Imperial Dispatch - The Haruhiist Empire

[Elrich von Richt]

August 23rd, 2009 Edition - In the name of Haruhi

Written by Akira Kogami and Tsuruya

[Ministry of Culture founded, Tsukasa Hiiragi named Minister]

Tsukasa Hiiragi receiving the appointment via text, and responding back.

Today, the Ministry of Culture was founded upon God-Empress Haruhi Suzumiya's first Imperial Declaration. While the Ministry of Propaganda and Education can be mistaken as similar, the MoPE only handles student education from the pre-school to university levels and deals with Haruhiist propaganda, both at home and abroad. The purpose of the MoC, however, is to promote Haruhiist culture both at home and abroad. The MoC's view of Haruhiist culture is rather broad, and includes religion, daily life, festivities and holidays, and other cultural matters important to the daily life of Haruhiist citizens. While Haruhiist culture is relatively new in being established, it has roots back to other cultures in the Japanese Islands, including the Hanseatic Commonwealth. Haruhiist culture and religion is also deeply rooted in Japanese ancestral beliefs, such as the Shinto religion, Bushido, the Samurai lifestyle, and is even rooted in modern Japanese culture. While the region the Empire resides in an area with a normally slight population of Japanese civilians, Most of the Haruhiist population are immigrants from the Japanese Home Islands. Minorities include Ainu, Siberian, and Manchu. Upon being named minister through a text-message this morning, Tsukasa Hiiragi was commented as saying "how astounding this responsibility is, and despite knowing her limitations, she will do her best and try to please the God-Empress and Haruhiist civilians". Tsukasa Hiiragi, while only 14, was born into a middle-class family in Nishinomiya, Japan (now Furon). While she has little to no political experience, she is a capable individual. Age has no meaning in Haruhiist politics, and as such, you must only be aged 14 or older, in order to be considered eligible for political positions. Tsukasa also reads light novels and manga from time to time, and watches anime, which are key parts of Haruhiist culture among the youth, and the otaku community. When asked to comment on the appointment of Tsukasa, we asked God-Empress Haruhi Suzumiya directly, only to learn that we had woken her from a nap. Despite her yelling, she eventually answered us quickly by summing it up as this, "While she's young, she's like me, she's capable and I know she'll do a good job." After which, she slammed the door to the Imperial Palace on our faces.

Minister of Culture, Tsukasa Hiiragi, on Haruhiist Government and Religion

While our nation is quite new, our government and political ideology has already been doctrinated by the God-Empress. Our religion has also been established, and while not differing much from ancestral religion, it does change some key aspects. The essential governing ideology of the Empire is Imperial Social Haruhiism. Imperial Social Haruhiism defines that every Haruhiist civilian is equal, and that every civilian shares the same rights. It also documents the Empress's divine right, and absolute authority. While civilians have a voice in the Empire, and will be heard by the God-Empress, her word is final above all. Religion is also closely intertwined with the governing ideology, stating that Haruhi's goddess status, and title of God-Empress, gives her a divine right to rule. Through this divine right, the Empress cannot be impeached nor removed from the throne unless she herself stands down. The religious ideology of the Empire is, however, Haruhiism. Haruhiism is closely tied to the old Shinto roots, and still holds the belief of worshipping your ancestry, along with various nature spirits, gods, and goddesses. However, it holds that Haruhi is ruler over all these lesser spirits, gods, and goddesses, and thus is the final judge after death on the fate of the soul in the afterlife.

[Ministry of National History founded, Kagimi Hiiragi named Minister.]

Kagimi Hiiragi researching National History, the origins of the Empire, and of the population before sleep.

Today, the Ministry of National History was also founded alongside the Ministry of Culture. While the nation is still quite new, the Ministry of National History is to be responsible for recording all important events, and processing them in records. This will be especially important for our nation, as it will mean all national events, both international, and national will be on record. Thus, making it easier to locate dates and people in our history which we view as influential. Kagimi Hiiragi, 16, and sister of Minister of Culture Tsukasa Hiiragi, was announced today as the Minister of National History. She has a past history of being a hard-worker, and being dedicated to anything she puts her mind too. It was also shown through studies that her school grades were, and have been very high at all times. She is viewed as a gifted individual by Haruhi, that is more than capable to handle the position, and that it suited her. Hiiragi also likes reading the occasional light novel or manga. Upon asked to comment further Kagimi simply stated, "I'm not immature, i'm very mature for my age. I will do everything in my power to do my best on this, and I will try harder than ever considered of me." Kagami has also announced the hiring of an assistant, and Deputy Minister to the MoNS. That person would be Miyuki Takara, who is especially skilled in Geography and History. Haruhi views both individuals as capable of their jobs, and wishes them well.

[First National Tanabata Festival announced, Local celebrations also planned.]

A traditional Tanabata festival of the past, in the Home Islands of Japan.

Today, the Ministry of Culture, in co-ordination with the God-Empress and the Ministry of Education and Propaganda has decided to do something to kick-start the founding of the Empire. Plans have been made by Haruhiist civilians to throw local Tanabata festivals, but a national festival is to take place in Haruhigrad. All citizens who wish to take part are urged to come from across the Empire, and visitors from foreign nations, including dignitaries, tourists, and heads of state have been invited to come. Tanabata (七夕) is a historic Japanese festival, It deals primarily with the making of wishes to the stars Orihime (織姫, Weaving Princess) and Hikoboshi (彦星, Cow Herder Star) , by hanging tanzaku (短冊), or little pieces of paper on a bamboo tree. Wishes are written on the tanzaku, and are usually set to reach both stars around 7-21 years later. Haruhi, when asked to comment, stated that this festival is "important to our Japanese heritage, and to our culture and religion as a whole". While this festival has been confirmed, and has been marked as a National Holiday. The original Tanabata date was based on the Japanese lunisolar calendar, which is about a month behind the Gregorian calendar. As a result, some festivals are held on July 7, some are held on a few days around August 7, while the others are still held on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the traditional Japanese lunisolar calendar, which is usually in August in the Gregorian Calendar. This year, the festival happens to take place on the 26th of August, 3 days from now. Preparations are already underway for the celebration, and the Ministry of Culture has stated that the national festival will be, "most amusing." Rumors are also circulating that Hachigatsu Bon and Shichigatsu Bon are also to be added as National Holidays, and while Shichigatsu Bon is too late to occur due to the founding being in August, it is possible that the government may move the date for Hachigatsu Bon forward, and hold it after the Tanabata festival.

Detailed Description of the Tanabata festival

History

The festival originated from The Festival to Plead for Skills (乞巧奠; きっこうでん), an alternative name for Qi Xi, which was celebrated in China and also was adopted in the Kyoto Imperial Palace from the Heian Period. The festival spread to the general public by the early Edo period, became mixed with various Obon or Bon (盆）traditions (because Bon was held on 15th of the seventh month then), and developed into the modern Tanabata festival. In the Edo period, girls wished for better sewing and craftsmanship, and boys wished for better handwriting by writing wishes on strips of paper. At this time, the custom was to use dew left on taro leaves to create the ink used to write wishes. Incidentally, Bon is now held on 15 August on the solar calendar, close to its original date on the lunar calendar, making Tanabata and Bon as further separate events.

Story

Orihime (織姫, Weaving Princess?), daughter of the Tentei (天帝, Sky King, or the universe itself?), wove beautiful clothes by the bank of the Amanogawa (天の川, Milky Way, lit. "heavenly river"?). Her father loved the cloth that she wove and so she worked very hard every day to weave it. However, Orihime was sad that because of her hard work she could never meet and fall in love with anyone. Concerned about his daughter, Tentei arranged for her to meet Hikoboshi (彦星, Cow Herder Star?) (also referred to as Kengyuu (牽牛?)) who lived and worked on the other side of the Amanogawa. When the two met, they fell instantly in love with each other and married shortly thereafter. However, once married, Orihime no longer would weave cloth for Tentei and Hikoboshi allowed his cows to stray all over Heaven. In anger, Tentei separated the two lovers across the Amanogawa and forbade them to meet. Orihime became despondent at the loss of her husband and asked her father to let them meet again. Tentei was moved by his daughter’s tears and allowed the two to meet on the 7th day of the 7th month if Orihime worked hard and finished her weaving. The first time they tried to meet, however, they found that they could not cross the river because there was no bridge. Orihime cried so much that a flock of magpies came and promised to make a bridge with their wings so that she could cross the river. It is said that if it rains on Tanabata, the magpies cannot come and the two lovers must wait until another year to meet.

Customs

In the present-day Haruhiist Empire, people generally celebrate this day by writing wishes, sometimes in the form of poetry, on tanzaku (短冊, tanzaku?), small pieces of paper, and hanging them on bamboo, sometimes with other decorations. The bamboo and decorations are often set afloat on a river or burned after the festival, around midnight or on the next day. This resembles the custom of floating paper ships and candles on rivers during Obon. Many areas in the Empire have their own Tanabata customs, which are mostly related to local Obon traditions. There is also a traditional Tanabata song:

Sasa no ha sara-sara (笹の葉　さらさら)

Nokiba ni yureru (軒端にゆれる)

Ohoshi-sama kira-kira (お星様　キラキラ)

Kingin sunago (金銀砂子)

Translation:

The bamboo leaves rustle, rustle,

shaking away in the eaves.

The stars go twinkle, twinkle;

Gold and silver grains of sand.

[Current Government of The Haruhiist Empire]

Haruhi Suzumiya, God-Empress of the Haruhiist Empire

Kyon, Imperial Minister of Internal Affairs

Yuki Nagato, Imperial Minister of Defense

Mikuru Asahina, Imperial Minister of Education and Propaganda

Itsuki Koizumi, Imperial Minister of Foreign Affairs

Tsukasa Hiiragi, Imperial Minister of Culture

Kagimi Hiiragi, Imperial Minister of National History

[End of Imperial Dispatch]

Edited August 24, 2009 by Elrich von Richt

[Colerich Krieg]

*Brains explode after reading epic long post*

OOC: Nice lol

[iamthey]

"Thomas Devereaux, and Mathew Kaine both members of the Oligarchy, will attend the national Tanabata festival."

OOC: LONG .

Edited August 24, 2009 by iamthey

[Nagato the Great]

As stated already, Gena Korsunsky and Mikhail Nagato will be attending the festivities.

OOC: XD...my eyes fell out

[king of cochin]

Vikram Kerala Varma, Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Cochin shall attend this festival.

[Nagato the Great]

OOC: well aren't we going to have a right little political party...

[Amyante]

"Due to other obligations, the Queen is unable to attend at this point. We would however like to send a representative whom, if you would be interested, would be staying in the Haruhiist Empire as our diplomat."

[Elrich von Richt]

OOC: Oh yes we will indeed, and I so hope the length makes your eyes bleed. ^-^

IC: The Haruhiist Empire would be glad to accept a representative of Zargathia.

Edited August 24, 2009 by Elrich von Richt

[Amyante]

"Very well. Given your Shinto beliefs, we will send a representative with a similar mindset. Her name is Ayasato Mayoi. We shall await the arrival of your diplomat in return."

Edited August 24, 2009 by Amyante

[Shadowsage]

The Immortal God Imperator will attend.

[Pikachurin]

King Lance Pikachurin, Queen Maylene Buizel-Pikachurin and the Disparuean Ambassador to the Haruhiist Empire shall attend the festival.

[Yuthura Ban]

Foreign Minister Jonas Falange will be in attendance.

Edited August 24, 2009 by Yuthura Ban

[Elrich von Richt]

We thank all these foreign nations for being willing to see a true Haruhiist cultural experience unfold, and will begin making arrangements for sleeping quarters at the Imperial Palace.