Wakanda

Black Panther Family Tree

History

Wakanda is a small nation located in equatorial Africa, it is surrounded by the nations of Narobia, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia, and was named for its native inhabitants, the Wakandans. Wakanda is a nation of vast contrasts. While tribal in government and relatively primitive in certain aspects of its culture, Wakanda possesses technology often more sophisticated than anywhere else on Earth.

Until relatively recently, the Wakandans lived as their ancestors did, primarily a hunter-gatherer society with some cultivation of crops. Central to the Wakandan's myth and ritual was a small mountain of ore which according to legends fell from the sky. This meteoric ore was later found to be Vibranium, an extraterrestrial metal capable of absorbing all sonic vibrations. For generations, the Wakandans worshiped at the site of the mound and founded the Cult of the Panther, which paid homage to their native predator, the black panther, which guarded the sacred mountain. It all changed when a British hunting expedition happened to take note of the unusual mound of ore. The renegade scientist Ulysses Klaw attempted to forcibly seize the valuable Vibranium, but he was opposed by T'Chaka, the chieftain of the Wakandas as well as the head of the Black Panther Cult. T'Chaka was slain by Klaw's mercenaries, but it was his son, T'Challa, who managed to drive the foreign invaders away. Realizing the vast wealth of the Vibranium deposit, the Wakandas quickly became one of the wealthiest countries in the world for merely small quantities of Vibranium.

The Wakandas took care to let no outsider know the exact location of the deposit for fear of theft. T'Challa, became educated in the universities abroad, then returned to Wakanda to assume leadership of the tribe. His newfound business and scientific expertise enabled the Wakandans to further parlay the Vibranium deposit into even greater wealth.As chieftain, T'Challa also became the hero known as the Black Panther. Within five years of T'Challa's return, a highly technological factory stood amidst the grass huts. T'Challa tried to retain the flavor of traditional tribal custom in the face of modernization. Since Wakanda's economy was based strictly on the export of its natural resource. Vibranium, all of the manufacturing done by Wakandas Design Group was strictly for domestic consumption. For instance, a large portion of Wakanda's industrial output was the manufacture of surveillance and security devices to protect the Vibranium mound.

Wakanda burst upon the public scene when T'Challa invited the Fantastic Four to his country as guests. When they arrived, he stalked and subdued each of the Four, all to test his own prowess as a warrior. The Fantastic Four forgave him for his seeming hostilities and helped him battle Klaw, who had returned to make a bid to steal the Vibranium, this time with a weapon utilizing Vibranium acquired illegally on the free market. Although he has taken numerous short leaves from the kingdom (such as his stint of membership among the Avengers), T'Challa has learned that he cannot lead his people without living among them. He still strives to reconcile the polar extremes of Wakanda culture, to make the tribal and the technological peaceably coexist.

Geographic Location

The country is located next to "Nyanza" (Lake Victoria) to the East and is surrounded by the nations of Mohannda to the north, Niganda to the south east, Azania to the south west and Canaan to the west.

Languages

The major languages in Wakanda are Wakandan, Yoruba and Hausa, but due to their advanced education system, the people are fluent in a variety of African and European languages.

Economy

The monetary unit used in Wakanda is the Wakandan Dollar.

The major resource of the country is Vibranium, they have used this mineral to turn them into one of the economically stable nations on the planet. They were isolationists only trade when needed.

Vibranium is sold at $10,000 per gram, and Wakanda's sacred mound is estimated to have about have 10,000 tons of the material.

Other major resources includes uranium, coal, diamonds, but also aeronautics and aircraft manufacture.

Defenses

Wakanda is an advanced military power; the Wakandan Army is the country's main ground forces, while the Wakandan Navy oversees naval operations. The Wakandan Air Guard is the Nations air force, which includes pilots wearing powerful suits of combat armor.

The Hatut Zeraze ("Dogs of War") was formerly the nation's secret police; although it was officially disband, they continue to operate in what they believe is their homeland's best interest.

The king is protected by his own personal bodyguards the Dora Milaje, skilled female warriors who have dedicated their lives to the Black Panther.

They have their own intelligence agency known as P.R.I.D.E. (Princess Regent Intelligence Division Executives).

Wakanda had vast spy network across the globe. It was considered as good as the Mossad and certainly better than the CIA.

Politics and International Relations

The Wakandan government is based on a pseudo-tribal society. The head of state is the Black Panther. In this role, the Black Panther is the King/Chieftain, religious leader, and commander-in-chief. The title, although it appears to be hereditary, can be challenged by any citizen of Wakanda for the right to rule in a combat ceremony.

Wakanda also has a council of tribal of elders; known as the Taifa Ngao to help with the decisions of day to day operations in the nation. They gather to advise the Black Panther on the future of their nation. There are eighteen united tribes in Wakanda. The seat of government rules from the Royal Palace located in Birnin Zana, the capital city.

Since it's early tribal beginnings, Wakanda has been extremely isolationist. They did not invade or provoke any other nations, but if another entered their territory they would retaliate with deadly force. They remained this way for thousands of years until the modern era when they decided to join the global community. This is still a matter of contention for the Wakandan people. This lead to the creation of the Desturi, an ultra-conservative, xenophobic group who wished to return to their old isolationist ways.

Wakanda is now a member of the United Nations. This allows them to have political envoys across the globe such as the Wakandan Embassy in New York City.

Education

Education is highly valued in the Wakandan culture and was viewed as a fundamental building block to ancient Wakandans. The nation has one of the highest literacy rates on the planets. They have an eleven year free, compulsory cycle of primary and secondary education. At the end of this the citizens of Wakanda have the choice in the future of their career path. Many go on to attend one of their free Universities. The citizens also have other options such as farming and mining and other such laboring professions.

Due to their isolationist nature education outside the country was forbidden, meaning the crown prince T'Challa was the first ever to do so.

The Dora Milaje are trained and educated at their facility known as Upanga.

They also created the Wakandan School for Alternative Studies a special school for the meta-humans of Wakanda.

Health

Wakanda has a universal public health system paid largely from taxation. Wakanda's entire population has equal access to health care services. The nation has one of the highest life expectancy rates on the planet.

From birth a citizen is provided with Kimoyo Beads, this device regularly monitors the individual and provides a lifetime worth of medical knowledge.

Wakanda has a cure for cancer but being isolationist they are reluctant to share it with the outside world. One of the members of the Wakandan counsel stated "If they care about their people's health they wouldn't sell cigarettes".

Technology

Wakanda's technology developed entirely independently of that of the rest of the world due to them remaining in isolation. The creation of methodologies of design are so different it's very difficult to use with outside technology. Their computer technology is so advanced that it's almost impossible to hack. However, they have taken time to learn the technology of the rest of the world, allowing them to hack any external computer system. Most of their technology has Vibranium as it's basis. The Wakandans use advanced communication technology such as the Kimoyo Card and Kimoyo Beads.

The Wakandans do not use fossil fuels, even though their land is rich in resources. Instead they utilize a variety of eco-friendly alternative sources such as solar, hydrogen and geo-thermal.

Wakandan scientists split the atom almost a century before the rest of the world.

Since the mid-20th century Wakanda employed sophisticated surveillance satellites, launched at a time when the Americans and Soviets were in the early stages of the space program.

Religion

The Wakandans have ties to the African gods known as the Ennead or Orishas, Ancient beings who visited Earth centuries ago. They were widely worshiped in Egypt but also had ties to other regions of Africa.

Panther Cult

After the vibranium meteor fell, a number of Wakandans were painfully mutated into "demon spirits" and began attacking their fellow Wakandans. T'Challa's ancestor, Bashenga, became the first Black Panther and closed the vibranium mound to outsiders, forming a religious cult that guarded the mound and fought to keep the "demon spirits" from spreading across the kingdom.

The Black Panther is a ceremonial and religious title given to the chief of the Panther Cult. In addition to ruling the country, he is also chief of its various tribes. The Panther uniform is a symbol of office as well as a religious vestment.

As part of the cult's ceremonies, a chosen Black Panther is entitled to the use of a Heart-Shaped Herb that grants the person who consumes it enhanced strength, agility, and perception.

White Gorilla Cult

The Wakandans outlawed the dangerous White Gorilla Cult due to their destructive actions. They consumed the flesh of the White Apes that gave them enhanced strength. They worshiped Ghekre, the Ape God.

Man-Ape (M'Baku) of the Jabari Village was one of the greatest warriors of Wakanda, second only to T'Challa, the current Black Panther. While T'Challa was away, M'Baku tried to usurp the throne. M'Baku revived the White Gorilla cult, killing and consuming one of the White Apes. He then defeated the Black Panther and took the throne.

Lion Cult

Sekhmet the "Lion God" lost many worshipers over the years to the Cult of the Panther God, despite the fact that Sekmeht physically manifested before its followers, and the Panther God only appears to its priests.

Crocodile Cult

Sobek the "Crocodile God" was an ancient and forgotten god of Wakanda. But is still has some worshipers.

Hyena Clan

The Hyena Clan are a group of nomadic scavengers and thieves that prowled Africa.

Points of Interest

• Birnin Zana (Capital City - The Golden City)
• Necropolis (City of the Dead)
• Mena Ngai (Great Mound)
• Birnin Djata (City)
• Birnin T'Chaka (City)
• Birnin Bashenga (City)
• Birnin Azzaria (City)
• Birnin S'yan (City)
• Alkama Fields
• Nyanza (Lake Victoria)
• Royal Palace of Wakanda
• N'Jadaka Village
• Jabari Village
• Red Rock
• Techno Organic Jungle
• Wall of Knowledge
• Serpent Valley
• Warrior Falls
• Central Wakandan Elementary School
• Wakandan School for Alternative Studies
• Black Warrior Creek
• Charms of the Chilling Mist
• Crystal Forest
• Domain of the White Gorillas
• Mount Kanda
• Mount Wakanda
• Panther Island
• Paradise Forest
• Piranha Cove
• Primitive Peaks
• Resurrection Altar
• River of Grace and Wisdom
• T'Chaka Path
• Torment Forest
• Tranquility Temple
• Twisted Visions Lake
• Woods of Solitude