Whangamomona

Welcome to the Republic of Whangamomona. Republic: a system of government that derives its power from the people rather than through heredity or divine right. Whangamomona: a small rural town, in New Zealand, celebrating twenty years of being a Republic. A republic within a country that has an elected government. A government though that still answers to the Royal Family of Windsor. After a subtle but disputed boundary change 20 years ago Whangamomona decide it only wanted to answer to itself. The New Zealand army was not requested to reclaim the town for Queen and country and so Whangamomona stands within and yet adrift of the rest of NZ. A bit like the Vatican City but without St Paul's or a Pope. On this particular day it was more like a minature Hell. The thermometer had crept up to 'asphalt melting'. Shade was at a premium. The ice cream vendor had been listed on the stock exchange and the jandal repair store had cornered a niche but necessary market.