Maskinaw

Maskinaw (Awenakwin: ᒪᐢᑭᓇᐤ), officially the Grand Federation of Maskinaw (Awenakwin: ᑭᐦᒋ ᐑᑕᐢᑮᐏᐣ ᒪᐢᑭᓇᐤ), is federal republic in northern Veharia and is bordered by Shinlim to the west, Onaway to the east, and Valithoria to the south. It has a coastline on the western end of the Allonian Gulf and along St. Brendan's Bay to the north. The federation is made up of 25 states with a special federal territory which encompasses the totality of the capital city, ???.

With evidence of humans in Northern Veharia tracing back to 14,000 BP it is estimated that the first settlers of the region were part of the later migrations across the Bersius landbridge. By the 10th century the humans in the area had become the Igluinuk, the Sionne, the Hirenaw, and the Ziibwingon. The Sionne and the Hirenaw were not in fact singular tribes but coalitions of many smaller tribes with similar cultural attributes and beliefs. The fighting between the Hirenaw and Sionne would last for over a century before the two came together in 1122 AC to form the Manitokan Alliance. This alliance was forged out of a fear that the colonial powers would destroy them.

With the settlement of the first Achysian colony on the western shores of the Allonian Gulf the native Maskinawans were exposed to their technology. Information about their weaponry and tools reached the ears of the alliances leader and the decision to concede their territory for survival was made. The native groups became subjects to the Achysian monarchy but would generally remain an autonomous community. The rights offered to the natives in exchange for their subjugation were infringed upon more and more over the next two hundred years but with the beginning of the Republican Wars in Azora hope had been found.

With Achysian forces busy defending the motherland; native, Achysian, and mixed revolutionaries overthrew the colonial government and established the Maskinaw Republic in 1395. The Republic would be created as the first attempt at a society that was more fair to those of native and mixed descent. The wide amount of available resources allowed for quick industrialization and an increased presence in the northern fringes of the nation. The creation of the National Railway System allowed for easy migration northward and even more abundant resources. The stagnant state of the government, however, meant that the northern states had limited power in the government. This would lead to the War of the North (1482-1485 which would end with the addition of a second house of congress as well as the relocation of the capital to a more central position.

[Information on the Great Wars, Post-War Period, and Space Race pending]

The history of Maskinaw as an attempt of blending the native and colonial civilizations has led to its cultural being similar to its neighbors yet unique. The Maskinawan state has seen many gradual changes, as well as sudden, to reach a the goal of creating an egalitarian and democratic government. This has included major changes to the power dynamics within the three branches of the government and even the addition of the Maskinaw's lower house, the Federal Assembly. Since the founding of the Grand Federation Maskinaw has become heavily involved in international affairs and is a member of several international organizations including the World Concordat, the International Humanitarian Corps, the ?Local Alliance? Pact, and the United Space Organization.