Montanaro

Montanaro is an umbrella term for the various Montanaro tribes inhabiting the of the southeastern highlands of Aciria. The Aciriano term Montanaro literally means mountaineer, and is not only used to refer to the ethnic group but also to ethnic Acirianis who've migrated to live in the highland regions. Montanaros themselves identify as the specific Montanaro clan they originate from, usually named after the patronymic founder of the tribe, largest of the clans being the Ucarisa clan.

While most Montanaros live in the southeast where its most mountainous, many Montanaros over time since the 18th century have migrated down from the highlands to the more arable flatlands near the highlands. With the industrial development of Aciria, also many Montanaros have left the region to other parts of Aciria after employment of education, with Montanaro communities in other parts of Aciria not being an unusual sight. Largest Montanaro communities outside of Santa Beatrice are in Valariano and Aciriani Marini, where they've found success in the shipbuilding industry. The Montanaros language is a topic of debate in Aciria, with Montanaros demanding it to be recognised as an official language and granted the protections it brings. As of 2026, Montanaro is still officially considered a dialect of Aciriano.

History
The Montanaros have co-existed with their neighbours with limited contact, with archaeological sites finding evidence of both Vsikite and Aciriani items in the historical Montanaro regions. Due to the mountainous regions and the lack of arable land, Montanaros for long carried on with their hunter gatherer lifestyles, with only limited agriculture in the areas in the fringes of the mountainous regions. Little is known about the history of the Montanaros due to literacy being practically nonexistent to the people prior to the establishment of the Free Republic of Aciria in 1615 and their efforts to integrate Montanaros into the Republic. Most Montanaro history comes from Aciriani sources, with much of the history being mythical oral tradition gathered by Fulvio Pisani in the 17th century.

Following the foundation of the mines in the Montanaro region in the 19th century, Acirianis started migrating to the region en masse. Many Montanaros had to abandon their traditional lifestyle due to the mines established and the eventual forest industry making their traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyle near impossible in parts of the region, causing much friction between the Acirianis and Montanaros. As a result of this, in the early 20th century Montanaros started to create a distinct Montanaro culture from Acirianis, which in modern day has caused demands for their recognition as an ethnic group, their own language and even autonomy in the Empire of Aciria.