Pouili

Pouili is a fictional coastal village located in the Veridian island archipelago. It is commonly used as a setting in regional fiction and world-building exercises to illustrate small-community coastal life.

Name origin: The term pouili is attributed to the Veridian language family and is commonly interpreted as "harbor of songs" in oral tradition, though variations exist among different storytellers.

Pouili sits on a sheltered bay flanked by mangrove-fringed shoreline and low hills. The climate is tropical, with a warm, wet season from November to April and a drier period the rest of the year.

Founded around 1680 by maritime settlers from the nearby mainland, Pouili developed as a fishing and trading hamlet. It remained relatively autonomous for centuries, with external influence varying through colonial and post-colonial periods.

Local governance is provided by a village council and a mayor. The economy centers on small-scale fishing, boatbuilding, and craft markets, augmented by eco-tourism and reserve visits.

Pouili has its own language variety, Pouili Creole, spoken alongside regional Veridian dialects. The village hosts an annual Lantern Festival and a weekly market featuring fish, coconut products, and carved wood. Traditional music uses percussion and conch horns.

Key landmarks include the Pouili Lighthouse, a colonial-era structure; the Mangrove Reserve that preserves local wildlife; and the Old Quay, a promenade along the waterfront.

Pouili has appeared in several novels and travel guides as an archetype of sustainable coastal living.