"...and so, moving on from the origins of the Mandalorians, we come to the primary objective of this work; that which internally differentiates them in terms of ideology.
No society is monolithic. Not even the Empire is, as much as they like to think themselves so. There will always be splinters, deviations, counter-cultures, and the like. And on the subject of my own people, this effect is manifold. After all, Mandalorians have little of what might be called an "ethnic identity", as the true Mandalorian species died out long, long ago. And while we are predominantly Human, even many of our Human members come originally from countless worlds and walks of life. Especially in these grim days of Mandalore in ashes, foundlings, be they youths or adults, are our future.
In chronicle, I will endeavor to record the numerous subgroups of Mandalorian culture which have developed over long millenia. The sensible place to start might be the Crusaders and Neo-Crusaders of old, the most numerous and well known groups. Or, maybe, the much maligned and pacifistic New Mandalorians, or even their counterpoints in the Death Watch and Supercommandos. The True Mandalorians of Jaster Mereel, the Children of the Watch, the list goes on and on. Naturally, there are those who simply see themselves a "Mandalorian" or "Mando'ade", which are by far and away the modern majority.
I think that, instead, an example of one of our smaller, lesser known subcultures would be a wise beginning, to show just how diverse we have become as a people when the Galaxy usually sees us as a faceless, intimidating singularity behind our visored helms.
Some five-hundred years ago, in what is commonly known as the High Republic Era, a Human woman named Mharal left her home on the Mid Rim world of Bruach. Bruach was a world of martial tradition, where most conflicts between territories were fought by groups of knights in highly formalized battles codified by, for lack of better verbiage, a strict code of chivalry. Mharal was one such knight who saw the influence of the Republic weakening the standing of the knightly orders. What was seen as an archaic system by many had already been in its final stages, and the peacemaking efforts of Republic diplomats were the final nail in the proverbial coffin.
Whether Mharal was embittered by the end of tradition or accepting of changing times, we do not know. Either way, she left Bruach, as stated. The story of how she became Mandalorian warrants its own volume, but does not have bearing here. Mharal brought her sensibilities into Clan Jyttan. They gained traction among the younger, more idealistic Mandalorians of Jyttan.
The knights of Bruach bear some explanation, for their attitudes are integral to those of the Mharins. You see, they were not an aristocracy. They were a warrior caste on a world whose most valued denizens were singers, poets, architects, writers, and other artists of all stripes. Knights bloodied their blades so others could create, prosper, and thrive. In fact, most knights would have "muse", of sorts; one artist whose honor and creations they dedicated themselves to protecting, though this was rendered more of a symbolic gesture long ago.
Every Mandalorian must learn to fight in order to protect kith and Clan, as is laid down by the Resol'nare. However, even among a warrior people such as ours, there are those to whom war does not call as strongly as the brush or the pen. Mharal wished to see art, culture, and song thrive among the Mando'ade, and so she, unwittingly at first, began building a culture where there was no shame in choosing a "softer" calling as long as one was diligent in keeping with the Resol'nare. In this, they encouraged the arts among the Mando'ade, no matter which Clan or faction one hailed from.
For those who wished a respite from the battlefield to put their souls to canvas or song, it would be up to the Mandalorians who would come to call themselves the Mharins to be the wall that protected a beautiful garden of creation, so to speak. Of course, this culture tended to encourage the Mharins themselves towards artistic pursuits when they were not pursuing their duties, and many consider themselves to be "warrior-poets", so to speak. Most Mharins are, expectedly, from Clan Mharal, but the ideas called to members of other Clans.
Enough were swayed by Mharal's unorthodox views that she was able to form the previously mentioned Clan that still bears her name, though she would call herself a Jyttan as long as she was among the Mando'ade. There were grumbles and complaints among other Mandalorians, especially more conservative sorts, but as the Mharins still adhered to the Resol'nare, they were still Mando'ade, and that could not be disputed.
As with every other group that was still around on the Night of A Thousand Tears, the Mharins were devastated by the Great Purge. Never a large subgroup to begin with, at the time of writing I believe only a single covert still holds to the Mharin way. They train diligently, gathering funds and equipment, replenishing their numbers, preparing for the day they are called back to Mandalore (a refrain you will see me repeat quite often in this work for all contemporary groups.)
So, with this foundation of a fairly innocuous and minor subgroup of Mandalorian culture, we take a step deeper into the well of knowledge, into the religious zealotry that is the Children of the Watch…"
Excerpt from "A Chronicle of Known Subcultures of the Mandalorian People" by Nuo Mereel, written in 10 ABY