Teyrnas Fennario
Teyrnas Fennario | |
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 Flag of the Commonwealth of Fennario
 Coat of arms
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| Motto: "Pax, Amare, Intellectus" (Latin) (English: Peace, Love, Understanding) | |
| Official languages | None (English de facto) |
| Demonym(s) | Fennarin |
| Government | Unitary Semi-Constitutional Monarchy |
• Monarch | Michael I |
| Legislature | Senate |
| Establishment | 26 November 2021 |
| Population | |
• Census | 3 |
| Currency | US Dollar |
| Time zone | Atlantic Standard Time (-4 UTC) |
Teyrnas Fennario, more commonly known as Fennario, is a micronation located on an archipelago in the north Sargasso Sea. Fennario also lays claim to the dwarf planets Ceres, Eris, and Sedna; Eris' moon Dysnomia; several small enclaves in the United States, and the South Sandwich Islands. In March 2022 Fennario was renamed Teyrnas Fennario to reflect its leaders title and to distance itself from being confused with the Commonwealth of Nations or its member states.
Etymology
Fennario comes from the corruption of Fyvie, a small town with a historic castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The town is made famous in the song, "The Bonnie Lass o' Fyvie." Fennario is also the setting of the Grateful Dead song, "Dire Wolf." Coincidentally, the Grateful Dead perform a version of "The Bonnie Lass o' Fyvie." under the titles, "Peggy-O" or "Fennario."
"Teyrnas" means "kingdom" in Old Welsh and comes from the word "teyrn" meaning "king" or "monarch."
History
Initially believed to be a part of the Bermuda archipelago, Fennario was considered to be inhabited by demons and spirits by sailors in the early 1500s. Sailors had reported "demonic screaming" when they landed on the island around 1510. The "demons" would turn out to be the calls of Bermuda petrels. Because of this belief, the islands were intentionally left off the map of the area. These beliefs were exacerbated by the lack of an indigenous population on the island. Throughout the following centuries, the archipelago was mostly forgotten to history.
In August 2019, it was rediscovered by Michael I as he attempted to sail from Cape Hatteras to Bermuda. His vessel had be blown off course by a tropical storm, resulting in him ending up 150 miles northeast of Bermuda. Once ashore, Michael I searched the main island for inhabitants. After figuring out the precise latitude and longitude, it was determined the island was uncharted and, most likely, unexplored and unclaimed. Michael I circumnavigated the islands, drawing a crude map with the hopes of planning an exploratory expedition on his following visit.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the return trip was delayed until November 2021. In between trips, Michael I found himself going down the micronation rabbit hole while researching flags of the world. This research lead to him studying the history and founding of various micronations. The Kingdom of Lovely and the BBC series How to Start Your Own Country documenting its founding heavily influence the decision to found Fennario. The rise of Christo-fascism, authoritarian conservatism, and white nationalism in the United States over the last decade also played a factor.
Under the guise of the terra nullius and the Eddie Izzard, "Do you have a flag?" bit, on 26 November 2021 Michael I placed an American Peace Symbol flag in the ground and claimed the islands for himself.
Geography and Climate
Fennario is a group of dormant volcanoes in the Atlantic Ocean, in the north of the Sargasso Sea, approximately 130 nautical miles north-northeast of Bermuda. The Fennarin archipelago consists of eight islands, seven of which are named: Fennario, Sargasso, Moser, Andromeda, Cantus, Mittenzwei, and Isla de Loro.
Climate
Fennario has a tropical rainforest climate, bordering very closely on a humid subtropical climate. Fennario is warmed by the nearby Gulf Stream, and low latitude. Data on temperature extremes and averages is deficient due to the recent establishment of government on the archipelago. It is believed to have a similar climate to the nearby Bermudan archipelago but that remains to be seen.
Flora and Fauna
The islands are covered in forests of mostly Bermuda cedar. Towards the shore, there are mangrove swamps which are the inhabited by diamondback terrapins. Unlike nearby Bermuda, there are several sources of freshwater on the islands and at least one river. Seafaring birds have been spotted on one of the smaller islands. It is not known if this is a breeding habitat for them. Other known species of bird spotted on the islands include the Bermuda petrel, Bermuda white-eyed vireo, the eastern bluebird, grey catbird and perhaps the common ground dove. The common moorhen is the most common native waterbird; very small numbers of American coot and pied-billed grebe are breeding. Small numbers of common tern nest around the coast. There is at least one species of hawk, owl, and bat known to live on the islands.
Politics and Government
Fennario is a unitary semi-constitutional monarchy in which the monarch is both Head of State and Government. Politically, the Commonwealth champions progressive democratic socialist ideals.
Law and Order
The current Fennarin Bill of Rights is a modified version of the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These can be amended as necessary.
The Commonwealth has no police force as citizens are expected to respect everyone's rights as a human being. Those found violating those rights are subject to trial and possible revocation of citizenship and refusal of entry into the country.
Foreign Relations
The government of Fennario recognizes the right to a homeland. As such, Fennario recognizes the existence of every member country of the United Nations and its Observer States, members of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization, persons belonging to a Stateless Nation, and any unrecognized people's sovereign land.
The Fennarin government refuses to recognize governments who routinely disregard human rights. These include, but are not limited to the governments of the People's Republic of China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Türkiye, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Uganda, the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the State of Israel, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, and the Syrian Arab Republic.
Fennario has joined several other micronations in boycotting the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing over the People's Republic of China's decades of human rights abuse. The Commonwealth has also joined in boycotting the 2022 FIFA World Cup over Qatar's history of human rights violations including the use of slaves to build facilities for the tournament.
Micronation Relations
The Commonwealth currently has no official diplomatic relations with any member of the micronation community.
Military
The Commonwealth of Fennario is a permanent neutral power. As such, it does not have a standing military nor does it have plans to have one in the future.
Culture
Sports
Sports play a major role in Fennarin society. Ice hockey is the national sport, with baseball and soccer (association football) close behind.
Fennarin League
The Fennarin League is a top level baseball league set to begin in March 2022. There will also be a 30-game preseason prior to the official start of league play. The league is set to begin with eight teams - two on each of the four named islands of the Commonwealth of Fennario - with the intent to relocate half once the new markets are established. Teams will play a 162 game season followed by playoffs to determine a champion.
Holidays and National Days of Remembrance
The Commonwealth of Fennario recognizes several holidays. All holidays are secular, however, the government does recognize religious holidays and will add them to the list of official holidays upon the request of its citizens.
National Days of Remembrance are days set aside to remember the victims of global atrocities, such as genocide or war crimes. They are meant as days of reflection and learning meant to help learn how to prevent future crimes against humanity.
| Date | Holiday/Day of Remembrance | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year's Day | |
| 27 January | International Holocaust Remembrance Day | A national day of remembrance to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust |
| 8 March | International Women's Day | |
| 25 March | Bengali Genocide Memorial Day | A national day of remembrance to commemorate the victims of the Bengali genocide of 1971 |
| 24 April | Armenian Genocide Memorial Day | A national day of remembrance to commemorate the victims of the Armenian genocide of 1915 |
| 20 May | Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Day | A national day of remembrance to commemorate the victims of the Cambodian genocide of 1975-79 |
| 4 June | June Fourth Massacre Remembrance Day | A national day of remembrance to commemorate the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre |
| 23 June | Robert Hunter Day | Celebration of lyricist Robert Hunter |
| 28 June | Christopher Street Liberation Day | Anniversary of the beginning of the Stonewall Riots |
| 1 August | Jerry Garcia Day | Celebration of Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead |
| 6 August | Hiroshima Remembrance Day | A national day of remembrance to commemorate the victims of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima |
| 9 August | Nagasaki Remembrance Day | A national day of remembrance to commemorate the victims of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki |
| 21 September | International Day of Peace | |
| 24 September | Jim Henson Day | Celebration of Jim Henson |
| 12 October | Indigenous People's Day | |
| 10 November | Sesame Street Day | Anniversary of the first airing of Sesame Street |
| 20 November | Transgender Day of Remembrance | A national day of remembrance to memorialize those who have been murdered as a result of transphobia |
| 26 November | Founding Day | Anniversary of the founding of the Commonwealth of Fennario |
| 1 December | World AIDS Day | |
| 10 December | International Human Rights Day | |
| 21 December | Royal Birthday | The birthday of Teyrn Michael I |
| 23 December | Festivus | |
| 25 December | Christmas Day |