Mala

Mala First Nation
Flag Coat of Arms
Motto: Mua a ke Ma'o
Anthem:
Map versions
Capital	Ko'aka
Largest city	Ko'aka
Official language(s)	Mala'anje
Official religion(s)	Tribalism
Demonym	Mala'anje
- Adjective	Malan
Government	Constitutional Monarchy
- Aliʻi nui	Kahunamea XI
- Prime Minister	David Loloku
- Legislature	House of Nobles
Establishment	-583 ASC
Area
Population	3,002,581 (1695 AN)
Currency	Malan dollar (MLD)
Calendar
Time zone(s)
Mains electricity
Driving side	right
Track gauge
National website	N/A
National forum	N/A
National animal	Nene
National food	Kalo
National drink	Tea
National tree	Kukui
Abbreviation	MAL, MA

Mala is a sovereign First Nation of indigenous Mala'anje people located on the southeastern shores of Keltia. Mala is considered to be the oldest nation in the world and its founding predates some of the earliest civilizations. The Mala'anje people are accepted as some of the first indigenous inhabitants of Micras, and their early explorations helped to spread humanity across the globe. It is a trans-national tribal entity, whose boundaries extend across two countries - the Imperial Federation and Lac Glacei, who both share sovereignty over the tribal lands - with the right of passage to sacred lands in Nouvelle Alexandrie.

Etymology

The name Mala comes from the Mala'anje language (Hawaiian) and means garden; an archaic reference to the original settlement of Malanj that was said to have been founded in a field of flowers. The addition of nj or anje is a traditional word meaning village and villager respectively. Thus the literal translation of Malanj would be rendered as Garden Village, or with Mala'anje, it would be people of the garden.

History

Mala began as an independent collection of tribal city-states. Oral traditions dating back to around -1000 ASC relate that the warring city-states were in constant conflict until the coming of King Keoua. At the behest of Keoua the other tribal leaders gathered and agreed to form a loose confederation with Keoua himself as sovereign. Mala'anje traditions view the entirety of Mala as a great garden, with its people as its caretakers. Keoua led the tribal leaders to the site of Malanj, which was said to be along the western coast in an area of unsurpassed beauty, and founded the city there that would give birth to the Kingdom of Mala.

Around -10 ASC Mala was overrun by one of Micras' earliest nations; Cyberia. Cyberia was technologically advanced and had colonialist ambitions for Mala and the surrounding area. It was then incorporated as a province in the southwest of the Federal Republic of Cyberia. It became a vibrant province with mixed Imperial, Mala'anje and Socialist influence. After the First War of Cyberian Liberation, the province was renamed Felicia as a punishment of the Mala'anje who supported UPEC and the rebels. The Mala'anje were repressed during the early stages of Cyberian colonialism, and under Kahunamea IV many migrated to Cognito under invitation from the United Imperium's Emperor, Jacobus. These migrants would settle in the Tigra Isles and Melangia, eventually becoming distinct cultures unto themselves.

In 1564, after Cyberia collapsed for the final time, Mala joined Ashkenatza as Mala'eretz. Under the leadership of Amir Rabin, the territory adopted the Mala'anashi dialect as its official language. This was the second most populous tongue in use by the Mala'anje, and Rabin, hoping to modernize the nation and gaining significant support from Ashkenatza, took the opportunity to suppress the older language in favor of its modern counterpart. Despite internal tensions as a result of this, the period was marked by relatively strong economic growth, thus minimizing opposition to the loss of tradition. This growth would continue for several decades until the economic collapse of Ashkenatza in 1605, which caused the country to revert to tribalism and stirred up internecine warfare between rival tribes.

The area would fluctuate between various powers for the next hundred years until the early 1700s when Lac Glacei re-emerged as a major superpower on Apollonia. The Lac Glaceians, longtime allies of the Mala'anje, helped to restore tribal rights in the Tigra Isles. This eventually led to the Mala'anje Repatriation Act in 1705 that established the Free Nation Territory on their historic lands in Keltia. The act provided a subsidized route for Mala'anje to return to their ancestral lands in Mala, which had been secured by Lac Glacei. Elements of the act served as a springboard for the establishment of an autonomous tribal government. Challenges facing the nation are the lack of sufficient lands available to returning Mala'anje, and an over reliance on imports to sustain the economy.

In 1732 Lac Glacei and the Imperial Federation established a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing shared sovereignty over Mala and Windsor Island while placing the bulk of governance in the hands of the tribal administration. This allowed a larger swath of territory to be made available to returning Mala'anje and helped to offset geographic isolation by connecting the port of Qorali with interior settlements, including the main defense installation at Fort Cyberia.

Geography

Mala is split into two main territories, one including the mainland, simply called Mala, and Windsor Island off the southern coast. The reservation territory is a shared administrative region between Lac Glacei and the Imperial Federation, who jointly provide for the defense and infrastructure of the area. The main reservation encompasses the core of the former Mala'anje territory, with the administration currently based out of Qorali. Other villages, such as Rothschild, Simeon and New Malanj, date back to the days of Cyberia but are little more than a fraction of the former size. The remaining sections of the peninsula that formerly belonged to Mala are now part of the Imperial Federation and Nouvelle Alexandrie.

Mala, circa 1730

Government and Politics

The Mala'anje government functions as a three-part system. The president and vice-president are elected every four years. The legislative body, called the Tribal Council, meets four times per year and is composed of 12 district delegates.

Culture

The Mala'anje consider themselves to be the oldest extant culture on Micras and the first civilization to emerge from post-neolithic times. These claims have not been validated by the scientific community, but it is agreed that Mala predates even Audentior and Cyberia by several hundred years. It is not uncommon for Mala'anje to refer to themselves as the first people. They consider themselves the precursors to any other civilization on the planet, and as such hold certain lands sacred. The Mala Peninsula being considered their sacred birthright territory, even though it is currently divided between Lac Glacei, Nouvelle Alexandrie, and the Imperial Federation.

A major symbol of the Mala'anje people and a recurring theme in their art and culture is the inclusion of the Malan Tiger, a species of a white tiger native to the area and today a protected species under conservation.

Economy

Mala uses three currencies interchangeably, the local Malan dollar which is pegged to the Glaceian Blanc, the Imperial Guilder, and the New Alexandrian écu. Because of the proximity and shared boundaries with these nations, it is common for people to travel and/or work in multiple locations, thus use of the three currencies is regular.

Old Map of Mala, circa -450 AN

Defence

Defence of Mala and Windsor are provided for by Lac Glacei and the Imperial Federation.

See: Workers' Republic of Mala and Windsor