Ave, Sandum Citizens!
Sandus is preparing for the early March festivals of the Regifugia, the Matronalia, and Women’s Day.
Preparations for the Regifugia (XXVIII Februario, 28 February) this year include the preparation of the traditional speech conducted entirely in the Sandum cultural constructed language Sancta. The speech this year takes a particular focus on Sandus’s growing culture, and the move from making Sandum culture extraordinary in terms of micronational culture to making it a part of our daily lives as Sandum People. The speech takes a particular focus on the Sandum Value and the Sandum Identity, before it focuses on the traditional prayers uttered on this day. A new Sancta calendar will be completed, as well, which will include new days of recognition incorporated since the publication of last year’s calendar. The Matronalia is seeing no major improvements this year, as no traditions or customs have been made for the day; however, the Matronalia period is joining with the second annual celebration of Women’s Day on VIII Martio (8 March), the day of International Women’s Day. A discussion is being prepared in Sandus’s group on Second Life, Sande Amici, on the topic of modern feminism, anti-sexism, and combating lesbian-baiting and TERFs (trans*-exclusive radical feminists) by micronationalism.
The Regifugia and the Matronalia are derived from ancient Roman with little similarities. The Regifugia hails from the Roman Regifugium, or “the day when the King flees”, and commemorates the time when the last king of Rome, Tarquinius Superbus, fled Rome after the revolution led by Lucius Iunius Brutus in 509 BCE. The Roman religious magistrate who took over the old King’s religious affairs, the Rex Sacrorum (“King of Sacred Things”), would conduct rituals in the Comitium, a circular enclosure where the democratic assemblies of Rome would meet before the Senate house; the King would then hastily flee from the Comitium and return to the Regia, the seat of government for the old kings and also the residence of the Rex Sacrorum and later the Pontifex Maximus. This date was originally held on 24 February, and is also known on some Roman calendar as the Fugalia or “Q. Rex C. F.” — Quando Rex Comitio fugit, or “When the King flees from the Comitium”. The Matronalia is 1 March and is also the old Roman calendar’s new year, dedicated to the goddess Juno — especially Juno Lucina (“Juno who Brings Children into the Light”). According to Roman tradition, this holiday was instituted by Romulus, the first King and Founder of Rome, who honoured the Queen and Mother of Gods and Men on this day. As this holiday was also on the Kalends of March (first day of March), it is also associated with the god Mars, the tutelary god of the Romans.
Sandus’s own perception of these days are as New Year’s celebrations for the new Sancta year which begins on I Martio (1 March). Traditions are simple and include the publication of the new year’s calendar and the Sacra Flameno’s speech on the last year’s work and on the Sancta prayers to the cultural gods for the new year. In the future, more emphasis may be placed on the Matronalia as a day of Spring, and early Spring flowers may become a close part of the holiday. This year’s events are more auspicious, as well, as Sandus also celebrates Losar, the Tibetan New Year, on II Martio (2 March). While Sandus’s Philosophy may be shaped by the Buddhist Philosophy, it is also important to remember that Sandus has been a historically Buddhist country in terms of religion. The Sôgmô is expecting to lead Kremlum Sandus Province in Buddhist prayers and may travel to Kunzang Palyul Chöling to celebrate the holiday.
— Sôgmô Sörgel
sandus.org 