VIPER[/i] out.
<my other car is the [i]Slave 1[/i]>

Re: What Is the Mando Culture?

Cerastes_Vipera wrote:

but when the europeans [pakehas] started settling on new zealand, some were sort of "adopted" by the tribes and trained as warriors, some also earned the right to be tattooed. The mandalorians are more high tech of course, but new zealand was a land that was discovered by the maori, and if you look up some maori weapons, a lot of them resemble the beskad. The women of the maori are elite too.

Those are a couple of good points right there.  Unlike the Spartans  *as far as I know; might be wrong, as I'm no authority on Spartan culture*  Mandalorians adopted outsiders eagerly IF they fit they Mando way of life/thinking.  And also, Mando women were expected to be warriors as well.

I don't dispute these things; perhapes your comparison is better then mine.  It's the individual mindset that connected the Spartans and the Mandos in my mind.  You know what I'm talking about if you saw the movie  300.  The part where the Arkadian *spelling* and the Spartan are looking down on the massive Persian army and the Spartan smiles; wonding if there's someone down there who is able to give him the 'Beautiful Death' *or was it Perfect Death?  need to watch it again.....*

I still challenge the idea that when the Mandalorians are in their 'Boom' phase  *see Sev's post above if you don't know what I'm talking about.....great post again, Sev* that they are farmers/miners.  And I still don't understand the resistace some have to the idea that the Mando's would use slavery/worker droids to do those tasks for them.  We know they DON'T value life as we do, in that they gain Honor and Rep. by KILLING PEOPLE!!!  *worthy oppenent when they can, but still....*  Look what they did to the Cathars and others during the Mandalorian Wars.  What was it Canderous said?  'The THOUSANDS I"ve KILLED, the WORLDS I"ve BURNED, I weep for my past," not a very nice guy really; cirtainly not someone I would expect to shocked or appauled by slavery/worker droids doing is home tasks so he can go out and ravage some other civilization. 

And just a note about the Mando's being a totally Nomadic population.  That's a word that's constantly thrown around, when we all KNOW they have a home base, the Planet Mandalore and whatever planets are in it's system!  When the Clans are away blowing stuff up, THEY live in a nomadic fashion, but they are not a Nomadic people; not as I understand the meaning of the word 'Nomadic'

Wow, that was a mouthful    tongue    Any counter/supporting thoughts?

"You set a code to live by.  I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted...I won't be laid a hand on.  I don't do these things to other men, and I require the same from them."

Re: What Is the Mando Culture?

yeah that was a handful to read, but i kind of support the farming mining idea seeing it as they are self made and independant, in one of the newer books it was said they had to get food imported since the vong had killed their soil. makes complete sense, and they do distrubite weaker versions of the metal etc so they can have the advantage in their armor. of course, since they are also businessmen, the use of droids can get the job done when they are not able to.

nomadic can be long term, or short term. it just means you have no permanent base and are known to move around. a mandalorian could live so many years, but the culture is long lived, so u have to see it collectively as if the culture itself is one lifetime -from my point of view- ..so several years on one planet can be like one season. lucky for them on mandalore, they were able to still use the land, however, instead of wandering around, the mandalorians do plan to make mandalore more like a fortress so it could be more permanent smile

about 300..i've only seen it twice, i do know of a spartan fanatic though i can ask lol. the guy knows just about every line to that movie!

__[i]VIPER[/i] out.
<my other car is the [i]Slave 1[/i]>

Re: What Is the Mando Culture?

Well, again, I"m primarily talking about the 'Boom' area of the Mandalorians; the Mando's just before the Mandalorian Wars, and the ideals of Jaster's True Mandalorians.  Yes many Mandalorians were farmers during the era the Vong messed up the planet, that was the Mandalorians in the 'Bust' phase; a phase they've never recovered from since the Mandalorian Wars with the exception of some minor groups.

"You set a code to live by.  I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted...I won't be laid a hand on.  I don't do these things to other men, and I require the same from them."

Re: What Is the Mando Culture?

well---as to nomadic, there were only, what, 3 million mandos on the planet before Boba called a lot of them home? most are off planet, scattered throughout the galaxy. they do have a home planet, but only a fraction of them live there. so they could be considered nomadic

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yff3jH8NECs]"Touch my Awesome Button."[/url]
--Captain Dynamic--

22 (edited by Ralin Drakus Saturday, March 8, 2008 12:09 pm)

Re: What Is the Mando Culture?

Werda Verd wrote:

there were only, what, 3 million mandos on the planet before Boba called a lot of them home?

I Again Repeat, I am PRIMARILY talking about the Mando's of the BOOM era as described by Sev, NOT the Mando's of the post-Mandalorian Civil War, or any time in-between then and the end of the Mandalorian Wars with the possable exception of Jaster's True Mandalorians.  You can't compare the Mando's of Boba's generation with those of the Mandalorian Wars, as the new-era Mandalorians are for the most part a totally different people.  I have never *that I recall*  tried to claim that the Mando's of Boba's era were NOT farmers etc.  It's the old-school generations that I'm talking about; the REAL Mandalorian culutre, as it was before the defeat by Revan.

Ralin Drakus wrote:

And just a note about the Mando's being a totally Nomadic population.  That's a word that's constantly thrown around, when we all KNOW they have a home base, the Planet Mandalore and whatever planets are in it's system!  When the Clans are away blowing stuff up, THEY live in a nomadic fashion, but they are not a Nomadic people; not as I understand the meaning of the word 'Nomadic'

As you can see, Werda Verd, I totally agree. 

However, you arn't desciribing a nomadic CULTURE, but group from it who chose to live a nomadic life. 

'From Webster's New World Dictionary:'  "Nomad: 1. a memberof a tribe or people having no permanent home, but moving about constantly in search of food, pasture, etc.   2. Any wanderer who has no fixed home"

Everyone's description  *including mine*  fit's #2, in that when Crusading or doing something in that line, INDIVIDUAL Mando's wander and live a Nomad's life.  But the culture itself does not fit #1, ESPECIALLY if you guys are right about farming, mining, etc.  A true nomadic culture would almost HAVE to fit my view of them, as the primary source of food/income for nomads is to hunt, and the StarWars equivilent for hunting would be maurading and raiding; a warrior lift that I have been describing in my earlier posts

"You set a code to live by.  I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted...I won't be laid a hand on.  I don't do these things to other men, and I require the same from them."

Re: What Is the Mando Culture?

ok. I only know of the more recent mandos, sadly......

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yff3jH8NECs]"Touch my Awesome Button."[/url]
--Captain Dynamic--

Re: What Is the Mando Culture?

Werda Verd wrote:

ok. I only know of the more recent mandos, sadly......

yeah, I understand.  Almost all the new books out there are about Jango, Boba, and the few new Mandalorians that are out there.  All I really know about the old Mandalorians is what I've gleaned from KOTOR and other places like that.  Considering what little there is on them, that's about all anybody knows about them   tongue

But that's why we can debate the issue; becuase we know so little.  It's still up for speculation.  Based on what we know from KOTOR and such sorces, I believe the OLD Mando's lived a Sparten, or perhapes as Vipera suggested, a  Maori style of life.  And it's this old fashion way of living that some *if not most; that's not for sure either* later Mandalorians like Jaster, Jango, and Boba modeled themselves after to one degree or another.

Or at least that's how I see it

"You set a code to live by.  I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted...I won't be laid a hand on.  I don't do these things to other men, and I require the same from them."

25 (edited by Ale'ika Skirta Sunday, March 9, 2008 10:11 pm)

Re: What Is the Mando Culture?

Ralin Drakus wrote:
Werda Verd wrote:

ok. I only know of the more recent mandos, sadly......

yeah, I understand.  Almost all the new books out there are about Jango, Boba, and the few new Mandalorians that are out there.  All I really know about the old Mandalorians is what I've gleaned from KOTOR and other places like that.  Considering what little there is on them, that's about all anybody knows about them   tongue

But that's why we can debate the issue; becuase we know so little.  It's still up for speculation.  Based on what we know from KOTOR and such sorces, I believe the OLD Mando's lived a Sparten, or perhapes as Vipera suggested, a  Maori style of life.  And it's this old fashion way of living that some *if not most; that's not for sure either* later Mandalorians like Jaster, Jango, and Boba modeled themselves after to one degree or another.

Or at least that's how I see it

reading different sources including KT's blog on starwars.com when she had it, she was treating her mando's like the Maori (the people the actor who played Jango is a member of) and the celts since the spartans where elitists and didnt think anyone else was worth the effort of breeding with (Leonidas and his wife where related) The onlymajor difference between KoToR Mando's and the 'modern' Mando's that i can see is that the KoToR Mando's where activaly conquering sectors and planets where 'mondern' Mando's where more concerned with Mandalore the Mandalore Sector and making money... even though KoToR Mando's also new the value of a credit

[i]Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la.[/i]
Not gone, merely marching far away.-----[i]Mandalorian phrase for the departed[/i]