Klallam (The Kalmar Union)

The Klallam Federation, Klallam, S'klallam, is a medium sized republic in North-West Leifia. It is bordered by Lingit Aani, Cree Republic, Nitawahsinnanni, Kalispu Republic and Ktunaxa. The population is around 632,000 and the capital is Tse-whit-zen.

The Head of State is Chief Chits-han-a.

There is no official language, or rather various dialects and foreign languages are given equal precedence. What is known as 'Klallam' in other nations is a basic form of several dialects.

The currency is the Klallam Nis Qa (KNQ).

Klallam
Like most of North-West Leifia the tribes occupying the land now covered by the Klallam Federation led a mainly nomadic life concentrated around the rivers and seas. Abundance of food allowed the rise of a complex religious and artist culture, still very much present. They were also famed for their prowess in canoe production a skill which has continued in their boat production to the present day. While contact with their neighbours was commonplace, and indeed necessary their lifestyle barely altered until the advent of Vinlandic explorers and traders in the 1280s.

The Vinlanders wished to control and maintain a peace over the new-found routes to the West but shortages of men on their side prevented their full control. Therefore they made deals with the local tribes to operate forts and safe havens of travelling merchants along the route. In return the locals would be recognised as owners of the land under their watch. Rather than join its southern neighbours in chaotic internecine warfare the chiefs of twelve tribes formed a federation to control the portage points between the Kisiskaciwani Rivers and those flowing down to the Roasjoinn. The tribes would rotate the garrisons between them, preventing any of them growing too wealthy and strong.

Norse technology and crops filtered westwards while gold and furs were sent eastwards. Diseases spread along the trade routes would regularly decimate the population however and some historians assert Klallam only regained and overtook its pre-contact population in 1910. However during the fraught religious conflicts of north-east Leifia in the 17th century many protestant or heretical groups sought sanctuary in the tolerant federation and small but productive foreign farming community grew up in the central valleys. A well-established Anabaptist community can be found at Spalmtsin still speaking Icelandic.

While internally peaceful Klallam would be much pressed by its southern neighbours and would be forced repeatedly to take up arms against Ktunaxan and Kalispu tribes. This promoted a strong sense of unity within Klallam and helped breakdown tribal barriers as central government expanded. It was a reluctant participant of the Ninety-Year War, or Great Northwestern War, which would come to delineate many of the present borders in the 17h century and came to be thoroughly out-competed by Ktunaxa which grabbed land to Klallam's north in 1763. Further incursions into Klallam (which many Eastern observers assumed would be absorbed by force or coercion into Ktunaxa) would be halted by Ktunaxa's defeat in the 3rd Ichshkiinmark War.

The end of viable gold reserves in Klallam coincided with the 'Leifian Crisis' and severely depressed the economy

Government
Klallam is a constitutional republic with elections. Briefly speaking, candidates campaign for a share of their 'tribe's' vote rather than a geographical place. As tribal ties slowly broke down in the 18th century (or were exploited for political gains) these electoral tribes have shifted to represent trades instead. This has had the result that most if not all Klallam are represented in government. Collectively each 'tribe' must pass legislation in its own house before a general vote of all 15 takes place. All tribes have equal weighting, a check which stops any particular tribe gaining too much power.

The Head of state, currently Chits-han-a, is elected by a majority vote of the tribes every ten years.