Sokoku

<WRAP right 40%> | Sokoku Dari Chuki \\ Sokoku no Tsuki || | Flag sokoku 124px.png?nolink&186x124 | Coa sokoku5.png?nolink&186x186 | |Motto: "Certain fluctuation" (かくじつ へんど, Kakujitsu Hendou) || |Anthem || | **Locator map** || | Sokoku locator 680.png?nolink&340x340 || |**Capital city** |Kyusigai | |Largest city |Taumakan | |Official language |Bahaso | |Other languages |Lazeh, Izto, Dayakan, Panotakani, Kakuri, Wortsproke, Hallish, Stoldic | |Ethnic groups |Nelyasa, Ayatawanti, Radi, Shuuen, Iztomal, Dölmer, Kakuri | |Religion |Guso, Tamahunan, Orkanan (Peratolian, Mellanhand, Stellist) | |Demonym(s) |Sokokan | ^ Government ^| |government |Federal parliamentary republic | |President |TBA | |**Legislature** |Gikai no Sokoku (federal parliament) | |**Executive** \\ **-** Dewan Sokoku \\ **-** Naikaku no Sokoku | \\ Federal Council \\ Federal Cabinet | |**Establishment** \\ event 1 |Dates \\ date 1 | ^ Area ^| |Total |0,000,000 km² | |Water % |0.0% | ^ Population ^| |Total |0,000,000 | |Density |0.0/km² | ^ Economy ^| |Economy type |Dirigist organizational self management | |GDP (total) |$ 0,000,000,000 | |GDP per capita |$ 0,000 | |Currency |Hiritsu | |Inequality index |0.0 | |Development index |0.0 | ^ Other information ^| |Time zone |0 | |Driving side |left | |Calling code |+00 | |Internet code |.so | </WRAP>

Sokoku (or the Federal Republic of Sokoku in full, Renpo Sokoku Dari Chuki in Bahaso, Sokoku iuik in nantli tlan in Izmo, Sokoku Förbundet in Wortsproke, Renpo Sokoku no Tsuki in Kakuri) is a nation in southern Altaia. It is mainly located in the Julian Sea with two parts of the nation on the Altaian mainland. The parliamentary republic consists of 8 states, which roughly represent former colonies from several Anarian nations.

Even though the state of Nelyasyat and Ayatawantin, which covers about half the island of Radhria, is culturally dominant, the nation's roots are actually in the smallest member state of Mirei, where a cooperation between the native Kakuri and Chi people with the settlers from Fisks stood as a model for the entire nation. The common denominator within the multi-ethnic nation is indigenous autonomy with Mirism as prime social, political and economical concept. Sokokan culture is characterized by a bottom-up structure with a high level of cooperatism in combination with a meritocratic style of government on higher levels. As an economic system, Sokoku operates a mix of state dirigism and workers' self-management, adapted to the southern Altaian culture.

Etymology

In the Kakuri language, Sokoku no Tsuki literally means "Tsuki mother land". The word Tsuki refers to the predecessor culture of the Kakuri from before the Julian Event. Tsuki was a loose confederation of trading ports around the Julian Sea, where the Tsuki people were the trading link between communities living on the different shores in the region. A restoration of the Tsuki Era was the main ambition in the decolonization process that roughly started in the 7580's. It was used as a concept to reunite related ethnicities and cultures that now were separated by Anarian colonizers through self rule and cooperation. The word Sokoku was then adopted as such in all other languages of the region.

History

The history of Sokoku is that of shifting trading relations and accompanying influences on culture and government. The more recent Anarian colonization fits that pattern, only turning the distance towards trading markets to a whole different scale. The general conception is that Anarian colonization was an asymmetrical event where the native population did not get an equal share in the results of the new opportunities. This became a driving force behind a decolonisation process which started in the eastern parts of the present day federation.

Ancient History

The islands first settled by humans around 15,000 years ago by peoples migrating south from southern Altaia. The indigenous Hueiwei people belong to the West Austro-Raian ethnic group who are spread across the southern Altaian islands. On the mainland, human presence goes back much further. Here the native Iztomal people settled in several prehistoric migration waves, often filling the gaps that the Hueiwei people did not occupy.

Favorable agricultural conditions as a result of the rich volcanic soil on the islands, as well as mastering wet-field rice cultivation around the early third millennium RH, allowed towns and small kingdoms to flourish and develop. Due to its strategic location between the continents of Altaia to the north and D'Runia to the west as well as being the gateway to the southern Shangti Ocean to the south, Radhria Island was and continues to be an important center of trade and cultural exchange and extensive evidence remains of international trade between the Hueiwei of Radhrian Island and the expansive Altaian empires and D'Runian kingdoms to the west.

Tsuki Era

During the last decades, archaeologists have started to find physical evidence of the commerce and defense confederation Tsuki that has been theorized since the late 7500's. As far as it is known today, Tsuki had outposts on all the shores of the Julian Sea, including mainland Altaia. Both trade and local government were organized by the predecessors of theKakuri people, using an older form of the Kakuri language as the main way of communication between the different cultures occupying the shores.

The start of the Tsuki Era must have been during the late 6600's, if Kakuri scriptures stating "an empire of 1000 cycles" are to be seen as historical accounts. Genetic evidence has shown that the Kakuri people have more in common with coastal people in northeastern Altaia, present day Kamura and the west coast of Davai, indicating that the traders themselves could have been early colonizers themselves.

The end of the Tsuki Era happened in 7118 or 7119, when a catastrophic event led to a mega tsunami destroying all the Tsuki ports and harbors around the Julian Sea. In some places, evidence of waves reaching 200 meters high has been documented, which basically rules out a volcanic event as the cause of the disaster. The main theory at the moment is a near vertical meteor strike in the sea basin.

In the eastern parts of present day Sokoku the powerful naval kingdom of Tepaananan flourished as a result of the extensive trade networks from the 69th century. The kingdom incorporated Lizehanist religious practices of the empires of the South Altaian Plains, a religion focused on the veneration of spirit ancestors in elaborate stone temples. In the 71st century the Darunian kingdom of Quanchua expanded its influence over the White Kaartu Sea including much of western and northern Radhria. The Quanchuan domination lasted over a century and eventually declined after numerous invasions on mainland Darunia. Even colonial influx from Anaria seemed to have played a role in the process.

Colonial Era

When Anarian explorers entered the region during the latter half of the 7100's, they were met by a patchwork of smaller kingdoms without any regional power in place, except for an overarching Quencha colliding with Tepanaanan. This made the region easy to settle for several Anarian newcomers, which in a process of decades led to the establishment of Anarian colonies. Anarian traders had a clear advantage with their modern ships and weaponry.

For example, by the late 72nd century Casella had established regular trade relations with the local populations of Radhria Island. Exotic products from the area such as cocoa, coffee and spices became extremely sought after by the Casellan elite. Due to the extremely competitive Casellan aristocracy, more and more private ventures were sent to the area to secure lucrative trade with the local population. In 7243 Casella landed with a large military force on the northwestern coast with the sole aim to put the entire region under Casellan control. This was partially in response to Livarya establishing a lasting presence by aligning itself with the Principality of Ayatawantin further south of the island in 7240. In 7244 the first official Casellan colony on the island was established along the north-west coast, operated primarily out of the capital, Giulicannia (Lanzeh: Julikannat).

The colony soon came into conflict with settlers from Helreich, who were trying to gain control over the important Chaim Strait between Rhadria and the Altaian mainland. Helreich was founding a colony under the name of Schangtienrand (Shuuen) further to the east and needed direct, uninterrupted access to it. The conflicts between the colonial governments became violent in several episodes, which eventually led to a Casellan hegemony on the island, while Hellish colonizers had to retreat to the mainland colony of New South Gate (Neusüdentor). The strait remained open for free passage, which also led to options for Atregona, Hallis, The Meenship and others to explore and in the end start military outposts, trade posts and colonies.

In 7356 the colonial holdings of Casella were gathered under a single colonial government with the name Aspasia. In 7367 Casella became a part of the Anisoran Empire, which by default turned Aspasia into an Anisoran colony. Their rule was never fully accepted by the local population, which led to revolts and uprisings of which the Matellan Wars (7439-7493) and the Nyatalan Rebellion (7545-7546) are the most notorious ones. Further to the east, Hallis started to gather colonial outposts on the Altaian south shores under its rule during the late 7400's. The region was sparsely populated by Iztomal tribes and mainly a dense tropical forest in an almost hostile, rugged landscape lacking resources. Bowersland was declared a colony as late as 7511. But even later than that, a refugee stim from the city of Talpå managed to settle on some islands off the coast of Bowersland in the 7520's. These holdings became part of the newly formed Anarian state of Vittmark in 7570.

At the same time, both Hellish colonies of New South Gate and Schangtienrand underwent drastic reforms in order to make them suit the Häverist structure of the Helreich led commonwealth. The colonies clearly had a second rate status within the commonwealth and were merely locations for extraction of raw materials and projected military presence. While the transformation of New South Gate went without much local resistance, Schangtienrand ended up in a period of continuous unrest and civil war from 7560 onwards.

Formation

The inclusion of Fisks as a member state of Vittmark is generally considered the peak of the colonization era, but at the same time also the starting point of a quick decolonisation process. In 7575 a local ethnicity called the Kakuri contacted Vittmark's federal government. Queen Anna and her successor Queen Tovemor developed friendly, personal relations with the Kakuri, accepting them as citizens of Vittmark. This led to tension with the Fisks settlers. But when Fisks lost its possessions further north in Altaia, at the start of the [Wolgos Scourge]], Fisks' leadership underwent drastic reforms and started cooperating with the Kakuri people.

With Vittmark at war in Anaria and the industrial facilities of northern Fisks under Wolgos control, the Fisks-Kakuri cooperation had to look for more regional options in order to survive as an economy and culture. The Kakuri leadership opted for meddling with the civil war going on at nearby Schangtienrand. Tipping the balance there would create a situation where the Kakuri and Fisks no longer would be in retreat. In 7XXX a joint expedition landed on Dog Beach and met with two rebel groups. With Fisks naval support and Anarian know-how, they were able to slowly gain control over the entire colony except for some mines and häverist conurbations. By giving the Hellish colonizers and military the option to withdraw to New South Gate and Rissland in order to focus on the defense on what was considered häverist core territory, the entire island was decolonised by 7XXX.

It was at that time the unusual Fisks-Kakuri coalition, together with Shuuen and Iztomal rebel groups, had to find a way to govern the entire area and create economic opportunities for its population. Chika Mirei, second daughter of Kirisaki of the Nokumo Nobono, started sketching a vision of recreating a Tsuki motherland where different ethnicities could live together and trade on a level playing field. Being half-Vittmarker and half-Kakuri, she was in the position to unite all the ethnicities in a common ambition and carved out a basic structure with a planned economy to start building up the region again and take its place in the international community of independent nations.

Inspired by the insular Iztomal population, the mainland Iztomal of Bowersland wanted similar reforms. The native population started reclaiming the scarce arable lands that their labor had created for the Hallish settlers. But when Hallis sent a naval unit to crush the uprising, they were confronted by the weaponized merchant fleet of Fisks, now operating as the makeshift navy of Sokoku Tsuki. Independence was granted in a ceremony aboard the HMS Blåker, upon which the newly formed state of Amozitlan chose to enter the Sokokan federation.

From that moment on, Tsuki nationalism became a force to be reckoned with around the Julian Sea. Decolonisation efforts were fed by the concept of multi-ethnic, bottom-up cooperation. The transition of Schangtienrand as a troubled colony into the member state of Shuuen also created an example for successful post-colonial development. While New South Gate actively was decolonised by Sokokan forces, the federation was actually invited by rebel forces and local nobility opposing colonial rule by Anisora over Aspasia. With Anisora falling apart, many local noblemen and -women looked towards Sokoku in order to avoid a power vacuum or a conversion to a libertarian free market economy or orderist, post-häverist top-down system of government. This way, this former colony of Anisora, which is the largest and most populous of the member states, entered the federation at a much later stage. After this event, the Principality of Ayatawantin aligned itself with Sokoku as well. The last two territories entering the federation, XX (former Little Radhria) in 7XXX and XX (former XX) in 7XXX completed the formation of Sokoku as a federal republic.

Geography

Geology and landscape

The Sokokan archipelago is geologically active in several places, ranging from volcano ranges on Rhadria to single volcanic islands in the Julian Sea. The volcanic soils are very rich and fertile and regularly support high crop yields where, due to rugged terrain, arable land is at a premium.

Climate

Most of Sokoku has a tropical climate, with two distinct monsoonal wet and dry seasons. Average annual rainfall in the lowlands varies from 1,690–3,120 millimeters (66.5–122.8 inches), and up to 6,100 millimeters (240 inches) in mountainous regions. Humidity is generally high on the land masses, averaging about 80%, but usually a bit lower in coastal areas and on smaller islands. Temperatures vary little throughout the year, with the average daily temperature range at 23–28 °C (71–82 °F).

Nature

Sokoku's size, tropical climate, and archipelagic geography support one of the world's highest levels of biodiversity, its flora and fauna are a mixture of Altaian and Darunian species with a lot of insular variations. Having been long separated from the continental landmass, the eastern island have developed their unique flora and fauna. The parts on the Altaian mainland have a more typical Altaian flora and fauna, but due to differences in terrain the states of Amozitlan and NSG still host a wide range of totally different species.

Tropical seas surround Sokoku's long coastline. The country has a range of sea and coastal ecosystems, including beaches, dunes, estuaries, mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass beds, coastal mudflats, tidal flats, algal beds, and small island ecosystems.

The deforestation that started on a large scale during the colonial era and continued deep into the 77th century has been halted by federal government intervention. In 7690 about two thirds of the country is covered with mainly tropical forests. Nevertheless, colonial rule, population growth and industrialisation has taken its toll on biodiversity with many of the once abundant species now endangered, of which several at a critical level.

Government and administrative divisions

Political culture

The political culture of Sokoku is extremely bottom-up, where the emphasis lies on local self determination and cooperative involvement (organizational self management). This is combined with a more meritocratic approach for public office. Local clans, co-ops and extended families elect representatives into local government, where the local executives then elect regional representation. Through these indirect elections, the level of representative democracy becomes less and less the higher up in the hierarchy of public office. There are no political parties actively represented in any office.

Legislative

The federal parliament Gikai has 147 members, of which 144 are appointed through indirect elections in districts roughly the same size. The remaining 3 members are appointed by the leadership of the so-called acknowledged minorities: the Kakuri people, the Fisks stim and the Kegawa. Within the Gikai a chairperson is appointed, who also serves as head of state.

Executive

Each state appoints one member into the Federal Council, apart from Nelyasyat and Ayatawantin who can appoint two council members. This council forms the backbone of the executive cabinet, which at the moment has six more secretary-generals. Each secretary-general is heading a Federal Secretariat.

Judicial

TBA

Subdivisions

The federation has 8 member states with a large degree of autonomy. Each state determines their own subdivisions, which can be one, two or three levels of local and regional government. The basic structure for subdivisions is bottom-up, where local government pledges allegiance to a regional level. This model is basically a continuation of the bottom-up system which is in place in Vittmark in the form of stim - socken - stift. It has been introduced after the studies by Koga Mirei, who saw this model as fitting for this region as well.

Foreign relations

As an archipelago nation with two important sea straits and international trade as a backbone for its economy, Sokoku has to take a proactive approach in their foreign policy. At the same time, the economic system has strong characteristics of national planning, which means that relations with orderist and free market capitalist nations become more challenging. On top of that, there is the post-colonial attitude which affects relations with former colonial powers. This makes Sokoku's foreign relations a delicate matter where a lot of balancing skills get applied.

Economy

Agriculture, forestry, fishery

Sokoku has a large agricultural sector, mainly due to the islands' rich volcanic soil. Although much of the country is covered in thick jungle, large swathes of the coastal regions have been converted to fertile arable land which produce many different agricultural products, the largest of which is rice production. Other agricultural products include palm oil, rubber, banana and mango fruits. The largest export of Sokoku is coffee, with extensive plantations in Nelyasyat which feed the vast demand for coffee in Anaria. The second largest export is made up by the large variety of spices, Sokoku is particularly well known for its black pepper production, as well as lemongrass, curry leaf, tumeric and ginger. Cocoa is also produced in large quantities, especially on the mainland. Many fruits and vegetables are however still grown at the level of family allotments, co-ops and clans, regardless of the main economic activities of those extended families. This is a side effect from the colonial era, where a lot of the local people were relying on their own food production. This small-scale gardening was encouraged by the federal government to strengthen the internal social structures, divert off-work activities to useful efforts as well as growing food resources. The exchange of produce in local harvest fests have become a Sokokan tradition, with clans sharing their surpluses with neighboring clans or offering to a local food production facility in order to get it in a form that is easier to store.

Forestry plays an important role, since much of the constructions in Sokoku are built from locally produced timber. Floor, wall and roof panels are manufactured as half products for assembly on the spot, which has become the predominant building technique in the country. This also means that building quality has improved, because the base modules are produced under controlled circumstances instead of on the building site, subject to blasting summer heat or moisture from the wet seasons. Timber plantations are usually combined with other tree or shrub related produce, like oranges, avocado's and even coffee. This type of timber needs a treatment to insure a viable life span. Treatments include pressure heating, impregnating in natural oils as well as painting, although the latter requires more maintenance. Hardwoods used in plantations are mainly robinia, but these cultivated in so-called passive plantations. Clear cutting is not applied here, every 5-10 years about 10-25% of the trees are harvested, making room for other trees to grow and new trees to naturally come up. The imported Eucalyptus is mainly used for pulp, but even this gets applied in construction as well in the form of hardboard and MDF in interiors. Bamboo is used as well.

Sokoku deploys a modern fishing fleet that uses the surrounding seas for catching a variety of species. The largest vessels have smokeries or canneries on board, which enables them to deliver their catch in any port, even foreign ones.

Industrial production

Despite being a predominantly post-industrial society, Skoku still has a large and vibrant manufacturing sector. The industrial sector has two very different faces. On one side, there are large facilities with automated production that do not need extensive amounts of labor. These factories can be found in the outskirts of the large port cities, where there is room for these vast installations. The other side is the more labor-intensive, small-scale production ranging from specialized workshops to mid-sized industries. Manufacturing in these sectors are not aimed at export, but are taking place close to the consumer markets. This combination of efficiency driven mass production and product adaptation and assembly close to the customer markets has been proven to be a successful set-up in a Sokokan context.

Both the availability of products for consumer markets, as well as the distribution of the resources needed to make these products are heavily influenced by the planned character of the economy. Over-consumption, production spills and waste are seen as ineffective. The manufacturing secretariat actively supports the development of consumer goods with a reliable life-span and the possibility to re-use valuable materials after the usage cycle. Products are manufactured in a way that components can be replaced or products even can get upgraded.

Transportation and infrastructure

As an archipelago nation, the main focus of the federal government has been shipping infrastructure. Railway lines form connections from port hubs to the inland regions, both for passenger travel and cargo. For obvious reasons, there is no federal rail or road network, but the federal government invests strategically in state driven expansion and modernisation of the physical infrastructure.

Since its independence, strategic developments have been made into communication infrastructure as a backbone of the information driven service industry. The extensive network of high quality submerged communication cables have made Sokoku an important hub for inter- and transcontinental communication networks.

Sokoku has a relatively poorly developed road network, even on state level. It has never prioritized single car infrastructure or cargo transportation by lorries and trucks over long distances, since these tasks can be dealt with more effectively by rail and water. Local networks have a quite high standard, but many parts of the cities are difficult to reach by car or truck. Here, state governments have prioritized more small-scale mobility solutions, like trolleys on public transport, rickshaws and motorized bi- and tricycles.

Trade and commerce

Sokoku is primarily a trading nation, even historically seen. The colonial period can be seen as an atypical interruption where trade was dominated by Anarian rulers, meeting Anarian demands. But after independence Sokoku has managed to take up its role as trading hub between two large continents and two vast oceans rather quickly.

A key element in this is the presence of Fisks as the largest shipping company on Gotha. Fisks business activities include shipping, port operation, supply chain management and warehousing. The company is based in Kyusigai and Raeko, Kamura, with subsidiaries and offices across nearly 100 countries and over 110,000 employees worldwide. The company reinvested revenue from post-war tasks in a proactive way, acquiring shipping and port rights all over the globe.

Most trade is however regional with nations surrounding the Julian and Kartuu seas. These operations do not differ much from domestic trade between the several states which all are separated by bodies of water.

Demographics

Ethnic groups

As a multi-ethnic federation by nature, it is of no surprise that there are over 1000 distinct ethnic groups identified in Sokoku. On the islands, the Hueiwei people are the dominant ethnic family. The Hueiwei is however a container term consisting of hundreds of ethnic groups with different cultural outings on each island.

On the Altaian mainland and some coastal areas on the islands it is the Iztomal people who are prevailing. On the west coast of Radhria ethnicities with roots in Darunia are present as well. Even these groups show clearly distinct ethnicities.

During the colonial era, a diverse Anarian population settled in the region as well. They partially mixed with local ethnicities forming distinct new groups. This was especially the case in former Aspasia, where colonists settled on the entire island. But there are also pockets of population with clear roots in Anisora, Hallis and to a lesser extent Helreich and Vittmark present.

The small group of Kakuri people is the remnant of a larger ethnic group called the Tsuki, which migrated south from northern Altaia or western Davai during pre-colonial times.

Religions

It is of no surprise that a multi-ethnic nation like Sokoku with a diverse colonial background shows a multitude of religions among its population.

The largest religious denomination is that of Guso, a rather new and modern religion that has started spreading parallel to the formation of Sokoku as a nation state. Followers are generally accepting current scientific theories about the origin of the universe and how life came about. Guso therefore limits itself to those manifestations and life questions that can not be answered by science. The religion is based around three common mysteries in modern society: the cause for the creation of the universe (directive of energy), the origin of life (directive of entropy) and the essence of the human soul or spirit. This is combined with ancestral worship, which has its roots in Lizehanist religions like Tamahuna but also is present among the Kakuri and Izto people.

Tamahuna has been the most widespread religion in the western parts of Sokoku for the last half a millennium. This as a result of Lizehanist influences over the region beginning in the 70th century through traders from the mainland. But during the last centuries, Tamahuna has lost a lot of influence, first as a result Orkanan missionaries from Anisora and Helreich, later to Guso as a more modern interpretation fitting a new age.

Orkanan still has a large amount of followers in Sokoku, distributed among several mostly interventionist branches. In the former Anisoran colony Peratolian Orkanan is most widespread due to conversion of the local population during the colonial age, while the two former Hellish territories still have followers of Stellist Orkanan. In former colonial possessions of Hallis and through the settlers of Fisks Mellanhand Orkanan is present as well in some regions.

Furthermore there are hundreds of more local and regional religions present in Sokoku, but more and more confined to older generations in rural and undeveloped areas. One of those religions is the Kakuri Yakosei no Konchuu, which has been used as a basis for Guso. The late Kakuri spiritual leader Chika Mirei therefore is revered in Yakosei no Konchuu, Guso as well as registered as an Orkanan Exemplar.

Languages

After Sokoku took over the government of the former Anisoran colony of Aspasia, the need for a common language became more apparent. There are over 70 recorded regional languages on northern Radhrian alone, with many more spoken in other parts of the nation. Even though Tsuki was used as a cultural concept behind the decolonization movement, the Kakuri people did not want their language to be used as the common language between the different ethnicities. This is because the Kakuri believe that the language should be acquired as a skill, not taught through an educational system all over the nation.

So instead, a simplified version of the highly related languages used in Nelyasyat and Ayatawantin, Rhadria, Shuuen and the surrounding island was created under the name Bahasa Sokoku, often abbreviated to Bahaso. It belongs to the Bawanesi language family. The Kakuri writing system is used for Bahaso, since there were several parallel writing systems being used for individual Bawanesi languages and the Sokokans wanted to avoid using the Anarian alphabet. This federal level language is used for communication between states and citizens of the different states. It is however interintelligible with the local languages and dialect of over 80% of the population. This goes for example for all the speakers of Lazeh, which is the majority language in Nelyasyat. Another Bawanesi language like Dayatan in the southeast is however so different in its grammar and vocabulary that it is not interintelligible with Bahaso.

The largest minority language is Izto, which belongs to a totally different language family that has its basis on mainland Altaia. It is also spoken on the coasts of Shuuen and the islands of Mirei, which have a mixed population. The language has official status in those areas of Sokoku where a majority or large minority uses it. Even Izto has undergone a simplification in order to be used in different regions, where local dialects and language variations still flourish beside standard Izmo. This language uses the Anarian alphabet.

On the west coast of Radhria there are some Panotacani-Tlaxc languages spoken, a remnant of historic Quanchuan domination of the area. These languages are used as a local and regional sociolect and do not have any official status. There are therefore fewer people using these for each generation that goes.

The smallest indigenous language with a status are the Kakuri languages. It is a language isolate that comes in two forms, sharing the same vocabulary and grammar, but with a rather different meaning. The second language shares the same vocabulary and grammar as the first language, but is in use for more abstract issues. It is built up by metaphors, figures of speech, allegories or sometimes even synoptic sentences from well known stories or songs. Where most other languages get more complex by developing a larger vocabulary, the Kakuri Second Language seems to give new meanings to combinations of words in such a way that the original meaning of the words no longer have a significant impact on the new meaning. Due to the strong relation between culture and language, Kakuri can only be learned on location and by invitation only.

Apart from native languages there are still several languages from the colonial era in use. This is however limited to certain localities with remaining Anarian populations. Of these languages, Wortsproke has an official status, being the largest language of the member state of Mirei. Even Hallish has an official status, but only in certain regions of Amozitlan. In some pockets Anisoran and Stoldic are being used as well, but these only have a local application. Education in these languages is stimulated nevertheless, since it is seen as a resource for foreign trade and diplomacy.

Education

Sokoku has a strong tradition of local home schooling within their clan or guild. Children aged 6 to 12 get a general education within their own clan, where clan or guild members serve as teachers. Since the foundation of the federation, the content of the curriculum for these 6-12 year olds has become more uniform and adapted to Sokoku's society system.

About 50-80% of the pupils will follow vocational training within their own guild. This usually is a specific training for the trade of the guild or clan. About 10% of the children will get selected for a higher level education outside their own clan. Examples of this higher education are preparatory scientific, accountancy, sports and religious training. Children who show The Gift will automatically be transferred to one of the educational facilities of a Guso congregation. The remaining group of 10-30% of the children will not receive any education at all, or will have to apply for an education outside their own clan of guild. These shifts between clans and guilds are generally seen as a way to redistribute skills and ambitions in a more efficient way than to force these children to continue a career within their own guild.

Schools of higher level education tend to be more open for talents from other clans, castes or guilds. But even here, there is a strong guild style tradition with knowledge and skills being handed over from generation to generation. Performing arts, religion and science are generally considered the most appealing areas of education, closely followed by produced arts and engineering. This higher education is aimed at children aged 12 to 16-18, depending on the type of education.

In order to continue education on an academic or university level, one needs to be invited by one of the colleges. In certain clans it is easier to get invited, but for outsiders the lack of a social or educational network within the academic society can be an impassable threshold. It is however quite commonplace that people outside the academic clans get invited at a later age, between 25 and 35.

Science

Government spendings on research and development are on an average level. It is mainly based on a similar tender basis as economic procurement. Assessment of global innovations is however on a high level, since the federal government wants to be at the front of new technologies and implementations in order to introduce them into domestic production processes and thus contributing to a higher quality of life.

Sokoku has really utilized the presence of colonial institutions for research and developments, especially the universities in former Aspasia. Furthermore there is a long tradition of cooperation with established universities in Vittmark, like Östervallen and Siutton, due to the fact that Vittmark was the only Anarian nation not to resist the urge for decolonisation in the region. One of the founding mothers of the nation, Chika Mirei, was educated in Vittmark, which resulted in the Orkanan style of science becoming dominant in Sokokan research and development. There is a huge emphasis on hands-on science and experiments, based on creative concepts and theories. Scientific research usually is interdisciplinary teamwork.

Culture

Values, identity and symbols

Given the young age of the nation in combination with the multi-ethnic background, most of the identifying cultural characteristics and values are connected to ethnicity and religion. There are however a few common denominators when it comes to to Sokokan identity.

The use of yellow and (almost) black as identifying colors goes back to the manifestation of the Kakuri identity as a member state of Vittmark. The original colors were much more beige and brown, but have been saturated more during the liberation war of Shuuen. The signaling function, almost as a warning sign, was used as a common identifier of rebel groups opposing Hellish colonization.

Another common cultural factor is that of organizational self management in the form of extended families, clans and guilds. This leads to a large degree of local cohesion as well as pride. Even in the most different local cultures there is some form of self management present, ranging from the age orientated birth blade system of the Kakuri people to the traditional Orkanan stim as an owner of land, real estate and other means of production.

Due to the fact that most established religions are based on some form of ancestral worship, appreciation for the ancestors' achievements and sacrifices is a common element in Sokokan culture. This is manifested for example by the well symbol in the national emblem (left hand corner).

Other values that are common in Sokokan culture are efficiency and quality of life, especially in combination with each other. Resourcefulness, ingenuity and innovation are aiming at improving living conditions. Balance is another important value, as in balancing between the different religions and ethnicities, between labor and free time, between group mentality and self realization. Even this is represented in the national emblem, although some sources state that the balance pictured there is more about Sokokus location between Altaia and Darunia, as well as the Shangti and Stolvic oceans.

Philosophy

Even though it does not qualify as a philosophy, the gathered operationalizations by Chika Mirei when establishing the nation as a functioning state, are central in the mindset of Sokokan people. Mirei studied religion and state organization at the University of Östervallen in Vittmark, using the insights to develop a framework to be implemented in an Altaian setting. With organizational self management present in Fisks and Kakuri society, as well as in traditional cultures on Radhria, this became the basis for a bottom-up structure of society. Having seen the effects of häverism, orderism, free market capitalism and representative democracy, Mirei developed a more meritocratic approach of government including checks and balances. She never got the opportunity to formulate her vision into a coherent theory, instead it had to be implemented rather prematurely when Schangtienrand's colonial government was overthrown in 7XXX. In combination with a romantic nationalistic reconstruction of Tsuki and the rise of Guso as a modern syncretic religion it forms the basis of the Sokokan mindset. This combination was posthumously formulated by followers of her theories and philosophies and labeled Mirism.

Performing arts and music

Sokoku has a long tradition in performing arts, which generally is seen as the finest of all art forms. This tradition dates back to the era when the Sokokan regions were lacking a significant written component. Even with the presence of written language, it was only available for a very limited group of people. Therefore, poems and songs were used to transfer information between generations and between neighboring communities. This poetry covered basic topics like hygiene, food preparation and morality, as well as accounts of the lives and achievements of exemplary members of society.

With the rise of local kingdoms, saga's and myths about the nobility's ancestors were used to create and uphold a base of power. The oral tradition became broader in the form of theater and dance. Traveling groups of musicians, poets and actors were used to distribute current events and history as the ruling class would want it to be interpreted. Guilds for the performing arts were the most powerful clans especially on the Sokokan islands, since they had to operate closely to the ruling class by nature.

There is however a huge distinction between traditional music and performance from before the foundation of Sokoku and contemporary music. Where traditional music is strongly connected to local and regional influences like culture and available instruments, modern Sokokan music is used as an expression for a more progressive and connecting identity. Vocalists, music groups and mixed groups of vocalists and dancers are still being used to distribute the prevailing interpretation of current events. Foreign societies see the performing classes of Sokoku as a powerful tool of propaganda, especially towards teenagers.

Performing arts is a rather open system of clans, groups and guild where local, regional and national leadership choose which performers to support. This leads to high dynamics in performing arts, where artists have to compete with each other in order to secure a professional career. The vast majority of performing arts pupils will have to leave after selection rounds at age 16, 18 and 20. The performing arts guilds have a strict selection procedure, since their artist will have to compete with other guilds. A lot of the performing arts graduates end up in hospitality or produced arts.

Even religious orders in Guso, the most widespread religion in Sokoku, use performing arts in a similar way as the government. To them, live performances are a way to create contact between Gift Bearers and people seeking a Soul Keeper. The large congregations have a spearhead group with rotating members under the same name. Their popularity equals that of the state supported groups. There is a fierce rivalry between the performing arts guilds and the religious congregations, which often leads to them not wanting to share a stage during the same event.

Visual arts

Visual arts are often interpreted as inferior compared to performing arts. In a Sokokan mindset, a picture says more than 1000 words, but a live performance paints hundreds of pictures. This is one of the main reasons why art from Sokoku is generally considered inferior, since they lack the paintings and sculptures as a cultural expression that Anarian cultures are used to, Performances happen only at the exact moment itself and have been difficult to reproduce, thus leading to the wrong conclusion that Sokokan cultural output would have been poor.

In modern day Sokoku, visual arts is generally considered a breeding ground or basis for produced art. It is seen as a form of craftsmanship skill that one needs to master in order to proceed into more modern cultural expressions such as photography, cinema, architecture, graphic design or industrial design.

Architecture

Traditional, pre-colonial architecture is defined by the natural surroundings and current cultural manifestations. It is as varied as the landscape, ethnicity, language and other cultural expressions, varying on a vast scale between different states and regions.

Colonial era architecture is dominated by the popular styles from the Anarian colonizing nations. In former colonies from Helreich, few of these buildings have remained. Especially on Shuuen, the häverist style of architecture and urban planning has methodically been erased. But in Nelyasyat a lot of the Anisoran, often classical architecture is still visible in the older parts of the built-up environment. More rural architecture from what today is Vittmark and Hallis is still present on the islands of Mirei and the mainland of Amozitlan respectively.

Sokoku has developed a building tradition where functionality, comfort and hygiene has been combined with often minimalist appearances. Even in the present, timber and wood are still the main building materials, which sets Senokan architecture apart from its contemporary counterparts. Since wood is more difficult to preserve, most buildings have a limited technical life expectancy. Many of the earlier buildings of Sokokan functionalism have been renovated and re-interpreted multiple times. In some cases renovations have been done as exact copies of the existing appearance, but most often a renovation has been used to modernize buildings by applying new building techniques or materials.

One of the key elements in production is the concept of construction-core base building, where rudimentary housing and offices are being built in such a way that the end user can fill out and adapt the unit. Avoiding large costs for refurbishment will increase the life expectancy of the building casco (skeleton) while at the same time the end user will have enough room to personalize the unit and adapt it to current user needs. As such, building has become more standardized, with building elements being produced off-site and assembled at the building site. Even residential dwellings and office units have been standardized, which has resulted in residential modules being manufactured industrially.

This also means that architecture as an art or cultural outing can focus almost entirely on one-off buildings. Even with a more modular approach to building, architects can adapt form, size, height, facade material etc. to create a unique building. Most of the contemporary government buildings, live houses and stadiums are designed this way. But all in all, Sokokan architecture is discrete, responsive and inconspicuous, it has qualities when it comes to functionality, flexibility, human scale and well chose materials for the location or the purpose.

Produced arts

Produced art is in the Sokokan context every expression of performing or visual arts that can be reproduced: etching, lithography, screen printing, literature (through printing), photography, cinema, recorded music and other media. According to the Sokokan view on produced arts, modern day conceptual art falls into this category as well.

There is no clear border between performing and visual arts on one side and produced art on the other. Live performed music is often accompanied by recorded music or distributed through cinema or television. Many artists that have tried a career in performing arts tend to end up in produced arts, as studio musicians, cinematographic actors, story and script writers, etc.

Certain art forms have developed into well defined separate fields of expertise, e.g. photography and graphic design for posters and other visual applications. Even architecture has moved from visual arts (unique designs for individual objects) towards produced arts (conceptual art, modular application). Industrial design has undergone a similar transformation. In that sense, many of the professionals that are considered engineers in other cultures are actually production artists in Sokoku.

Many of the manufacturing guilds benefit from the input from well educated and well trained production artists. Most clans will try to find a talented person among their own ranks with the potential to develop into a creative production artist. It's not unusual that such an artist has to be recruited from outside the clan, but in those cases the artist might find it difficult to find support for innovations.

Cuisine

Sokokan cuisine is one of the world's most diverse, vibrant, and colorful, full of intense flavor. Many regional cuisines exist, often based upon indigenous culture and foreign influences such as Anarian, Darunian and mainland Altaian precedents. Rice is the leading staple food and is served with side dishes of meat and vegetables. Spices (notably chili), coconut milk, fish and chicken are fundamental ingredients. In the mainland states potatoes and corn are being used more often. During the last decades, a typical Sokokan hybrid cuisine has been developed mainly in the mixed urban areas, especially the capital Kyusigai where all the influences meet.

Sports and competitive activities

Sports are more considered a social event than a competitive activity. Since the foundation of Sokoku there is a huge emphasis on team sports as a manifestation of a healthy and vital society. It also lays the foundation for a lifestyle of physical motion and serves as a meeting place for people. This has led to a situation where Sokoku hardly ever competes in individual sports internationally. Even in team sports there is hardly ever international representation, since there are no elite teams or competitions in the country itself. Development and improvement are put to the test in local competitions and games. The competition is seen as a driving force behind improvement and innovation, but not as a goal in itself. Sports on an elite or professional level is considered counterproductive in Sokoku.