Biotopia Culture

Language

The spoken word is primarily based on an amalgamation of the languages of the lower floodplain regions. There is also an underlaying infusion from the island-north-east dialect and small groupings of nouns and verbs based on the peripheral language groups such as the north-west, central mountains and peninsular languages. Celdonian was a common intermediary language and is taught and used throughout Biotopia. Celdonian words have been abrogated from the official Biotopian language. Biotopian is given primary preference as the language of governance and instruction and is encouraged mostly through the restriction of the use of Celdonian. At times these policies have been perceived as antagonistic towards Celdonian culture and harking of a parochial attitude towards external influences and foreign cultures.

Alphabet

Biotopian is written in the Celdonian alphabet after the Cyanic alphabet was dropped because of its complexity and difficulty in transcribing new elements of the Biotopian language. The letters C, F, Q, Y and Z/X are absent and substituted by the combinations of K, Ph, Wh, Vh and Zh respectively. The old alphabet was dropped from official use eight years after federation although the current Celdonian influenced model was in use beforehand. Biotopian is also used in all national publications and broadcasters but limited Celdonian language publications are available as well as sub-titling and dubbing into Celdonian. Biotopian sign language is based on the Biotopian alphabet not the Celdonian.

Literature

All Biotopian classics have been converted into contemporary Biotopian and Celdonian. There are also numerous books which have been published both in Biotopian, Celdonian and even regional dialects. Bio-Celdonian fusions have been a periodic fad and produced an entire sub-genre. The written word plays an important part in Biotopian culture to the discrimination of other artistic expressions such as cinematography, theatre and painting.

Top Five Books in 2024

• The Compendium
• Yumakkattakaa
• Jell-Tratta-Mota
• Dark Wood
• Raise the Red Flag

Colloquialisms

Biotopia sponsors a rich vocabulary including numerous colloquialisms and proverbs. Some of these colloquialisms have roots in antiquity while other are more contemporary in nature.

Anarchist slanderous term typically employed against someone who is perceived as acting in a treacherous or underhanded way.

Dove-Eyed to describe an insightful thought or idea.

Group Rounder a friendly person who works well with others in a group.

Sixth Guard a person or group that offers support at the last moment.

Wooden Toothed used to describe a person that frequently lies.

Media

Television, radio, newspapers, magazines and the internet are all popular consumption outlets for Biotopian mass-media. Newspapers continue to be highly popular as they have traditionally been the most independent news source and three of the top five selling papers have been established for over 100 years. The government funds the Global Broadcasting Agency and Biotopian Broadcasting Commission which oversees the funding of operations to the subsidiary bodies of the BBC including its radio and internet services. Biotopia One and all government radio agencies are unable to accept funding for airing advertisements. There are numerous independent television and radio networks across Biotopia. Regular television broadcasts end daily from 11pm-5am and only run limited programs over the weekend.

Newspapers

Top Five National Newspapers in 2024

• The Republican
• The Biotopian
• Citizen!
• The Green Star
• National-Herald

Radio

Top Five National Stations in 2024

• 80.6FM National Biotopia Radio (NBR)
• 100.1FM World Radio Network (WRN)
• 94.1FM 2K Youth Station (2K)
• 72AM Biotopia National Network (BNN)
• 70.8AM Celdonian Radio International (CRI)

Television

Top Five National Broadcasters in 2024

• Biotopia One (B1)
• National News Network (NNN)
• Citizen Broadcasting Agency (CBA)
• Global Broadcasting Agency (GBA)
• Biotopian Television Syndicate (BTS)

Music & Preforming Arts

Despite a cultural preference for the written word music, theatre an dance have grown increasingly popular. Choreographed dance performances were once highly popular and although they have declined there has been an internal diversification of the types of performances conducted in the annual Mass Games. Theatre has also been a less culturally acclaimed art form centred on the genres of comedy/musicals. Sometimes derided as pandering to popular appeal rather than seriousness a new generation of writers and directors have produced several sober and even dark stage performances in the last decade harking back to the early republican era of High Opera without the melodrama or nationalist jingoism.

Top Five ‘High’ Operas

• Republic
• The Hammer
• Raise the Red Flag
• Through the Western Forest
• May City

Top Five ‘Low’ Operas

• Ten to Midnight
• Silver Screen Dreams
• Red Noon
• Citizen Arkaas
• Two Steps Forward (One Step Backwards)

Religion

Biotopia is dominated by two major religions; the Universal Cathedral and Mother Church which are both indigenous belief systems and are adhered to by around a third of the population each. The third largest indigenous religion is Gnangara which applies to only 6.5% of the total population. Christianity, Buddhism, Islam and Judaism are the largest mainstream non-indigenous religions respectively. 16% of the population identify themselves as atheists.

Biotopians strongly separate affairs of the state from affairs of religion and is treated as a highly personal affair. It is considered offensive to enter into religious discussions in most contexts. Ghettoising of ethnic and religious communities from mainstream society is highly undesirable to most Biotopians. There are no specifically religious public holidays in the republic although some dates coincide with religious dates of importance. The violence between the two competing religious orders resulted in the Biotopian Republic strongly separating the powers of church and state as well as maintaining a secularised public service.

The Universal Cathedral and Mother Church tend to be evenly distributed with a minor preference towards the Mother Church in Vellnain Island and north-east and the Universal Cathedral is more concentrated in the southern and north-west provinces. Gnangara is most disproportionately represented in the national capital Zhaire because of its religious and cultural importance. Although individuals religions were not directly attacked religious organisation are taxed liked any commercial enterprise and prohibited from accumulating capital assets.

Symbolism

It is difficult to define a quintessential list of national icons or symbols for Biotopia because of its deep cultural heritage rooted in its provincial system. What might be defined as strong aspects of a general Biotopian identity are the Biotopian language, its literary accomplishments and its noticeable natural and artifical landmarks such as the Kobrekka Hives, White Pine Plaza, the Resphan Woodlands or the Resmuna Gallery and the National Exhibition Hall. Republicanism, democracy and non-capitalism are other strong elements of the Biotopian identity as evidenced by the genuine popularity of events such as the Harvest Festival and the frequently appointed title of “citizen”.