Shienar

Found in the northeast corner of Randland, Shienar is one of the four borderland states that keep the southern lands from being overrun by Trollocs, Myrddraal, and other horrors of the dark one. Forty years before Shienar was the buffer against the Blight that it is, the nation of Malkier existed to the north. However,treachery from within caused the utter destruction of Malkier and its Seven Towers, and began the lifelong struggle of Lan to dance with the Shadow in a war that cannot be won, only fought. Regardless of the buffer that used to exist in Malkier, Shienar is home to a unique culture that has generally endured for the three thousand years since the Breaking of the World.

To encapsulate the male culture of Shienar within its own words, here's the most quotable phrase in all of the Wheel of Time books:

Death is lighter than a feather, duty heavier than a mountain.

So yeah, keep to your duty, and do you damndest to not die. This phrase is one of the only things that keeps Rand going in the books, a talisman to remind him that he must go on for life to continue, and death waits for him at the end so he can rest.

So, Shienaran culture can mainly be described as a practicing chivalric society, especially since Shienar is famous for producing powerful heavy cavalry. Women are given immense respect, as well as their own quarters that men are not allowed in to. Necessarily, this leads to the question: "Why?"

I think a common thread in all the borderland cultures is that women decide when to hop in the sack, and when to get back out. The respect given them is due to how there is a constant need for able-bodied men to serve in the armies of the border, and because of their contribution, women are given immense privilege and power. Gotta make babies, and the women have to put up with them so the line can be held. One funny thing you learn in The Great Hunt is that the ladies of Fal Dara Keep love playing matchmaker. They think that Rand is an outland lord, and constantly drop hints that so-and-so would make a dutiful and good wife, and how his babies and sword skill would help keep the Blight back.

It is also influenced by samurai culture, primarily in how they approach honor and obligations. The men find their self-respect in how well they perform their duties as borderlander men, as well as how seriously they take their duties. Men giving themselves over to abstract concepts like this helps maintain their devotion to not only Shienar and the border, but to all the people south.

Just a quick primer, but interesting nonetheless. One last bit is to note that Aes Sedai are immensely respected there, which may be a distribution of their attitude towards women.

Opening the fan, Ishamael