Ok back to Clans.
I'd wager that the Clan heritage is more of a philosophy than ethnicity, while true some have adopted certain ethnicities within the Inner Sphere (Ghost Bears and the Rasalhaugians, Nova Cat and the Combine's people) the predominate background is based on their founders.
Take Fire Mandrills and Nova Cats for example.
Nova Cats were founded by Phillip Drummond and Anna Rosse, though not technically married they were together and created a child named Sandra. Phillip's ethnicity is rather vague on the sarna link and I don't have my Klondike book with me so I'll probably supply that later when I get home. Anna, who lived in a Italian villiage, did believe in the idea of visions and rituals. This same belief was passed down to Sandra who founded the mysticism of the Nova Cats which probably incorporates lots of different vision rituals but lately in the books and Dark Age memorabilia watered them down to "Clan Native American".
Now that they are within the Inner Sphere, specifically the Draconis Combine, they've used their rituals and beliefs in associating with some of the Draconians. In fact they now have a Kurita as their Oathmaster, Minoru Nova Cat (formerly Kurita), so it isn't easy to nail down what specific ethnicities make up their heritage but their philosophy is that of visions, mysticisms, and the idea that though the future is in flux certain things could be inevitable.
Now let's explore a Homeworld clan such as the Fire Mandrills.
Being a Homeworld clan means they still reside mostly within the Homeworlds of the Clans and haven't really partaken to the Invasion of the Inner Sphere. Nova Cat was an Invading Clan while Fire Mandrills have not touched the Inner Sphere.
Fire Mandrill was founded by Raymond Sainze, a former Draconis Combine citizen, and Laura Payne who was not of the Combine and yet again I'll need my books to fill this out. While Sainze did encourage the method of bushido to his newfound Clan he was also a very private man. He encouraged competition within even his own people. While that is a laudable goal to better yourself it also requires cooperation to temper it otherwise you get a fracticious clan which was the fate of the Mandrills.
One could simply equate that since Sainze was Combine that the Fire Mandrills are Space Japan like the Combine. However this is countered by the fact their philosophy is more of compete with anyone even your own Clan instead of the top down ethos that the Dracs have where your superior officer is word of god unless the Coordinator says otherwise. Fire Mandrills tend to group among Kindred Associations, Kindraas, and they even fight their fellow Kindraas much like gang warfare. It is this lack of coordination that screwed their chances to invade the Inner Sphere.
If they even managed to do such a thing I could see them break up badly because the Spheriods could have manipulated each Kindraa due to their philosophy of fighting amongst themselves.
Does this help expand what others were saying?
edit: *Bleep* me I completely missed Alizabeth Aijou's post about philosophy.
Edited by Atlas3060, 02 December 2011 - 12:39 PM.