Errinundera

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Flag

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Motto: "Please leave meat, leather, guns and cars in bin provided."

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Map

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Region: Forest

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Population: 35.211 billion

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Capital: First Creek Falls

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Official Languages:
English
Oo (or U)
Zu-Vendi
Japanese (Cuttlefish Island)
Potoroo
Quoll
Wombat
Possum
Wallaby
Boobook
Bat
Many other semi-official animal languages

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Demonym: Errinundrian

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Government: Cool Temperate Rainforest (Communities)

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Legislature: National Parliament
- Upper House: The House of Mayors
- Lower House: The House of Magistrates

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GDP (nominal): $356 trillion
GDP (nominal) per capita: $10,110

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Currency: Bola (β)

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Animal: Sniffer Wombat

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Time Zone: Australian Eastern Daylight Time

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Errinundera, officially the Cool Temperate Rainforests of Errinundera, was a sovereign nation, and the first delegate and second founder of Forest. Though their total area remains unknown, they were the largest nation known to the region during their time. With a population of 35.211 billion Errinunderians, they were the third most populated in the region. Errinundera remains one of the most eminent figures in Forest for their early and enduring contributions towards fostering an inclusive, informed, and environmentally-friendly region.

From the main page, Errinundera was known to be a gargantuan, socially progressive nation, remarkable for their lack of airports, national health service, and hatred of cheese. The compassionate, hard-working, democratic, cheerful Errinundrians held their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tended to be viewed with suspicion.

The tiny, liberal, outspoken government was solely concerned with Environment. They met to discuss matters of state in the capital city of First Creek Falls. The average income tax rate was 1.6%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The large but stagnant Errinundrian economy, worth 356 trillion bolas a year, was driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. However, for those in the know, there was a large, well-organized, extremely specialized black market in Book Publishing and Information Technology. The private sector mostly consisted of enterprising ten-year-olds selling lemonade on the sidewalk. Average income was 10,418 bolas, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Crime, especially youth-related, was so common that it was unusual to encounter someone following the law, perhaps because of the country's complete lack of prisons. Errinundera's national animal was the sniffer wombat, which frolicked freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Etymology

In a statement on the origin and meaning behind the name of Errinundera, they describe it as "a typo named after a national park in eastern Victoria notable for it's cool temperate rainforests," known as the Errinundra National Park.¹

History
Despite their founding on December 24, 2002, Errinundera did not officially surface as a regional powerhouse until 2006, when they were elected as the first United Nations (known as the World Assembly today) delegate of Forest. This reign ended in March of 2007, giving way to eventual delegates The dawn tiger and Ransium. The year 2007 also saw the beginning of a new era in Forest, with Errinundera and Ransium at the helm. To combat the lurking threat of raiders and cement authoritative control of the region, Errinundera graciously agreed to become the second founder of Forest on June 9, 2007. Intially, their political philosophy was to adopt a laissez-faire style rule, citing their desire to create a "quiet, serene backwater." But pressure from other influential voices in Forest, such as Ransium, Santa Joanna and Mount Seymour led Errinundera to see beyond the trees of Forest and grow the region into the international authority many recognize today. In a keynote address given in 2018, they confess "As a result, my hopes for the region have completely changed. I love it now more than ever. The diversity and the friendliness are a credit to everyone here. We even have nations that, once upon a time, I would have banjected on sight."

From the Errinundera Dreamtime Myth

"In the Dreamtime there was the forest and the spirit of the forest was Errinu. It was he who gave life to the plants and spread them far and wide. He abided in the largest tree in the very heart of the forest from where he could see to all corners of his domain. There were no rivers or animals in those days. The trees were nourished by the soil and by the constant mists that lay upon the forest. But Errinu was unhappy and he knew not why.

"One day in the glade before the Errinu tree the mist took living form and Undra danced in a slow, weaving movement before the great tree. She danced for the joy of existence and was sure the tree made this so. Errinu thought she was beautiful, more beautiful than any living thing in his forest and wondered about this. Many times afterwards Undra returned, her spirit only able to form in the glade before Errinu. Alhough they could not speak to each other their love grew.

"Over time Undra’s courage also grew and she penetrated the bark of Errinu to abide with him thereafter. From their bountiful union sprung the moving things of the forest floor: the animals and the people that came to be called Oo; and the streams and rivers that came to be called Be."

Geography

"To understand Errinundrians you must appreciate their relationship with the forest. They have a saying, 'Errinundera is forest; forest is Errinundera' that encapsulates this relationship. The abstract political fiction that is the nation Errinundera is made real by the forest. Citizens of the nation are, therefore, a part of the forest. They do not call the nation 'home'; they call the forest 'home'. Ask a travelling Errinundrian where they come from and they will answer, 'the forest' or 'outside the forest', as the case may be. Even today, most people live in the trees. To destroy the forest is to destroy their home.

"The preferred trees used for homes are all eucalypts: shining gum, brown barrel, mountain ash, alpine ash, mountain grey gum, manna gum and messmate; but it is the misty cool temperate rainforest of the central plateau and surrounding areas that are cherished most by Errinundrians. And most loved of all trees of the montane rainforest are the conical shaped southern sassafras with its nutmeg scent and the tree waratah with its spectacular red flowers. Down on the forest floor the national animal, the long-footed potoroo, frolics freely."

Government

"Errinundera is a highly decentralised, communitarian nation. Authority is vested in two institutions found in every village, town or suburb - the Mayor and the Magistrate."

Mayors and Magistrates

"The Mayor is elected by universal franchise of citizens in the mayoral zone. The national constitution places strict rules on the elections to ensure they are as fair and democratic as possible. Elections must be held every three years or less. It is quite common for mayoral elections to be held every year in some zones or even more frequently in others. The Mayor presides over local decision making and officiates at ceremonial occasions. Every Mayor is entitled to a seat in the lower house of the National Parliament.

"The Magistrate is appointed for a fixed term by each Mayoral zone in any way the zone sees fit. Magistrates must have a Degree in Magistracy at one of the approved Law Schools in Errinundera, most notably the Polytechnic in McKillops Bridge and the Lyceum in First Creek Falls. The term expires at the following Mayoral election. The Magistrate decides upon the validity of Mayoral law and adjudicates on local legal matters. Every magistrate is entitled to a seat in the upper house of the National Parliament.

"The number of Mayors and Magistrates allotted to a location is determined by its population according to rules in the constitution. A village, is by definition, a location with only one of each. Cities have many.

"Issues that require co-ordination between locations are determined in fora established in the regional administrative centres and in ad hoc district meetings."

National Parliament

"National and international issues are determined in the National Parliament in First Creek Falls. Due to the variable terms of Mayors and Magistrates the membership of the two houses is extremely fluid. This discourages long term alliances and political parties. Further, the intense rivalry between the villages, towns, cities and regions of Errinundera results in many important issues being neglected or avoided. Witness the poor state of rail services and the complete absence of a defence force. Note that, in the latter example, there is universal hostility to its establishment.

"The House of Mayors is where Acts are introduced and budgets formulated. This is equivalent to a House of Commons or Representatives. Most of the great national debates are resolved (or not resolved) in this chamber.

"The House of Magistrates cannot introduce Acts or amend them. It can only rule on their validity according to the Constitution and preceding Acts of Parliament. This power is used in a highly politicised way in any case. There are also many upper house committees whose findings and advice are implemented throughout the country."

Protectorates

"Somewhat akin to Ministries, Protectorates are allotted to members of either house of the National Parliament by the vote of their peers. Considerable responsibility is vested in the Protectors.

"The most prestigious Protectorate is "Protector of Civic Choice, Economic Participation and the Natural Environment". This ridiculous title was invented by the comedian, boomb, and adopted in the same spirit by the parliament of the time. This is not widely known now and Errinundrians often wonder at its pomposity. The Protector of Blah, Blah, Blah (as the holder is also called) is the closest Errinundrians come to having a national leader."

The Ultimate Magistracy

"The upper house elects 7 Magistrates as members of the Ultimate Magistracy which is equivalent to a High Court. Once appointed the Magistrate must resign from all other positions. The are only 4 ways a Magistrate leaves the position: death, retirement at the age of 70, resignation or dismissal due to misconduct. Because Errinundera is a libertarian nation Ultimate Magistrates are rarely dismissed and, in all cases so far, for financial misconduct."

Public Attitudes

"Public attitudes to political institutions are inversely proportional to the distance from that institution. In their local roles, Mayors and Magistrates are revered. The National Parliament is loathed and is frequently set alight."

National Symbols

"Animal: Long-footed potoroo (Potorous longipes)"

"Tree: Southern sassafras (Atherosperma moschatum)"

"Flower: Tree waratah (Telopea oreades)"

Celebrations and Commemorations

National Sports

Bloodsucking

"Attach a leech to your body and see whose can grow the largest. (Errinundera is awash with leeches.)"

Soccor

"The Errinundera Football Association manages a flourishing competition. The nation has qualified regularly for the NationStates World Cup."

Vegetarianism in Errinundera

"In the dreamtime legends of the Oo (the indiginous inhabitants of the Errinundrian forest) the union of the forest spirit, Errinu, and the mist spirit, Undra, begat the moving things of the forest floor, ie water and animals, including humans.

"The Oo draw two fundamental implications from this world view:

1) that all animals have equal status; and
2) the world was not created for the benefit of humans.

"As reasoning beings, the Oo conclude that the use of animals should be kept to an absolute minumum so as not to abuse their duty of care towards the forest. With protein substitutes becaming widely available during the twentieth century, the Oo renounced the killing of animals altogether.

"The other large ethnic group - the Zu-vendi of the Snowy River valley - though not vegetarian like the Oo, were strongly committed to the preservation of their environment.

"There were many environmental abuses under the usurper monarchy (1889-1905) and the puritanicy (1905-1941). The great mass movement that grew during the puritanicy adopted many of the philosophical principles of Oo beliefs, unsuprisingly, as many of its leaders were from the forests.

"With the 1941 liberation, environmental conservation became a central tenet of the Errinundrian constitution, although without a requirement for vegetarianism out of respect for Zu-vendi culture.

"The centre of meat production in the nation had been Rodger River, a city where Zu-vendi and Oo had completely assimilated. The meat industry was dominated by companies closely associated with the puritans. Within 12 months of the liberation the Rodgerers adopted vegetarianism in reaction against the industry and torched the company's buildings.

"The destruction of the Rodger River meat industry electrified the nation and galvanised the new leadership. Cities, towns and villages mandated vegetarianism and trashed offending businesses. On 6 February 1958 the last town of the nation adopted compulsory vegetarianism. The day is commemorated as V-day."

Legacy

After serving as the first delegate and becoming the second founder of Forest in 2007, Errinundera readily continued as the executive authority for nearly fourteen years before their CTE in early March 2021. With their careful green thumb and symbiotic governance, Forest grew to an average of nearly 500 sustained nations per day. Whether by the enactment of the Constitution, the commendation of Forest, the skill of interregional diplomacy, or the collaboration with nine separate administrations to ensure domestic harmony, Errinundera's influence and wisdom kept Forest alive and as cool as a temperate rainforest. Perhaps this truth could not be more evident than their own immortal words spoken in a brief address to Forest on June 24, 2016:

Errinundera wrote:

Forest welcomes all nations, especially those concerned with the environment.

References
¹All text in quotations were directly made by the nation of Errinundera in the Forest RMB or NSWiki page.
Errinundera NSWiki
Errinundera
Forest RMB
Forest Regional History

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