Topic: What do Mandos do?

So I was wondering what do Mandalorians do when they aren't on their glorious crusades or aren't preparing for them? What do you guys think?

holo net surffing.

Come to think of it I don't think nyone has ever touched upon the hobbies and pasttimes of Mandolorians.

Well, most of the time when they aren't fighting they're farming. Also they train alot.

Yes.  Lots of farming.  Nomads tend to do a lot of farming.  And mining.

Training, farming, plotting to take over the universe... the usual stuff :P

What about "having fun"?

Like we said, they train to be better Mandalorian warriors. Whats not fun?

I suppose it depends on how you define ‘having fun’

But I do think that there will be merry making amongst all of the farming, hunting, training etc.

Well,don't they have parades or clubs?That's not what I actually meant in the first place but whatever.

LOL you beat me to my edit :D I was just being silly as in that I would imagine that they would find fun ion things that others would not and that could include the training etc.

I do think that they would also go and have fun.

It was mentioned in the E-Book about the celebration when one Mandalore came of age so I would imagine that they would also socialise in tapcafé’s etc.

LOL I think they might train.

They train of course.

Also, they stick "Kick Me" signs on the Sergent's backs and try to instigate water ballon and paintball fights. If they're feeling really daring, they rig up something to fall on Mandalore when he walks through a doorway.

Are they EVER not preparing for another crusade?  :D
I'd say either farming, deciding what they want for their imminent funeral, getting as many funnies inj as possible before they bite the dust, and all the while acting all so somber and mysterious when an outsider comes to camp, thereby furthering their mystique, and adding to their persona of being a feared warrior race.  (And then watch as they all turn out to be big softies at heart.)  They probably all dream up ways to outdo their neighbor's in pranks as well.  "I'm gonna get that Ord!  I still can't  believe I slipped on that banana peel, fell into bee's nest filled with honey, and landing on a torn feather cushion!  I've gottta get something far worse for him....but nothing to do with chickens.  That idea is outdated, and overused...." says the mando coated in chicken feathers, looking for all the world like a giant bird.

This was a completely random post, so i will not be held responsible for any and all laughing towards it.  I will not be charged with the medical bill for lack of breathing due to overdose of laughter.

Why, they sit at home and play Asteroids and Space Invaders of course! =P

Hehehe, I like that one Cecillia (long time no see!)

They better play Frogger too - for co-ordination skills :P

Well, remember in KOTOR2 when we go to that Mandalorian camp on that moon of Onderon? (I can't remember it's name now, D-something?) I don't remember a whole lot of it right off, but I think there were some training places here and there and then something they were doing inside with tracking or something I think.

Dxun. That's the Mando Moon.

Well, many of you have touched upon the obvious ones... I think each night they like to sit around a big bon fire, roast some Star Wars equivilant of marshmellows and tell stories and pass on myths to one another. :)
It's not corny! I think their culture is not on based on written word, but one that relies on the passing down of stories from one generation to another.

I agree with Manji...  It seems likely that they would pass on stories.  It would be funny to imagine them trying to one up each other with the most embarrassing moments...  Like those funny war stories.  *laughs* 

Yes, I can see that.

I've reconsidered. I think they pick daisies and make daisy-chain necklaces for each other. :P

I think you have got it spot on there.

I do not know why I did not realise that myself. But you have missed one thing that they obviously do as well.

Hold hands and skip while singing ;)

Oh, what about baking contests?  Whose dolce de leche is the best?  ;)

It's Pretty clear what they do, Thay Watch Earth Wars: The Original Trilogy! :D

i think they train and play games ( games that help you train)

like kill the leader

Don't know what it's worth, but Skirata taught the clones some mando balls games with weird rules and lots of violence. Oh and there's the Dha Wherda thing. And the drinking songs... that probably means they enjoy celebrating together and getting hammered.

And if you don't like farming or hunting, there's engineering, blacksmithing (how do you think they make beskar? Mandalorian iron), all sorts of manufacturing for homes and furnitures, I heard they built Keldabe out of mythosaur skeletons... Running markets and various economies... Doing merc jobs.... And finally politics: a planet doesn't run itself.

There's lots to do.

That sounds like enough. In many ways they don't sound much different from us!

When Mando's arn't fighting, they are normal people in the universe.  They have families, marry, have children, play, farm, work in a factory.  When the armor comes off, you'll find that mando'ade have a high value in family and bringing up their children (natural or adopted) to carry on the ways of the mando'ade. 

Out of the armor, your going to find them spending alot of family together time =)

Ok, I'm hoping a lot of the posts I'm seeing here are mostly for fun, and not serious ideas  ('Mando's are normal people like us when not trying to conquor the universe   :/  ??)

I've wondered about this one myself; anyone care for a honest probability??

I'm into history, and I've tried to figure what earth cultures are closest to the Mando one (or at least the Mando culture I picture in my mind).

Anybody see the movie "300"??  Or know anything about the real Spartans? 

I think they are the closest thing to Mando's on earth we'll ever have (some, if not many American Indian tribes might also fit the bill). 

The Spartans didn't do any 'work.'  They just trained constantly for war.  Being raised from birth in that environment, like a Mandalorian, that's all they knew could be fun.  Farming and labor jobs like that (really every form of work) was done by slaves.

Think about it.  Mando's place a unique value on life; even their own.  What they value most is aquiring Honor through battle.  They obviously don't care anything for the rights of other sentient creatures; they want to conquer the galaxy!!!  A Mandalorian would just as soon blast you as look at you if Honor would be gained from it (and I challenge the idea that they only want to conquer the galaxy. Conquering the galaxy is just the ultimate test of their skills; and would gain them the greatest Honor by defeating power/powers that rule the galaxy). 

So why would it be surprising that Mando's kept slaves for such tasks as farming, mining, and the like, and used ALL their time training and passing down stories of past battles?

Any thoughts?

I know Mandalorians do farming.  At least Jango's area and a little previous.  They just do not seem like the kind of people to keep slaves.  They are extremely hard workers and will apply themselves to whatever task they are assigned, be it farming or mining, or whatever.  BUt when it comes to battle all prestenses are dropped and they do this with honor that we know them to possess.

I like them best in the battle situation.  Thats where they truly seem to shine.  Maybe I'm just a warmonger at heart :P  I just love seeing Mando's in battle, is all....

You may be right ( I KNOW you're right when you say they apply themselves totally to whatever they put their minds too).  And I have to admit that I'm writting on a subject that I'm not really up to date on; I never had the opportunity to read any of the Star Wars comics; the place where most of the Mandalorian info seems to be.  So please forgive me if I'm making a statement that is totally known NOT to be true.

But Jango wasn't born a Mandalorian, was he??  I've heard Concord Dawn is or may be a Mando world; or is in the same system.  But as I understood it, he was a farmer's son who got caught up the the Mandalorian Civil War (which is what all the real Mando's were doing, I thought), not a Mando himself.  He was adopted into Mandalorian society.

Also, though they may not seem like people who keep slaves to you, Mandalorians REALLY don't seem to be like farmers or 'normal people' in any sense to me.

It is a warrior culture, right??  A culture that views Honor gained in battle as the only real purpose for being.  Is anyone debating that??  If there is evednce that this isn't the case I'd like to hear abut it; it's one of the main things that attracted me to the Mandalorians. That cirtainly was the impresion left on me from KOTOR.  Though branches of the Mandalorian people have strayed from this way of life in the last 4000 years, it's still the heart of Mando philosophy I thought.

Am I wrong??

I don't think Jango's family were Mandalorians. Remember, Jaster Mareel wasn't a Mandalorian at first either, he was just a journeyman protector and Jango's dad just happened to side with him in whatever the problem is that got him kicked off planet. It was after that that Jaster joined the Mandalorians. Or at least that's always the impression I got.

Wow.  I did not know that.  I really need to check my sources next time.

it's very easy to get confused on this stuff ( I know; TRUST me).  Hell, it's possible we're all right AND wrong on this, considering all the contradictory info from books and comics out there.

One of the main reasons for all the confusion is because of the info in books that came out before Ep. II for Boba.  Everyone is trying to salvage those stories for Jango and Jaster now.

Anyway, I did hear that the name Fett in Mandalorian means 'farmer;' not sure what that means to his charachter.  I always thought is was sort of a joke; or a touch of Mando irony.

Smith in English refers to "smitty" someone who does metal works but that does not mean anything to all the anglos who have the last name Smith. Therefore, Fett does mean anything particular to Boba other than say something about his ancestry.

my two cents:

Jango Fett (a derivative of 'Vhette' meaning farmer) wasnt born Mandalorian, but neither were a lot of Mando's in a culture that prided itself as gaining family strength through adoptive rites. Adoption was a formal rite of passage bestowed by a father onto his "son".

Mandalorians are a warrior culture, but home and family are just as important to the Mando'ade. No they don't keep slaves. I think they relish the work of building homes and farms and families.

As far as Conquering the galaxy, that time came and went with the passing of Mandalore the first, who in my opinion, almost caused the noble culture to plunge into extinction by making the mistake of teaming with the Sith, for Galactic Conquest.

Don't let that megalomaniacal warmonger's legacy be what you take from the Mando'a culture.

In my opinion Karen Traviss's recent portrayal of the Mando'ade has been the best Ive seen yet. Look it up if you havent yet, and please keep an open mind. I've seen too many ppl complain about her portrayal, just 'cuz it "makes Boba Fett less mysterious." Personally, I like to know what makes the Fett really tick.

...bunch of crybabies (not you guys, the KT and Mando-haters)...

Hope I didn't sound like I was saying Family and Culture weren't important to the Mandalorians; far from it.  Family is probably MORE important to a Mandalorian then many if not most other cultures in Star Wars; it is a Clan based society.  And passing down their unique culture and heritage to the next generation of Mandos would be a cornerstone of their society.

And I also appreciate the fact that Jango was far from the first Mandalorian adopted into the ranks.  "Aliit Orishya Tal'din" - "Family is more then blood." 

My only argument is that Mandalorians don't seem like farmers or manual laborers to me; like the ancient Spartans weren't.  Maybe they used droids for that stuff??  We know Mando's weren't 'racist' (is there a better term for animosity for droids??) towards droids like many other cultures.  They embraced them in many ways.

I believe that the Mandalorians live for war and gaining Honor in combat.  Not much chance of living that dream as a shopkeeper.  That's why so many become bounty hunters, mercenarys, or join one of the waring Clans or factions.  Do we know of any true Mando's that don't do one of those jobs?? 

PS.   Thanks Virulent_Messieh; I'm going to check out the Traviss works as soon as I get the chance

No prob, Drakus.

I was saying that the "true Mando's" weren't JUST bounty hunters, and mercs OR JUST farmers and homesteaders, they incorporated BOTH aspects. Keep in mind places the Mandalorians made home, like Concord Dawn and Mandalore were rugged and uncivilized wilderness frontier. Think "Old West during the 'Homesteaders Act' ". They had to make good farmers and such, or they couldn't survive. Only a handful of Mandalorians were of Boba Fett's caliber, commanding enough of a pay rate with the resources to live on just their ship. And even he had arrangements to stay in other properties, with multiple real estate throughout the galaxy.

BTW Clan Drakus? Would you be interested in extending your Clan?

Check out this thread:

http://www.bobafett.com/boards/viewtopic.php?id=2008

I know where you're coming from on this, and you might be right.  But I just can't see it that way until proven wrong.  At least not where the true Mando culture is concerned; the Mandalorian culture of Revan's time.  Now, most of those born Mando's now have fallen from that way of life; to a culture that you are describing.

This is my case.  Star Wars already has people like what you're saying. Mostly ordinary folks who are just trying to make a life for themselves, with some becoming extra-ordinary; but when threatened, they all become great warriors, they're called WOOKIEES!

I see the Mandalorians as something else.  I imagine them living a true Warrior path.  As far as their ability to get by when not at war, the planet Mandalore is a jungle world like Duxn; a place where you have to kill to survive.  People keep posting 'they're nomads, so they must be farmers.'  Some of the most famous nomad societies in history, the Mongols, most of the northern plains Indians and the Comanches of America, didn't do any farming at all!  They were hunters and raiders!  That's the way I see the Mandalorians.  Call me a warmonger if you like (I prefer the term Militaristic   :D ), but that's the way I like them, too

*EDIT*  Anyone else who sees the Mandalorians the way I do, check out virulent_messiah's thread in the General section "Would people be interested in starting Clans, like a Mando'a culture?"

I’m interested in starting a clan.  Any like-minded (or even just open-minded) Mando fans are welcome to join.  PM or E-mail me if you’re interested, and we can begin our Crusade toward greater Mando knowledge and understanding, work on FanFics and/or other projects, and kick butt in RPGs :D