Dalakit (daˈla.kit)
"I visited Dalakit some years back. The people there were strange to me, but very enthusiastic."
Dalakit is the easternmost large island in the Kapuluan archipelago, and a relatively recent addition to the Tagápulo Empire. Technically, it is an autonomous protectorate of the Empire that recognizes Emperor Matatag as their Lakampurô. Matatag inherited Dalakit from his father upon becoming Emperor. His father, the Emperor Dakila, became heir to the throne of Puróhan through his marriage to the reigning Lakampurô, who became his third wife in 3942.
Not all of the Purónon, who are the native people of Dalakit, have accepted the succession of a foreign monarch with no Purónon blood. They claim the Empire coerced their Lakampurô into the marriage under threat of invasion, and that even with the marriage, Matatag cannot be her heir without a blood connection. The Kinatawan ng Hari, Dangal Liwanag, has dealt harshly with those who have made their objections public - they have been fined, had their property seized, and in one case, he executed five Purónon for treason after they infiltrated the Lakampurô's palace in what Liwanag claims was an assassination attempt on the visiting Prince Haribon. These actions have driven the dissenters from public view, but the resentments remain under the surface.
Notable Spirits
Dalakit is known throughout Kapuluan for its many exuberant festivals in honor of the Banwáan. Each community holds several annual celebrations honoring local gods and ancestors, and there are also several island-wide festival days. To visitors from the rest of the Empire, it seems that there is always a festival going on somewhere nearby, and this is not much of an exaggeration.
The most prominent and important of the Banwáan is Dalagat, the goddess of the island itself. She is the mother of all the other Banwáan of Dalakit, and is honored in a series of ten festivals across the year. Celebrations dedicated to Dalagat feature large communal dances, music, food, and competitions tailored to the individual event. She is believed to have gifted the Purónon with the valuable plant they call abaká, whose smooth and silky fibers are used to make cloth and comprise Dalakit’s main export. During her festivals, the Purónon display their skills in creating and decorating abaká cloth, along with other abaká products such as rope and paper.
Geography
Dalakit is located on the easternmost edge of Kapuluan, separated from Pulo by the Tagápulo Sea, a stretch of ocean over one hundred and eighty miles wide. It is an oval island, measuring about 38 miles from north to south and averaging less than twenty miles across. The center of the island is rugged and mountainous, with old-growth forests covering the slopes. Most of the population is found in the coastal areas, including the island's largest settlement, Gibwánan. The highest point on the island is Boktok, a mountain in the central region which reaches a little over two thousand feet at the summit.
Geographic Details
Location: Southwestern RegionLatitude: 14.36 degrees North
Longitude: 23.76 degrees West
Average Elevation: 115 ft
Highest Point: 2,280 ft
Lowest Point: -7 ft
Area: 576.13 sq mi
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This article was originally written for Spooktober 2024. You can find all of my Spooktober Articles at Spooktober Central.
This article was originally written for Spooktober 2023. You can find all of my Spooktober Articles at Spooktober Central.
I like the idea that they have so many festivals. Something about that contrasting with the resentment they have for the Empire tickles my fancy.
Explore Etrea | Summer Camp 2025
If they shake off the Empire, they will such a party!