The Story of Woozyana and Woozy Hippo Music

Woozy Hippo Music is based in the land known as Woozyana. You won't find Woozyana on a map. It's “just over the next hill,” so no map is needed 

Anyone who visits or lives in Woozyana is considered a denizen and has the same rights and responsibilities as everyone else. 

Denizens of Woozyana are particularly fond of music, springtime, and taking frequent and rather long naps. The official motto of Woozyana is "Music, Springtime, and Napping."

The capital of Woozyana is Fondu, a veritable melting pot of cultures, ethnicities, and proclivities for all denizens. 

The official sport of Woozyana is napping. Squatting is also quite popular. It is similar to the weightlifting exercise, but without the weights. 

The only official holiday is Springtime, which can often last well into the summer and fall. 

Long ago, the Woozy Elders recognized that money begets evil, so denizens take care of themselves and each other with trade, barter, and reciprocal care. 

Burgers are the favorite food of the denizens. They raise cowlike AI creatures called nothings, who generate slabs of bioengineered meat that are constantly regrown on their composite frames. The process was invented by one of the fourth generation Elders, Tremain Stumpf. These are called nothings because they require nothing to sustain this renewable process.

The favorite drink of denizens is The Elixir, said to be distilled from peace, love, and your favorite beverage. They are also quite fond of mint juleps.

Woozyanans are not a religious people in the typical sense. They have one "god," if that term must be used, called Logic. They tend to place Logic above everything else, except kindness and napping. They do not worship or pray to Logic, but instead incorporate it into everything they do. The emphasis is on actively taking responsibility for your own life and not passively expecting some imagined higher power to forgive you for not doing so.

Many years ago, Woozyana was invaded by The Grumpies, who lived over the hill. When The Grumpies attacked, the denizens strung hammocks around the frontier and gave them as a peace offering. After The Grumpies had a good nap they packed up their things and went home, taking the hammocks with them. They never again caused any trouble. It is now known as the Great Hammock Event and is commemorated every spring, along with everything else. From this derives the common Woozyana saying, "Molon Labe Aiora," or "Hammock, come and take it.”

Not long after that, the Hippo arrived. It was said he had wandered into Woozyana looking for the truth, but in fact he had lost a “tooth” trying to eat a rather sinewy nothing burger, and was searching for that in the hopes that he might have it surgically reimplanted. One thing led to another and he became the official guest of honor and mascot of Woozyana. His love of music led him to establish the Woozy Hippo Music Academy, which produced as its first opus the Woozyana Anthem. The Hippo is a frequent guest at the many Springtime parties held throughout most of the year, although they try to steer away from foot stomping music at these, for obvious reasons.

The first graduates of the WHMA were the founders of a new folk music movement, which they dubbed "Woozic." Woozic can take many forms and often involves spoken word pseudo poems set over a musical tableau. The pseudo poems are sometimes very thoughtful and moving, and at other times more or less unhinged. These pieces usually take the form of short suites with distinct movements, known as "Woozy Jacuzzis." Other songs celebrate the usual themes of springtime and napping.

Folk tales are abundant. One in particular is usually told in the dead of winter. This tells of the mythical creature known as The Nappetizer, who was particularly dangerous prior to nap time.

Much of Woozy Hippo Music is unknown outside of Woozyana. While music there developed in parallel to the rest of the world, Woozicians rarely went on tour because it was too much hassle and the practice of taking naps onstage was for some reason frowned upon beyond the frontier.

Oddly, no one knows for sure where the name Woozyana came from. Some say from the woozy state experienced just prior to nap time. Others suspect it has something to do with The Elixir.