Sæsceaðan Reice
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Sæsceaðan Reice | |
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Bony Jack Copyright © 2000 | |
Motto: "Eall handan ana þecc!" | |
| Official language | Prattsæsceaða |
| Demonym | Sæsceaða |
| Government | Direct Democracy |
• Captain | Ray |
• Quartermaster | Williams |
| Legislature | Citizen's Council |
| Established | 21 December 2000 |
| Population | 127 (as of Oct. 2020) |
| Currency | Seolfor Scaune |
| National Sport | Sailing |
| National Animal | Fisher Hawk |
| National Tree | Ash |
| National Flower | Azalea |
| Calendar | Guþ Recentid |
| Dating Format | dd-mm-yyyy |
| Time Zone | Eastern (UTC -4) |
Sæsceaðan Reice (English, "Sea-scather's Reach") is a micronation with a strong seafaring heritage and is based upon the principles of liberty, equality, fraternity, direct democracy, and charity. It is a totally serious endeavor, not a fantasy role-play micronation. Given that fact, it has not faded away into obscurity but has, instead, continued and prospered for nearly twenty years. It is an independent and sovereign nation-state because no one has the right to tell free Human Beings they cannot be a separate nation-state from another one. Free means free. Not partially free. Not somewhat free. Not free within bounds someone else sets on you. Free means free. Otherwise, you are not free, but instead enslaved.
We, Sæsceaða, are happy. None of us has stress, worries, nor lack of any thing we need. None of us is better off than any other, none is worse off than any other, and all can count on the rest for help if need ever arises. We take care of each other. We consider each other to be family... all 127 of us. We've had this wonderful, happy way of life for almost 20 years now. While other nations are going to wrack and ruin under governments, ideologies, and economic systems which solve nothing and only perpetuate the slavery, poverty, and sufferings of their peoples, we've moved above and beyond. We have been determined to create a better life for our people and we are succeeding.
Etymology
Sæsceaðan Reice are the Prattsæsceaða words for "sea-scather's reach". The Romans developed their word "Saxones" (English, "Saxons") from our word "Sæsceaðan". We Saxons were sea-scathers (which can be translated into English as "[makers of] misfortune on the sea", our word for "pirates"). Therefore, it is correct to also say in English, "Saxon's Reach". The word "reach", as used in our name, carries it's old meaning of "extent (reach) of the ruler's authority/power" (ie, "the extent of the nation's territory"). The word "reice" is cognate with German "reich" (which in modern times has come to be translated as "realm").
History
2000, December 21: Sæsceaðan Reice is founded by five friends seeking a better way of life. They become the first members of the Citizen's Council. Next, they discuss and vote into existence the original version of the Articles of Agreement, with each of them signing it afterward. They then exercise their right to discuss and vote on the officials. Williams is elected Quartermaster and Ray is elected Captain. This event is regarded as the 1st holding of the Citizen's Council.
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[More coming soon: The intent is to only include events which give a general sense of our history, as our entire history is nearly twenty years long. It will be 1-3 short paragraphs giving a very brief history.]
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2020, March 1: At the 231st holding of the Citizen's Council, the citizens declare the nation in quarantine due to the Corona Virus pandemic. This means all citizens must wear face masks when around others, must watch for symptoms of Corona Virus, must report to their doctor immediately if they develop symptoms, and no unnecessary contact with foreigners is allowed. The quarantine will remain in effect until further notice.
2020, October 1: At the 238th holding of the Citizen's Council, the citizens decide to authorize the minting of our own coin. Both an obverse (front) and reverse (back) design are approved, as well as a milled edge. It is also decided that the coin will be made of one troy ounce of .999 fine silver, will be called a Seolfor Scaune, and will have a set value equal to $25 USD.
Government
The government of Sæsceaðan Reice is a Direct Democracy with an Articles of Agreement signed by all citizens. There are no political parties/factions, and all matters brought before the Citizen's Council have to do with the welfare of the nation as a whole. No council is held without the attendance of all citizens. Every citizen has an equal say and an equal vote in all matters. After a matter has been discussed to every citizen's satisfaction, a decision is made based on how the majority votes, be it yea or nay. There are only two officials, Captain and Quartermaster, and they are elected after discussion and vote at a council. The Captain and Quartermaster are not the leaders, but are merely public servants who are equal in every way to every other citizen. The citizens, as a unified body, are the leadership of the nation. There is no term limit for the officials so they may serve for life, but only for as long as they prove to be competent and honest. If at any time an official proves to be inept or corrupt, the citizens will immediately hold a council and vote in a new official to take his place. Also, any official who proves corrupt will be permanently banished from Sæsceaðan Reice. This is the punishment for corruption regardless of whether the person is an official or not.
Potential citizens are given the chance to have their say on the Articles of Agreement at a Citizen's Council and if they suggest some change or other the Citizen's Council discusses and votes on it, amending the Articles if necessary. Thereafter, if all is agreeable to the Citizen's Council and to the potential citizen, he signs the Articles and becomes a citizen.
The population of Sæsceaðan Reice will always be maintained low enough for Direct Democracy to be feasible. If the population becomes too large, a colony will be split off and established elsewhere. The colony will be independent and will thereafter see to its own affairs. There will be a mutual assistance and trade agreement between them.
Quartermaster
The duties of the Quartermaster are seeing to the day-to-day upkeep of the nation, purchasing import goods, sales at the mast, as well as running the treasury (accounting, paying out shares and compensations, exchanges of currencies). His duties further include the holding of judicial courts, the dispensing of justice, and vetoing the Captain (should need ever arise).
Captain
The duties of the Captain are finding financial opportunities for the nation, devising plans of bringing them to fruition, and overseeing the carrying out of those plans, as well as seeing to the defense of the nation (should need ever arise). His duties further include leading the nation in all endeavors and representing the nation as its diplomat.
Policing and Justice
Every able-bodied, adult male is expected to engage in policing of the nation, as we believe it is every able-bodied man's duty to do so. The Quartermaster is in charge of holding judicial courts and the dispensing of justice. Any man who does not police the nation is in violation of the Articles of Agreement, the penalty of which is permanent banishment from the nation.
Sæsceaðan Reice tends to its own law enforcement and judicial matters both on land and sea, within the bounds of propriety.
Militia
Every able-bodied, adult male is expected to bear arms during times of war, as we believe it is every able-bodied man's duty to do so. The Captain is in charge of leading and commanding the men. Any man who does not take up arms during time of war is in violation of the Articles of Agreement, the penalty of which is permanent banishment from the nation.
Sæsceaðan Reice" has never had a war and only wants peace with other nation-states.
Foreign Relations
We welcome friendly relations with all serious micronations.
Languages
The official language of Sæsceaðan Reice is the Sæsceaðan dialect of Prattguþ, which is known as Prattsæsceaða (basically, "sea-scather talk").
Our alphabet consists of 23 letters... Aa, Ææ (ae), Bb, Cc (k), Dd, Ðð (dth), Ee, Ff, Gg (yg), Hh, Ii, Ll, Mm, Nn, Oo, Œœ (oe), Pp, Rr, Ss, Tt, Þþ (th), Uu, Ꝩꝩ (w, uu).
Some examples...
I am a Sea-scather. / Ic eom Sæsceaða
I live in Sea-scather's Reach. / Ic lib æt Sæsceaðan Reice
I am a man. / Ic eom wer
I am a woman. / Ic eom cuen
Jim walks to his new house. / Gim tryd æt his nuhus
Jim ran to his house. / Gim ren æt his hus
Jim welcomes him/her/them. / Gim wilcuma þe ("þe" is used for the known object the action is/was directed at, such as him/her/them/etc).
Jim welcomes Mary. / Gim wilcuma Marig
What is your name? / Hꝩæt ist þe nama ("þe" is used as the known object, used for "your/his/her/it/them/etc")
What do people call you? / Hꝩæt folc nama þu
A Sea-scather never breaks his oath. / Sæsceaða næfre brica hes aiþ
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The secondary language is English as it is needed to communicate with the Americans.
Economy
In Sæsceaðan Reice, we accept and use coins (no paper monies) of American, Canadian, British, Australian, European, and Mexican origins, as long as they are current legal tender in their nations/unions of origin. We will begin to mint and issue our own coin, called the Seolfor Scaune, as soon as all is ready for minting to begin.
We currently bring in money by way of a tutoring service and a website design / consultation service. All money earned is deposited into the treasury, from which the Quartermaster then distributes shares to the citizens and also utilizes some of it as required to maintain the operation of the nation.
We are considering day charter cruising, passenger transporting, and light freight hauling as potential means of bringing money into our economy once we have our own sailing sloop. We will also offer, for a small fee, sailor apprenticeships for those wishing to learn how to sail.
Culture
The citizens of Sæsceaðan Reice live a minimalist lifestyle, each owning no more than he or she can carry all at once (worn on the person plus carried in one backpack and two sacks, maximum). We do not burden ourselves with unnecessary possessions. Anything unmovable by a single person (as per the guideline above) is owned equally by all citizens as property in common. The only exception to this is that the women own the houses, as no Sæsceaða man would think of depriving a woman, and children if she has any, of a house to live in. If any man wants to live in a house, he had best be good to a woman. Otherwise, he may live in a camp of his placing or aboard ship.
We likewise do not burden ourselves with unnecessary technological devices, government departments, businesses, factories, modes of transportation, nor anything else we can survive without. We are free from the slavery of unnecessary possessions, unnecessary habits, and unnecessary institutions.
As a result, we enjoy simple and carefree lives. We are an easy-going and relaxed people. We are hard-working, as without hard work nothing can be achieved, no success realized, and no prosperity maintained.
[More coming soon]
Music and Song
Our music is always played live and we are skilled with fiddles, drums, tambourines, castanets, and fifes. As for our songs, they are always sung live, either alone or with live musical accompaniment. Some types of songs we enjoy include minstrel songs, folk songs, and sea shanties.
[More coming soon]
Dance
[Coming soon]
Theater
Live theater is enjoyed by our people and plays are most frequently performed out-of-doors. Our favorites are political, religious, and sexual satires, as well as comedies of manners. Any citizen may create, put on, and act in plays.
Sports
Sailing is the national sport and our men are highly skilled sailors. We greatly enjoy fleet racing and one-on-one racing.
Our favorite race to watch is the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, which starts every year on 26 December.
Calendar
Sæsceaðan Reice uses the Guþ Recentid calendar. It has 365 days and is divided into 13 months. Each month consists of 28 days, divided into 4 weeks. This gives 52 weeks in the year for a total of 364 days, with the remaining day (Winter Solstice) being an intercalary (between calendars/years) day. Every four years is a leap year, and thus contains a leap day, which is also an intercalary day but it is placed at the Summer Solstice.
Each year begins the day after Winter Solstice and ends the day before the next Winter Solstice. We only consider there to be two seasons, Simmer (the warmer / hotter half of the year) and Ꝩender (the cooler / colder half of the year).
Some of our holidays are Geol (Yule), Modaresniht (Mother's Night, Winter Solstice), Eostre (start of Summer), Mid-Simmer (Mid-Summer), Hærfest (Harvest, start of Winter), and Ꝩiccesniht (Witch's Night).
The days of the week are...
Lægdæg: This is "soap day", the day to bathe yourself and launder your clothes. Note that this was the way hundreds of years ago, but nowadays we bathe daily.
Þunaresdæg: This is the day to honor Þunar, for good laws and good judgements. Strive to uphold good laws and to make good judgements yourself, as well as to uphold any oaths you have made.
Tiꝩesdæg: This is the day to honor Tiꝩ, for victory and glory in battles. Strive to be brave, strong, tough, skilled at combat, and ready for battle. This is the men's and boy's day.
Friggesdæg: This is the day to honor Frigge, for harmonious marriages and happy homes, the day to get married and start building a house. Strive for matrimonial harmony and a happy home life.
Ꝩoðinesdæg: This is the day to honor Ꝩoðin, for wisdom and insight. Strive to make wise decisions and to gain true insight into things.
Sunnandæg: This is the day to honor the Sun, for its life-giving light and warmth.
Monadæg: This is the day to honor the Moon, for its connection with females, as well as those of them who are Witches. Strive to be a good cook, good homemaker, good mother, skilled in weaving, and skilled in beneficial Witch's crafts. This is the women's and girl's day.
Symbolism
Bony Jack is the skull with crossed bones depicted on the official flag of Sæsceaðan Reice. The flag has a black lower portion and a red upper portion with Bony Jack placed at center. The two colors together are the combining of the two flags used by all pirates during the Golden Age of Piracy (the 1650s to 1730s)... the Black Flag (meaning, "We are pirates. Surrender, hand over your booty, and you will live to see another day.") and the Red Flag (meaning, "You fucked that up! Now, Prepare to Die!").
It's just what the colors used to mean back during the Golden Age of Piracy. Be aware that, despite the flag, Sæsceaðan Reice does not engage in, encourage, nor condone any form of piracy. Furthermore, Sæsceaðan Reice will not knowingly associate with those who operate outside the law. The use of a "pirate flag" is to symbolize our belief in, and practice of, only the good aspects of the pirate societies of long ago... liberty, equality, fraternity, direct democracy, and charity.
Climate
The climate is a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa), with mild winters, hot humid summers, and significant rainfall all year long. Summer is the wettest season; almost half of the annual rainfall occurs from June to September in the form of thundershowers. Winter remains relatively warm through the middle of November. It is generally mild and characterized by occasional rain. Measurable snow (≥0.1 in or 0.25 cm) occurs only several times per decade at the most, however freezing rain is more common. The greatest amount of snowfall recorded was a single event of 6" on 23 December 1989.
The highest temperature recorded was 104 °F (40 °C); the lowest recorded was 7 °F (−14 °C). Hurricanes sometimes affect the area during the summer and early autumn, with several severe hurricanes having hit the area over the last 50 years, most notably Hurricane Hugo on 21 September 1989 (a category 4 storm). The dewpoint from June to August ranges from 67.8 to 71.4 °F (19.9 to 21.9 °C). Several waterspouts occur in the harbor and off the coast each year. Tornadoes occur, but they are rare.
See also
[Coming soon]
External links
[None]