Cultures to Inspire Your Fantasy World

There are so many wonderful and amazing cultures out there, including ones we don't even know about because they're so secluded. So why do we only use a few of them for inspiration in our fantasy novels? And let's be honest, most of them are European, like England and France. While those are both interesting cultures, just imagine if we expanded our stories to include more of other places. In this post, I'm going to throw out some suggestions for cultures that you could use in your novel. I don't claim to be an expert on any of these, so if you find one interesting, do some research.

Finding Cultures

But where do you find interesting cultures to use? This post will only have a few of the hundreds out there. Here are my suggestions for finding more cultures to use.

• Watch travel/food shows. My personal recommendation is Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. In the show, he travels the world to places a lot of people don't see and enjoys the food and culture. It's great for inspiration, but I'm sure there are others that you could use as well.

• Read books about other countries. This will not only increase your knowledge of the world, it will help you learn more about other cultures and the different groups within them.

• Use the internet. I searched "world cultures" just now and found a whole website about it. With a little more digging, you can probably find other books, websites, and videos to increase your knowledge.

• Don't forget to use the country's history to help you. You might find an excellent time to base your world off of in the past, or in the present day.

Europe

Spanish: I know there are some books based off Spanish culture, but I'd love to see more. It's always been an interesting place to me. The clothing, the dancing, the architecture. Or what if you used the conquistadors or the Spanish Inquisition for inspiration?

Example: Elena of Avalor. I know it's a kids show, but it's actually pretty good, and the land of Avalor is heavily inspired by Spanish culture.

Scottish: There are plenty of books in Irish like worlds, especially ones concerning fairies, but what about Scotland? How can you resist kilts, sword dances, and warriors of epic proportions? I feel like there's a lot of potential for some sort of world placed here, full of warriors and princesses and fights for freedom. (Not that I'm referring to the time of William Wallace or anything.)

Example: Brave. It's set in a very Scottish setting and has some excellent worldbuilding. Perfect for inspiration.

Russian: Russia has long been romanticized, but it actually has a very bloody history. Perfect for a world in your fantasy novel. A world that looks beautiful on the surface, perhaps, but with a dark underside? Russia has so many different people groups living in it, you're sure to find something interesting.

The cold part of Europe: Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and Norway. These are all very interesting countries but you rarely see them mentioned in books, much less being used for inspiration. Stat digging and discover all the wonders of these cold countries.

Example: Arendelle in Frozen. This country is based off Norway, with fjords and many similar styles of dress and architecture.

Greek: The Greeks and Romans are the people who have shaped the modern world, so why don't we have any books based off those times? Or even those places in modern times? The closet is something like Percy Jackson. Greece has so much history in one tiny country, you're sure to find something you can use.

Africa

African culture varies depending on where you are in the continent. I don't know a lot about Africa, so I'm not going to go into specific countries, but there is tons there to work with. Tribes that still live the way they did hundreds of years ago. Nomadic tribes. More modern areas. What about when the British Empire ruled most of Africa? The Boer Wars? The way some of the old tribes have cellphones and everything? It's such a fascinating country, more people should build worlds off of it. And they are starting to.

Example: Steeplejack. This fantasy/steampunk mystery novel takes place in a world based off South Africa, which I really loved. It showed that contrast between the rich in their fancy homes and the poor living in hovels outside the city.

Asia

Chinese: The Chinese culture has a fascinating history. I don't know a lot about China, but I do know it's an interesting country. There are so many possibilities for a world set in this sort of country.

Japanese: I've had along time interest in Japan. It's one of the countries I would like to visit someday. I've read tons about Japan and I myself would love to write a novel set in a world like it. There are samurai, ninja, emperors, politics, interesting religions. How can you resist?

Any of the little countries: There are a ton of different little countries in Asia, providing plenty of ideas for you. Each one is unique and has it's own religions, way of life, and more. A little research you'll probably be bursting with ideas.

Oceana

Australian: Australia is known for surfing, kangaroos, and the Sydney Opera House. But there's a lot more there than that. Wouldn't it be cool to have a world like it, where the edges are green and the middle is barely livable? Just think of the amazing creatures you could make hidden in the outback.

New Zealand: New Zealand has very interesting indigenous people. They also have a super beautiful land. So why not make a world set there? There's many interesting things (plus Hobbiton) that can inspire you here.

The Americas

Mexican: Mexican culture may seem similar to Spanish culture, but they aren't the same. Another cool country to inspire your world. There's a lot of unrest there, which could be great for a political system.

South American countries: Each one is unique, with different cultures and histories inside each country. It's like a gold-mine of worldbuilding material. What about the Mayans or the Aztecs? The treacherous jungles of the Amazon?

Hawaiian: Hawaiians are an interesting people. They have a strong sense of belonging and a great history. It's a series of islands too, which could make for an interesting world.

Of course, there are many more countries and cultures in the world than I could name. But these are some of my top cultures. I hope you get some inspiration from this post.

Let's talk! What cultures would you like to see more in fantasy novels? Have you ever written one? Tell me in the comments.

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