Episode 7 - Father, I Stretch My Hands
This week, we talked about Sulaton's childhood and rise to power. We examined closely the genesis of his desire to see the world, his time as a Takeni merchant and then student, his marriage to Ana and then employment as a harbormaster, and his then subsequent involvement in the overthrowing of Ajimi and installation of Ponsaka.
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Episode Script
Note: This is not a direct transcript! This is the script I used to record the podcast audio. Some rephrasing or ommittance may have occured in the actual podcast, but the information remains by and large the same.
Hello, and welcome to the History of Onaki!
Episode 7, Father, I Stretch My Hands
Last week, well, actually a couple weeks ago, we had a Q & A! I answered some of our most pressing questions, ultimately regarding clothing, climate, mushrooms, education, and family life. This week, we will be looking into the early life and rise to power of Sulaton, our first semi-historical figure. We'll be rewinding 20 years from his ascendance to the office of Nelepa, but it's alright. His story is important enough to cover in full and with detail, as he will reign for a whopping 62 years before taking the route of Ponsaka, retirement.
Alright, let's jump right in. Wait a moment. I think there's a smudge on my microphone. Let me wipe it off real quick. Oh! That sounds much better. Okay, yes, alright, I have purchased some new recording equipment. I figured that if I may as well do this podcast as best as I can if I am going to spend so much time on it. I hope you all enjoy the change. Don't hold it against the earlier episodes, it is not their fault they were held hostage by a 15 dollar USB mic. In addition, I'd like to apologize for the two week gap in the schedule. My laptop I did the whole show on, art, recording, writing, everything, kicked the bucket. That's alright though, no worries, I got a backup machine up and running. That being said, am proud to say this is now a 100% Linux, open source and licensed, produced and hosted podcast, end to end. Alright, now, for real, let's get into it.
Ponsaka's son, Jameka, was born to a woman out of wedlock whom we have no record of today. Despite that, Ponsaka took on Jameka as his own, and as Ponsaka would never marry, Jameka would turn out to be his sole son and only heir. Unfortunately for Jameka, this time in Ponsaka's life was incredibly busy. They had only just landed in the First Settlement, and what we know today as Ponsaka's Haven had just begun to emerge from the ground. To help raise Jameka, Ponsaka used his now growing apparatus of maids and servants to do the task for him. All things considered, they didn't do a half bad job. Jameka grew up very well educated and informed, and generally came off as quite polite in public. Unfortunately, due to their disconnect, Ponsaka would never truly connect with his boy. Still, Jameka seemed to recognize the great position he was in. He took initiative to involve himself within the workings of the Ponsakan Syndicate from an early age, and found he had a knack for accounting and business management. Before long, Jameka had made a career for himself acting as an essential cog in the structure of the guild. Unlike his father, Jameka would marry a woman named Seja, whom was also involved in the Syndicate. The year after their marriage, in what we now believe was 2157, Seja would give birth to their first son, Sulaton.
Sulaton was raised at home, partially by his mother and partially by servants. Both parents maintained their careers with the Syndicate, but as Jameka would take on more and more roles there, he would have less and less time to spend at home with his children. Seja, however, would remain quite close with her children. Especially for Sulaton, her first, she was a constant presence in his life. Since taking his first steps, the boy proved to be quite a daring one. He seemed to lack that integral part of our brains that tells someone "No, hey, this does not seem like a good idea, that will get us in trouble or maybe hurt." Instead, Sulaton's brain seemed nonplussed about things like trespassing and generally being a little stinker. Any barrier to his scheming would hardly be treated as such, he would simply find a way around it. It was not uncommon to see Sulaton stuffing an apple in his pantleg while the shopkeep wasn't looking, and then climbing atop a temple spire to look out upon the city as he ate. Despite this disregard, Sulaton was polite to a fault. In fact, he hardly got in trouble for his antics, unless they were repeated acts. He would profess later in life that when caught, he would plead with his captor, as he truly did not realize that what he was doing could be punishable. Honestly, I'm not entirely sure I disbelieve him.
Sulaton would enroll in public school at the standard age of 7, and would prove to be an incredibly gifted student. When his father first read the reports from his teachers, it was like Jameka finally realized that he had a son in the first place. Supposedly, Jameka would take Sulaton on a week-long tour of the Haven and Syndicate offices, showing his boy the world that he knew as home. Sulaton observed his father work, and even, on occasion, pitched in by helping to seal and stamp letters. At the end of that time, when they both arrived home, Jameka asked his son if he would like to serve alongside him when he completed his schooling. Sulaton replied with anything but yes. Although disappointed, it seemed that, despite this, Jameka was wholeheartedly determined to craft his son into the person that would carry on his legacy. He knew he was in line to carry the whole of the Syndicate, as his father, Ponsaka, was getting on in years and everyone knew it. Sulaton would be the person to bear that wonderful burden, or so he thought. Unfortunately for Jameka, it seems Sulaton and Ponsaka had other plans.
While Jameka was out consolidating his power over the Syndicate, Ponsaka was doing the opposite. Outsourcing his power whenever possible, he began to be seen as something of a figurehead leader, rather than a true administrator with all the powers that come with the office. Now rich with free time, he realized that he had neglected his role as a father to Jameka. Ponsaka saw that his son was emulating how he raised him, and upon seeing the light in Sulaton's eyes, began to act as a mentor and father figure for the boy. As he grew and progressed through school, Ponsaka saw himself reflected in Sulaton. He had an endless wonder for the world and those in it, and it was that desire that propelled Ponsaka to accompany Osaki, founding this settlement. It was then that he began to introduce Sulaton to the world outside the settlement. It would change his life forever.
From that moment onward, Sulaton had a dream. That dream was to see every corner of the world, visit the grand cities of Kanso, experience the biting cold of a Nika winter, and maybe, just maybe, experiencing the open waters outside the Aloki Sea. He would spend his time down at the ports at the Haven, speaking to the merchants and shipbuilders, hoping that maybe, just maybe, he could entice a story out of them. At night, he would sometimes sneak aboard one of the giant sailing vessels docked there, walking amongst the decks, feeling the immense ropes and chains wider than his forearm. To him, this place was the gateway to knowledge. From these men, and from Ponsaka, Sulaton gained an immense appreciation and wonder for what lay outside Onaki. He dreamed of a life lived as a nomad, travelling between cities, forging his own path. In the rigid structures of Onaki, especially for a child, such an idea would have seemed liberating. This outward look was quite unique among Onaki elite, who, like Jameka, often spent their time looking inward at themselves and their guild. Unfortunately, Sulaton would not be free from that grasp just yet.
In his last year of public schooling, Sulaton opted to take courses on accounting and business. These were primarily tailored to those wishing to manage their own small businesses in the city, typically taken by merchants, market owners, and restauranters. Regardless of their intention, Sulaton wanted to show Jameka that he did honestly care about what his father wanted. Although he did do quite well in accounting, as for business management, he flunked out. Not because he couldn't do it mind you, Sulaton was a bright boy, but because it was boring as all get out. And yeah, I think I've aught to agree yet again with the man. Needless to say, Jameka was not exactly happy with this result. To him, it appeared that his son was squandering his future opportunities of his own volition. All he had to do was just put his heart in it. For Sulaton, he could not bring himself to put his heart into something so pointless, an obtuse subject that did not matter to him. At the end of that year, Jameka would not even attend Sulaton's graduation. Not even out of malice mind you, but because he was simply too busy at work. For Sulaton, that was the final straw. He could not become this. He had to get out of Dodge.
His grandfather was not blind to these gripes, but saw them plainly and clearly. Ponsaka himself had had that urge to leave and start anew, its what brought him here. So, he did the only thing he could think of. He would commission a modestly sized vessel, roughly the size of his first, equipped with a singular great sail. It lacked the typical hardiness with defensive weaponry Onaki vessels were notorious for, but that was alright, no such thing was needed for trade up river with the Takeni. Ponsaka would gift the Hulutuwi to Sulaton on his graduation day. Needless to say, the boy was ecstatic. Now, Ponsaka was not stupid either. Sulaton was obviously too young to go out there completely on his own, he was only 12 years of age. He needed a guide and a guardian, someone to keep him from not killing himself both at sea and on land. Ponsaka would select one of his closest servants, Wukesa, to play that role. An older man, but one with roots deep in Takeni culture, he would be the perfect guardian for Sulaton.
Against the pleading of Seja and Jameka on the docks, who never even knew of the plan before it was well and truly on its way, Sulaton boarded the Hulutuwi. Meanwhile, standing just out of their sight, Ponsaka was beaming, waving an arm, sending all the goodwill in the world. It was obvious what the decision was to be. Sulaton set off with Wukesa just after the new year in 2169, a cargo hold full of generously donated pomegranate wine, and a mind rich with anticipation.
Here we will hit the fast forward button a bit. Sulaton would successfully set out and did quite well trading with the Takeni. He would join a group affiliated with the Takeni confederation, similar in function to Ponsaka's Haven but, at least for this time in Onaki history, on a larger scale. This would allow him to conduct trade between the Takeni cities at a bargain, avoiding the guild taxes and competing for publicly listed work that members had first dibs on. For the most part, he would be travelling between the three largest cities on the Takeni River, that of Ulas, Munaka, and Loteja.
Ulas was closest to Onaki, just a few dozen kilometers up the Takeni. They were easily within a day's walking distance, and yet, an abyss apart in terms of culture. It seems ancient cities were this way in many respects. Ulas was built on the marshy lower Takeni river plains, and compared to many of its ancient counterparts, was rather... long. Each spring, as the snow of the Jowami Alps began to melt, the banks of the Takeni overflowed their usual bounds and flooded the surrounding plains. This continual cycle of flooding created incredibly fertile soil on its banks, allowing rich agriculture to take place there. As such, the city of Ulas stretched up and down the river for a few dozen kilometers. In fact, it took about as long to traverse Ulas as it did to get there from Onaki. This was hardly a worry for those who lived there, the Takeni served as a superhighway for the citizens of Ulas. Farmland took place in the interior of the city with fairly little permanent infrastructure, as it would just be washed away in the spring. Outside the flood zones, protected by dikes and levees, was the urban city with its permanent structures, temples, roads, etc. Small canals connected densely populated areas with the Takeni, so that people could easily navigate between the two by the river. Well, I know I said the urban areas were only on the outside, but there was one exception, Central Ulas. This urban area was built within the Takeni river at a rather wide point, and yes, I do mean within the river. There were hardly any traditional streets, and the area was laid out so that water from upstream would seamlessly pass through the urban area. During the flood season in the spring, it was not atypical for bottom floors of restaurants and courtyards to become temporarily inundated. For this reason, most amenities could be found not on the first floor, but the second! A city of boats and canals, how lovely.
Further up the river, right at the foot of the Jowami Alps, lay the city of Munaka. Munaka was the largest and most prominent city under the Takeni Confederation, but not by a humongous margin. Its large size was due to its strategic position, where fresh snow melt off of the mountains provided a wealth of fresh drinking water during the drier months. The soil here was quite fertile beyond the riverbanks, as opposed to the sandy environment that composed the coastal regions. Agriculture flourished here unlike anywhere else, and it truly was the region's breadbasket. However, its output still would not remotely touch the gargantuan output many of the Kanso regions could. In addition, as compared to Onaki and Ulas, their winters could become quite cold, even reaching below freezing quite consistently. This prevented the year-round growing season that those coastal cities enjoyed. As such, Munaka typically dominated the gain market of the Takeni region, while Onaki and Ulas typically specialized in more fruity pursuits. In addition, being the last stop before the Jowami Alps really began to soar up, this was the last stop for any vesset making its way up the Takeni for trade. Anyone wishing to trade with a city further inland, or to ship their goods across to the western coast, would have to go it by foot. This allowed Munaka be an incredibly productive inland port, especially during the time while the Kanso basically controlled who came in and out of the Aloki. However, their main trading partner was Loteja.
Loteja, nestled in a river valley situated high up in the Jowami Alps, was an interesting town, to say the least. Its population was quite small compared to the former two, but its power was immense. Loteja was responsible for the mining and exporting of precious metals like copper, tin, gold, silver, and iron. Small communities peppered throughout the mountains would ship their raw materials directly to Loteja through alpine paths, and from there, they could take two routes. The metals could be bought by merchants and either carted or painstakingly shipped downriver to Munaka, or they would be purchased by the local guilds, who would manufacture the goods right there in town. The latter option was, of course, preferred. Loteja smiths would gain a reputation for themselves, and a good one at that. If you want a sword, shield, and mail, you can get those anywhere. If you want a sword, shield, mail, and also want to walk away from the fight, you buy from a Lotejan smithy. Don't let the city's focus on mining and manufacturing make you think it is some kind of drab, gray, or dirty place. It was quite the opposite. The city was, visually, beautiful. Small homes were painted an orange-red, dyed with oxidized iron, popping out from the landscape. Large public buildings were often carved right out of the mountainfaces, or from huge granite blocks hauled from nearby quarries. The resulting infrastructure was a contrast between the quaint and the grand, unlike nowhere else in the world. In the winter, when snow blanketed the town, it was then it became truly beautiful. In the same sense, arts flourished in Loteja. The prevalence of smithys brought on a higher population of those interested in the arts, and as such, forms of art arose here unlike any others in the region, especially those that would have been neglected or even shameful in Onaki. One of those arts was dance, which in the colder months, provided young boys and girls something useful to do with their free time indoors. Usually a musician would play some sort of melodic woodwind, and the dancers would, yknow, wiggle n stuff. More experimental performances would employ drums and choirs. Large drums hit with mallets would be a useful tool in their pocket, and one that was quite popular with audience members. For the dancers, some lucky few could even make a career of it. We'll definitely come back to this later.
For now, let's check back on Sulaton. The boy began to make his living by transporting foodstuff to and from Munaka. Of course, it was really Wukesa who did the real legwork, but regardless. The route was fairly simple, all things considered. Wine from Onaki went up the river, and beer and whisky came down the river. Onaki wine was praised throughout the Takeni region, while the rising upper classes of the city were starting to get the taste for especially well aged Munaka spirits. He made quite a good living, and spent plenty of time trying to fetch girls or a free meal in Ulas on his way to and from. He met hundreds of fascinating people, heard thousands of stories, and began to grow a special appreciation for Takeni prose. Oftentimes, Takeni would phrase their storytelling much like a poem or a song, deliberately poised to sound more elegant than it ever had the right to be. Sulaton had everything he ever wanted, rotting in the Onaki school system. He had seen Munaka and Ulas, and although he had not yet left the Takeni, he felt like he had achieved his goal. For all the feelings of invincibility youth can provide you, Sulaton remembered the Kanso vividly. He was alright on that bit. But, as he contemplated, that feeling in his gut, that yearning for freedom, it still remained. There had to be more. There had to be something that he just wasn't getting, not like this. It was time for a change.
After three years of sailing up and down that river, Sulaton had an assistant check his coffers and found... a much larger sum than he thought. After selling what was left in his hold, Sulaton traveled to Central Ulas, and then to the site of the Takeni monks. To make a long story short, Takeni monks were largely responsible for higher education in the period before Onaki integration. He asked the monk what it would take for him to live and study in Ulas. I mean, what wasn't to love! Warm summers, beautiful winters, plentiful fruits and abundant wine culture, oh my! This had to be the place for him. "Well," the monk probably said, "Demand is particularly high at the moment, so we've got quite the queue of our most hard working, intelligent people ready to make the next jump in their careers. For an Onaki... let's just say seats are limited." "No, nononono," Sulaton probably responded, "I've got the cash to pay my tuition. I can advance you a thousand years' worth of your salary right now. All you have to do is just get me a seat. I can handle room and board, cause I've got my own vessel. Just throw an extra chair in the room for me." The monk, now presumably not very entertained, must have responded something alike to, "No, that's not how this works. That's now how any of this works." But, feeling some sympathy, the monk gave Sulaton some form of direction. Although everyone he know from the schools of Ulas and Munaka were always receiving far more applicants than they could host, he did know of one man who could possibly help. His name was Kanokamahije, the head of a school in Loteja. Sulaton took the opportunity fully and without question.
He would sail to Munaka, before leaving his vessel there with Wukesa. Sulaton gifted Wukesa the vessel for his immense support, and released him from his duties. All he asked in return was for a ride home when he wrote back to Onaki. From Munaka, Sulaton caught a ferry to the first falls, and began the five day walk skyward. Upon reaching Loteja, Sulaton contacted that Kanokamahije, and to his enjoyment, found that there were indeed plentiful spots open for him. Kanokamahije offered him one, and Sulaton accepted immediately. A foreign education was something almost no Onaki would ever achieve in this time, he would come home with enough prestige and wealth to skyrocket into a career as a merchant, sailing across the Aloki. Oh, how he dreamed. Wait a second. Uh, what kinda school is this again? A school of the arts? Ah, shoot. The arts were not especially respected in Onaki at this time. Artists, actors, and performers were seen in a similar class to servants. No wonder it was the only school with a spot open. Sulaton, not keen to throw away the opportunity to receive a foreign education regardless, attended.
He would attend this school of the arts for two years, studying prose in the Takeni tongue. He would become fluent in the language during his time in Loteja, composing poetry and writing short summations on philosophy and his thoughts. The Takeni and Onaki languages being closely related as they are, not to mention his previous three years as a merchant, it is not unfeasible that the man really did learn the Takeni language so quickly. During his time there, Sulaton gained an appreciation for philosophy, ethics, reason, etcetera, but also, unlike the Onaki, saw beauty in the arts where he didn't before. He would conclude that there was something about Loteja itself that made it so attractive to artists, stating that in a place like Loteja, where the winters never end, the days are long and frigid, and the only colour in nature you see is gray, without human made beauty to substitute what nature could not provide for us, such a place would be uninhabitable.
Most importantly for us, during his time in Loteja, he would attend many of the various performances put on in the amphitheater. It was a closed, wooden, domed structure, heated well to ensure comfortable viewing even in the coldest months. Sulaton would dabble in it all, viewing some plays, orations, and dances. Most importantly for us, during one of these performances, he would observe a dancer who captured his heart. Her name was Ana. The way in which she moved, the emotion expressed within those movements, it put her apart. It was as if he could feel what she could, without hearing a word from her mouth. Sulaton met Ana later, outside the venue in a public square, where he tried to strike up a conversation, but to no avail. However, it didn't deter him terribly. She kept showing up to the same place despite him, and he enjoyed the company. He would gain Ana's trust over time, and eventually would break through that outer shell of introversion. They grew closer, and eventually, Sulaton took Ana up as his partner.
When he eventually finished his schooling at the age of 17, after the end of the two year period he was allotted, Sulaton was faced with a decision. He wanted to settle with Ana, but doing what? Writing prose wouldn't get him any bread, after all. Especially in Loteja, it was no way to make a living, and he certainly wasn't going to take up an apprenticeship at a smithy. His hands had become quite soft in the past couple years, and plus, he was dying for some sunlight at least once and a while. It was time to go home, and settle down. But first, he would have some major convincing to do on Ana, ...ooor so he thought. She was actually quite amicable to the idea. Loteja was a quaint town, but an isolated one. From Sulaton's stories of his home, the places he had been throughout the Takeni river basin, and those from sailors and merchants he had met all along the way, Ana too felt the urge to go out, to see something new, experience some of what she could only imagine. And so, Sulaton sent out a letter to Wukesa, and a few weeks later set out down the Takeni. However, when he reached Munaka, there would be no Wukesa awaiting him. No worries, Sulaton thought, my letter probably got lost, or maybe the old man kicked the can while I was away. He boarded a transport vessel down to Ulas, where they would both walk the short remaining distance to the city of Onaki. Oddly, the river traffic seemed to be significantly less busy than normal down the entire stretch, and almost barren after passing Ulas. Something was up. When they finally reached the mouth of the Takeni, Sulaton looked out upon the horizon at the opening of Onaki Bay, where he saw a line of foreign vessels. Onaki was under siege.
Back in the city, with a stagnant economy and culture dominated by the imminent threat of invasion, things weren't... great. Sulaton and Ana struggled to find employment of any kind in the city, and as the last of his savings were drying up, he finally reached out to his father. They hadn't spoken for years, and Jameka was not especially happy to see what his son had become. But at the end of the day, Sulaton was his son. Jameka offered him a position fairly high up the food chain, some kind of minister with a bogus title who didn't really do much and stayed out of the way. Sulaton turned him down. He wanted to prove his worth to his father, whatever it meant. A token role wouldn't suffice, he wouldn't feel content. Sulaton instead asked for a lower position, one he had seen every day growing up, a harbormaster. In these times, the role of a harbormaster was quite different from how we understand it today. A harbormaster took leadership and management over a group of men working a port, or in this case, a small section of it. Ponsaka's Haven was far to large to manage by just one man. Sulaton would be responsible for ensuring that proper regulations and taxes on goods were being implemented, as well as no illegally imported products found their way into Onaki markets. He would set the procedures on how to do this, as well as personally manage and administer the men doing the work on the ground. To dock or leave port, all vessels had to contact Sulaton first. It was a difficult and had heavy workload, it was one that needed to be done, and one he thought could prove himself and his worth.
In reality, Sulaton hated most of the work. As such, he found it hard to put his heart into it, but try he did, and desperately so. He would become competent at some portions of the work, and excel in others. Most importantly would make the processes for surveying vessels for counterfeit and illegal goods much more efficient and reliable through the use of... wait for it... standardized checklists that needed to be stamped. Yes, legend has it, the detailed stamps used for personal identification in ancient Onaki had their genesis here. Despite these successes, Sulaton, to put it politely, royally sucked at one thing in particular. That thing was managing people. He had a hard time enforcing his orders, and although he was well adept to maintain morale amongst the his men, he was hard pressed to actually force them to do anything they didn't want to do. And so, eventually, that is where Ana stepped in. Ana was harsh, to the point, and a commanding presence in any room she found herself in. Legend says that her stare sent ice through the veins of those who fell onto her bad side. Eventually, the two began to work in tandem with each other in the position. Sulaton would be responsible for most of the policy, of course never implementing anything without running things by Ana to get her better judgement. He would also be the spark behind morale, often rallying his men with some of that prose he had picked up in school. Ana would vet and hire his men, and she would always be in the room when he made certain decisions and announcements. It would be Ana who was the boots on the ground, making sure procedures were followed exactly and meticulously. They were, for all intents and purposes, a power couple.
Speaking of, its about time these two got hitched. At the age of 18, Sulaton and Ana would be married in a grand ceremony befitting that of a future Nelepa. Of course, it was funded by Ponsaka. This was during the second year of Ajimi's reign, so imagine a populace freshly shocked from the death of a long standing ruler, and now being suppressed in their free speech. They needed something to pick up their spirits. Now, it was not exactly celebrated that Sulaton was marrying a Takeni woman, but this was not explicitly forbidden. In normal practice, marrying a citizen outside your class, not to mention a non-citizen, would be a taboo. I think Ponsaka had other plans. The Takeni and the Onaki had always been closely related to one another, both in distance, culture, language, economics, geography... everything. Ponsaka had an heir who had immersed himself and become accepted in Takeni culture, and was taking on a Takeni wife whom he loved. This was an opportunity for the two blocs to come together that could not be missed. The ceremony was large and lavish, with attendees not only from Onaki, but from Loteja, Munaka, and Ulas. It featured a blending of both Onaki and Takeni marriage traditions, which would increasingly become one over the oncoming century.
First, the bride and groom take part in the Hanawa Gifting. Each participant, the bride and the groom, presents the other with a box of symbolic gifts for one another. These are often tailored to the interests of the specific partner, but by and large, they always include three items. The first item is a braided thread or ribbon, usually made of some cut cloth unique to the family or person. This braid is called the Hasaja, which will become important later. Second, a small, intricately carved wooden doll representing the partner or partner's chosen patron, supposedly to help guide both through marriage. The hands linked together in a natural wood joint, bonding the two figures together unless puzzled apart. The third would be an adornment for the other's mushroom cap, usually a sort of metal chain or braid that could be draped and hung along the outside edge. After the exchanging of gifts, the couple would take a special bath in what could be referred to as a sauna. Hot steam would be pumped into the chamber, heated from a fire, and herbs would often be introduced to provide a natural scent and supposed healing qualities. The couple would wash one another with herbal ointments and oftentimes aloe vera. This was said to cleanse the body and spirit, leaving the past behind, and preparing to begin a new life together. After this, the couple would dress one another, and the ceremony would proceed. Each would wear modest dress, still in the same style one would wear to any formal occasion, usually a full body length fabric, but as opposed to the typical drab and muted colours normally worn by Onaki, the couple's dress would usually be in a hue of jade, cherry, or teal. The couple would step into the center of a large space, standing apart but both holding one anothers hands. The families and friends attending would gather around the couple in a circle and lay their hands on both, leaving a small space in the center. The oldest or most revered member of each family side would step forward into this center space, and they would recite a prepared blessing or statement on the marriage, usually something about shared growth, honor, and binding destinies. After this, both revered family members would give their Hasaja braids to their respective member of the couple. The couple would tie the braids together, physically binding themselves and their families into one unit. One intertwining braid, one destiny. This braid is typically hung on the inside of the front door to the home, used as something to ward off bad spirits, and providing the couple a perceived sanctity of the home. Now after the ceremony, we enter a very Loteja portion of the ceremony, a ritualistic dance. This dance can really be anything, and some people are really crap at dancing, so the world is your oyster here. Traditionally, the woman leads the first dance, typically marked by graceful movements, almost like she is being carried by the wind itself. Second follows the man, who does most of the same. Eventually, as they twirl around one another, they will lock at the center. Supposedly, this dance represents the orbital cycles of the Sun and Asaja, but given a lack of contemporary sources to support this claim, I'm not quite sure I buy it. Afterward, in a grand conclusion, a great feast is held. During this feast, the couple sips from a bowl of tea, a quite bitter blend traditionally, but sometimes with notes of sweetness. This tradition symbolized the couple's acceptance of the challenges of life, both bitter and sweet. The feast and subsequent party is held through the remainder of the day, into the evening, and probably far too long and deep into wine bottles for anyone to care that much.
Sulaton and Ana's wedding would be much the same, nothing to really write home about. Ponsaka would be the revered family member for Sulaton, Ana's grandmother for herself. All was bog standard, except for the supposed introduction of the ceremonial dances by this singular wedding. Although squarely in legend, this ceremony would be where this specific cross section of Onaki and Takeni tradition would meet. Supposedly it is initially met with speculation and indifference by the Onaki family, but this would not last long. Poor Sulaton, whom I imagine wasn't God's greatest dancer, would have provided quite the comic relief. Despite it all, it was a hit. Ana appeared to have quite the up and up career prepared for her, both with Sulaton in the syndicate, and in her lifelong passion. In fact, given this period's tensions with Ajimi's rule, Ana would choreograph and perform a dance which represented the Battle at Osilusa Point, Osaki's trumph, and her assassination. This, of course, violated Ajimi's edict on the prohibition of the discussion of said battle. This performance, fueled by the subversive nature of it all, fueled its popularity and single handedly catapulted what had been an artistic mockery into something enjoyed by all classes. People were willing to pay to see it, and Ana reaped the profits. Dance, especially dance representative of storytelling such as this, would become a staple of Onaki culture forevermore.
In the year after their marriage, Sulaton began to bond closer with his grandfather, given his father's reluctance to engage with him in everyday conversation. The social unrest in the city, along with the collapse of economic systems, was beginning to unnerve Sulaton. It was directly affecting their business, and heavily so. But, with Ponsaka and Jameka alike, both were of such high class that they did not understand or even know about the strife going on amongst the people of Onaki. All they knew about was their profit margins, which were only going up with the edict of free trade with the Kanso. It would be Sulaton that would enlighten Ponsaka to what was truly at play here. He had his boots on the ground, he spoke to and understood his people. He did not only work among them, he was one of them. He had never taken a high office or token position, he was working his way up from the bottom of the food chain. Well, forget about the whole free vessel and highly experienced unpaid labor to build his fortune and then go to school overseas thing. If you ignore all that, he was working from the ground up. At any rate, his men respected him, and he took their gripes straight to the big man. At first, Ponsaka was reluctant. Shaking things up was the last thing he wanted to do at his age, and Sulaton respected that. But as he would say, "There is no one else who can do the job. No one with the strength, the tenacity. It must be you to break this camel's back." When Ajimi would make her last edict, declaring their treaty with the Kanso, both Ponsaka and Sulaton lept into action. Now was the time.
You all know what happens next. Both grandfather and grandson process to the Consortium House, Ponsaka makes a great speech following Ajimi's, and a revolt would be incited against the reigning Nelepa. Ajimi would end her own life, and following this, Ponsaka would be elected as her successor. Now, at this point, Sulaton reasoned that his role in this was done. Ponsaka would rule for only as long as he had to, as they had previously discussed, and then Jameka would presumably take up his position as Nelepa afterwards. Jameka was adept in many of the skills a Nelepa needs to succeed, great people skills, and decades of experience in management and drowning in paperwork. Sulaton would return to his work as a harbormaster shortly thereafter. Well, that was until Ponsaka willingly abdicated into retirement. Oh, interesting news, Sulaton must have thought, before returning to his work. It was not like his father would have invited him for a ceremony anyhow. Well, that was until some Alekikanales showed up with a litter to carry him on. They informed him that he was now Nelepa. Huh? No one expected this, well, Sulaton never expected this! The Alekikanales could not have kept pace with him to Ponsaka's office if they had tried. He burst out toward his grandfather, asking why he had made such an irrational decision. Ponsaka sat there and took every ounce of it. When Sulaton was done, Ponsaka simply stated this. "Sulaton, ever since you were a boy, I knew there has been an urge, deep inside you, a desire to see and understand the world. Although I dearly love Jameka, and I do recognize that he is of higher seniority, he is most comfortable taking on the legacy of the syndicate. He said so himself. He left this office for you. Onaki should be in the hands of those filled with wonder, and as such, I truly believe that you and Ana are the future of Onaki."
Alright! Next week, we will actually start to dig through the life of Sulaton. It will be a long one, and we'll probably be covering him for about a couple weeks, given I get back on track with the weekly episodes thing. As far as I can tell, my schedule is clear out until May, so no bumps and bruises I can't control on my productive weekends, at least for now. Just watch me get sick next week and I can't record. Let's hope for the best. See you next week!