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Geography & Philosophy of the Intaki People by Vremaja Idama I wish to announce to you that I have arrived safely in Intaki. I am now standing in station, looking out over my beloved homeworld of Intaki V. It has been many years since I last saw this world, but its pull on my heart is strong.
The Intaki Homeworld Intaki V is a jewel among planets. It is tropical and filled with diverse lifeforms. We have lived and grown on this planet for time beyond measure. I was born in the town of Asaya, sitting at the base of the Akat mountain range. These mountains mark the southern end of the habitable region of the north pole. My town was hidden from the harsh sunlight in the deep valleys that intersect the mountain range. Intaki V is a very hot world, and both polar regions were once thick with tropical forests. The equitorial oceans are exceedingly hot, and few living things survive around the equator. The rich and varied life of Intaki V has been confined to the polar regions, and in constant struggle for land, food, and shelter from the environment. This is important - for our very culture was developed here, on a planet in a constant state of competition for limited resources. We came to realise that the universe is a harsh place, and people need to survive. We never reached the heights of technology that, say, the Gallente or Caldari did, but we developed a culture able to deal easily with great stress and uncertainty. We learnt that the best way to survive was to work with the environment, not to fight it. This is reflected by our architecture and constructions, which are usually made of natural substances such as wood and stone, or made to emulate their form. This design philosophy has actually proven quite popular in the Federation.
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The Intaki Faith We are considered by outsiders to be a quiet, reserved and thoughtful people. The unwritten laws, or customs, of the Intaki give rise to these impressions. We tend to think before we speak, preferring to give a concise statement rather than half formed thoughts. When someone is involved in a task we prefer to let them acknowledge our presense rather than interrupting. We also tend to look at problems in a more holistic way, considering all things connected.
The Ida, or "Way" Much of this is crystalised in our philosophy, or as other call it "the Intaki Faith". We simply call it Ida. The literal translation is "to consider", and is a good description of the Intaki. Some try to belittle us by calling it "the path of least resistance", although that is a good description! We who follow the Way aim to live a life of moderation, not succumbing to the extremes of selfindulgence, or self-denial. Ida is a way of living, we do not have any beliefs in a heaven or hell, and do not take any writing or saying as "truth". Ida is a path, but Intaki are expected to walk it themselves. One core tenet is that all things are in a cycle. Death leads to rebirth. A solution only leads to more problems. We know that the "soul" or "spirit" is eternal and will be reborn many times to learn new lessons, and once it fuly understands the cycle it may finally move on.
Reincarnation and the Idama The Reborn are an important part of this. These were people who had reached a level of understanding that they may choose to be liberated, but choose to remain and teach others. In earlier times there were many tests and rituals to ensure that a soul had indeed been reborn, and through mental discipline and training these Reborn were able to continue their life work over many lifetimes. These rare people were given the title of Idama. In modern times, with the assistance of technology, the rebirth process has been made more certain. In fact many of the techniques and experiences of the Reborn have assisted the development and perfection of psyche restoration and cloning. But even 3
today the status of Idama is still reserved for those who have been reborn without assistance.
The Unknown Future We have become a people of Diaspora - and while many of our ways have remained, many have changed. The Way is still followed by many individuals, but as a whole we are now a minor group in the New Eden Cluster. I would hope that we shall soon see a resurgence of the Way, In the hope that our teachings of peace and moderation be taken to heart by many who do not see the danger in their words. Tonight has shown one thing. Together the various peoples of the New Eden Cluster can achieve great things. This is but a hint of the things we could do in the future. I would ask that all people work together in harmony - as violence will never give rise to peace and happiness. Thank you all.
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