General History of Colonial Waikiti

The Waikiti archipellago was originally settled by a native population, prior to recorded history. It was subsequently mapped by Europeans during the age of discovery. The first European settlements were mainly by pirates and privateers, seeking a place to refill their fresh water supplies, bury their ill-gotten gains, and make repairs to damaged vessles. Early in the Victorian era, Waikiti was finaly officially colonized and the collection of islands was officially named Colonial Waikiti.

The Colony was never terribly successful, with little in the way of local industry, and a lack of suitable farmland. Never a popular posting for officials from the old country, assignment to Colonial Waikiti was often viewed as either a punishment, or a final posting prior to retirement. A rather obscure, small, quiet colony, Waikiti was itself eventually forgotten (or misplaced).

According to folklore, the official telegraph relay station responsible for keeping Waikiti in touch with the Empire suffered a fault. During the week’s time it took to repair the faulty telegraph mechanism, the schedules were misplaced and the telegraph operator retired. The system repaired and a new operator on staff, somehow Waikiti was overlooked. The colony stopped hearing from the motherland, and the motherland stopped hearing from Waikiti. Thus, the small colony gained its independance through coincidence, indifference, and an unlikely series of events.

Today, Waikiti regards itself as a ‘former colony’. Having been forgotten by their motherland, they have opted to return the favour and no longer remember the name of their founding nation. The name ‘Colonial Waikiti’ remains, and the tiny island nation is still overseen by a Governor. There are few rules, the residents of Colonial Waikiti enjoy their indepandance and a quiet, relaxed island life.

Size of Colonial Waikiti

The established size of Colonial Waikiti is approximately 48 acres. The colony is 512 meters from east to west and 512 meters from north to south, but shaped like an “L” rather than square. There is a total of 196,608 square meters.

The three regions of Waikiti contain nearly 50% public land and water, with just over half the area being private, residential property.

Public spaces include the Waikiti Beach and Clubhouse, the open waters of Waiki Atoll, Poliwai Park, and the aerodrome in Minaki.

Geology of Colonial Waikiti

A South-Pacific archipellago, Colonial Waikiti is a collection of islands in Polymicronesia. The region was named for the first island to be settled, Waikiti.

Waikiti and its immediate neighbor Waiki Atoll were both formed through volcanic activities, and these geological forces continue to shape the islands to this day. The Minaki islands were formed through coral reef actions.

The shape of the colony was drasticly changed by a recent natural disaster – Cyclone Jack caused a tremendous upheaval, washing away six entire islands, including the mysterious Tangiroa. The remaining islands have all been affected to some degree by this tragedy, and it will be a long-remembered dark chapter in Waikiti’s history.

Population of Colonial Waikiti

The peoples of Waikiti are made up of former colonists, some of the original native population, and recent arrivals — ex-pats who have left their own homeland in favour of the relaxed, peaceful, slow pace of life in a tropical island paradise.

Waikiti is also a port-of-call and part-time home to a small transient population of tourists, regular guests, and friends.

Currently, Waikiti has a population of approximately 25 full-time residents and an additional 10 or 15 part-time residents and regular visitors.

Industries of Colonial Waikiti

The primary industry in the colony is tourism. Retail activities can be found at the Waikiti Shopping Village, a charming “shanty town” of shops selling a wide mix of wares; some produced by local craftspeople and some imported from friendly partners. Colonial Waikiti is home to a collection of inventers, tinkerers, and clothiers; the Shopping Village allows them to showcase the fruits of their labours.

Laws and Government of Colonial Waikiti

There are very few laws and little government on Colonial Waikiti. The private residential areas are subject only to the rules outlined in the Covenant.

A handful of additional rules are in place to cover the public areas of Waikiti; these rules can be summed up very simply:
   • No Harassment   • No Drama      • No Spying   • No Littering

There is a small volunteer group of avatars who help enforce these rules on the public lands. This group, known as the “Waikiti Warriors”, have been deputized by the governor and have the authority to eject troublemakers from the area.

The government of Waikiti is comprised of three avatars — a Governor and two Lieutennant Governors. Their primary responsibilities are to assist the residents with any problems that may arise, to keep the Colony lands in good order, and to ensure the covenant is upheld.

Colours and Symbols of Waikiti

The Colonial Waikiti flag is a stylized depiction of a tropical sun shining its rays down onto the rolling ocean waves. The colours of the flag are as follows: the background is Purple, the sun is Silver, and the waves are charcoal.

Another symbol of Waikiti is the stone Tiki head: when first settled, Waikiti was found to have a number of large stone ‘heads’ scattered around. These heads may have been crude representations of Magdu (a godfigure worshipped by the Waikiti natives).