Aliza Kroeger, age 13
“Wait! Mother, can’t l come? I am brave enough.” Running down the rocky shore, Hea called after her mother. “I’ve even learnt how to ‘Sumbi-sori’.”
“That’s great, love. Keep on practising. But you know you can’t come with me till you’re older.” Mother turned around and dashed to catch up with the other women who were making their way to the sea.
Hea was disappointed. She had wanted so much to become a Haenyeo. For centuries, her people, the women of Jiju, had dived deep into the depths of the ocean to hunt for food. They were known as Haenyeo or Sea women. They could hold their breath for a very long time and Hea’s mother and all the mothers of the village were Haenyeos. However, the villagers had decided you had to be twelve years old to become a Haenyeo and Hea was ten.
The women of the village swam out and one by one they dove under the surface. Mi Cha felt sorry for her daughter Hea. She believed Hea was ready to become a Haenyeo. Swimming deeper into the depths, they hunted, flipping over rocks and scouring through seaweed. For some reason there seemed to be fewer and fewer clam shells but no one knew why.
Hea did her chores in a bad mood. She couldn’t understand why they wouldn’t let her become a Haenyeo. Yes, there was tradition to follow but couldn’t they see she was ready? She dumped the clam sack down in a huff. One of the clams fell out and split open. Something flashed in the sun before falling with a plop into the mud. Hea picked it up, gazing at its brilliant glow. Just then, Mother stepped around the corner; Hea quickly slipped the shiny thing into her pocket.
“It’s dinner time love”.
“OK Mimi, I’ll be right there,” murmured Hea. After a moment she followed her mother. Father and her brothers were already sitting ready to eat.
“Oh, sorry! I didn’t mean to hold you up.”
“Hea,” her father cut her off. “I’m sorry you couldn’t go with your mother today. You are ready but the way of our ancestors must be followed and respected.”
“Yes papa.”
But Hea was thinking about the small treasure in her pocket. After dinner, she washed the dishes, all the while thinking what the sparkling little thing could be. She had heard of her ancestors finding precious stones in the ocean but had never actually seen one before. Could this perhaps be one of the precious gems she’d herd of, from far off places? Anyway, whatever it was Hea was determined to find out. She wondered if more could be found in the depths of the deep.
When the dishes were done, Hea, slipping her hands into her pockets, dashed off to her hideout, a sort of small cave she could walk into without bending over. It was a secret place where she kept all the little things she found aboe and below the ocean surface. She especially liked her cave because the water had eroded away some of the wall, creating little pockets which were perfect shelves.
The shelves were stacked with random things. A silver fork that had once sparkled but was now completely crusted with barnacles, a few hair clips, and one fancy little high heeled shoe (now covered with filth and mud).
Slipping the special find out of her pocket, she rummaged through her shelves for the battered up cloth. She rubbed and rinsed the precious find thoroughly but she still had no idea what it was.
“I must take it to Aunty Gupta. She can tell me what it is”. Hea wrapped the thing in the old cloth, stuffed it in her pocket, and she was off, dodging through the busy village centre (she had forgotten it was market day). The town was bustling and she was bumped around as she tried to get through. The other side of the village square was just in front of her, when someone grabbed her hand and spun her round a little too roughly. She spun and they both crashed into the nearest wall.
“Sorry!” Seeing that it was Min-Joon, Hea turned around to walk off, her head in the air. Known by his village as just “Joon,” Min-Joon was always teasing Hea’s brothers and picking on Hea, so she wasn’t exactly a big fan of his. Here he was again, knocking her into walls! But Min-Joon wasn’t about to let Hea go just yet. Trotting behind her, he called out, trying to get her to stop.
“Hello Hea!” No answer. “Hea, where are you going in such a hurry?”
“None of your business you scoundrel!”
“Oh come on you stubborn old mule,” he replied.
“Go annoy someone else please,” said Hea.
“Fine, but I will be telling your mother that you were trotting off into the jungle with no reason and no regard to coming nightfall.”
“Oh no! Don’t tell mother please. Fine, you can stay,” said Hea giving up. “I’m going to Aunty Gupta.”
“Aunty Gupta!? The Aunty Gupta who lives in the forest with all her crazy beliefs and ideas, that Aunty Gupta?” Joon asked, ready to run back in fear.
“Yes,” replied Hea calmly. “That’s the one.”
Aunty Gupta lived in the jungle in a little mud hut. Few people ever visited her, but she was happy all the same. Hea knew that she was once a Haenyeo and knew about all the secrets of the ocean. Surely she could tell Hea about the shiny object?
(To be continued…)
Word Oysters 