Draft:Easway

The Common Union of Easway on Biarmia and the Svalbard Isles Elëcska vi Liydoqezerrye elle Biaamya jau Boriopamuerrcho (Ezerryen Easwegian) Fellesunionen Jarneg på Bjarmeland og Svalbardøyene(Norwegian) Общая Союз Эзерии на Биармией и Oстровами Шпицберген (Pomors-Russian)
State and Civil Flags of Easway
Motto: "Elle qiellemo jei-silebestteu" Samarbeidom står me ("In co-operation we stand")
Anthem: The Ouroboros' call
State Emblem (by Savannah Faerie, 2020)
Location of Easway Free Realm in dark green Displaced Territories in light green
Proclaimed capital	Boriopolis (Murmansk)
Administrative center	Boriopa Centrum
Largest city	Archangel
Official languages	Ezerryen Easwegian English Norwegian Pomors Russian
Recognised regional languages	Nenets Sámi
Ethnic groups	33.33% Ezaari 22.44%Norwegians 11.33% Pomors 4.44% Sámi and Nenets 30.44% Other Of which: 33.1% Multiethnic
Religion	None official 43.78% Christianity 15.78% Eastern or Roman Catholicism 12.78% Eastern Orthodoxy 11.78% Lutheranism 2.44% Christianity (Other) 8.22% Folk 8% Hinduism 6% Buddhism 3.11 % Islam 30.89% No religion
Demonym(s)	Easwegian
Government	Federal multi-party directorial republic
• Grand Councillor	Suqeruli Bai
• General Director	Metallityöt
• Collective head of state	Imperative Council
• Collective head of government	National Directorate
• Assembly President	Swapardeshi
Legislature	United Common Assembly
Self-declared state
• Novgorod Republic settlement	1195
• Easwegian Commonwealth	1478
• Independence	19 December 2017
• Easwegian Flag Day	12 June 2018
• Constitution of Easway	14 January 2020
• Realm established	1 January 2021
• Common Union established	31 January 2023
• Biarmian Declaration	31 January 2024
Area
• Total
[2024 Census|Population]
• Census	450
Currency	Penaari/Easwegian Kroner
Time zone	(CET)
Internet TLD	.ez

Easway (/i:s.weɪ/), officially the Common Union of Easway on Biarmia and the Svalbard Isles, also known as the Easwegian Common Union (ECU), is a self-declared maritime federation and micronation located in the Arctic Barents Region of Northern Europe. Five island chains in the southeast of the Svalbard archipelago, spanning four municipalities—Essrina, Boriopa Centrum, Urdport, and Pomoresia—grouped together as Bear Island and Pomoresia, are administered by Easway as the Easwegian Svalbard Isles Free Realm. Outside Svalbard, internationally recognised as part of Norway, the Common Union asserts claim to coastal Arctic land administered by Russia, extending from the Paatsjoki River in the west to the Ural Mountains in the east, which Easway terms the Displaced Biarmian Territory and federates into three commonwealths—from west to east, Kola, the Pomors Frontier and Nenetsia. Easway also claims Vardø as a condominium. Easway is a polyethnic nation, with Ezerryen Easwegian, Norwegian and Pomors Russian as its official languages. Nenets and Sámi are recognised as regional languages. Easway's proclaimed capital is Boriopolis on Kola, whereas its administrative center is Boriopa Centrum in northern Bear Island.

Easwegians claim successorship of the medieval Novgorod Republic. From the 12th century onwards, its vast northern frontier surrounding the artic region, inhabited by Uralic tribes for centuries, was settled by explorers from Novgorod, including Pomors and Khazar-affiliated Ezaari. In 1194, Icelandic Vikings discovered Svalbard for the first time and this land was incorporated as the Novgorod province of Biarmia. Following the Muscovite conquest of Novgorod in 1478, Marfa Boretskaya led Biarmia to independence as the Easwegian Commonwealth which continued with a century-long struggle against Muscovy, before retreating to Vardø and surrounding areas (modern day northeastern Norway). Svalbard, the Commonwealth's northernmost frontier, began to be discovered by Western Europeans in the 16th century, first by Willem Barents in 1596. The Commonwealth lasted until subjugation by Sweden and Norway in 1821. The Battle at Realmsedge led to the exodus of the Ezaari and those affiliated with its ruling houses. These Easwegians fled to their only neutral partner at the time, Great Britain and Ireland. Norwegians of the Commonwealth assimilated into local society, and the Pomors trade began to cool down. The 1925 Spitsbergen Treaty allowed Easwegians return to Svalbard, although this was short-lived with the outbreak of WW2 and the German-occupation of Svalbard leading to mass evacuations.

In 2015, an Easwegian national movement began to form to to seek the independence of the peoples of the Barents Region, led by Emizerri. Following two years of preparation, the Free Serpent Forces launched the bloodless Easwegian Reawakening. The nation declared successful independence on 19 December 2017, solely as Bear Island, with the incorporation of Hopen island taking place on the 24 May 2020. Further incorporation took place with the Common Sailors Park on 31 December 2020, Ryke Yse Islands on 21 July 2021 and the Thousand Islands on 1 August 2022. Vardø, with condominium status, was incorporated on 17 July 2023. Since 31 January 2024, Easway has laid claim to Biarmia in the hope for future full incorporation.

Covering roughly 615,000 square kilometres, Easway is cleanly divided between Biarmia which is internationally recognised as part of Russia and the Easwegian Svalbard Isles which is internationally recognised as part of Norway since 1920 per the Spitsbergen Treaty signed by the victors of the First World War. All of Biarmia is administered by Russia. As a visa-free zone, Easwegians have since 2017 gained a foothold in Svalbard, located north of continental Europe, and administer 582 square kilometres of five island groups in the archipelago's southeast, which the Co-operative Government terms the Easwegian Svalbard Isles Free Realm. Easway also claims the Vardø Town Islands off the Varanger Peninsula as a condominium between Norwegian Finnmark and Easwegian Pomoresia, although Easwegian presence there is limited to local activism.

The political system is defined by the Directorial Federation Constitution of Easway. The Co-operative Government encompasses a pluralist polyethnic republic, whose law is created by the parliamentary and federated United Common Assembly, elected by the people. Within this assembly, the directly elected Grand Councillor chiefly leads the Easwegian Common Union through the collegial head of state Imperative Council and advises on the assembly appointed multi-party collegial National Directorate. All terms last for six months at a time.

Etymology

The name of the country in English is split up into two parts. Eas- & -way.

The eas- derives from "eastern", referring to both its geographical location directionally east of the Atlantic as well as its culture which is more orientated to the east than traditional western customs. The name was coined by the Emizerri as one of the driving points for "a new Realm with a restored Easwegian national identity", and is derived from the English translation of the old Norse "Austrvegr", the name for the eastern portion that in the mythology the Icelandic vikings called Svalbarði, "cold shores", modern day Svalbard. The Icelandic Vikings once residents of Bear Island called the Zerri peod "Austmenn" and their language "Auska", before they eventually assimilated forming middle Easwegian.

The name Ezerrye literally means "The Rich Realm." The name for Easwegian people in Easwegian is Zerri and the name of the language formed within the Realm's borders is Ezerryen; literally meaning of the Easwegian Realm.

The name Jarneg comes from the Norwegian word "jarn" meaning iron and "eg" a derivative of Noreg (Norway). The name originally comes from Icelandic Járnsland (Iron land), which in the mythology the Icelandic vikings in the 12th century named modern day Bear Island, the island in Svalbard they settled on after crashing their boat trying to find harbour.

History

Historical Affiliations (Middle Ages onwards)

• Khazar Khaganate (650-969)
• Novgorod Republic (1195-1478)
• Easwegian Commonwealth (1478-1821)
• United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway (1821-1905)
• Kingdom of Norway (1925-2017)
• Mainland of Easway on Bear Island (2017-2020)
• Mainland Realm of Easway on Bear Island and Hopen (2020)
• Realm of Easway (2021-2023)
• Common Union of Easway (since 2023)

Overview

Easway traces its history as a polity back to the late 12th century when the Novgorod Republic expanded its frontier north and established the Arctic province of Biarmia.

First mentioned in the Icelandic Annals, the 1194 discovery of the Svalbard archipelago by Icelandic Vikings and the Pomors and Ezaari heightened the Republic's interest in northern resources and awareness of possible foreign competition for sovereignty over the vast land. In 1195, the Prince of Novgorod Yaroslav Vladimirovich, who had an Ezaari wife, awarded the Pomors and Ezaari custody over the new Biarmian province. Together with the Icelandic sailors, they formed the House of Papar, led by a tysiatskii (thousandman). This title is maintained today in Ezerryen by the chief head of state, the Zerrich, translated as Grand Councillor.. The Province of Biarmia was heavily steeped in Greek tradition, specifically the notion that the land was the mythological Hyperborea; Boriopa in Easwegian. The culture was also heavily influenced by the local Uralic tribes which have influenced the Ezaari and Pomors languages. In 1478, the Tsardom of Muscovy annexed the resistant Novgorod and the northern province was left to fend for itself. Led by famous Novgorod Mayoress Martha of Boriopa, Biarmia fought for independence as the Easwegian Commonwealth (officially the Grand Commonwealth of Lord Biarmia) and the independent polity resisted subjugation for a century before being overrun in 1580.

The ruling House of Papar fled Biarmia and established a new polity, the Free Commonwealth of Pomoria, around the modern-day frontier of northeastern Norway. Though able to create its own policies, the Commonwealth was under the suzerainty of Copenhagen (as part of Denmark-Norway) and was able to survive due to the respect earned by the fierce Easwegian warrior class and the loyalty pledged by many of the Pomors of the White Sea, especially in trade. Many Norwegians who lived within the Commonwealth considered themselves members of Easwegian society and intermarriage was common. Though the House of Papar was staunchly Christian, many Ezaari and native Saami were still not, which led to raids by Norway throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, framed as Witch Trials. Svalbard was the sight of much Western European exploration from the late 16th century onwards, first by Dutch Willem Barents and his crew, which greatly helped the Commonwealth economy. The Commonwealth sided with Denmark-Norway in support of the French side of the 19th century Napoleonic Wars. Denmark-Norway was punished for their loss in these Wars and Norway was forcibly annexed by Sweden in 1814 as part of the Treaty of Kiel. This included the land of the Easwegian Commonwealth. On the secret orders of Swedish King Karl XIV Johan from Stockholm, Norwegian admiral Thomas Fasting led a brief war against the Commonwealth and annexed the polity in 1821, expelling those associated with the ruling House of Papar, including all Ezaari, who fled to Britain and Ireland. For Fasting's illegal role in the subjugation, the Norwegian Supreme Court impeached him that same year.

The history of the modern state, the Common Union of Easway begins in 2017 when independence was declared, initially as the Mainland of Easway on Bear Island. The polity that formed as Easway was led by the successors of the 2015 Cyber Council Easwegian Alliance, largely headed by Easway's paramount founder Emizerri and his right-hand man Aleksou Desourrë, alongside other key figures. Easway and its Co-operative Government draws much of its national mythos from the unity of the Ezaari, Norwegian and Pomors ethnic groups, within the legendary Easwegian Commonwealth (15th-19th century). This legendary mythology is accounted through the texts of real world polities that surrounded the people throughout the ages such as the Khazars, Byzantine influence, Norway, the Novgorod Republic and modern day Russia. The term 'Easwegian' is a modern concept used to unify these groups, and is based on a translated term from the writings of the Icelandic Annals, when Vikings were first purported to have visited Svalbard in the late 12th century.

Easwegian Commonwealth

Illustration of Martha of Boriopa, the legendary founder of the Easwegian Commonwealth

In the 1470s, the Novgorod Republic saw great turmoil due to threats by Muscovy against its sovereignty. The Easwegian Guard (Old Ezerryen: Emandezaari), the Commonwealth's militia, pledged loyalty to Novgorod and rallied around Marfa the Mayoress, who attempted to sign treaties with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in an attempt to ensure the sovereignty of the Republic. Despite this, in 1478, Prince Ivan III invaded Novgorod. The Easwegian Guard took part in this defence, but to no avail and the Republic was brutally crushed by Muscovy.

"Thus did Great Prince Ivan advance with all his host against his domain of Novgorod because of the rebellious spirit of its people, their pride and conversion to Latinism. With a great and overwhelming force did he occupy the entire territory of Novgorod from frontier to frontier, inflicting on every part of it the dread powers of his fire and sword."

The Easwegian Guard left Novgorod and returned to the Commonwealth. Facing this news, the Zaarich in command of the assembly declared independence the same year of 1478 as the Easwegian Commonwealth.

Flag of the Easwegian Commonwealth (1478-1821)

The Easwegian Commonwealth officially held lands in south Svalbard (which Easwegians called Boriopa), primarily Bear Island and islands outlying Spitsbergen. It lost its islands surrounding the White Sea, as well as Kolguyev (today part of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug). Islands the Commonwealth used as trading points off of the Norwegian mainland, such as Vardø, became more important for Easwegians.

The destruction of Novgorod was in short devastating for Easwegians. They had lost the main support in both defence, infrastructure and trade. The later expansion of the emerging Russian Empire into Siberia further brought fear throughout the Commonwealth and initiated strong isolationist tendencies. The Pomors, Sami and Norwegian tradesmen were the only people the Commonwealth interacted with, with the Pomors being the main source of trade and outward culture. Due to this, Pomors became further integrated with Easwegian culture as they further travelled throughout Svalbard and used it for fishing grounds.

Documented History

Modern western Europeans first visited the Island in 1596 when Willem Barentsz sighted the Island on June 10th 1596. Thomas Edge later visited the Island in 1609 on the Paul, and claimed it for the British Crown. This claim was later released when mass walruss-hunting, mainly in modern day Urdport had driven the remaining alive Walruses from the Island.

Battle of the Barents Sea - The Royal Navy defeats the Kriegsmarine and liberates Svalbard

Modern History

Bear Island had long been under sovereign control of the Kingdom of Norway, but with special laws in the Svalbard treaty which upon many things allowed any foreign national to visit the Island (and the archipelago). This over the past two centuries had led many to come to the Island, squander the natural resources, toxify the important lakes with dangerous compounds, and become of complete privatisation give nothing back to the Island in development.

As response to this problem, the Kingdom of Norway in 2002 declared the entire island of Bear Island a nature reserve in 2002, except one mile reserved for their own people and their administrative centres. The natives who did not immigrate to mainland Norway were left in land they could not legally develop, and the Norwegian administration did nothing to purge the lakes of the toxicity left behind, therefore in the view of the Easwegian residents, keeping the island stuck in the Dark Ages.

In October 2015, the "Cyber Council Easwegian Alliance" was created with a young teenager Emilierzei's involvement, of Easwegian descent and living in Great Britain, as a front to explore both future independence avenues but also was used as a forum to discuss how an independent nation of "Zerri" or "Ezerrua" could build. There was no set leader in the Cyber Council just people, but other actions that were taken in the Cyber Council involved communal fishing responsibilities, intelligence gathering, and ore extraction.

The Cyber Council gained its name from being a non recognised entity of the Norwegian government which employed the Internet and technology for organising meetings and conferring with members.

In 2017, now with Emilierzei Meizcherni Zerri, going by the Emizerri calling himself part of the growing movement of the "Easwegian people", (or Zerri) a distinction from Norwegian thought it was ready after underground work to seek the land for the Easwegian people, and the people that wanted to permanently live on the island. He wanted to take back control of the island and create a new realm, restore Easwegian as a nationally spoken language, and form the national identity for the people of Easway, creating a constitution which would ensure equal partnership and a dream of development. His friend Desourrë agreed, & so using the Ouroboros Party, Emizerri and Desourrë on November 24th 2017 began preparation for the overtaking of Bear Island. This event is known as the Easwegian Revolution and included the appointment of the Emizerri as Grand Marshal and Desourrë as Commissar-in-chief of the Independent Serpent Forces "Emando" (equivalent to a Marshal). The new Commissar-in-chief Desourrë, nickname Maximus; Latin for greatest, was tasked with securing the integrity of the Realm during the coming take over of the Island by organising troop structure and securing key targets. Two main military districts were set up; one around Liyvazun in the historical Easwegian region of Essrina, and one around the mountain of Miseryfjellet, later becoming known as Urdport.

The following month once positions were secured, Grand Marshal Emizerri ordered the March on Herwighamna, which would lead to the Easwegian militia Emando securing all strategic districts of Bear Island.

A sign in Ezerryen Easwegian by Savannah Faerie which says "North Pole 2017" which marks Easwegian Independence

Provisional Government (2017-2020)

Easway declares independence - 19 December 2017

Easwegian independence was declared on 19 December 2017 as the Mainland of Easway on Bear Island. The ruling Ouroboros' Serpents of Easway alliance and the newly established National Electoral Commission organised elections and the second Mainland People's Committee unanimously elected Emizerri as Easway's head of state, then known as the Chief Curator. The declaration of independence was published and quoting Thomas Paine's revolutionary pamphlet also released 19 December, Emizerri stated "these are the times that try men and women's souls." The Provisional Government was subsequently established, which, under the direction of the Ouroboros' Serpents of Easway alliance, would lead Easway until the beginning of 2020.

Provisional Capital and Administrative Divisions

The Provisional Government, recognising little chance of Norway recognising Easwegian claims, established the provisional capital in central Bear Island between Essrina and Urdport., away from the Norwegian-ran meteorological station in Herwighamna to the north. The provisional capital was named Niyvezun meaning 'main settlement'.

As part of the independence declaration, the zone around the Bear Island Meteorological Station was made an Associated Zone, officially under the sovereignty of Easway with some shared jurisdiction for Norway.

Two provinces were established to the west and east known as Essrina (predominately Ezerryen-speaking) and Urdport (predominately Norwegian-speaking). Boriopa City was established in the north of the island on 7 October as a multi-ethnic centre and government operations were gradually transferred there.

Mainland Council

visional capital between 2017 independence and October 2019

The provisional government was led by a non-partisan committee known as the Mainland Council, which originally contained the Chief Curator, the Grand Marshal, the heads of the provinces and other chief servicemen and ministers. In June 2018 as the priorities of the Chief Curator Emizerri became more complex, the Grand Marshal position was retired and replaced with a president as head of government to assist the head of state, with Aleksou Desourrë being sworn in in the early hours of the morning, 12th June 2018.

"I will be a president obsessed with only one thing: the survival, preservation and prosperity of our people above all."

In August 2019 the Easwegian Committee for Language and Culture was established and led by Csyeigo. This later after the Provisional Government evolved into the main governmental body of Easway known as the National Directorate.

The Provisional Government led through the philosophy 'SoProCo' meaning sovereignty, prosperity and co-operation and can be described as an Easwegian nationalist guided democracy. The Easwegian public were granted voting rights through the Mainland People's Committee, which met to elect the Mainland Council once per in December. Local people's committees were also established to enact policies for their area of Easway, and the Provisional Government was generally hands off on local policies, although political parties were disallowed.

Language and name reviews

During the end of 2017 until the end of 2019 the new chief head of state Emizerri's main task was standardising and creating a new script for the Ezerryen Easwegian language. Many scripts were considered with Emizerri finally deciding on a simplified phonetic adaption of the Latin script for Ezerryen Easwegian, based on Germanic spellings and with the optional "ç" and "ë" letters. The government also recognised the rights of Norwegians on the island and so on the 31st May 2019, in an effort to decentralise the Island, the eastern region of Bear Island, predominately Norwegian-speaking, was officially named, after consultation from a Norwegian language-based People's Committee, Urdport, meaning 'Gates of the Urd.'

The Realm of Easway and Political Shifts (2021-2023)

From the 1st January 2021 to the 31st January 2023, Easway was known officially in English as the Realm of Easway, replacing the former English name of the Mainland Realm of Easway. This followed from the incorporation of Kong Karls Land, an archipelago in eastern Svalbard, nowadays known by Easway as the Common Sailors Park. Officially, it was known as the Realm of Easway on Bear Island and the Pomors-Hopen Isles, before changing on the 20th March 2021 to on Bear Island and the Pomors Strait, and eventually on the 1st August 2022 to on Bear Island and the Pomros Frontier, following the incorporation of the Thousand Islands.

The Common Union of Easway (2023 - Present)

The Forty Eighth Amendment on a Common Union changed Easway's official name from the Realm of Easway to the Common Union of Easway. on 31 January 2023. It was confirmed by a public referendum which passed with 64.29% of the vote.

Administrative Divisions

Common Realm and Commonwealths

Name	Administrative Centre	Municipalities	Major townships
Easwegian Svalbard Isles	Boriopa Centrum	Boriopa Centrum Essrina Pomoresia Urdport	Herwighamna Liyvazun Rijp Kvalrossbukta
Kola	Boriopolis	Boriopolis Akkala Kildin Koltan Monchegorsk Polar Dawns Terrania	Boriopolis Kovdor Kola Nikel Monchegorsk Polar Dawns Umba
Nenetsia	Naryan-mar
Pomors Frontier	Archangel

Government and Politics

See full article: Politics of Easway

Flag of the Co-operative Government

Easway is a secular directorial federation and semi-presidential republic. The Co-operative Government is defined by its three branches: the executive National Directorate, the legislative United Common Assembly and the judicial Supreme Court. Every 6 months in May and November, residents of Easway's four free realm municipalities vote in representatives of the federal assembly, which contains municipal prefects and marquis, regional aldermen and the Grand Councillor. Seats for the Displaced Biarmian Territory are left vacant. These assemblymembers then elect the executive and multi-party National Directorate, the collective head of government; alongside a General Director of Easway to lead it and a President to lead the United Common Assembly.

Seven members of the municipal councils, the aldermen and the Grand Councillor lead what is known as the Imperative Council; Easway's collective head of state. The Council administers affairs of the government and establishes the state's agenda. It is answerable to the assembly. Members of the Council may simultaneously be members of the National Directorate. Being multi-partisan and based on collegiality, all members are considered equal, with the General Director considered first among equals. The Grand Councillor sits as chairman of the National Directorate, but may not simultaneously serve as General Director or within one of its portfolios. The composition of the National Directorate is as follows:

• Grand Councillor - Suqeruli Bai (since 25 November 2023)
• General Director of Easway - Syri vi Ezerrye (also minister of foreign affairs) (since 14 April 2024)
• Minister of Home Affairs (Easway) - Gaia Grìbhinneach (since 1 January 2023)
• Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs - Demitrou Chostacovitch (since 25 August 2022)
• Director of Agriculture and Environment - Aleksoundër Zerrindou (since 14 April 2023)
• Director of Business and Labour - Aleksou Desourrë (since 25 May 2024)
• Director of Education and Culture - Devaade Raizerni (since 5 September 2023)
• Director of Public Works and Infrastructure - Don Cho (since 8 February 2021)
• Director of Healthcare and Scientific Development - Sannu Raizerni (since 25 November 2023)
• Director of Housing, Community and Recreation - Syri vi Ezerrye (since 14 April 2023)

Culture

Easwegian culture is strongly associated with its northern arctic and island culture, standing at the cross-roads of west and east. Easway is predominately inhabited by those identifying as Easwegians, who constitute a secular and polyethnic nation. Easwegian society is meritocratic, with people who produce labour being valued and effort and good ethical standing rewarded fairly. Class distinctions are virtually non-existent, although some have said that there does exist a technocratic class of public officials, specialised labourers and diplomats, ie. the intelligentsia.

Languages

Easway has four official national religions, being Ezerryen Easwegian, Norwegian, Pomors-Russian, and English as a common language. Ezerryen Easwegian and Norwegian are the most commonly spoken languages, with Pomors-Russian being most heavily concentrated in the Tunheim prefecture and Pomoresian municipality. Influenced by the policies of Singapore, English was chosen as the common language to facilitate interethnic communication, and virtually all Easwegians are proficient at it, being taught at school. Teireet, a German-born Easwegian statesman, instituted a government-funded programme to help public officials increase their English-speaking skills. This is due to Easway's independence being relatively new and many Easwegian disapora returned to the homeland to assist in establishing a functioning state. Sámi and Nenets are official regional languages in the Displaced Biarmian Territory.

Religion

Easway is officially a secular nation. Its constitution guarantees freedom of religion and the separation of church and state, which is generally followed by the Co-operative Government, who usually lean into Easwegianism: communitarian nationalist and co-operative economic policies. Public officials are often seen engaging with their local community to practice and share their personal faiths. The most commonly practiced faith in Easway is Eastern Christianity, which is common amongst all peoples. Lutheranism is also common amongst Easway's ethnic Norwegian populace. Islam is a notable minority faith amongst many immigrants.

Tengrism and Dharma, the traditional faiths of the Ezaari, continue to influence religion in Easway. Celestial Easwegianism; Ez: Taunnezerrichern; is a syncretic faith combining elements of Tengrism, Dharma, shamanism and Eastern Christianity. It has no established political forum, but it seen to be generally favoured by Easwegian public officials, being viewed as a indigenous form of the pantheon.