Intergalactic Summit

I have thus far been able to find any real details on the history of the Minmatar Empire as it existed before our ancestors conquered it. We know that it consisted of three star systems and had very limited FTL travel (then again, at the time, all FTL travel was fairly primitive). Other than that, however, I have yet to find any tangible historical records or even anecdotes.

Naturally, being in the Empire, and our habit of not bothering to preserve the records or histories of conquered peoples, such is not surprising. Yet the tribes themselves seem to take great pride in their ability to remember the past, and keeping records that are not always written down ("oral history" or something like that, I believe). While I do not feel that this is anywhere near as reliable as written documentation, it is still better than nothing - and nothing appears to be my alternative.

So in addition to any such knowledge, which is actually my secondary question in this area, would be welcome. My primary question is actually this: Why did the Minmatar people choose to form a Republic after their rebellion instead of simply returning to their original Imperial form of government?

I can only speculate two theories: Firstly, that their time spent with the Amarr Empire had simply tainted the word "Empire" too badly in their minds, and/or that they felt that such a government had failed them before and therefore was not to be attempted a second time. Secondly, that they chose a more democratic form of government to appease and win over their new Gallente allies, who would naturally be far more willing to support a democratic Republic than they would a new fledgling Empire (oh the vanity of it all!).

Of course, I am not ruling out other possibilities, and if they exist then I would be quite keen to hear them. For the Minmatar have always seem rather keen at reclaiming their own past and clinging to their own histories, so for them to abandon what (to me) seems to be such a significant part of their pre-Amarrian history - namely, their form of government - strikes me as not meshing with their normal modus operandi. In fact, recent events with the tribes moving towards greater autonomy from the central government shows even more movement away from their Imperial roots than ever before. Could this again be due to years & years of Gallente democratic influence, or is it some subtle shifting to mirror the Caldari State's governmental structure (and if so, to what end?)?

The input of any knowledgeable historians or political experts would be welcome. Thank you.

Blah blah blah. You precious little things still haven't figured out who you are yet, have you? In other news, water remains wet.

Perhaps if you tried to at least figure out what you were, once, you might come off as something more than Gallente hipsters who jumped in Matari bodies to prove how much hipper than the other Gallente hipsters you really were.

Couple things:

1) Making this point as sensitively as possible, asking why we haven't returned to our ancient ways when there was a great deal of effort put into erasing such ways betrays a certain lack of perspective.

2) Relating to point 1, while there is a great tradition of oral history among our people, a) there's no way to avoid details becoming varied over time, b) there's only so much that can be carried in the spoken word, more can be carried in books, data, etc, and c) to be found practicing this tradition of oral history carried a high punishment in those days. Thus there was a disincentive for people to practice it.

3) Before the widespread proliferation of instant translation, we only knew the Empire either by it's Amarrish name or by less flattering terms in our own languages. So it's not simply because a word ruffles our feathers that we didn't return to the ways of empire, that would be highly childish.

I am cautious in posting as I do not want to take away anything from Del Vikus who has written beautifully a great insight into the Minmatar people and the Spirit that drives us.

In a more simple and less eloquent answer to your questions and perhaps some you may have:

There is very little record of the Minmatar Empire period. There was a period of one hundred and twenty five Matari years from the first sign of Amarrian ships overhead to when they ended their slave raids to begin a military conquest and demolished the last remnant of the Matari Empire's control over Matar. Then began another seven hundred and thirty six years of crimes and horrors that frankly, deserve to be forgotten and never enumerated.

And there was a systematic and total destruction of everything that represented Matari culture.

The Amarrians did more than burn books, they destroyed works of art, tortured those who sang Matari songs, traveled to every corner and hunted mercilessly to find every reliquary and sanctuary that contained even a scrap of who we were. Of our old gods, our songs, our stories, our history. Everything. They worked for generations to wipe who we were from existence and replace it with their god.

To this day, it is still thought that there are more artifacts of Ancient Matar surviving in the Empire as old trophies than in the Republic.

As to why we are a Republic,
After the Rebellion we were a people more lost than can be described in a single story or even a million of them. Like the freed slaves of modern times they were released into the wide galaxy with nothing but a name and a hatred and a hope. Unlike them, there were no programs or temporary housing or books and understanding souls. There was no Republic, there was only the Gallenteans.

To this day my people owe the Gallenteans a great debt, they took in all of us and reunited those lost with those tiny fragments who had held throughout the long dark of Amarrian occupation. They fed, clothed, taught, and created for us a new government, one modeled on their own but made for the Tribes. This was a Republic and so it was named.

The story goes on, to parts you may know. Of change and growth and a rekindled spirt but also of hate and corruption and still more change. Today we have a government that is a hair's breadth from the Empire of old but also tempered by the lessons of the Gallenteans and the necessities of governing hundreds of star systems. But today we still hold the name of Republic both to preserve our identity and to remind ourselves of what the Gallenteans did for us. Someday, we may grow and change again.

But every day we come closer and closer to what we were before and what we may have been.

While details do become varied over time, never forget that much of what remains of our history, language, culture and the like were preserved by people who were brave enough to violate those laws; we would know no more of tattooing than anyone else, for example, were it not for the Vherokior.

Del is otherwise spot on. Times changed, we changed. We can no more reclaim what was lost than we can prevent today's passing, prevent a Tuesday becoming a Wednesday. We wish to hold our traditions, language, and the like, as well as we can, but we simply cannot become what we were 1000 years ago, nor do most of us even wish to. The present is far too exciting.

That's exactly why, Lady Devonshire.

As Vikus rightly says, we do what we must to survive and thrive. Four of the Tribes saw opportunity with the Gallente and adopted their model, winning them a powerful ally and the support for the fledgling nation to flourish.

Another Tribe delved deep into their own history, further back than the days of the Minmatar Empire, right back to the nomadic lifestyles of their ancestors on Matar. Rather than adopt alien ideas, the Thukker thrived because they adapted their historical roots to the space-faring age.

Our Tribes are stronger today than they ever have been, because of our ability to learn the lessons of our history and adapt them to the needs of the hour. Even as we discuss this, the Tribes are moving away from the imported ideas of democracy and Republic and instead taking cues from our history and adapting them to a Tribal-centric way.

I might have a sugegstion where you could find such info. Wouldn't the Nefanter tribe hold pieces of such information? They have been treated better by the Amarr then other tribes due to their cooperation.
I know it's a touchy subject, but it might be an interesting group to start with for very old Matari culture. The old relics scattered through the Nefanter dominated regions during the rebellion hold alot of clues to even older times. You should check out the descriptions tagged to these old sites.

If you have to even say it, then it must be to reassure yourself that you have nothing to fear.
It is like listening to a caught Raven threatening about his friends in super-capitals and how he will destroy your entire corporation as you melt him.


To quote Mx Riordan,

Much scare,
Very fright.

No.

We are not better off Amarrian.

Let me interject here, in case you're unaware of what she's displeased about.

You, an Amarrian, are wondering aloud whether or not the Minmatar are better off without their history. She's saying they're not better off and that you suggesting as much implies the Minmatar ought to be a bit grateful to us for destroying their culture, government, and historical records.