The Pxae People, known in their native language as the Pxae Nar, are a group of people native to the Pahekur Islands, located north of the Limaru mainland. Archaeological evidence suggests a max population of 4500 people prior to colonization in 1754, however currently there are only 1078 members of all Pxae tribes, up from 502 in 1850 after the Pxae genocide.
Tribes
The Pxae made up a number of tribes prior to colonization, however the colonial government did not recognize the indigenous governments and put them under the full control of the governor of the islands. The governments of these tribes varied widely, due to the various conditions of the places.
The Island Pxae Tribe did not have a leader or government, as their population was low- around 150 prior to colonization, and the community could manage themselves in an anarchist fashion.
The Eastern Swamp Pxae Tribe was run by a chief, whose role was passed down hereditarily. The chief had full control over the 900 or so people in the tribe. After colonization, the chief worked with the colonial government, and took over the Western Swamp Pxae Tribe.
Because the Western Swamp Pxae Tribe was taken over by the Eastern Swamp Tribe so early, historians do not know exactly how the government functioned. It is known that similarly to the Eastern Tribe, there was a hereditary chief, but it is believed he could be removed by the population, and various other positions, religious and political, were chosen popularly. The population of the Western Swamp Tribe is estimated to be around 350 prior to colonization. In the modern day, the two Swamp Tribes have lost their distinction, and they share a government, identity and single dialect.
Not much is known about the Mitten Island Pxae Tribe, due to it being the first to be destroyed after colonization. Few sources from the time exist, and it suggests that there was an elected council, the only such system on the Pahekur islands. The population is estimated to be around 1050 prior to colonization. The last Mitten Islander died around the 1820s, and the tribe is considered extinct.
The River Pxae Tribes (Southern, Eastern, Central and Western) were four tribes run similarly. Between them, there were around 2000 people. Every winter, each village chose a leader by popular selection. Typically, these were tribal elders and religious people. There was an intertribal government of respected members of each tribe who ran shared religious ceremonies, and who advised on shared food production in the region. After colonization, most of the Southern River Tribe was killed, and the remaining members fled to the northern tribes. Because of this, the Southern River Pxae Tribe no longer exists, and their subdialect is extinct.
After the 1950 anti-colonial revolution, the oppressive colonial government was overthrown, and replaced with local councils for every tribe.
Language
The Pxae Language (Pxae Lla) is a synthetic language. It is spoken in three dialects, which form a dialect continuum. It is spoken by 461 Pxaeans (42.8% of the population).
Vocabulary
Example vocabulary from Pxae dialects:
| Written Form | English | Central River Pxae | Eastern Swamp Pxae | Islander Pxae |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pxae | Life, water | [pxae] | [pxəː] | [pakaː] |
| Qur | Land, soil, the Earth | [qur] | [qur] | [quɾ] |
| Lla | Language | [ɬa] | [ɬa] | [ta] |
| Ngalon | Arm, hand | [galon] | [ŋaləŋ] | [nalan] |
| Pra | Leg, foot | [pra] | [pra] | [para] |
| Nar | People, folk | [nar] | [nar] | [nar] |