| Vanukeans Wrnukaékai | |
| |
| Total population | |
| c. 91 million | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Vanuku | 79,819,210 |
| Dorvik | 3,275,000 |
| Barmenia | ~ 3,000,000 |
| Jelbania | ~ 1,300,000 |
| Zardugal | ~ 300,000 |
| Saridan | ~ 150,000 |
| Languages | |
| Wrnukaek, Jelbek, Brmek, Vanukeaans | |
| Religions | |
| Hosianism, Ahmadism, Zollism, Tanhrism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Jelbek, Brmek, Pntek, Dorvish | |
Vanukeans (Wrnukaek: Wrnukaékai) are the citizens and natives of Vanuku, a nation on the continent of Majatra. The Vanukean people consist of three different cultures that are all part of the ethnic Jelbic group. However all three different Vanukean Jelbic cultures have been influenced, two out of three have been influenced by the Dorvish from Artania and the Deltarians from the south.
Relations between cultures[]
The three different cultures, Banmek, Krlmek and Trmek, all descend from the same Jelbics that entered Vanuku during the Jelbo-Tukaric Migrations. After the Jelbics settled down they slowly splintered into many different tribes and during the pre-Khanate era three big tribes slowly started assimillating the smaller tribes, setting the stage for the future three dominant cultures. In modern times the regional governments within the states are divided mostly by culture and religion. Although in Vanuku the culture greatly outweights the religious side of an individual.
Banmek[]
Within Vanuku the Banmek, make up about 35% of the Vanukean people. They are historically the most Jelbic of all the three cultures. Though after the Dorvish colonial period their culture became influenced by the Dorvish. The pro-Artanian movement gained a lot of grip in the centuries thereafter, using Artanian influence to forward the Vanukean nation. Historically they are a culture of commerce, war and directness, many Banmeks are patriotic and are often considered blunt due to their directness in speech.
Nowadays, since the promotion of the traditional Wrnukaék culture, the pro-Artanian movement is only a small shell of its former self. Banmeks consider themselves a purely Jelbic culture, with the majority of them being either Hosianist or agnostic.
Krlmék[]
Of the three cultures the Krlmék, are the largest, making up 41% of all Vanukeans. They are the most traditional of the three cultures, having been influenced by the Brmék and Augustans. In blood they are closely related to the Brmék of Barmenia. The majority of the Krlmék are Ahmadist and they are known as the more conservative and uncompromising group of Vanuku.
The Krlmék have often been oppressed in Vanuku during the many centuries, being labeled as “lesser Vanukean” by many Banmek and Trmék nationalist and apartheid groups. The only time the Krlméks were in charge was during the era of the Ahmadi Caliphate, where the Ahmadi Krlméks were left to govern the area.
Trlmék[]
In Vanuku the Trlmék are the smallest group, making up 24% of the Vanukean population. They were historically influenced by the Deltarians and Jelbics to the South, and later mixed with Dorvish settlers. The Deltarians ruled the south-east before the Jelbic Khanate did and left a strong cultural mark on the area. Many Trlmék city names origin from Delic words and specific Delic customs can often be found in the Trlmék culture.
Historically the Trlmék were known as great seamen and traders, doing what many Jelbics refused to do by embarking onto the Majatran Sea. Since there are fewer cultural differences between the Banmek and Trlmék they often united against the Krlmék, which is the modern cause for the “minority” oppression of the Krlmék, even though the Krlmék are the largest Vanukean culture.
Religion[]
Unlike many other Majatran nations the religious split in Vanuku has not caused many conflicts. The majority of Vanukeans identifies as Hosian. The first step towards the Hosianization of Vanuku came during the reign of Merlkai, the first Khan of the Banster. After his conquests on the Augustan Empire he converted to Hosianism to avoid the future wrath of the Emperors. During the Dorvish colonization of Vanuku a new way of Hosianism was also brought to the Vanukeans, the Luthoran and Ordism ways. Though these sides of Hosianism never caught on as the Terran Patriarchal Church did. Other minor churches in Vanuku are the Apostolic Church and the Aurorian Patriarchal Church, both of which have a reasonable following amongst the Vanukean Hosians. The Terran Patriarchal Church however reigns supreme.
The Krlmék however are almost fully Ahmadist. They parted from the ways of shamanism after the Ahmadi Caliphate annexed Vanuku. On the word of the prophet Ahmad the Krlmék converted, as a reward the Krlmék nobles then ruled the Emirate of Vanuku in name of the Caliph.
Apart from these religions there is a considerable number of Vanukeans that consider themselves atheist or agnostic, these are mostly part of the Banmek culture. The Trlmék are known as devout followers of the Terran Patriarchal Church while the Krlmék are also quite devout when it comes to Ahmadism. Since the earliest days there has been a following of the shamanist religions of Zollism and Tanhrism, these two got decimated during the rise of Hosianism and Ahmadism but have found a revival during the days of Temrkai Khan. Nowadays they still have a small following amongst traditionalists.