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alatismeni-theitsa · 8 months

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Hi,

Can I ask your opinion? There is one YouTuber who is lives Spain and USA and he sounds quite basic. Thing that makes me think is that he says that ottoman and Arab slavers weren't as bad as Atlantic slave trade. Reason for that was because slaves can earn their freedom and their children weren't slaves and after they get free they lived part of society etc. He says that best way to find information treatment of slaves is people who own them. What is your opinion of this? Like I know how Balkans they tattooed girls to keep the safe and captured young boys were convert to islam and rise soldiers.

"that best way to find information treatment of slaves is people who own them." oh, really? Let's go read old WASP's accounts of their Black slaves. I'm sure they will be very reflective of the truth, right? 😂😂 It's all "please look at the perspective of the slaves!" until the slaves are European, apparently.

I think this whole discussion of "Arab slavery wasn't that bad" is a way to minimize an extremely wide and despicable slave trade that lasted for more than A THOUSAND YEARS (and still hasn't ended). In comparison, slavery in America lasted from the 17th to the 19th century. (400 years if we are generous)

Also, I'm sure they would change their tune once they learned that "Brown" and "Black" people too were taken as slaves in this slave-trade. Especially "Black" people were taken a lot and in rural areas they were forced to work in the hardest of conditions, often not living more than 5 years.

I will link videos below that mention all the countries where slaves were taken from, reviewed by Black African women. But I will focus here on Europe because that's what USians have in mind when they say "it wasn't that bad".

Whole villages were taken. Villages. For centuries on end. The sheer amount of people who were taken is scary. We are talking about large populations that changed the genetic makeup of certain areas. And we have veeery few accounts of these people earning their freedom. Just because they legally could, it doesn't mean their "masters" let them.

Families were separated. They were killed when they were trying to escape. They could be beaten and lashed at any moment, for any minor inconvenience they created for their "lord". Yes, there were house slaves, too, like in transatlantic slavery, but they were also made to work under extreme conditions (e.g. extreme heat). They were working in plantations and in mining, things that the free people wouldn't do themselves.

They were castrated. They were raped and often carried the child of their rapists. Through these rapes, many children were born and mothers tried to hush this fact and hide it from future generations. Being seen as an "exotic commodity" isn't the flex these people think it is. Being a "white breeding mare" the pirates went all the way to Norway to capture, isn't a flex.

A White woman cost higher than a Black woman (racial discrimination against Black people that spread in other areas too) but that meant that European women were hunted down intensely and they had almost no chance of escaping captivity through ransom. It was more profitable to be sold, than to be returned with a ransom paid by their families or foreign countries. Arabs "preferred" non-Black slaves, and so many non-Black slaves were taken for many centuries. A double-edged sword, because you don't exactly want a slaver to "prefer" your "race" for any reason.

And if you think that highly sought enslaved women in the "entertainment" industry weren't frequently abused or raped, you can look at the abuse numbers of free women in the entertainment industry today...

People born from rape during slavery were much more than we think. Having to "ruin yourself" with tattoos (according to your tradition) and raise your child as another gender, speaks volumes of the lengths people went to avoid a very frequent phenomenon. The Greek revolution against the Ottomans clearly stated "we don't want to be taken as slaves anymore! We prefer one hour of freedom over 40 years of slavery!" In many cases, the slaves were outright called "chattel"!

Taking the male population as children is also looked by the outsiders as "good" because "they lived in good conditions and they were educated" but please go tell that to the mothers who never saw their children again. These children were also stripped of their culture and religion and language, and were often employed to oppress and kill their own people. Many Balkan countries have songs about this phenomenon.

This slave-trade was totally legal and acceptable within the Ottoman and Arab empires but it was also pirating activity that supplied the slave traders. It was mostly the Beber nations but many Africans, and West Asians and Arabs in the Arab peninsula benefited from it. They often took part in the "stealing people" operations. For example, the most exposure to Black people Greeks had was when they saw them as pirates in Arab ships. That's why the slur for a Black person in Greece historically is basically "Arab".

Europeans were building WALLS toward the sea to prevent these attacks. (Ironically, some were built by the same government that took their subjects as slaves) Thessaloniki had these walls, for example. Like, I'm not sure if the USians who often compare the slave trades ever thought of having a wall towards the sea as a normal thing. Some European nations still have sayings like "there are no Moors at the coast" as another way to say "all is safe". That's how much the trauma has stuck.

In the video linked below, there's also mentioned a revolt towards an Ottoman leader because "why won't you let us have slaves from Europe??" Does this conflict ring a bell, fellow US-ian friends? 😂

European nations and the US had created TREATIES with African states (which didn't stop the attacks in many cases) as an effort to basically say "ok, stop taking our people! we will pay you!" The amounts paid were extravagant but they were still small in comparison to how many people (and profit lol) would be lost otherwise.

There were a few cases where a slave could free themselves in the Arab slave trade but this was the case in the American slave trade too! Legally slaves in the Americas could be freed if their master wanted it, if they paid off their master, or if they were illegally enslaved. They could also have court cases to win their freedom, or serve in the military in exchange for freedom. Some were allowed to have side businesses and earn their own money (and eventually pay for their freedom).

We know there were such cases but, as I mentioned above, just because it is the law, it doesn't mean that it happened a lot.

An American would tell you "noo! Despite some legal protections it was still horrible!" and I'm asking, why don't you say this for the millions and millions of slaves in the Arab slave trade when it comes to laws VS actual treatment?

"their children (the children of slaves) weren't slaves". The recorded history shows that they usually were slaves, though. A minority, if lucky enough, could gain freedom while being born a slave. But slaves were often lumped together in certain areas so they had children with other slaves. And even children by free men often were considered slaves, unless the free male master decided to recognize them.

Just because it isn't Louisiana weather and just because the slaves (usually) didn't die on the way to their destination, it doesn't make it less atrocious. There was a reason our traditions speak of people killing themselves before they could get captured into slavery.

Like a gay Greek man said the other day "we are not supposed to be thankful just because you're not dragging us on the streets and stoning us". The laws saying "Provide shelter, and healthcare and don't mistreat your slaves" doesn't mean this was followed. "Shelter" could be a dirty shed. "Medical attention" could be splashing some water on the wounds from the lashing. "Don't overwork them" could be "I work them too much but not to death, so it doesn't count."

The video speaks more about the white slave-trade of US people but it's good to note how this looks "mild" (for lack of a better word) to what was happening in Europe. I'm not saying this as "these slaves had it better compared to the European ones". No. I'm simply saying that the danger and frequency were much larger for European people, mainly those who lived in coastal nations.

youtube

This video focuses on other areas, mainly in Africa, where slaves were frequently taken from.

youtube

#answered #slave trade #greek history #balkans #slavery #xenoi doing bs #arab slave trade

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gritsandbrits · 3 months

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Wish II JAS: Trivia about Omari

Prince Omari lives in the kingdom of Wahatan. It is located miles away from the sea. Wahatan means "oasis" in arabic, and true to its name, the capital city settles within a large oasis.

Wahatan is also home to various institutions that teaches a variety of subjects like art, science and mathematics. Wahatan is also known for its calligraphy and pottery.

The royal family resides in a beautiful castle at the heart of the capital. Inspiration: Great Mosque of Djenné.

Royal Family: It is believed that the royal family is descended from the legendary figure Sundiata. In real life, Sundiata was the first king of the Malian Empire. In this context his reign is fictionalized for the sake of plot.

King Jabbari is the current ruler of Wahatan. He inherited the throne at the age of 16. He is a stern yet friendly monarch, however he is often too busy with work to look after his son. When Omari was eight, Jabbari's beloved queen Suli died of illness. Jabbari is pressured by his court to find a new wife, but Jabbari is not sure if he wants to move on.

Princess Khadija is Jabbari's sister. She is a sneaky woman who uses magic and alchemy to achieve her goals. Khadija is jealous over being lower in line for the throne, and plots to overthrow her own brother. Shockingly, she is happily married to one of the royal advisors, Sharun. Besides bossing people around, she enjoys the finer things it life. Her name may mean "trustworthy" in Arabic, but honest she is not!

Sharun is Khadija's husband and Jabbari's advisor. Like his wife he is also sneaky and plans on taking control of the throne. He does not have magic powers but makes up for it with his silver tongue. The only thing Sharun loves more than power is his wife. In fact he was the one who suggested stealing the stars, just to make her happy. His name is derived from the Arabic word for evil, "sharir."

Omari is Jabbari's only son. As the crown prince he is taught multiple disciplines, but astronomy has become his favorite. His dream is to create a new way to study the stars. Omari doesn't trust magic. He blames it for not helping his mother recover from her fatal illness.A quiet loner, Omari only has one other companion: his pet lamb. Omari is nervous to go to Rosas as it is the first time he travelled outside his kingdom. His name means "flourishing" in Swahili.

Layla: Layla is the royal lamb. She follows Omari around everywhere. She was named after her luscious black fur. When Layla gained the ability to speak she talks in a quiet, anxious voice. Her name means "night" in arabic.

Bahlwan: The main jester whose job is to entertain the royal court. He loves to play pranks his main targets mostly being Khadija and Sharun. His name means "clown" in Arabic.

Attire

Most people in the kingdom wear durable linen fabric that keeps them cool and protected from the sun and winds. The richer citizens and the royal family wear jewellery made of precious stones and metal. A lot of times you see jewellery made of wood, plants and seashells.

A popular style of dress are made of "mud cloth." Mud cloth are created using fermented mud and plant dyes, creating gorgeous colors and patterns. Other types of attire include kaftans, tunics, and imported fashions from other nations.

The royal family wear warm colors. King Jabbari and his son tend to wear orange and yellow. Khadija and her husband favor red and gold.

Music; Because it's not a Disney movie without awesome music

The music of Wish 2 is inspired by Arabic and subsaharan styles. I also took bits from gamer music (think Steven Universe & vaporwave), gospel. Really I wanted to have a variety of music primarily inspired and created by black people.

My search takes me to songs created by Mali artists: links to playlist

youtube

Another thing with the music i want there to be a blend of modern and traditional. Sweeping orchestral with whimsical gamer energy. Yeah.

Story: King Jabbari and his court visit Rosas a year or two after the events of the first movie. Jabbari's son, Prince Omari, meets Asha and at first they don't get along due to opposite interests and personalities.

However, Omari discovers his aunt and uncle is plotting to overthrow his father by stealing at the stars in the galaxy. He begs Asha for help. Together the two travel to different dimensions/planets aboard a magical flying contraption to try to stop the wicked couple from bringing about eternal darkness.

#wish 2: journey across stars #oc: omari #wish 2023 #dissed knee #Youtube

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neerasrealm · 1 year

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hiiii tumblr so i dont post my art here very often, but this doodle here is part of a mock-up cartoon show for a college project. my project focuses on circus themed characters, and this is one of them! she's a clown with a fierce passion for performing and music. I wanted to post her here because i'm looking for some insight on her design and how to write her! if you're hijabi/muslim and have some advice, please read below for my general questions!

(Also shoutout to @1clowneveryday as I used their art as inspiration)

(ALSO!!! REBLOGS ARE MAD APPRECIATED!!!!)

clothing wise, what are some rules i should stick to? i know the go-to is baggy, loose and covers everything from head to toe, but i am worried about the belt she's wearing. I like it for giving her some general shape, breaking up the colours and cropping her shirt, but is that something she could get away with wearing? if it's a baggy shirt, is it okay?

Do's and dont's for patterns and colours? i've seen some people say that a hijabi's clothing shouldn't ''attract attention'', but I imagine that's not exactly possible since she's a performer and a clown? Is there a compromise I can make, or is that a rule this girl could just ignore since her job is literally to get people's attention for entertainment

Name suggestions! This is a big one. I don't want to give her something too stereotypical, but I also don't know a lot of middle-eastern names so suggestions would be appreciated :3

Nationality? This is something I need to look into as I know different middle-eastern and arab countries have different beliefs, practices and traditions. I already know this girl was born and raised in america, but her parents emigrated so she has a mix of the cultures

speaking of which, what is it like to grow up in the states/a non-muslim country with muslim parents? this is something i'll of course research more, but I'd love to have some more anecdotes from people as inspiration!!

#my art #my ocs #clown girl #circuscore #clowncore #clown art #clowns #art #digital art #krita #artists on tumblr #muslim #muslim girl #islam #hijab #hijabi #The Greater Show

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lgbtqiamuslimpedia · 11 months

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Mukhannath

Mukhannath/مخنثون (plural: Mukhannathun) was a gender & sexual-diverse community of Pre-Islamic & Classical Islamic Societies. Transgender & gender variant identities & practices are diverse and vary across different cultures and societies, including within Muslim communities. In Classical Arabia, these people were refer to as 1.)Effeminate men, 2.) people of ambiguous sexual characteristics and gender non-confirmity, who appeared as more feminine, 3.) who socially had roles typically played by women. There is no monolithic interpretation or understanding of gender identity or expression within Islam, as the religion encompasses a wide range of beliefs and cultural contexts. The existence of mukhannathun has been acknowledged in many historical islamic texts, and their status within Islamic society has been subject to varying interpretations.

Etymology

According to the lexicographers, the term mukhannath derived from the verb Kha-na-tha in the first form means to fold back the mouth of a waterskin for drinking. Derived term develop the basic idea of bending or folding in the direction of pliability,suppleness,languidness,tenderness& delicacy.

According to 9th century Arabic scholar, philologist Abn Ubayd mukhannathun were so called on their account of effeminacy (takassur, elsewhere usually paired with tathanni,suppleness).[citation needed]

Later lexicographers define the term mukhannath as a man who resembles or imitates as woman in the languidness of his limbs or the softness of his voice.This definition rose to prominence among Islamic scholars until medieval times, when the term became associated with passive homosexuality.

While the term "Mukhannath al-Jins" has been used to refer to individuals who do not conform to traditional gender norms associated with their assigned sex.

History

Pre-Islamic Arab Society:

Mukhannathun's gender expression & existence were much tolerated in Pre-Islamic Arab world.Mukhannathun from the city of Medina (Saudi Arabia), are frequently mentioned in the hadith literature & in the works of many Early Arabic and Islamic writers.Mukhannaths were used as domestic worker,domestic helper,hairdresser in the early days of Islam.Mukhannath were allowed to access in both male & female quarters.Al-'Ayni quotes from al-Tabarani that in the days of the Prophet Muhammad,the mukhannathun spoke languidly,dyed their hands and feet (with henna), but were not accused of immoral acts (fahisha).

In the Rashidun and Umayyad caliphates, various mukhannathun of Medina established themselves as celebrated entertainers,artists.One particularly prominent mukhannath, Abū ʿAbd al-Munʿim ʿĪsā ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Dhāʾib, who had the Arabic name Ṭuwais ("Little Peacock"), was born in Medina on the day Prophet Muhammad died (8 June 632).

Ṭuwais is described as the first mukhannath person to perform "perfect singing" characterized by definitive rhythmic patterns in Medina.He was also known for his sharp wit and his skill with the tambourine (which had previously been associated only with female musicians).No sources describe his sexuality as immoral or imply that he was attracted to men.But it is reported that he was married with a woman.

While Ṭuwais is typically described as the leading mukhannath musician of Medina during his lifetime.Another Mukhannath who was known by the name al-Dalāl ("the Coquettish") is mentioned as one of Ṭuwais's favorite pupils.He is portrayed as a witty but sometimes crude man who "loved women," but did not have sex with them.Unlike Ṭuwais, some tales involving al-Dalāl do suggest that he was attracted to men.Furthermore Ṭuwais and other mukhannathun musicians formed an intermediary stage in the social class most associated with musical performance: women in pre-Islamic Arabia, mukhannathun in the Rashidun and early Umayyad caliphates, and mainly non-mukhannath men in later time periods.

In the early Umayyad period, Mukhannathun enjoyed an exceptional visibility and prestige in Medina & Mecca.Religious persecution of mukhannathun first started at the reigns of Caliph Marwan I. The governor of Mecca serving under al-Walīd I “issued a proclamation against the mukhannathun”, in addition to other entertainers. Two mukhannath musicians named Ibn Surayj and al-Gharīḍ are specifically referred to as being impacted by this proclamation. Mukhannath al-Gharīḍ fled to Yemen and never came back to Saudi Arabia.The most severe instance of persecution is typically dated to the time of al-Walīd I's brother and successor Sulaymān ibn ʿAbd al-Malik, (7th caliph of the Umayyad caliphate).According to several variants of this story, the caliph Sulayman ordered the full castration of the mukhannathun of Medina.Some versions of the tale say that all of them were forcefully undergo the castration procedure. Consequently, mukhannath or queer folks of Medina & Mecca begin to fade from historical sources, and the next generation of singers and musicians had few mukhannathun in their ranks.

Abbasid Period

During the Abbasid caliphate, the word itself was used as a descriptor for men who are entertainer and submissive or effeminate gay.Mukhannath were employed as dancers, musicians, comedian & guards of Abbasid harems.In later eras Mukhannath term has been mostly associated with effeminate homosexuality.

Safavid Period

Safavid Dynasty (1501–1736) was a Twelver Shia dynasty of Iran.Mukhannathun also appeared in Safavid Era.

Acceptance of transgender and gender non-conforming individuals within Islam can be highly influenced by cultural, social, political & regional factors. Different Muslim majority countries & communities may have differing attitudes towards gender identity and expression, ranging from acceptance to stigmatization.

Hadith Literature

Almost all references of ahadith literature justifies animosity toward queer people & have been quoted out of context; Islamic clerics,scholars wrongly condemn trans folks, despite so many major Islamic scholars having argued that the Hadith actually refer to cross-dressers (who want to deceitfully gain access to women’s spaces).

According to Sahih Bukhari 4324, Narated by Umm Salama narrated that ''Prophet (ﷺ) came to me while there was an mukhannath (Hit) sitting with me, and I heard him (i.e. the effeminate man) saying to `Abdullah bin Abi Umaiya, "O `Abdullah! See if Allah should make you conquer Ta'if tomorrow,then take the daughter of Ghailan (in marriage) as (she is so beautiful and fat that) she shows four folds of flesh when facing you, and eight when she turns her back." The Prophet (ﷺ) then said, "These (effeminate men) should never enter upon you (O women!)."

Al-Tabari (1978) took it as an example that the Prophet did not forbid a particular mukhanath, Hit, from entering the women’s quarters until he heard Hit giving a description of the women’s bodies in great detail.Hit was later prohibited from the house because ze had breached the trust of the Prophet, but not because of her gender identity or expression.According to Dr. Scott Siraj Kugle the mukhannath hadiths were so grossly taken out of context by many muslim conservatives,that what appeared to be a prophetic wisdom of protecting and sanctifying the privacy of women’s spaces; devolved into a punitive condemnation of gender & sexual diversity.

Its also known that Prophet Muhammad protect a Mukhannath (or trans woman) from death sentence.

According to a Sunan Abu Dawud 4910,narrated by Abu Hurayrah that,

''A mukhannath who had dyed his hands and feet with henna was brought to the Prophet (ﷺ).He asked: What is the matter with this man? He was told: "Messenger of Allah! He imitates the look of women." So he issued an order regarding him & he was banished to an-Naqi. The people said: Messenger of Allah! Should we not kill him? He said: I have been prohibited from killing people who pray.

According to Abu Usamah said: Naqi' is a region near Medina and not a Baqi ''.

According to Progressive Muslim scholar Mahdia Lynn, ''One group interprets this hadith as a transgressor banished: this person being sent away clearly teaches us that gender diverse people are not welcome in the Prophet’s community. According to this interpretation, living out the prophetic example today means that excluding gender and sexual diversity from Islam is right and good.

Another group looks at this story and sees a life saved: it’s clear there was a group of men ready to murder this person and so the Prophet saved their life by sending them away (to an-Naqi, a location between Mecca and Medina, which is interpreted to mean “within the bounds of Islam”). Living out prophetic example means not only accepting gender & sexual diversity as a valid part of the ummah, but being called upon to protect LGBTQI+ Muslims.''

Opinions

Within Islamic history and scholarship, there have been discussions and debates surrounding gender identities and expressions that transcends the gender binary.In the pre-modern period, muslim societies were aware of several gender non-confirmities: this can be seen through figures such as the khaasi (eunuch), the hijra (non-binary,trans), the mukhannath (trans-feminine),the mutarajjilat (trans male), the mamsuh (agender),the bissu (non-binary, polygender),the sida-sida (bigender) and the khuntha (intersex). Some Islamic scholars have explored the concept of "mukhannathun," which actually refers to individuals assigned male at birth but who exhibit feminine characteristics or behaviors.

Several scholars such as Mehrdad Alipour (2017) & Everett K. Rowson (1991) point to references in the Hadith to the existence of mukhannath: a man who carries femininity in his movements,in his appearance, and in the softness of his voice.Western scholars Aisya Aymanee M. Zaharin & Maria Pallotta-Chiarolli see the term mukhannath as referring to men who are behave like women,but do not want to undergo sex reassignment surgery,in contrast to transgender or intersex people.

Mukhannath term may use as an umbrella term for gender & sexual diverse.While sometimes Mukhannath classified as transgender people,the Mukhannathun as a group do not neatly fit into the western categories of gender or sexuality.There was too much variety from one Mukhannath to the next to establish a specific label for their gender or sexual identity, & the meaning of the term has changed over time.The Arabic term for a trans woman is Mukhannith, as they want to change their sex, while mukhannaths presumably don't.

In Popular Culture

Books

The Effeminates of Early Medina - Everett K. Rowson

Homosexuality,Transidentity and Islam -Ludovic Ahmad Zahed

Before homosexuality in Arab-Islamic World - Khaled El-Rouayheb

Sexual Ethics and Islam - Kecia Ali

Living Out Islam:Voices of Gay, Lesbian & Transgender Muslims - Scott Siraj Kugle

Homosexuality in Islam:Critical reflection on gay, lesbian & transgender muslims - Scott Siraj Kugle

Que(e)ring Religion:A Critical Anthology - Gary David Comstock, Susan E. Henking

Islam and Homosexuality - Samar Habib [volume 1], [volume 2]

Sexual and Gender Diversity in Muslim World - Vanja Hamzić

Islamic Homosexualities - Stephen O. Murray, Will Roscoe

Islamicate Sexualities:Translations across Temporal Geographies of Desire - Afsaneh Najmabadi,Kathryn Babayan

Queens, Eunuchs and Concubines in Islamic history - Taef El-Azhari

The Diesel (الديزل) by Thani al-Suwaidi

The Delight of Hearts - Ahmad Al-Tifashi

Governing Thirdness: State, Society and Non-Binary Identities - Muhammad Azfar Nisar

Films & TV

Allah Loves Equality - Wajahat Abbas Kazmi

Be Like Others - Tanaz Eshaghian

#gay muslim #transsexual muslim #transmuslim #queer history #queer islam #Hijra #Mukhannath #Mukhannith #khanith #transgender #non binary #genderqueer #gender ambiguity

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jordanianroyals · 11 months

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Jordan comes alive with Royal wedding celebrations

Festivities are in full swing across the Kingdom in celebration of the wedding of Crown Prince Hussein, uniting Jordanians from all walks of life in this joyous occasion.

In celebration of the Royal wedding, an array of Jordanian and Arab artists and musicians entertained thousands of guests on May 29, at the Amman International Stadium in Al Hussein Sports City. The musical performances will continue on June 3, at Amman's Roman Theatre.

Gearing up for the special Royal occasion, streets have been adorned with posters of Crown Prince Hussein and royal emblems, with street lights draped in flags.

“All of us are seeing a community spirit sweeping across the Kingdom. It is truly an unconfined joy for all Jordanians,” said Noor Al Manaseer, 25. Other members of the public expressed their pride in standing beside Crown Prince Hussein and sharing in the Royal wedding joy as Jordanians.

Nearly every commercial centre, mall and private business is awash with decorations and posters of the Royal couple, offering various discounts and promotions in honour of the occasion. Similarly, street vendors experienced brisk trade in Jordanian flag decorations.

To ensure Jordanians are a part of the nationwide celebration, the government declared the Royal Wedding Day a public holiday for the Kingdom.

“We are planning on watching the wedding ceremony on a large screen. All the family will gather and dance to traditional Jordanian music,” Hala Al Qawasmi, 37, told The Jordan Times on Wednesday.

A similar excitement and joy was present in the household of Um Tahseen, 54. She handed out baklava and knafeh to her neighbours. “I am thrilled and excited; tomorrow the whole world will watch Jordan’s royal wedding,” she expressed.

As for Reem Kamel, she hopes to catch up with the wedding’s procession. “I would be really lucky if I get a glimpse of the Royal procession,” she told The Jordan Times.

Elsewhere in Amman, particularly in the neighbourhood of Abdoun, hundreds of Jordanians lined up along streets and rejoiced, waved and unfurled massive flags and chanted slogans in celebration of the royal wedding.

Other celebrations and parades took place in other governorates. Samah Al Khatatneh told The Jordan Times that vehicles flooded the streets of Karak in honour of the Crown Prince.

On social media platforms, the official logo of the occasion, which is the Arabic word for “we rejoice” and #CelebratingAlHussein topped the list of trending hashtags. “Congratulations have poured in for Al Hussein and Miss Rajwa Khalid Alseif.” Mohammad Quteishat, a Jordanian Instagram user, told The Jordan Times over the phone.

#Jordan #crown prince hussein #Wedding

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tidal123 · 5 months

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The Ouled Naïl, an Arabic nomadic/semi-nomadic people of Algeria, North Africa, were once most famously known for their tradition of Nailiyat dancers. The city they frequented were known in the Arab world as “Place of Happiness”.

The women of Ouled Naïl were traditionally trained as dancers and entertainers, Nailiyat dancers. They enjoyed freedom of movement and economic freedom, as they travel to nearby villages and cities to perform dance and music for earnings. They return to their home after they establish enough independent wealth and would marry for love and settle down into married life. Their society do not view their careers as anything less.

In the 1956 book Flute of Sand, author Lawrence Morgan quotes one man as saying, “Our wives, knowing what love is, and having wealth of their own, will marry only the man they love. And, unlike the wives of other men, will remain faithful to death. Thanks be to Allah.” (Source)

There were also women who chose not to marry and instead t establish a career based on dancing/entertainment.

The tradition of Ouled Naïl, preserved throughout their initial conversion to Islamic, beautiful and free, was destroyed by the French colonial occupation in the name of eradicating “moral corruption and prostitution” of the women dancers. At that time, the French ideal of womanhood was higher-class ladies confined to the inner chambers, while a woman taking a walk alone in the street was considered a bold move. The French used legal enforcements to destroyed Ouled Naïl’s female-centric dancer collectives which was crucial to ensure their safety, and the women were subsequently subjected to abuse and murders for their money and the jewelry they often wear. They destroyed their cultural tradition by a hundred years of colonialism, wars, and authoritarian rules.

It’s interesting their history and the destructive French colonization of the Ouled Naïl people were not included in Wikipedia.

As I searched for their history, I come across a BBC video titled “barbaric beauty under starlight.” Put aside the romanticism, I wonder, who is the barbaric?

The beautiful and free Ouled Naïl people, or the French colonial government that destroyed and murdered their culture?

#Ouled Naïl #colonialism #french colonialism #Sex positive feminism #Algeria #North Africa #Culture #We Shall Not Forget #cultural genocide #sex positivity #sex positive #Dancing #art #intersectionalfeminist #intersectionality #intersectionism #feminism

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zaktours · 17 days

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Discover the Enchantment of Hurghada: A Jewel by the Red Sea

Nestled on the stunning coast of the Red Sea, Hurghada is a paradise that beckons travelers with its turquoise waters, vibrant coral reefs, and an array of unforgettable experiences. A perfect blend of relaxation and adventure, this Egyptian city has evolved from a serene fishing village into a bustling hub of tourism, offering a myriad of activities for every type of traveler. Let's dive into what makes Hurghada a must-visit destination for your next vacation.

Unparalleled Diving and Snorkeling Adventures

Hurghada is a haven for underwater enthusiasts. Home to some of the world's most exquisite coral reefs and marine life, the city is a hotspot for diving and snorkeling. Whether you're a seasoned diver or a beginner, the crystal-clear waters of the Red Sea provide the perfect backdrop for exploring vibrant coral gardens and enchanting underwater landscapes. Popular sites like the Giftun Islands and Abu Ramada Island offer mesmerizing views of colorful fish, turtles, and even dolphins, making every dive a unique experience.

Luxurious Beach Resorts and Waterfront Relaxation

For those seeking relaxation, Hurghada's luxury resorts offer world-class amenities with breathtaking sea views. From private sandy beaches to infinity pools, spa treatments, and gourmet dining, visitors can indulge in unparalleled comfort and serenity. Resorts in areas like Sahl Hasheesh and Makadi Bay are renowned for their exquisite services, providing an oasis of tranquility away from the bustling city life.

Thrilling Desert Safaris and Cultural Tours

Adventure enthusiasts will find no shortage of excitement in Hurghada. The city's surrounding desert is a playground for thrilling activities such as quad biking, camel riding, and Jeep safaris. Exploring the vast desert landscape, with its majestic mountains and bedouin villages, offers a glimpse into the heart of Egypt's natural beauty and ancient culture. For a deeper dive into history, day trips to the iconic cities of Luxor and Cairo reveal the wonders of ancient Egypt, from the Valley of the Kings to the Great Pyramids.

A Culinary Journey Through Egyptian Delicacies

Hurghada's dining scene is as diverse as its landscapes. Visitors can savor traditional Egyptian dishes, fresh seafood, and international cuisine at various restaurants and cafes. The marina and downtown areas are bustling with culinary hotspots where you can enjoy mouthwatering koshari, succulent grilled seafood, and rich Arabic coffee. Dining by the waterfront, with views of the Red Sea, adds a magical touch to every meal.

Vibrant Nightlife and Entertainment

As the sun sets, Hurghada transforms into a vibrant nightlife hub. The city's bars, clubs, and beach parties come alive with music, dance, and entertainment. From laid-back beach bars to electrifying nightclubs featuring international DJs, there's something for everyone to enjoy. The Marina Boulevard is a popular spot for evening strolls, shopping, and experiencing the lively local atmosphere.

Eco-Tourism and Conservation Efforts

In recent years, Hurghada has embraced eco-tourism, with initiatives aimed at preserving its natural wonders and promoting sustainable tourism practices. Visitors can participate in coral reef conservation projects, eco-friendly diving expeditions, and educational tours that highlight the importance of environmental preservation.

Plan Your Visit to Hurghada

Whether you're an adventure seeker, a history enthusiast, or simply in need of a peaceful getaway, Hurghada offers a slice of paradise with something for every traveler. With its stunning landscapes, rich culture, and vibrant atmosphere, Hurghada promises an unforgettable vacation experience by the Red Sea. Start planning your journey to this Egyptian treasure and discover the magic of Hurghada for yourself.

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ankulometes · 2 months

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The Travellers, Vol 12, Pt 3: The Civilization

Non-variants would soon enter the picture. The team members would have natural born offspring. They would encounter the pre-existing inhabitants of the British Isles. More newcomers might arrive from the continent. It was vitally important therefore that their culture and civilisation had a coherent and complete form. They needed concepts that were expressed in language, technology, art, music, myth, and philosophy to tell their own people, and those they met, who they were. Naturally, they all had their stories straight on this score. They had been thinking about it and trying stuff out for long enough. Their ideas would inevitably be subject to change over time as non-variants became increasingly significant players in the cultural, political, economic, and intellectual development of their society, and this was a desirable phenomenon from their perspective. Nevertheless, the starting position was critical.

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On top of the increasing presence of non-variants, there were the criteria by which the team would ultimately judge the success or otherwise of their mission. Although they possessed more latitude than before in the means through which they might be realised, these were little different to the goals they had consistently pursued through all of their interventions.

The crew wanted the civilisation they built to be as equitable and meritocratic as possible without imposing oppressive homogeneity that impinged upon vital creativity, liberty, and difference. They aimed for it to value peace and be open and welcoming to others while being sufficiently strong and coherent to resist aggression and threats to its integrity when necessary. It was important that it would value and reward knowledge, skill, inventiveness, and human achievement yet possess a sufficient level of wisdom and humility to maintain a critical attitude towards itself and remain appreciative of its relationship to, and dependence upon, other cultures and the natural world. The people should be both capable of and willing to educate and nurture their young and care for their sick, elderly, and disabled. Also, it should be fun loving, not take itself too seriously, and have a sense of humour and an enjoyment of entertainment that did not revolve around cruelty and humiliation.

At the heart of many cultures, one can find a concept of truth, even if it is only tacit. Indeed, cultural identity as such might be described as a set of humans defined by the presence of a sufficient degree of correlation in their beliefs concerning what is or is not true. For everyday purposes, this concept of truth needs to be simple and intuitive enough for most people to be able to apply it instinctively most of the time.

The variants would deploy a concept of truth that drew on correspondence, coherence, and pragmatic theories. In broad outline, this held that something was true if it could be demonstrated in practice to correspond to an actual state of affairs and did not contradict other known truths (in which event one must be false). This formulation, which probably appears rather simple and obvious to someone from MOT raised in the Western philosophical tradition, has far reaching and significant implications.

Clearly, it demands a language grammar and vocabulary for expressing truth statements. However, it further suggests the concept of the “experiment” which necessitates shared systems of quantification and measurement. These amplify the importance of literacy and numeracy, which in turn transform one’s relationship to a host of phenomena, including time and memory. Although they would start slowly, the culture of “Albion” that the variants were developing would start at the outset with an alphabet based on Latin, a base-12 floating point numeric system with a zero concept derived from Indo-Arabic numerals, and units of measurement for length, angles, area, mass, volume, time (a lunisolar calendar, sundials, and sand or water timers), and even temperature (using bi-metallic strips).

They would benefit from a whole matrix of technologies that are either necessarily associated with, or can be easily inferred from, the existence of some of these ideas that would form the basis of their civilization. Some of these I have already mentioned: blades, bows, saws, shovels, picks, planes, hoes, wheels, sails, pulleys, levers, screws and the like. Others such as pens, ink, and paper were also in the mix. Indeed, there were so many that it is probably more illustrative to provide some examples of things that were most definitely not going to be given in this context.

Things like heat engines, electricity, the wave character of light and sound, the atomic nature of matter, the functioning of planetary and stellar rotations and orbits: all of these are non-obvious ideas that can be modelled in different ways for practical purposes and the accurate elaboration of which typically depends on a whole series of complex intellectual and technical developments. The new society the team was building would know nothing of these things at the outset. So long as you could potentially measure the angle of the sun, the speed of something or other, or the temperature of an oven, that was a sufficient starting point.

It should be self-explanatory by now that any society capable of developing this kind of intellectual and technical base within a fairly short period of time could not be theocratic. They had to have been people who valued knowledge and believed that it could be obtained through human action and thought, rather than simply being conferred upon them from above. Nevertheless, plenty of unknowns remained and they would require an ethical framework of higher order concepts to prevent them doing harm to themselves, others, or the world in general. Moreover, such matters would necessitate narratives to facilitate the effective communication of abstract ideas in addition to providing an explanatory structure for the origin of things and the nature of certain unknowns. Last, but by no means least, it would be convenient for the variants if these made it easier for them to do some of the more magical things they needed to do, such as substitution of their own children.

Despite their modernist aims and conceptions of truth, the variants were not naive positivists. They had no desire to peddle scientism and were well aware of the fact that people often need a belief system that provides meaning, purpose, and the possibility of redemption, even if it is essentially untrue. Shared systems of faith also provide a valuable tool for developing and sustaining social coherence. However, since they would almost certainly evolve into an organised religion over time that fed into myriad political and economic aspects of the civilisation, the choice concerning what to believe was vital.

Therefore, beyond simple binary notions of true and false, their frameworks of thought, language, and grammar would support ternary or even quaternary truth concepts, the additional positions within which might be summarised as “not true” and “not false”. These named the unknowable, the unnameable, or that which was in the process of being disclosed or concealed. Consequently, falsehood was not an absolute negation of truth per se but an independent idea of “untruth” that existed on a scale between it and the verified truth along which belief might be held as true or false in particular ways or pending certain facts.

At its root, the variants had developed a collection of mythological narratives over the years that told the story of the creation of the universe from the nothingness of the Big Bang and the ensuing collisions of matter in space, but in a highly simplified and anthropomorphised form. This creation myth ultimately ended with the births of numerous constellations of stars, the sun (“Haul”), the moon (“Lun”), and earth (“Naear”). Ultimately, there were also figures in this pantheon for all the major features of their immediate landscape, such as the British Isles as a whole (the giant “Albion”), the islands of Britain (“Pryddana”) and Ireland (“Eriu”), right down to important hills and rivers (such as “Tamesis” and “Hafren”).

At the outset at least, and on the part of the variants, there would be little pretence that these were anything other than stories which helped explain certain aspects of the world which they had left unexplained, guide ethical action, and aid a few more practical concerns, such as navigation.

The ternary concepts of nothingness and somethingness along with the disclosive space in between would be fundamental to their myths in other ways too. Aside from providing an illustration of numeric concepts, they established a context for the “otherworld” (which they called “Annwn”) of things like birth, death, dreams, and intuition. The emergence of life from nothingness and its subsumption into death was elaborated as a symbiotic cycle in which all the elements of the visible waking world were balanced by counterparts in the otherworld of Annwn.

Annwn provided a valuable spirit world which opened the way to the notion of communication with, traversal between, or even return from it. In addition to facilitating substitution, it enhanced the sacrality of the natural world in a manner that could be leveraged to promote care for it. It also riffed on ideas such as ying/yang and karma: a death and departure from the waking world was a birth or arrival in Annwn and vice-versa. The spirit of those thought to have been good in life might return in a new form to help overcome evil in this or those who had committed wicked acts might win redemption in the world of the spirits if they learned the error of their ways and atoned.

Over the long term, the maintenance and telling of these stories would be the province of a technocratic class of learned men and women known as the “derwid”. These people would be less a “priesthood” than an intellectual caste who, aside from telling didactic stories which made abstract concepts more tangible, would serve as philosophers, scientists, engineers, doctors, surgeons, architects, lawyers, historians, and artists. Their numbers would be heavily skewed toward variants, and their exclusive hold over advanced knowledge throughout the early years of their culture (before they began to write books) would help to obfuscate their origins in the mists of time.

Alongside these myths was another tranche of stories which we might call legends or folktales that, while still used by the derwid, were not their exclusive domain. These legends provided origin stories and role models through narratives that were centred around definitively human action. They involved figures such as the prototypal derwids, Orin and Aeron, the valiant leaders, Lugh and Lleua, and the nurturing leaders, Ceri and Carys, the smith, Gofannon, and the farmer, Amaethon among many others.

The myth and legend cycles also lent explanatory power to other phenomena and social structures, especially the calendar. As had been the case whenever possible on prior missions, the variants were going to be using their preferred perennial lunisolar system. However, they had made a few modifications to its structure.

The year would be split into 52 weeks (with 1 to 2 intercalary days) that provided a rhythmic structure with regular breaks from work every 7th day (known as the “setath”). These sat within a larger structure consisting of four seasons, each around 12 weeks long, that were divided by the week-long festivals of Ostara, Litha, Mabon, and Gheol that were set around the solstices and equinoxes. These seasons were further subdivided into two halves by the lesser festivals of Imbolc, Beltane, Lammas, and Samhain. The precise points in the tropical year at which these occurred would move over the coming millennia as the inclination of the earth’s axis changed, so their calculation was inevitably the province of the derwid. The variants fully intended to introduce thematic ceremonies as a focal point of these festivals. However, they would mainly be an opportunity for people to let off steam and have a good time.

The cycles of the seasons were loosely reflected in a series of tripartite divisions for the path of life. The period from birth until 6 years of age was considered to be a period of infancy during which there were few social expectations other than to survive, grow, and learn the basics of movement and speech. Upon reaching one’s 6th summer, one would be initiated into the community during the festival of Litha. From then until the age of 12, one became properly a “child” and expected to learn the fundamentals of knowledge, including reading, writing, and maths that would lay the foundations for your participation in society. Another rite followed in your 12th summer when you officially became a “youth”. At this point, while still not a fully-fledged member of one’s tribe qualified to do things like swear oaths or bear witness, you would gain the right to do things like carry a knife (which you would be given) and would be held accountable for your actions. During one’s youth, between the ages of 12 and 18, you would continue to learn but also start to contribute by taking apprenticeships or being packed off to study with the derwid. At the age of 18, you became a fully-fledged adult with all the responsibilities that came with that status. In addition to being gifted symbolic artefacts during each of these rites of passage, one was tattooed as a permanent mark of attainment and belonging. However, your life was hopefully far from over.

The three stages of development (infancy, childhood, and youth) were followed by three further stages of adulthood, each again lasting 6 years, during which one was expected to gain first knowledge, then experience, and finally wisdom. If one reached the age of 36, one gained elevated status as an elder. Nevertheless, once again, one’s development was hopefully not finished yet. The third meta-phase of life was similarly divided into three stages of “evaluation” or “consideration”, “compassion” or “insight”, and “judgement” or “transcendence”. However, this time each period lasted 18 years. Frankly, if you lived much beyond 90 years in the absence of modern medicine, vaccines, and antibiotics it was a miracle. But it wouldn’t be unheard of in their society.

All these beliefs and rites naturally informed the political and economic structure that their civilisation would adopt, at least at the outset. It should come as no surprise that it would probably best be described as a technocratic gerontocracy.

Although their members would often be embedded within settlements, the derwid would ultimately form a tribe apart consisting of experts and specialists who were frequently itinerant. It was regarded as a vocation, rather than a job. While it would be taboo to refuse hospitality to one of their number, and unadvisable to shun their aid or advice, they would receive no remuneration for their work and would not constitute any formal part of political administration as such. Similarly, while everyone was required to learn a variety of combat skills from the age of twelve, train regularly, and do their duty when called upon to do so, derwid were not required or even expected to fight, although many would.

On a day-to-day basis, tribal affairs at a local level would be governed by a council or assembly of the elders (i.e. those of 36 years of age and above) known as the “laenoriad” who would elect a leader. This leader, who gained the honorific title “Ben”, did not necessarily need to come from among their number: it could be any nominated adult (i.e. at least 18 years of age). This chief would also serve as a judge with the laenoriad functioning as a jury. Thus, they would collectively form the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary. Beyond these outline constraints, how they arranged their affairs internally was entirely up to them to decide, but the principle that power came with responsibility which could only exercised effectively by those in possession of wisdom and that power was conferred (or revoked) through an act of consensus were both key. Eventually, as the number and size of settlements increased, a hierarchical series of supra-tribal councils would emerge consisting of all the leaders from a particular region and from across the British Isles as a whole.

Another important problem that it was vital to nail early on were the systems of distribution and exchange. Even when they only had the one settlement, people would not be able to do everything for themselves and stuff would need to be shared around. There were several basic options.

Barter is commonly regarded as a kind of default solution to the problem of exchange. In the absence of any other formal mechanism, this is correct insofar as people will arbitrarily exchange things in their possession or power to obtain others that are not which they need or desire, on an ad hoc basis. As a fallback, it is something that is liable to occur in any context. However, as a systemic approach it is deeply flawed. Barter encourages the appropriation and hoarding of resources, often through the violent exercise of power. It rapidly degenerates into a social order based on brute force that exhibits extreme forms of oppression and inequality. This is why it is typically regarded as an inverse index of civilization. Its very presence is indicative of barbarism.

A widespread early alternative was the so-called “palace economy”, or command economy, in which all resources are pooled with a central authority that is subsequently responsible for their distribution based on whatever criteria are deemed to be appropriate. While this method can in theory be egalitarian, it is deeply susceptible to corruption and tyranny. Moreover, by building in a single point of failure it becomes prone to political instability since, whenever failure occurs, there is typically no fallback other than a return to barter.

Another solution that was often developed in the ancient world was that of the gift economy. These often demonstrated beneficial side effects in terms of things like social coherence and trust. They operate through the extension of a form of loan in which goods or services are advanced by one party in return for social credit and the expectation of a return on this investment at a later date. Such things are all well and good but, as an exclusive system, it rather limits the ability of people or groups to proactively secure the resources they need right now. Consequently, it often tends to exist in conjunction with other forms of exchange, such as barter.

Then of course there are market economies. Obviously, that is a big and complex topic. I use the plural “market economies” deliberately because there are many different types of market, only one of which is the ideologically charged concept of a “capitalist free market” economy. For my purposes here, I am going to define a market economy as a set of one or more governed forums that exist within the context of the same coherent legal framework in which individuals or groups exchange goods and services via an intermediate form that consists of a representation of value.

Markets are an excellent structure for exchange. Their capacity to adopt a distributed, cellular form gives them the potential to be flexible and resilient. However, from the standpoint of the above definition, they are merely the bread in an economic sandwich that one loads up with the desired ideological fillings. These fillings are typically embodied in the legal frameworks of governance and the intermediary form utilised to represent value as an exchange medium.

The variants had never lost their agreement with certain fundamental aspects of a Marxist analysis of capitalism. Indeed, they had developed their position to an unparalleled degree of refinement over the years. One of Marx’s arguments with which they agreed was that, within the context of a capitalist market economy, the exchange value of commodities is ultimately regulated by socially necessary labour time. However, unlike Marx, they did not support a commodity theory of money. In their view, things like the gold specie standard merely served to obfuscate the more accurate description of money as an expression of purchasing power that ultimately reflected social status and class. Money in this context was always an abstract relative value, even if one rather foolishly chose to base one’s currency system on a scarce commodity. On past missions, the team had adopted metallic currencies for reasons of expediency and inherited context. Now that they were freed from such constraints, they were going to go down a different path.

The unit of currency in their new civilization would be based on labour time. In principle, this can be used to determine both wages and prices. For example, let’s say that 1 currency unit is equal to 1 hour (as defined at the point of the summer solstice, since they were using sundials, and winter and summer time divisions were of differing absolute duration).

Now let’s say for the sake of an example that, on average, a baker can produce 10 loaves of bread per hour, a potter can make 1 pot per hour, and a blacksmith can make 1 blade in 10 hours. In theory, the baker’s “wage” production costs would be 0.1 currency units per hour while the potter would earn 1 unit and the blacksmith 10 units; i.e. assuming that all the commodities they produce have an equal use value, we can posit their wage rate as 1 hour divided by the average number of these commodities that are produced per hour. The sale price would then be the wage cost plus the price of the materials required to produce it. Thus, ignoring the cost of materials and other capital expenditure, they each earn 10 currency units from the sale of the produce from 10 hours of labour time.

However, this can penalise time intensive functions or promote redundant production on the false assumption that all commodities are of equal value. In reality, practically no one was a wage labourer in their society anyway. Certainly not yet. When that phenomenon did rear its ugly head, wage levels would be set in the usual “capitalist” way as a function of supply and demand combined with political pressure and negotiation. In the variants’ civilization, at least at the outset while the economy remained very small and simple, prices would be determined firstly by the derwid as a function of a determination of socially necessary labour time such that everyone possessed a more or less equal purchasing power that would enable them to obtain an equitable share of the total available produce, and secondly by the laenoriad as a means of promoting socially necessary production.

The critical point about using time hours as an index of currency value was that debts would be redeemable at the last resort through the one resource to which everyone had free access: time. Moreover, it provided a tangible baseline for assessments of value with easily understood judicial ramifications. Nevertheless, once again, it wouldn’t work in practice that if you lent your mate Bob a tenner and he failed to pay it back you could literally make him work as your own indentured slave for a period of time. Like any debt in our world, you would have to lodge your claim in court. If the loan agreement was deemed to be legal, and Bob was found to have defaulted, then the “state” would simply issue the money to pay you what was owed and a certain amount of either Bob’s time or income would revert to the state for use in the public interest. Or their own personal enrichment, depending on how your tribe was running itself at the time.

This legal procedure also indicates how money would come into existence: the state would simply create it and spend it into circulation. Once again, time-based monetary units help to provide an indication of how much money should be created since the total value of all currency in circulation should be sufficient to pay everyone for all their time. In the case of our crude baker, potter, and blacksmith example, if these were the only three people in your economy, then you would need to issue the equivalent of 11.1 units per hour of work to be completed.

One of the other major questions that needed to be addressed was the physical form that the currency would take. Part of the appeal of metallic currencies was that, even in the event of the collapse of the issuing authority, people still had faith in the idea that the base metal itself would be accepted widely enough as a barter exchange medium. Moreover, making coins from expensive scarce materials over which it was comparatively easy to exert monopoly control discouraged counterfeiting. Paper money, as one alternative, lacks both qualities. Matters such as theft and durability are also pertinent issues. For the variants, the answer to these questions lay in the comparative simplicity of their society and economy and the control it would exercise over markets through its legal framework.

They intended to largely resolve the questions of theft, counterfeiting, and durability by simply not issuing the currency in a physical form at all. Or, rather, by inventing a form of banking and operating this as an exclusive state monopoly.

On market days, or at any other time one wished to go shopping or do business, one would visit the bank and make a withdrawal from one’s balance. In return, one would receive some suitably authorised paper scrip (or a quantity thereof in various values) which named you as the owner of this money and detailed the date on which it was issued and the date when it would expire (usually no more than 1 day). When you purchased something, you would name the recipient and add your own signature in the relevant space. The recipient would then return it to the bank at the end of the day’s trading at which point a balance transfer would be completed.

If you wished to shop at another, more distant, market you could still use the same scrip, so long as it had not expired. It would eventually be reconciled and, if you ran up a line of credit this way by racing back home and withdrawing more, you would soon be caught and punished. You would owe money or labour time in accordance with the court’s estimation of the rate at which this should apply.

Alternatively, you could carry a simple dated balance statement which would be added to your account at the destination following which you would be able to withdraw scrip in the usual manner. However, you would not be able to withdraw any more scrips from your “home” bank until you returned the updated balance document which would have been given to you when you banked the scrip at the distant market.

For foreign trade, you would need to withdraw scrip to purchase gold, silver, or some other commodity for use in a barter exchange. That’s what international trade is at heart. Especially in the days before globalisation. Certainly, it barely even existed at the time the variants were currently living in, and it would be a very long time before it was regulated at all.

Thus their “bank” was more of a “tally shop”. Money was simply a temporary localised physical representation of part of this balance; a series of chits and tokens produced on cheap, plentiful, ephemeral material for the purpose of value exchange and transfer. It did not bear interest and, although it could potentially be loaned, the charging of interest on such would be specifically prohibited. Courts would be under no obligation to bail you out for irresponsible loans. The creation of the money in the first instance would be entirely the province of the state who would simply spend it into existence via an act of accounting.

Of course, in the early days of their settlement, hardly any money was used, and no one really needed to worry if they had none. The essentials of life were shared freely and, since the population consisted overwhelmingly of variants, there was practically no conflict or contention over this.

Indeed, one might wonder why they didn’t simply operate a much simpler palace economy. Such a system would have satisfied their needs at the beginning. However, for the reasons noted above, it wouldn’t scale effectively. Moreover, a well-governed market economy utilising a sensible currency system can be liberating.

In a command economy, one is effectively an employee of a single monolithic state bound to follow their instructions concerning what to produce. You are subsequently given very little choice about what one consumes and when. Selling into and buying from a market allows one to choose what one produces or consumes, how much, and when. If you want to blow all your credits on ale, then go for it. Alternatively, if you have a yen to try making something radically different, you can have a pop.

The idea that someone might try and fail brings us conveniently on to the topic of welfare and other forms of social care and the structures that surround them. On the whole, this was a non-problem for them. The way in which their currency worked meant that, so long as they didn’t issue so much credit that there was inflation, it was positively beneficial to the economy for them to run social programmes and infrastructural development projects.

The derwid would be nominally responsible for healthcare and education. However, they wouldn’t be able to do it alone. Special buildings would need to be constructed. Nurses, assistant teachers, and other supporting staff would be required. Raw materials would be a regular input. Associated with primary medical care, there would almost certainly need to be some provision for palliative and old age care which came with similar requirements.

There will always be a few people who simply don’t want to be a part of your society and wish to have little to do with your carefully organised institutions. They should not be unduly punished for this. Contrariwise, one of the fundamental goals of the variants’ economy was that no one should suffer from want due to misfortune in life or by birth. Nevertheless, it was not intended to be a free-for-all. A lot of work needed to be done. From everyone according to their ability would be a basic tenet. Thus, their general welfare provision would mainly consist of the creation of currency for the purposes of direct employment by the state where necessary. This would be supplemented by ad hoc debt jubilees and regular citizen dividends.

Beyond the political, economic, and judicial concerns of the state lay many diverse cultural questions that ranged from matters such as childrearing all the way to seemingly trivial matters like fashion. The variants considered all of them to be of vital importance, even those that might appear frivolous. I will deal with only the two mentioned above at this point.

At a fundamental level, the civilisation of Albion would eschew many notions concerning both the nuclear family and private property. Individuals of any gender would be at liberty to commit themselves exclusively to each other for sexual or other purposes, and there would be ceremonies associated with this process that enabled the oaths made to be recognised in official contexts. However, there would be absolutely no necessity to commit in such a manner. When it came to sex and reproduction, the free consent of all parties was assumed to be the primary imperative. Any offspring would inherit their primary identity in a matrilineal manner and, while a social and legal onus would be placed on both parents to ensure their children fulfilled their obligations, child rearing would predominantly be undertaken by the “clan” as a whole.

This collectivism fed through into property law. As a member of a clan, one would gain certain rights and protections, including matters such as having one’s basic needs for food and shelter met. One might occupy a house or a farm that could be considered “your property”, by virtue of fulfilling a particular role within a particular group, with which you were free to do as you wished. However, this did not confer the right to exchange it: it remained the property of the clan from whom it could not be alienated. The same applied to all land. Property was something one gained as a form of privilege through the fulfilment of a responsibility or obligation. This applies as much to the tribe, whose land belonged to the natural world of which they were to serve as guardians, as it did to the individual.

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