A culture which they know almost nothing about and yet cling to hopelessly.
The Dalish have information on their lore (hence why they know that Arlathan and Elvhenan existed), on the Creators, about the war between their gods and the Forgotten Ones, the imprisonment in the Eternal City, about the myriad of spirits of the Beyond, and a number of other things. It's more than a little disingenuous to say the Dalish know almost nothing.
Reminds me of that scene in Witch Hunt when you are trying to translate that elven symbol in the Circle tower library and the Dalish elf companion you're with gets interrupted by a human mage who translates it for you as "mirror." and one of your dialogue options is "Your keeper couldn't even translate the symbol for mirror?"
You do realize Ariane points out that the Circles played a part in the fall of the Dales and took elven tomes and artifacts after the elves were defeated, right? Finn knows because he perused an elven tome that was taken from the elves after their homeland was sacked.
It kinda made me laugh. I'm hoping since we are forced into playing a Dalish elf if we choose elf we can be one who is extremely critical of the Dalish...
I'm looking forward to playing as one of the People. I find their culture and religion very interesting, and I respect their refusal to surrender their beliefs despite the hardship they have to endure to maintain it. Although, since I plan on playing as a male Dalish, there doesn't seem to be a romance option who would work with my elven mage; the cultural differences seem too great.