Man creates his own country with just Rs. 15 lakh
Randy "R Dub" Williams, a professional late-night 'slow jams' DJ, has recently made headlines for establishing his very own country called The Republic of Slowjamastan. Travel enthusiast Williams acquired an 11.07-acre parcel of barren land in California's desert and declared it a nation. Keep reading as we explore more details about this newest self-declared micronation within the United States.
Running out of countries to visit, Williams creates his own
"One of the reasons I created Slowjamastan was because, after 193 countries, I wanted 194th," Williams told CNN Traveller. He recently visited Turkmenistan in May, the final one on his list of 193 UN-recognized nations. To fulfill his vision of traveling more, Williams acquired an 11.07-acre land in California's desert, founded his own "country," and named it after his radio show.
Williams declared independence from the US on December 1, 2021
Williams, now Sultan of Slowjamastan, declared independence from the US on December 1, 2021 when he broadcasted the secession live from his office in Dublândia, the capital of his newly established country. The country has its own passports, flag, and currency - "the Duble," rhyming with the Russian "Ruble." The Duble trades at a 1:1 exchange rate with the US Dollar.
This is how he found inspiration
During his exploration, he ventured to the Republic of Molossia, an 11.3-acre micronation in Nevada that declared independence from the US in 1998. Williams discovered intriguing aspects, such as the local currency, the Valora, which is backed by chocolate chip cookie dough instead of gold! He even obtained a passport stamp and snapped a photo at the "border" with the United States.
Slowjamastan has over 500 registered citizens
Upon returning to San Diego, Williams immediately pursued his ambitious goal of establishing his own country. In October 2021, he purchased a stretch of land for $19,000 (Rs. 15.67 lakh). Undeterred by challenges, Williams worked tirelessly, and by December, he declared the independence of Slowjamastan. The republic has over 500 registered citizens, with an additional 4,500 individuals either conditionally approved or patiently awaiting citizenship.
'We are a dictatorship most of the time': Williams
According to Williams, Slowjamastan's system of "government" primarily operates as a dictatorship. "We are a dictatorship most of the time," says Williams. However, there are occasional opportunities for citizen participation through voting ceremonies and referendums. Notably, citizens recently had the chance to vote on aspects such as the national fruit, sport, and even the name of the national animal.
Williams enjoys posing in flashy green Sultan's uniform
Williams enjoys dressing up in a flashy green Sultan's uniform, complete with faux military awards, fancy shoulder decorations, and cool sunglasses. When he organizes events in Slowjamastan, he hires "border guards" and makes sure he is surrounded by security. It's his playful way of shedding light on the comical aspects of the absurdities often seen in the realm of politics and dictatorships.
Slowjamastan's own set of rules
To avoid being kicked out, everyone in Slowjamastan, whether they live there or are just visiting, must follow a list of rules. Right now, these rules say you can't wear "Crocs," play "mumble rap" music or put your feet on dashboards. It may sound strange, but the Sultan wants to create a certain atmosphere and keep things in order.
His next grand plan is to build exciting projects
Now allowing tourists to enter, his next big idea is to gather funds for exciting projects. These include creating a relaxing lazy river, establishing an armadillo farm, opening a restaurant where you can eat as much Mongolian BBQ as you want, and constructing a massive statue or monument to honor the Great Leader (who happens to be him).
There are others who have formed their own countries too
Williams is not the only one who created his own country. In April 2015, a man named Vít Jedlička from the Czech Republic claimed a small piece of land between Serbia and Croatia as his own nation called the Free Republic of Liberland. It's a place where personal and economic freedom is highly valued, as reflected in their motto, "To live and let live."
Self-styled Godman Nithyananda created his own nation
Just like them, the self-proclaimed Godman Nithyananda made headlines by establishing his own nation called the United States of Kailasa (USK). Following accusations of rape and kidnapping, Nithyananda fled India in 2019 and reemerged a year later, with the claim of having established his own country. He had purchased an island off the coast of Ecuador and named it Kailasa.
Like them, many micronations already exist
Apart from those, there are many more micronations started by people from all over the world. Among them is the Republic of New Atlantis by Leicester Hemingway, the younger brother of renowned writer Ernest Hemingway. Another example is the Kingdom of Wallachia established by Tomáš Harabiš, a writer and photographer. Even a child named Eric Lis "established" his own country, Aerican Empire, in 1987.
