Ariddian Arctic Islands

History

The exact moment of first settlement of the islands is unknown, but it is estimated it has been inhabited for at least 38,000 years. Over the next millennia, the eight “middle islands” (the Etenvua Atoll, Teayojo, Iwao, Roea and Fetuo, and Jojelkiwa) were peopled. The two northernmost islands, Ajona and Kearutu, permanently trapped as they were in ice, remained uninhabited, as did the Rijo Atoll in the south. The Islanders appear never to have set foot there, and to have been unaware of them.

The Islanders developed a culture and society distinct from that of neighbouring peoples, and practised similar customs despite the distances between some of the islands. Indeed, early foreign explorers noted that there was a tight-knit sense of community binding the islands together, and that there were get-togethers every two or three years.

In 1162, Korean explorers reached the island, and made contact with its inhabitants. The two peoples proved curious about each other. Four years later, Koreans settled in the uninhabited Rijo Atoll, and six years after that some of the ‘Rijoans’ moved north, where they were accepted into the indigenous society. Over the following centuries, there was a slow, partial merger, as increasing numbers of Koreans moved north, and Indigenous Islanders moved to the Rijo Islands. The two cultures and societies began to influence each other. Politically, it is thought Rijo remained a separate political entity until about 1350, when it was subordinated to the Council of Chiefs on Haenojol, in the Etenvua Atoll. From then on the fifteen islands formed a unified entity (Ajona and Kearutu still being undiscovered), despite lingering cultural differences.

In 1478, Wymgani explorers from the Ariddian Isles in the South Pacific reached the islands in turn. A small number settled in Haenojol, while the others returned to Ariddia to tell of their discovery. Over the next decades, more Wymgani arrived. They were integrated into the Islands’ society with remarkable lack of unease on the part of the Islanders, and brought elements of their own culture to the existing mix.

In the seventeenth century, Ariddia was colonised by French and British settlers. Ariddia gained its independence in the early nineteenth century, and for almost two hundred years Ariddians lived under successive conservative governments, which later embraced the tenets of capitalism. In 1868, Ariddia formally annexed the islands, on the basis of the fact some of their inhabitants descended from Indigenous Ariddians, and named them the Ariddian Arctic Islands (from the Korean name 북극 섬). Rêvane’s distant rule actually interfered fairly little with the Islanders’ every day life and societal structures, as Ariddia mainly viewed the Islands as a strategic outpost. Some missionaries came, and had a little influence, but the atheist Wymgani who had preceded them undoubtedly attenuated what little influence they were able to exert.

In 1985, the Democratic Communist Party came to power peacefully in Ariddia, ushering in a whole new era of Ariddian history. Rêvane promptly offered the Ariddian Arctic Islands to grant them full independence, but the Council of Chiefs, fearing annexation by some other power, requested instead to become a semi-autonomous Ariddian overseas territory, and that is still their status today.

Geography and Climate

The climate of the AAIs, obviously, is arctic. The two northernmost islands, Ajona and Kearutu, are uninhabited save for a small, occasionally manned Ariddian scientific outpost. They are trapped in a permanently frozen ocean, and unreachable save by helicopter. They are officially a part of the Islands nonetheless.

Seven other islands are trapped in ice throughout winter, and thus impossible to reach by boat at that time (except Fetuo, whose southern coast usually remains ice-free). Among these is Haenojol, which houses the small capital, the only village to be deemed a town, Ata’eatu. During winter, these islands are isolated not only from the outside world, but also from one another. Once the ice recedes come summertime, boats frequently travel between them, as Islanders get together again after several months apart.

Temperatures throughout the AAIs frequently drop below freezing, and snow is a permanent feature in people’s lives. The islands are fairly low-lying. There are two atolls, Etenvua and Rijo, comprising three and seven islands respectively, and each with its own (icy cold) lagoon. Vegetation is fairly sparse, and arctic.

People

Population: 1,590

Ethnicity

Most Islanders are of mixed ethnicity, merging Indigenous, Korean and Wymgani. In consequence, the average Islander has very pale brownish skin, while hair colour varies throughout the spectrum, excluding red. Indigenous Islanders are Caucasian, and fairly Nordic looking, mostly with blond hair and green, or sometimes blue, eyes. Wymgani have pale brown skin, and brown or black hair. Very few Islanders display traits of only one ethnicity, however.

While most buildings throughout the islands are fairly basic, the southern isles mostly reflect Korean influences, whereas Haenojol has a few European-style buildings dating back to the time of pre-communist Ariddian rule.

Languages

There are no “official” languages, but all Islanders speak Tikieyo, the Indigenous language. In recent decades, Islanders have embarked upon a nation-wide attempt to learn Korean (한국어), as the language derived from that spoken by twelfth century Korean settlers was barely spoken any more. As a result, most Islanders now speak Korean, while some also speak “Ariddian Arctic Korean” (북극 한국어), which is in many ways different. “Ariddian Arctic Wymgani” is also spoken by a small number of Islanders. The latter two are considered endangered languages, and much has been done in recent years to revive and study them.

English is spoken by many, both as the international language and as one of the languages brought by missionaries and pre-communist Ariddian governors. Finally, French is spoken by a small number, conferring remarkable linguistic diversity upon such a small country.

Religion

Indigenous spiritual beliefs still remain, reflected in codified customs and traditions. Christianity has made some converts, while atheism is also prevalent.

Politics

The Ariddian Arctic Isles are administered by a Council of Chiefs – some traditional, some elected, and some appointed by the Council itself. The Council is supervised by a “Second Secretary”, elected by the citizens and formally approved by the Ariddian government in Rêvane. Before the communist era in Ariddia, the Ariddian authorities would simply appoint a governor.

more to come

Culture

coming soon

Participation in the Oriental Cup

The Arctic Islands first attracted international attention when they took part in the inaugural Oriental Football Cup - and won, defeating the hosts on penalty kicks in the final. This was, however, a one-off, and there are currently no plans for an Arctic Islander football team to participate in further competitions.

Related links

• The flag of the Ariddian Arctic Islands
• A map of the Ariddian Arctic Islands
• Most recent map of Uhuhland

Note

Unlike Gnatanamo and Eshyosha, which are "special provinces", the AAIs are a semi-autonomous dependency, and are not considered Ariddian territory.