by Sarina Dorie
And snowed.
While other gaijin (foreign) English teachers were out buying manga, partying and singing karaoke, I was going to museums and attending tea ceremonies. (Okay, so I also was going to breakdance classes too, but that is a different story.) I loved learning about the ancient culture and history of Japan and the local people who predated the second wave of Japanese who immigrated to the islands. When I went to the Ainu village in Hokkaido as a tourist, I was fascinated by the idea of indigenous Japanese who were Japan’s version of Native Americans. The plight and cultural extinction of these people inspired and influenced my writing.
The Jomon people in our world immigrated to Japan 14,000 years ago, though some sources suggest they may have done so as far back as 30,000 years ago. The Jomon became the Ainu of Japan, spread to the Pacific Islands and became the indigenous peoples of North America. Today’s Ainu are known for unusual, non-Asian characteristics such as fair skin, being harrier, having bigger noses or other European characteristics—some even having blue eyes. Archeologic evidence of skeletal and facial characteristics have shown the earliest Americans also had more European characteristics, and more recently, genetic evidence has shown the first Americans may have been more European than Asian.
Anywhere from 2,000-5,000 years ago, the second wave of immigrants called the Yayoi, spread to Japan and the Americas, slowly assimilating and destroying the first wave of peoples, not so different from what the Europeans did to the Native Americas in my own culture.
Living in Japan has influenced my writing greatly and I often find I am writing about experiences of feeling like an alien in another culture. The Jomon of The Memory Thief series are a mixture of Jomon and Yayoi, a blend of modern Japanese and Korean cultures with the Ainu of Japan and the Inuit of America.
Glossary of Jomon Terms for The Memory Thief
The Jomon language in the story is influenced by Japanese, Ainu and Chinese language.
Anata—“you,” also is a term of endearment like “sweetheart.”
Ano—“um” or “well” or “uh.” When I lived in Hokkaido, which is the island in Japan where Ainu still live, this was used more than “eeto” used elsewhere in Japan.
Attush—a kind of robe made of a handspun fabric in the Ainu language.
Aynu/ Ainu—people native to Japan who immigrated during the Jomon era.
Aynu-Mosir—land of the humans in Ainu language.
Eboshi—a kind of hat, in the story it is a ceremonial headdress.
Baka—an insult like fool.
Beigoma—a top spinning game for children.
Buta—pig.
Chan—informal honorific used to address a child or a cute woman.
Cep—fish in the Ainu language.
Chin chin—child’s term for penis
Chiramantep—bear in Ainu, in the story they are blue with tusks and claws.
Cikap—bird in Ainu, in this story they are leathery.
Dosha kuzure—mudslide, in the story it is used to describe someone who overshares in memory exchange.
Gaijin—derogatory term for foreigner.
Gaiyojin—made up world meaning “other world people” based on the existing term gaikokujin.
Gaki—a brat.
Giri/geari—social obligation, in the story the geari wife is a woman one is obliged to care for.
Gomen nasai—excuse me.
Hana ichi monme—a game similar to red rover.
Hashi—chop sticks.
Hebi—snake, in the story a creature like a snake.
Heri-shichi or Furi-shichi—how the name Felicity would translate into Japanese.
Heisu—how the name Faith would translate to Japanese.
Hoku—husband in Ainu,.also called hoku-yuk
Isepo—rabbit in Ainu.
Iya!—Expression of surprise.
Jin—suffix added to a word that means “people.” Example Cepjin means Fish People.
Jomon—people from an era in Asia named after their rope braiding impressions left in clay vessels. This might be between 14,500 and 300 BC, though some sources suggest up to 30,000 years ago.
Kamuy—spirit, soul, demon in Ainu.
Kawaii—cute or adorable.
Kun—informal honorific used to address a male child.
Mei—niece.
Midori—green.
Ne?—Right? No?
Nipa—chief/leader in Ainu.
Noren—a kind of curtain used to cover windows and doors, usually with a vertical slit going down the center.
Ohajiki—a pebble game for children.
Onsen—a hot spring or hot bath.
Otemae—or temae, the art of serving tea. O is an honorific given to this art.
Sake—sweet wine.
Sakura—cherry blossoms or a flower like them on the world.
San—honorific added to the end of the name like Mr. is added before a name in English.
Sama—formal honorific used to address someone of honor.
Satsumaimo—sweet potato.
Sensei—teacher.
Shochu—whiskey (in our world made from rice).
Sumimasen—“excuse me” or “sorry” or “thank you and I’m sorry to cause you so much trouble on my behalf.”
Tadaima—I’m home or here I am: it is how people greet one another when entering their own home.
Tanuki—raccoon dog/badger, in the story they are green and purple and have horns and tusks.
Tatsu—dragon, to build, to stand, or erection: there are many uses for this word and the wrong meaning is used in Japanese puns.
Tiaju—a kind of tree, in the fictional story they look like umbrellas.
Tokkoni—snake in Ainu.
Tonkori—a stringed instrument played by Ainu women.
Tsuma no kokan—a made up term meaning “wife swap.”
Ume—plum.
Unko—feces.
If you enjoyed The Memory Thief please leave a review on the online retailer where you purchased this collection. You might also enjoy free short stories published by the author on her website: http://sarinadorie.com/writing/short-stories. Readers can hear updates about current writing projects and news about upcoming novels and free short stories as they become available by signing up for Sarina Dorie’s newsletter at:
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Other novels written by the author can be found at:
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About the Author
During her childhood, Sarina Dorie dreamed of becoming an astronaut/archaeologist/fashion designer/illustrator/writer. Later in life, after realizing this might be an unrealistic goal, Sarina went to the Pacific NW College of Art where she earned a degree in illustration. After realizing this might also be an unrealistic goal, she went to Portland State University for a master’s in education to pursue the equally cut-throat career of teaching art in the public school system. After years of dedication to art and writing, most of Sarina’s dreams have come true; in addition to teaching, she is a writer/artist/ fashion designer/ belly dancer. She has shown her art internationally, sold art to Shimmer Magazine for an interior illustration, and another piece is on the April 2011 cover of Bards and Sages.
Sarina has sold over a hundred short stories to markets like Daily Science Fiction, Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine, and Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show. Sarina’s novel, Silent Moon, won four contests through various chapter of RWA. It is now published by Soulmate Publishing. Her YA fantasy novel, Dawn of the Morning Star has come out with Wolfsinger Publishing and Urban Changeling is available online.
Now, if only Jack Sparrow asks her to marry him, all her dreams will come true.
Information about Sarina Dorie’s fantasy novels Silent Moon, Dawn of the Morningstar, Urban Changeling, and short stories can also be found at:
http://www.sarinadorie.com
A Sneak Preview of
The Geari Wife
The Japanese word “giri,” or �
��geari” originating from Earth, refers to guilt or social obligation. When the Jomon spacefarers travelled from Earth millennia ago and established a colony on Aynu-Mosir, we believe their culture evolved in such a manner that many old customs became blended with new ones. One such example is the idea of a “geari wife,” a wife one marries out of social obligation.”
—excerpt from Meriwether Klark’s message to the publishers of The Guidebook of Colonization and Interplanetary Relationships, Fifth Edition
The starship loomed like a tombstone on the barren plain above the Tanukijin tribe’s canyon palace. The brass rivets holding the solar sails in place and the gothic archways around doors and portholes were as alien to this world as I was. I supposed I must have looked like a picturesque embodiment of an American bride in my long gown and puff sleeves. Yet more than ever, I felt I’d gone so far native I’d never be able to fully return to my own culture. After being on the planet of Ayunu-Mosir for fourteen years, I should have been happy to finally be able to depart with a handsome fiancé who would someday inherit a space station.
Indeed, whenever anyone looked upon my visage, I did my best to smile like a star-struck, ugly duckling turned Cinderella about to live happily ever after. If only that were true.
A commotion of natives bundled in furs made a bucket brigade-like procession down the snowy slope to the cliff palace below, handing off boxes of vaccines and provisions of the food from the captain’s stores onboard.
“Have a care not to drop that one. It’s full of glass vials,” Meriwether, my new fiancé, said to one of the native colonists as though the man might understand.
Meriwether was a handsome man, of no more than five and twenty years. His face was unblemished and pale as the snow that plagued the planet.
He smoothed his long brown hair from his face and secured his top hat on his head when a gust of wind threatened to dismount it. He pointed to another crate. “Capital. I see you’ve found our supply of—” He tripped over his own feet, soliciting a laugh from watching villagers. “Dear me, I’m so clumsy, aren’t I?” His façade of cheery mirth didn’t match his unsmiling eyes.
I lingered just within the ship where it was warm, but I could observe Meriwether’s interactions outside. There was one reason I had agreed to marry Meriwether Klark, a man I thought so little of, and that was for revenge. My motivation painted the world around me in a dark gloom, like a dark wash of oil paints that only I could see.
The captain of the spaceship ran past me and chased after two men heaving a crate of frozen food out the door. I ducked back before I was run over.
“Not that! That’s my private supply of beef brisket.” Captain Ford pulled at his wily, gray whiskers in vexation as men carried off packages from the freezer. His accent was American, though more coarse than my own.
I pretended to examine clicking gears exposed in the hallway. Two dark-haired women worked to pry the metal wall covering loose and pillage the metal out from under the captain’s nose. Such a trick would bring them honor among their tribe. I did my best to keep my face blank and not smile at their mischief.
Captain Ford poked a finger at Meriwether’s chest. “Order them to bring it back.”
“I will, of course, pay handsomely for everything we gift the Tanukijin.” Meriwether fidgeted with his top hat and affected an air of sympathy that I didn’t believe for a minute. “And if you wish to ever return to this planet and be granted more of the red diamonds. . . .”
He didn’t have to say more. The captain turned away and assisted the men in selecting finer cuts of meat.
The greed of star men disgusted me.
Once all the goods and livestock were packed up in the cargo holds, and the machines and medical supplies for the Tanukijin had been carried off, it was time for goodbyes. I had spent an intimate breakfast with my dearest family and friends in the morning, followed by a departure speech to the entire tribe in the afternoon. Now I had to say a final good bye.
My sister wore the Tanukijin style of dress. Felicity clad herself in loose furs that exposed her arms and legs. Her long, blonde hair fell to her waist in thick waves, wild like her nature whereas mine where tied tight in a braid behind my head.
When Felicity had been kidnapped from the planet fourteen years before, I’d thought I would never see her again. And now that we were at last reunited, she’d been the one to stay, whereas I’d known I would have to go.
Felicity kissed my cheek—the unscarred side of my face and smoothed my hair out of my eyes. Her forearms were black with the ink of new tattoos—something that would have made our father roll over in his grave if he could see them.
Already she was falling into the Jomon lifestyle, whereas I had taken up the off-world style I’d longed to return to. The pink dress from her wardrobe I wore was slightly large, but I didn’t mind. She hugged me again only hesitating slightly before kissing the scar tissue over the right side of my face.
It was hard for her to look upon, not merely because half my face was raw and shiny from the old burns, but also because she had caused the accident in which I’d received these scars. I turned my pretty side toward her so she could gaze on that instead.
I squeezed her fingers. “When I am living in the stars, I will think of you as I advocate for the Jomon. I will fight for your cause,” I said. After all, if I failed, my own sister would be left behind to suffer the same fate I had in all the years I’d been left behind. She deserved better than being left with so little.
She cupped my cheeks in her hands. “You don’t have to be alone anymore. We have the tools and supplies to install a communication device on Aynu-Mosir. You and I can use up all the captain’s subspace minutes calling each other back and forth.” Her laugh ended in a choked sob.
I hugged her one more time. I determined I would not cry. She was now the younger one, the damaged sister who had lost so much. Still so young due to the slowing of time during her space travel, she was naïve and fragile. I would be the strong one and make it up to her. That’s why I had to leave. It’s why I had to kill Meriwether’s father, Lord Archibald Klark for all the vile things he had done, if not for me, for her. And if not for her, for the people of the planet who had suffered so much at his hands. For as long as I could remember, I had dreamed of murdering Lord Klark. I would make sure his cruelty never touched these people again. Nor would his son’s.
Of course, it would have been nice to know exactly why I hated Lord Klark. There was a time when I’d known, but those memories were no longer with me. They’d been taken from me using the Jomon herb, memory moss.
I would, of course, get them back from Meriwether Klark. I didn’t know how just yet, but I would have to contrive a way. It was a little difficult to plan on assassinating his father without knowing why I had always wished to do so.
Taishi Nipa stood next in line to say good bye to me. He wore his eboshi, the headdress that represented his rank. The eboshi was made of a tanuki head, a green and purple striped raccoon dog, which concealed the upper half of his face like a mask.
He bowed to me, low and deliberate, a gesture he bestowed to few as leader. He spoke in Jomon. “It has been an honor to know you. I wish you luck in your new life.”
“Thank you, Nipa.” I said, using his formal title. “And good luck to you and your future happiness with your new bride.” I returned the Jomon custom of bowing. It felt paltry in comparison to all I wished to say to him.
“Ha! More like old bride,” he said with a wink. Perhaps reunited bride would have been more accurate.
Meriwether cleared his throat from behind me, no doubt impatient for these final goodbyes to be over. I ignored him. I wasn’t going to be rushed.
Sumiko, Taishi Nipa’s sister, waited behind them. She was alone. She was the only one who didn’t look sad out of all of them.
Nowhere in sight was my niece. I dropped the formalities. “Where’s Michi?”
I looked to my sister. Tears filled Felicity’s eyes and she shook
her head. The absence of the niece I had raised in my sister’s stead stung me like barbs of the yellow needle bush.
Taishi supplied the truth, as he was often wont to do. “My daughter is gaki, ne? She couldn’t have her way and then refused to see you off.”
“What did she ask for this time?”
Taishi’s mouth turned up in a half smile. “Michi demanded I order you to stay.”
I laughed to hide my hurt. More than anything I would have liked to stay and protect her, to see her grow into a young lady, but she had a mother again. She didn’t need two. What she needed was someone to advocate on behalf of her planet so she would have an adulthood. So all the Jomon would.
Taishi circled an arm around my shoulder and hugged me to his side. “I will miss you, little sister.”
Sumiko clasped her hands together waiting patiently. Her usual beatific smile played on her lips, giving away no sign of what she truly felt. She wore layers of fur over the woven bark fiber attush robe, though such attire must have been sweltering on the ship. As soon as I was done saying goodbye to Felicity and Taishi, she drew me aside.
Taishi turned his back, as though giving his sister privacy. Either that or he was cross with her about some matter. He spoke quietly to my sister, Felicity. What he said to her, she must not have liked because her spine went rigid.
