Bokela

The Princely States of Bokela Lus aladatas sidiskos de Bokela لوس الاداتاس سيديسكوس دي بوكيلا
Flag of Bokela Flag Coat of arms of Bokela Coat of arms
Capital	Biàlma
Largest city	Savona
Official languages	Sulario
Recognised national languages	Badawiyan, Gaullican, Sularo
Recognised regional languages	Caeseni, Lusitanian, Rulawa
Ethnic groups	Bokelan (83.5%) Badawiyan (8.3%) Euclean (4.4%) Coian (2.2%) Bahian (1.2%) Rulawan (0.4%)
Demonym(s)	Bokelan
Government	Federal parliamentary constitutional elective monarchy
• Britur	Adica buna Eiza
• Vasur	Hazan Ocania
Legislature	Asumblas Sidisco
• Upper house	Concilio de Sidis
• Lower house	Asumbla Populo
History
• Mumin Invasions	7th century
• Protectorate	18th century
• Independence	1948
Population
• Estimate	5,240,000
Currency	Bokelan Corona (₡)
Date format	dd-mm-yy
Driving side	right

Bokela, officially the Princely States of Bokela (Sulario; Lus aladatas sidiskos de Bokela لوس الاداتاس سيديسكوس دي بوكيلا), is a sovereign island nation located in the straits between Euclea and Badawiya. The population of the country are largely concentrated in urban centres on the coasts, with it being more rural and sparsely populated further inland. It is a federal parliamentary constitutional elective monarchy with the capital in Biàlma, the country's cultural and political centre, while Savona is the country's largest city and main economic hub. It is defined by the constitution as a secular and democratic federal constitutional monarchy, with no religion holding a special religious position, and in which power is derived from both the people and the princes.

Etymology

The exact origin of the name Bokela is unknown. The native Rulawan and Phutite peoples called it Ravkno (in modern times Hravȍnor) and Pūt respectively, and no word from their languages which could have been the origin of Bokela has been found or linked.

Bokela is speculated to have come from the Solarian buccula, meaning 'little cheek or mouth', in reference to it being near the mouth of the Aurean straits. However there are no records of this name being used in Solarian times, when it was known as Putea, after the Phutite people first encountered by the Solarians, which survived as Pota until the mid 8th century, when Bukula became more common in foreign and internal documents and letters.

It is also speculated that Bokela comes from the Badawiyan bakhila (بَخِلَ) which comes from the trilateral root bā khā lām, and has a general meaning of stinginess, and withholding. This is in reference to the Bokelans being very rebellious after the Caliphate conquered them, even through non-violent methods such as purposefully giving less tax and grain than was required. The local governors often used the terms bakhilū (they withhold) and yabkhalūna (they are stingy) to describe the people in their reports to the Caliph, and it is speculated that the Bokelans adopted it as the name for their island, after it became their, and their islands, name in Badawiyan.

History

Ancient

<imgur thumb="yes" w="250" comment="Ancient Bokela c. 1100 BC.">QqNzrdv.png</imgur>

Evidence of an early settlement in Bokela was found in Suun, which is considered to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The evidence dates back to earlier than 5000 BC. Archaeologists discovered remnants of prehistoric huts with crushed limestone floors, primitive weapons, and burial jars left by early fishing communities who lived on the southern Bokelan shore of over 7,000 years ago.

It is unknown whether the Phutite people, the ancestors of most Bokelans, were native to the island or colonised it. It is clear from inscriptions that their culture had cemented itself along the coastlines from 2000 BC, but a lack of records from the Rulawan tribes leave it unclear as to whether they were foreigners, or natives themselves. The Rulawan name for Bokelans, Kymo, may be related to the word Hymȅk, meaning foreigner, though others believe it comes from the Old Rulawan verb Kẙnȍs, meaning to sail.

The Phutite cities were known for their maritime prowess, and the Phutites set up various colonies along the coast of Euclea and Badawiya. Some Bokelan historians speculate that the Sea-Peoples were Phutite, though this theory has met with scepticism from the historical community. The inland of Bokela, largely mountainous, was inhabited by the Rulawan tribes, who were linguistically and culturally distinct from the Phutite people. Archaeological evidence reveals that over time the Rulawan tribes were losing ground to the Phutites as they moved further inland looking for resources, and by the time of the Solarian conquest were only inhabiting half of their former domains.