Our Summer Isles

[NorthGirl]

Hey, just wondering, when you think of the Summer Isles, what country/region and what culture(s) do you think they are modelled after?

*It's not as dumb a question as it might seem. I just read something somewhere else and was wondering if people identified the same inspiration behind them as I did. I just don't want to skew the conversation, that's why I'm not adding more details.

[The Commentator]

Polynesian.  However, the appearance of the SI in the books is not the same.  

[Adam Targaryen]

I think I kind of see them as African

[weirwoodface]

Madagascar

[NorthGirl]

 

3 hours ago, Widowmaker 811 said:

Polynesian.  However, the appearance of the SI in the books is not the same.  

 

3 hours ago, Adam Targaryen said:

I think I kind of see them as African

 

10 minutes ago, weirwoodface said:

Madagascar

Interesting, thanks!

if you guys don't mind, what made you think of those places/cultures?

[weirwoodface]

For Madagasgar, the description of the setting is close enough, although the real-world example's biggest island is too big, I suppose. There are still smaller islands comprising the country. And it has beautiful coastline, interior, and what would be considered fantastical animals in a time and place such as aWoIaF. 

While the people don't have ebony skin, they are of Bornean and African descent, so their looks would be sufficiently exotic to someone from Westeros.

[Night Train to Kathmandu]

I imagine them looking similar to mixed race caribbean natives. 

[Dorian Martell's son]

The islands off of the east coast of africa. Madagascar, Seychelles, Comoros and Mauritius.

[NorthGirl]

On 15/05/2017 at 3:51 PM, weirwoodface said:

For Madagasgar, the description of the setting is close enough, although the real-world example's biggest island is too big, I suppose. There are still smaller islands comprising the country. And it has beautiful coastline, interior, and what would be considered fantastical animals in a time and place such as aWoIaF. 

While the people don't have ebony skin, they are of Bornean and African descent, so their looks would be sufficiently exotic to someone from Westeros.

Nice, thanks.

On 15/05/2017 at 7:23 PM, Night Train to Kathmandu said:

I imagine them looking similar to mixed race caribbean natives. 

Oh what bout them gave you that impression? Did you think Caribbean because of the rum like barrels they had?

[Adam Targaryen]

I guess because they come from a tropical rainforest place and have very dark skin. I came to think of Madagascar when reading your question here, of course, because it's an island, but I don't normally imagine them as looking particularly like Madagascians. Probably more like Central or West Africans.

[Night Train to Kathmandu]

On 5/17/2017 at 4:03 AM, NorthGirl said:

Nice, thanks.

Oh what bout them gave you that impression? Did you think Caribbean because of the rum like barrels they had?

Darker skin of a tropical climate.