Saukania

Confederation of the Saukanians Kuchaxa ka Sakhandelen
Seal of the Confederation
Location of Saukania in Thrismari
Capital and largest city	Kula
Official languages	Eastern Saukanian (Kulean) Western Saukanian (Khodanian)
Ethnic groups (2020)	93.6% Saukanian 6.4% Other
Religion (2020)	79.4% Saukanian paganism 10.2% Christianity 6.6% Islam 3.8% Other
Demonym(s)	Saukanian Saukan
Government	Confederation of sovereign principalities and republics
Legislature	Confederation Council
Area
• Total	1,116,863 km2 (431,223 sq mi)
Population
• 2020 estimate	27,214,000
• Density	24.3/km2 (62.9/sq mi)
Date format	dd-mm-yyyy
Driving side	left
Internet TLD	.sg

Saukania, formally the Saukanian Confederation, is a country in northern and western Thrismari. A landlocked country, most of Saukania lies within the Western Thrismari Desert, with additional steppe, montane, and riparian ecoregions. Saukania shares borders with Bezuria and Shirua to its south and south-west, and Sarocca to the north. At 1,116,863 million square kilometers, Saukania is one of the largest countries in Thrismari, though very sparsely populated. Its population of 27.2 million people live primarily in the fertile river valleys of the south-western mountains and in the river-fed oases throughout the arid landscape, forming a ring of habitation known as the Saukan Belt. The seat of the confederation is Kula, its largest city and state, situated in the south of the country.

Human habitation in Saukania began in the Palaeolithic. In ancient times, Saukania became home to a culture of agropastoral city-states situated in the foothills and river valleys of the southwestern mountains and the riparian banks and fertile oases of the Laxad river, forming crucial trade routes through the desert. In the late 2nd millennium BC, these cities were conquered by the nomadic Saukans, many of whom then settled in the conquered cities. The Saukans divided the land into four regions; Daskhla, Kagara, Parhara, and Turoka, possibly named for Saukan tribal or political divisions. In the 1st millenias BC and AD, Acha, Dathan, Khodan, Kula, Sardasar, Turshor, and others became famous and wealthy states commanding powerful domains around the desert. Khodan and Kula, largest by population, have often disproportionately dominated the Saukan Belt, controlling trade and fielding armies larger than their rivals.

The late 1st and early 2nd millennium saw periodic conquest of the oasis states by those Saukans who had remained nomadic, settling and adding their culture to the area. Often, these nomadic-led Saukan empires would raid and pillage beyond the traditional borders of the Saukan Belt, making the Saukans a byword of terror and plunder. These include the Kergost, the Nerthites, and the Kalgan. The powerful Sildan Empire (1204-1332) was the last of these, its disintegration giving rise to the principalities and oasis republics that would enter the modern age.

The modern confederation established itself in the 18th and 19th centuries in response to significant foreign pressure and the risk of subjugation, due to the competing colonial interests of Nyalan and Riamo. Attempts by outsiders to conquer or establish authority over the Saukanians were met with a fierce resistance that has become the reputation and national character of the people. The government of the confederation is comprised of a council of leaders of the oasis states, and is relatively decentralised, with the constituent polities possessing their own governments, laws, and militaries.

Saukania is a heavily agrarian country with a largely rural population, with its urban centres as the core of industry. Exports of fruits, vegetables, and other cash crops are a major source of revenue, as is the export of finished material goods such as textiles, with Saukanian carpets being famed throughout much of the world. Tourism to Saukania is common for its historic archaeological sites and unique culture, expressed through its cuisine, art, music, and entertainment.

Name

Main article: Names of the Saukanians

Saukania takes its name from the Saukan, an ancient nomadic people who entered the region in the late 1st millennium BC. Eventually they would give their name to the whole land, though the territorial extent of Saukania has often waxed and waned with the presence of Saukan states. 'Saukanian' in turn is a formation from 'Saukania', and is interchangeable with 'Saukan', though often the term 'Saukan' is reserved for describing the pre-modern people.

Another word for the territory of modern Saukania is Laxadia, coming from the Laxad river which flows from the Kedash Mountains.

Due to the historically disunited nature of the Saukanians, the names of constituent tribes of their nation have often been applied by foreigners to the entire group. The Saukans themselves gave the names Daskhla, Kagara, Parhara, and Turoka to parts of the territory they lived in.

Geography and climate

Main article: Geography of Saukania

The village of Isuk in the uplands of Sakbia.

At just over 1.1 million square kilometers, Saukania is one of the largest countries in Thrismari by total land area. It is however sparsely populated. Landlocked, and comprised entirely of desert and xeric shrubland, it is a very arid region of Thrismari, with most of its territory located in the vast West Thrismari Desert, locally called the Shana Amaxina.

The bulk of Saukania's population of 27.2 million lives in the oasis-rich riparian banks of the Laxad river and the river valleys of the Kedash mountains . The desert grows more inhospitable trending from south to north, with a belt of rock and gravel desert giving way to open sand dunes.

A photo of the Western Thrismari Desert at sunrise

History

Main article: History of Saukania

Prehistory (Palaeolithic - c. 4th century BC)

Main article: Prehistory of Saukania

Anatomically modern Homo sapiens are known to have arrived in what is now Saukania as recently as 32,000 years ago, with inconclusive evidence of earlier H. sapien and other Homo genus habitation stretching back many more thousands of years. Most of this evidence comes from southern Saukania, as the sand dunes of the northern desert leave little trace. Agriculture is thought to have begun at a limited level around 8,000 years ago, giving rise to sedentary communities who eventually developed metallurgy, producing copper and later bronze artefacts, known as the Geometric Band Culture (GBC).

Ancient history (4th century BC - 7th century AD)

Main article: Ancient history of Saukania

Feudal Saukania (7th - 15th centuries)

Main article: Saukanian Medieval Age

Early modern history (15th - 18th centuries)

Main article: Early modern period of Saukania

Modern history (18th century - present day)

Main article: Contemporary Saukania

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Saukania

Ethnicity

Main articles: Ethnic groups in Saukania, Saukanians, and Nomads in Saukania

Ethnic Saukanians are the largest group in Saukania, representing over 93% of its total population. Minority groups include Shiruans, Saroccans, and Bezurians. Ethnic Saukanians identify themselves and one another by use of the Saukanian language, through common bloodline and heritage, and, to a lesser extent, participation in their polytheistic and animistic religion.

Saukanian identity is divided, however, as members of its four constituent polities identify more strongly with their regional identity. There are cultural and linguistic differences between the Arimazi, Kanthali, Lukarani, and Tukari, though they are conscious of and accept a shared Saukanian heritage. Nevertheless, some observers have considered the four groups to be ethnic groups in their own right.

Language

Main article: Saukanian language

Saukanian is an Oskuri language that takes its name from the Saukan tribes. The only surviving member of the Oskuri language family, Saukanian itself has branched out considerably over the centuries it has enjoyed dominance as the primary language of the four federations. It is itself increasingly considered to qualify as a group or small family of languages, as Saukanian dialects between and within the federations are increasingly varied enough as to make various tongues largely unintelligible to one another.

Use of the Saukanian language is considered an essential but not alone qualifying demonstration of Saukanian ethnic identity. While foreigners who know the language are not accepted on that basis alone as a Saukanian, there is a commonly held feeling that a blood Saukanian who does not know the language is not really a Saukanian. As use of the language is a sign of ethnic identity and pride, Saukanians are somewhat reputed for their reluctance to speak to foreigners in any language except Saukanian. Rudimentary knowledge of Common is fairly widespread in Saukania, though fluency is much less prevalent, and concentrated primarily among the social elite.

The Saukanians regard other languages as lesser to their own, and a common insult for "barbarians" or those who do not speak Saukanian translates roughly as "dirty-tongued"

Religion

Main article: Religion in Saukania

Religion in Saukania (2020 est.)

  Saukanian paganism (79.4%)

  Christianity (10.2%)

  Islam (6.6%)

  Other (3.8%)

Major cities

Main article: List of major cities in Saukania

Government and politics

Main article: Government of Saukania

The Saukanian Confederation is an alliance of four sovereign federations; the Arimazi, Kanthali, Lukarani, and Tukari. Each federation is independent, passing its own laws, possessing its own military, electing its own leaders, etc. The core of the modern alliance is the Treaty of Confederation, an agreement signed by the leaders of the four federations in the 19th century to come to the defence of any signatory if attacked.

The four federations have a relatively uniform political system, derived from their common heritage. Essentially aristocratic republics, the Saukanians hold elections to determine their leaders, though these elections are not what international norms would classify as "free and fair". Each of the four federations is led by a magistrate called an uhtris.

Administrative divisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of Saukania

Military

Main article: The Saukanian Army

Culture

Main article: Culture of Saukania

Saukanian society is highly conservative, as Saukanians are suspicious of foreigners and foreign ideas. Tradition is central to their religion and way of life. The traditional code of conduct, larni mefinaeun, is fundamental to Saukanian society. Its basic tenets include hospitality for guests, bravery for men, modesty for women, and the necessity of vengeance. Family is a pillar of their society, and Saukanians have a great concern for personal and familial honour. They are strictly patriarchal, and women adhere to an ideal of seclusion called karsavis.

Rural and urban Saukania differ in their particular customs, as rural Saukanians live a harder life in the desert, steppe, and mountains closer to their traditional roots. Customs also vary between regions of Saukania. Sedentary Saukanians again differ from nomads, whose pastoralist lifestyle herding sheep, goats, and camels from oasis to oasis has resulted in a unique expression of Saukanian identity.

Social structure

Main article: Social structure and class in Saukania

Further information: Women in Saukania

Saukanian social status and class is a multipolar hierarchy involving multiple and overlapping statuses, resulting in a complex development of self and group identity. In the four federations, where the class systems are more or less uniform, there are five primary categories by which an individual's status is determined: ancestry, age, gender, citizenship grade, and wealth census rank.

The origin of these distinctions arises out of the agricultural tribal city-state traditions of ancient Saukania, which, owing to modern Saukania's largely agrarian economy, has not substantially changed in that time.

Honour

Main articles: Larni mefinaeun and Karsavis

Clothing

Main article: Clothing in Saukania

Architecture and art

Main articles: Architecture of Saukania and Art in Saukania

Music

Main article: Music of Saukania

Cuisine

Main article: Cuisine of Saukania

Sport

Main article: Sport in Saukania