Naming Day

Background: Dhara is an Engineer, a member of an untouchable class of indigenous alien people who, many countless generations ago, had been bound into servitude for the off-world masters of the large floating Cities on their ocean home. With knowledge and access to the hidden tunnels and chambers that honeycomb the City, they are essential to its very function, even though they are forbidden from ever stepping foot inside it.

The monologue is meant to depict a brief, cherished moment in their lives when all the Clans gather together to trade, to celebrate and to share their stories. Their stories weave through their lives, providing an unbroken chain of memory and heritage from the days before the Cities. Dhara, on this occasion, has been chosen to tell the story of their clan, the Amrii, when those children who had come of age are given their names and introduced to all present as adults. (Photo by Volodymyr Hryshchenko on Unsplash)

DHARA

Ch’haya – children of Amu – today is a special day.  Your Naming Day. But it’s special for all of us.  

For me. And for your Nada and Baba. All your brothers and sisters.

It’s when we sit together, like this, and listen.

When I was young, my Baba would tell me about the beginning.  

Before Nada and Baba. And their Nada and Baba.

Long, long ago.

This is the story about how we came to be.

- Dhara smiles slightly -

In those days, the Savarna – the daughters of the Ocean – 

and the Nachketa – the sons of the Fire – lived above in Anand-Nidra.

The lived there, apart, until a horrible flood covered all of it.  The flood was so big that there was no place to hide.  It was very angry. And very determined.  It sought them out wherever they lived.  Hunted and hunted until they had nowhere to go.  Now, the Daughters and Sons were like oil on water, not wanting to mix, but they did, and the storm spread them out until a few of each lived in many places.

This is how the Amrii, our clan, came to be.

But Niyati has a plan for all things.  A place for everything in its design.

But…

- Her voice trails off briefly -

…this is only part of the story.  Just the beginning.

Anand-Nidra…

- She leans closer, her voice now somewhat hushed as if revealing something forbidden -

…was empty after the storm. Ravenous. Like the manta or the moray.  It looked and looked for all the things that it had lost.  All the little things. And all the big things. Niyati let the Amu find these things of ‘Nidra and the hungry waters went home, leaving us alone.  And so, now as before, some us find. Some of us fix.  But all of us…

- She smiles slightly -

…tell stories.

- She pauses, her face and tone growing serious once more -

 But remember: this world is not ours. Not the water.  Not the sky. Not the clothes that you wear.

This is not who we are.

- Drops goggles -

 This is not our strength.

- Stands up her wrench -

 - She looks around the group, meeting their eyes one by one -

- She sets her hands on the chests of 2 children, just above their hearts -

 This is ours.

- She leans back and sets her hands on the shoulders of two others -

This 

- She glances around to include all of the children -

 Is our strength.

- She lets one hand move to the charms at her neck, clasping one -

 This is who we are.

This is who we will be.

Now, I am Dhara, a child of Amu-Amrii, your sister.