Narapan people
Narapàn | |
|---|---|
 Narapan people with traditional drums and other instruments | |
| Total population | |
| ~ 15,379 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Île d'Émeraude | |
| Languages | |
| Gaullican, Narapan language (historically) | |
| Religion | |
| Sotirianity |
The Narapan are the indigenous people of Île d'Émeraude. They inhabit the main island of Île d'Émeraude as well as in some cases the cays that lie near the island, and have for centuries preceding Gaullican colonization.
At the time of first contact with the Gaullicans in 1517, the Narapan were the dominant group on what would become Île d'Émeraude, with smaller populations living on nearby islands such as !Saint-Joyeaux and Apostola. It is believed that their ancestors arrived from Asteria Inferior at some time around 100 AD, displacing the prior natives. The spread of disease, as well as various massacres and atrocities both related and unrelated to the Narapan Genocide, devastated the population and caused the decrease from an estimated 3 million at the height of the Narapan population levels around the time of Gaullican discovery to just over 15,000 in the modern day, with most of that population loss coming in the years between Gaullican conquest of Île d'Émeraude and the importation of the first Bahian slaves in the late 16th century.
The Narapan are a subgroup of the Native Arucians, as well as the broader Native Asterians.
Etymology
- derived from the native term for "river people", which they referred to themselves as to the arriving Gaullicans
History
Pre-colonial
- arrived from Asteria Inferior circa 100 AD
- displace/interbreed with prior natives
- their own bona fide society emerges around 300 AD
- make bank off of intermediate trade between the Asterian continents (see Medasteria)
- Narapan control of all of ÎDÉ by 600 AD
- power struggles between merchants and clan chieftains cause period of instability from c. 750 to 900
- new dynasty of merchant chieftains arises and consolidates control of the island around 1000 (First Narapan Confederation)
- First Confederation splinters around 1200
- New merchant chieftain arises and takes control of the island, starting a new dynasty around 1450 (Second Narapan Confederation)
- Chief Ahiahude (later Mathias) becomes chief of Confederation around 1500, marking beginning of a short golden age
Early colonization
- Gaullicans arrive in 1517, led by Grégoire Vaillancourt