Madiana Republic

Madiana is part of Vekllei Kalina

Madiana Republic
Constituent Republic of Vekllei
Part of the Kalina Commonwealth
Capital	Fort Royal
Population	921,962
Area	1,128 km²
Languages	English, French, Antillean Creole
Vekllei Accession	1930, as part of the Alford Agreement

The Madiana Republic is a constituent republic of Vekllei in the Caribbean. The name Madiana comes from the Taino word for “Island of Flowers,” an appropriate name considering its natural beauty. The republic is extraordinarily diverse for an island of its size, measuring about 80km long. Large mountains dominate the northern half of the island, the tallest of which is an active volcano called Mount Palee.

Madianans are a proud people, and represent a strong fusion of French and Creole cultures. The women have become consorts to kings, emperors and shahs; and its historic capital of Sainte Pierre was once the most cultured settlements in all the West Indies before its destruction. The republic’s dramatic history, fine cuisine and love of music have made Madiana one of the most exotic and desirable communities in Vekllei – although fully accessible only to those willing to learn a little French.

The island was discovered in the 15th Century, but was not settled by Europeans for 200 years. The history of the republic is a story of great prosperity and great violence. A persistent war with local Indians led French colonists to kill and deport most indigenous Madianans to neighbouring Kabuli. The island was also a major producer of cotton, cacao and sugar, mostly worked by African slaves who led uprisings against French rule throughout the 18th and 19th Centuries. Most famously, in 1902, the town of St Pierre was laid to waste by Mt Palee, killing almost the entire population of 30,000 people. The destruction of St Pierre ruined the economy and much of the livelihood of the island, which recovered slowly throughout the decades after.

Most people today live in Fort Royal, a neat and pretty city centred around the historic fort for which it is named. It is densely populated, and the city snakes upward and away from the coast in valleys typical of the complex relief of the island. Luxuriant vegetation covers much of the republic, and includes dense forests, mangrove swamps and dry savannahs scattered with petrified trees. A national park protects much of the northern part of the republic, including its destructive volcano. There, water cascades freely down the slopes of the mountains, gathering in hidden oases encased in thick forests of mahogany and rosewood.

Madianans are good-natured and vibrant people, and celebrate any occasion with music and feasts. The republic is famous for its cuisine, fusing the cult of haute cuisine with Caribbean flavour, washed down with French wine and champagne or local rum. They love to dance the béguine, merengue or mazurka. They are also a deeply religious people, comprising mostly Roman Catholics, and host tremendous public celebrations throughout Mardi Gras, culminating in the burning of images of deities on the fourth day. In November, All Saints Day is celebrated by lighting candles on every grave on the island. They enjoy a variety of music, including the béguine, the mazurka and, on Ash Wednesday, the frenzy of the diablesses.

Most Madianans are mixed-race (Creole), though there are European French, Indian and Chinese communities there too. Fort Royal is a busy city, and has good schools and hospitals. There is a Commonwealth Oil refinery in the capital, but the republic is most famous for its processed food. Although local agriculture is limited to municipal goods, many foods are shipped to Madiana for packaging and processing in its large automatic canning and refining facilities. Major exports include feed for livestock, fruit and vegetable tins, premade meals and soups and sugar and salt refining. The Energy Chemistry Division of the LSRE is headquartered there.

The island has good transport connections. There is a tourist steam train that travels daily to the ruins of Sainte Pierre, as well as modern electric railways that follow the southern coast to the capital. Most large towns have their own tram network, and ferries connect the republic to its neighbours. There is also an airport outside of Fort Royal, which includes search-and-rescue facilities for the Littoral Service.

Climate

Warm the year round. Rainy season from July to November. The capital is rather hot at this time.

Public Holidays:

• New Year’s Day 1 Jan
• Mardi Gras Feb
• Good Friday
• Easter Monday
• Commonwealth Day 1 May
• Republic Day 27 May
• Ascension Day
• Whitsun
• Assumption Day 15 Aug
• All Saints Day 1 Nov
• Armistice Day 11 Nov
• Christmas Day 25 Dec