Republic of Gulating
Republic of Gulating is an artistic project with serious political aims. On 4 June 2005 Western Norway was declared an independent state, "Republikken Gulating". This took place during a regional festival, "Kystfestivalen 61° Nord" in Gulen Municipality, north of the county capital of Bergen. The instigator behind the project, Øyvind Heitmann, was declared «pride minister» by Magnor Midtun, local historian, acting as president of the region in a Viking play, Hakonarspelet. The project wants to increase the independence of the region through political and cultural influence.