[imagesource:republicofslowjamastan.org]

After travelling to nearly every country in the world, a US man decided to create his own micro-nation in the California desert.

Randy “R Dub!” Williams, a popular radio DJ from San Diego, loved travelling so much that he eventually ran out of places to visit, so the “Sultan of Slowjamastan” decided to create his own little utopia on a 45 square metre plot of empty arid land in the California desert.

The Sultan of Slowjamastan officially declared independence from the United States of America on December 1, 2021. The secession was broadcast live from his open-air government “office” in Dublândia, the capital of the Republic of Slowjamastan.

Two years later, the new nation has grown into a strange little country with its own passports, its own flag, and even its own currency called ‘duble’. It also has some strange laws, such as the ban on wearing Crocs.

The Republic of Slowjamastan currently has over 500 registered citizens, while 4,500 more are said to have been ‘conditionally approved’ or are waiting in line for citizenship. As an avid traveller himself, Williams has now opened up the country to tourism and is inviting the rest of the world to come experience his ‘micro-nation’.

“One of the reasons I created Slowjamastan was because, after 193 countries, I wanted a 194th!”

Officially named The United Territories of The Sovereign Nation of The People’s Republic of Slowjamastan, Williams’ self-declared “country” is located off California State Route 78, a two-and-a-half-hour drive from San Diego.

A massive “Welcome to Slowjamastan” sign greets people as they turn off from the highway, and once you get past an erected border post, you can drive right up to his ministerial office, which is pretty much just an open-air table under a colourful flag.

Williams got the idea for his country after visiting various “micronations” during his travels. These territories are usually run by ‘eccentric rulers’ such as His Excellency President Kevin Baugh, who runs the Republic of Molossia in the Nevada desert.

This nation’s currency, the Valora, is backed by chocolate chip cookie dough instead of gold, so it’s totes legit.

“We’re a dictatorship most of the time. On occasion, we’ll hold special voting ceremonies and referendums. Recently, I allowed citizens to vote on what should be our national fruit, sport, and even what our national animal should be named.”

Williams dresses up in full regalia while performing his duties as first citizen, and on special occasions, he would be surrounded by hired security for that added sense of ‘sultanship’. Having seen first-hand how countries with  dictatorships run, he is keen to keep his nation happy, but enforces a list of prohibitions that all citizens and visitors have to follow in order to avoid “banishment.”

Currently, these prohibitions include “Crocs,” “mumble rap” and “people who put their feet on the dashboard.”

The Sultan of Slowjamastan’s character and dress is Williams’ way of highlighting the absurdities found in politics and dictatorships

Popular activities in Slowjamastan include taking selfies in front of the Slowjamastan sign, visiting Independence Square, and searching for the elusive Slowjamastan raccoon, the national animal.

Williams is now keen to foster diplomatic ties with other countries and even had his ‘official’ passport stamped by 16 different countries on his recent travels, including South Africa, New Zealand, Vanuatu, and the United States.

He believes that his country technically adheres to the 1933 Montevideo Convention, which is typically cited as the best definition of a country. He has a permanent population, a defined territory, a government and the capacity to enter into diplomatic relations with other states, all prerequisites which Williams claims the Republic of Slowjamastan has met.

It does however seem that the US government is not taking him seriously, as his ‘diplomatic outreach’ to US President Biden via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and even MySpace, have all been ignored.

“Perhaps they are stuck in his spam folder. We’re going with that.”

If you’re keen for a visit to The United Territories of The Sovereign Nation of The People’s Republic of Slowjamastan, you can visit their website.

[source:cnn]