Cultural Development Aid

Having driven out the sawtute second time too, Jake and his Na'vi fellow leaders and his fellow former humans set out to build an all-inclusive political structure for Pandora, to create a moon-wide defence against new human intrusions. But such a defence would have to be complete, so all the 14 continents of the moon, plus two archipelagoes that didn't naturally belong to any continent, were formed into federations of their own, with representation at the sacrosanct meeting ground at the Tree of Spirits.

Many of the federations were created as byproduct of the conflict during the Long War, or the 2nd Human – Na'vi Conflict as they said at the human mining colonies at the other moons of Polyphemous. Like the Western Islands federations, the Nongona, the Tomo'ingi, the Northern and others. Some were enrolled afterwards through persuasion and diplomatic pressure, such as the Meme'ngipx, the Feo and the Kikxitx federations. Only the Southern continent tried as a whole to forcibly resist incorporation in the network of federations and had to be enrolled by military means.

However, after winning them over came the task with harmonizing the ways of those new federations. There was a fine balance act between too little harmonizing and too much, both would make for strife and turning the Great Peace Council into a less efficient tool for conflict mediation. Some differences were simple to handle, the polished and very formal way of talking at the Tomo'ingi federation and the "ain't givin' 'em no bullshit" frankness at the Northern federation could be ironed out with a respect for the traditions of others. Such establishment dealings was very often left to Norm, his education at Earth as a social anthropologist and the very formal way of speaking Na'vi he had picked up was suited for diplomacy – it was one of the main reasons that Jake had assigned him the grand scouting eyktan brief.

But when Norm sat down with the people at the newly established Barren Lands federation, he was frustrated. He afterwards gave Jake a depressed report.

"To explain the predicament of us who are to work out this constitution, I can explain you a little about these folks.

This is a small continent with a swarm of small islands dusted around the mainland. It is located northeast of Gargoyle Fish Land, in the northern dry zone so there isn't much forest on land – the seas are teeming with fish though so these clans are mostly fishers. Only two or three clans are living away from the shoreline and they make a meager living in the rainy zone in the valleys in the small mountain range in the inland and along the one large river running down from that range.

As an anthropologist I know that it is 'sinful' to speak the term 'primitive' but concerning these folks I feel so very tempted at uttering it. They live more or less at the level old tales describe as the way of life of all na'vi before the first toruk makto, in tented camps they move around in that is, mostly between islands offshore and the mainland coastline. 'Clan' is probably a misnomer for their society units, 'band' is probably better – none of those fifty–something 'clans' are much above a couple of hundred members. It is a sparsely populated region – I can't imagine that there are as much as ten thousand of them all told. If they have some techniques of keeping from overexploiting their resources other than a traditional frugal life and moving around as they deplete them I can't say, I never heard about any. They don't specialize in crafts and their all-purpose leader is simply their 'eyktan' who is often but not always a male – they have no tsahik. Ay'ikran and fa'li (i.e. banshees and direhorses) are merely culinary items for them, not beasts of mounting and partnering with. They are not aware of the powers of the trees of voices and care little for the Tree of Souls. Those bands are in a permanent state of strife over blood revenge and competition for resources, conflicts are rarely bloody but they last on and on. Bands hardly ever last for generations, they often break and join with other bands when an eyktan of great prestige goes to the arms of Eywa, during the frequent famines or after a disastrously lost conflict, few at Barren Islands will live their lives without experiencing their band going to pieces at least once in their lifetimes. Finally, they don't aknowledge Eywa as more than a hunter's and fisher's guiding spirit who may or may not be benevolent to the hunting or fishing of the day.

As a founding father of many federations I do understand and respect my duty to interfere as little as possible in their age old traditions. But the big question then will be how to create a strong federation at Barren Lands, as traditions nowadays go this federation is likely to be a brittle one."

"Hmmm, a dilemma for sure! Some good news about them, please."

"Well, they at least made no fuss about joining our system of federations. They are afraid of their Toto'ki neighbours to the east and the Myomyo to the south. People of those federations are not particularly warlike – the Myomyo clans have a reputation for vindictiveness and blood revenge though – but they have in the past been severely annoyed with predatory raids from Barren Lands, the clans at the northeastern coastline of Gargoyle Fish Land have also seen a few raids by them, they are happy too to be rid of those plunderers, for now that they have been united under our patronage tables have been turned and some prominent ay'eyktan at Barren Lands have been asking for our assistance in mediating. So lack of willing isn't any problem, ability with implementing is."

"But if they are so few and so backwards, how have they managed to be an aggressive raiding society, even without ay'ikran and fa'li? How have they managed to keep from being overwhelmed by their neighbours?"

"They even out their enemies' mounted and airborne advantage by utilizing the daily occurring phenomenon called 'night'. No ikran is fond of taking to the wings during the night, by sticking to coastlines they have no need for fast movement on land and by hiding in mangrove forests during days they evade those who try to drive them away or nab them after the raid. And living in such a meager nature they are not envied for their territories either."

Jake saw the dilemma of Norm and had a debate with Neytiri, Mo'at, master historian Atanzau, his n-i-c Tsailoni and some other prominent na'vi, to hear their opinion. Their opinions expressed in few words:

Tsailoni: "Interfering with a heavy hand is what we are always trying to avoid. But leaving them outside our system could leave a gaping, festering ulcer in the net of politics we are building up here at Pandora. It would invite to permanent conflict, Barren islanders asking ay'sawtute for help and there we go again."

Neytiri: "Even without Sky People intervention it is the recipe for conflict. And since the Barren Islanders are backward they might lose in the end, it could be a Pandora version of the sad stories about culture destructions Norm has told us has happened many times at Earth. If we force them to develop it could be the best thing that could happen to them after all."

Atanzau: "And Neytiri, don't you remember the story of the Mizotx clan? It has happened before, at Pandora too, and long time before we knew anything about the Sky People! I agree with you, Neytiri."

Mo'at: "All the same, there is a sense deep in my head that starts tingling when speaking about forcing into adaptation. Eywa has decreed what their life ought to be and we better not interfere into Her decisions."

Jake: "But then those bands have indicated willingness to reform by contacting us. That should count for a lot. We can offer change, assist with change desired by the Barren Land clans themselves, that isn't the same thing as forcing to change. It should be possible to find a compromise between retaining old traditions and adapting to changing times. I propose we give Norm a go ahead signal with adapting their ways, in cooperation with the prominent people of the Barren islanders of course. Voice your protest if it is unflinching, please."

Mo'at so to say put her cards down and refrained from making any more protest now. Norm was sitting and listening in to the debate and having a licence to start in earnest with them he rose up. Now he would have a busy schedule, so going to Barren Lands he brought his number two as supreme Namana scout leader, Kiotak the U'o'ne, to have some extra brains to think and argue with. A head scouting teacher from one of the scouting schools was brevetted as interim scouting head leader in their absence – with the promise that successfully managing this task in the absence of Norm and Kiotak would look good on his resume. He might one day be named a grand scouting leader himself – may be…

So the two of them arrived at the selected meeting place at Barren Islands, a grove in a river oasis below the mountain range. They set to work in earnest the day after, but already at first evening they held preliminary speeches.

Norm intoned: "Change is coming to Barren Lands, for the clans that have been Your favourite prey are no more isolated clans but subjects of whole federations eager to defend against raids and may be willing to retaliate in kind. Learning to live in external peace with them will be beneficial then, and internally peace too so that desperation won't force into raiding neighbours. Don't You agree, ay'eyktan?"

Thirty or forty ay'eyktan were sitting and listening, one of them rose up and replied: "We do, we see that times are changing. But we also see that we need a guiding hand in this change. But it is a little hard to get what you are saying, so could you speak in simple words, please?" The dialect was guttural if easily understandable and words were simple – the dialect might have a meagre vocabulary. They were sitting without any formal insignia Norm could see, a Barren Lands eyktan probably had neither any formal attire, inauguration rituals nor any backup authority like a tsahik, and he or she was probably not elected but just "standing out".

So Norm and Kiotak explained in short how things worked elsewhere at Pandora, why these reforms had been initiated – after the expulsion of the dangerous meddlers from the skies they said. An eyktan commented: "Yes, we have heard talk about them." Norm took up the line: "Then you probably understand well why it is so important to build a defence that covers all of this world, the federation – sorry, network – we are offering to assist You with building up should be a part of this, it is more than just mutual peace mediation between the lands here. Or you could say peace making between to enemies." He often had to repeat and rephrase his explanations to be understood by the Barren Lands ay'eyktan. Finally, after quite some time, he concluded: "Now we need to find out how to fit traditions that rule here into this framework – ooops, into this over all higher order tradition – we are creating. As little as possible of your hallowed – proud and sacred, that is – old traditions should be reformed. Norm has spoken."

That was however for the next day. Norm and Kiotak were tired after a long voyage and went early to rest for the night.

Earnest debates started the next day. Norm gave an initial statement. "What we basically are out for, is to keep the sawtute from ever returning in power and malevolence – dangerous plans that is. To accomplish that we of course need teach you suitable fighting abilities and stratagems – oh no, planning knowledge is a better way of saying it. But equally important it is to build a worldwide understanding among all clans, so that sawtute can't come down and play on petty strife to gain a foothold. You have probably heard how they duped ignorant na'vi with narrow horizons into their service, that is what we have to avoid for the future. Building such a worldwide understanding takes talking about peaceful conditions between clans, within regions as well as between them. Are You understanding me well so far, all of You honoured ay'eyktan? Norm has said his opening statement."

One of them rose and he stated: "It is sometimes hard to grasp your words, but we mostly do. We'll ask You to say again if we simply can't take in what you are saying. Pxa'rau has spoken." And he sat down again.

Kiotak continued. "Just to repeat what we told You yesterday night about how na'vi at other lands are doing it nowadays. Eight to twelve clans in each "bundle", all "bundles" of the land together in one "network". Each clan is under a leader of worldly affairs who is the olo'eyktan, his mate is the tsahik who is leader of spiritual affairs of the clan. Member clans elect representatives to advice the tribal chieftain, the "bundle" chieftain, likewise at "network" level. The "bundle" chieftain is elected among the clan chieftains with the consent of the clans, likewise again at "network" level. The clan is further made up of profession groups under one "small eyktan", further subdivided in gangs of ten under a srung taronyu ("able hunter"), in the same way good warriors under an olo'tsamshiu eyktan, whether fighting in air, mounted on fa'li or at foot. Five such gangs is the common size of an olo'kumpongu (clan warrior force). There are schools for training this leadership. How could we manage to establish something like this among the Barren Landers? That is the question of Kiotak."

Another local eyktan spoke up. "No band among us can hope to manage anything like this. Our land simply isn't fruitful enough to carry so big an affair as that. But the network we want to establish – may be… Ninat has spoken."

Norm grabbed the line: "That could be the key! A tsahik and various profession leaders not in every band but in the federation leadership! One school for the whole federation, with classes for each profession. One gang of experts of the federation, like we na'vi otherwise have a household hunting team, a federation warrior guard, a federation singing choir etc.! And an eyktan for each of these small tribes, plus one You can send to the Nawm Fpom Lawk'us (The Great Peace Council). We offer to teach You how to ride fa'li and ikran if You should be interested, we can send experts to teach You hunting – gathering – fishing practices so that outbreaks of hunger will be unlikely, so not forcing You to go a-raiding. Norm has…"

But then he was interrupted by a man coming running into the debate circle. "Sorry for interrupting this meeting of worthies but I have urgent news! A raiding fleet, probably from the Myomyo Land, has been sighted!"

Norm rose in a rush. "What the heck? They have been notified, in terms nobody could mistake, that emissaries from Toruk Makto himself would be bringing peace to these seas. So what the … are they out for?"

Kiotak rose too. "No way to know but what I do know is that Toruk Makto must be notified at once." He turned to a bystanding hunter of the Barren Lands. "Run to where our following ikran ay'makto are resting and tell one of them to fly west to Namana Land, instantly. If the messenger gets exhausted then he must find a local ikran makto who can carry the message further. Toruk Makto Jakesully must get to know that some Myomyo sea warriors are approaching at this critical point of time, they may or they may not come in peace. His presence is in any case demanded." Then he turned to Norm. "We two must now confront the Myomyo raiders and tell them to cease on the spot if they intend to attack. It may be foolhardy but it is probably the best option, they may hesitate with attacking emissaries with immunity."

Norm had never felt at ease with personal bravery, though he could be aroused to it. Defusing a risky situation, with unknown aggressors and for the benefit of faraway people he honestly didn't feel any hot emotions for, didn't make bravery any more appealing for him either. But he knew what was now demanded from him and he was loath to disappoint Jake and the rest of them, so he joined Kiotak.

Even for his experienced scouting masters mounted on ay'ikran, belonging to the élite scouting staff of the Great Peace Council and with the support of those with local, homegrown knowledge of the Barren Lands, it still took quite some time to locate the raiders hiding in the mangroves, not far from the southern point of the southern end of the islands belonging to Barren Lands. But they were found in the end, five canoe loads of sea warriors and a gang of ikran-riders, not quite fifty with a paddle and ten in the air in other words. Judging from adornments at garment, weapons and canoes they were not all Myomyo, it looked like some warriors of the more distant Tomo'ingi federation were among them too.

Norm and Kiotak landed in front of the sea warrior with a belt who looked like the head woman of the raiders. Norm now took the limelight as he was expected to do.

"Warriors on water and in the air, now listen. We two, Norm te Memfis Ron'itan and Kiotak te U'o'ne Murumar'itan, are emissaries from the Namana Land Federation, sent to create peace between the Barren Land people and their neighbours, and while we are discussing this there should be no armed disturbances. Under any circumstance. Are you about to commit such a disturbance?"

The belted sea warrior stood out among the raiders. She might have been picked out as the most prominent fisher of the clan or she might have been one of the first graduates from the Myomyo school of fishing and sea warriors.

"Honoured emissaries, I am Loluri te Kenuti Roine'ite. My sister Naomao was killed by raiders from the Lone Tree clan at Barren Lands, so I am seeking vengeance for her before the opportunity for it closes. To ensure success I invited my cousin Ruzuzu from Tomo'ingi Land to assist me with his ikran-flyers. I asked him to follow because I knew that I would only have one fleeting chance to get my vengeance before my opportunity would be lost forever, so to ensure success I needed air survey. And now I demand You, respected emissaries, to step aside so we can seek out the Lone Tree folks!"

Norm and Kiotak stood their ground and Kiotak put up his index finger. "This opportunity of Yours is already lost, the Barren Lands is by now a federation in its own right, under government so that such events like those are never to happen again, they will learn to live in the peace of Eywa like everyone else. Should You disrespect this fact then do aknowledge that Toruk Makto Jakesully is on the way to take on those disturbers. He indeed is!" Kiotak didn't know that last one for fact but presumed and hoped that he would be proved right.

Kiotak's naked threat made an impression on the raiders. The anger rising in the head of Loluri was evident for everyone to see and hear – she stuttered with agitation! "But punishment… has to be… exacted… somehow! I must… I have to… make sure that those Lone Tree people get what they rightly deserve!"

Norm voiced his support for Kiotak. "You may well be right about that but blood vengeance isn't the best way. Rather go to the Barren Lands federal council and present Your grievances, bring along an experienced talker ('So to say an attorney' Norm thought to himself.) if You don't feel up to arguing Your case for them. I am fully confident that in the end justice is going to be served."

Kiotak picked up where he had left off. "Look around You, Loluri! Watch Your comrades-in-arms and tell me if You really think they are likely to face off with the might of Toruk Makto! Looks to me like more than a few of them are losing their cool already… So back off before You commit some mistake You will come to regret in the not so distant future!"

Loluri took a quick glance among her raiding party partners and saw that Kiotak wasn't very far off the mark. She made an angry face and clenched her fists but said little, apparently fuming with impotent rage.

Norm now took on his academic, so to say professor-like, shape. "I now propose that we make use of this conflict to demonstrate to all clans in the hereabouts how we na'vi solve such conflicts the more beneficial way. Back to Your Kenuti clan at Myomyo Land You go, Loluri, and ask the tribal and federation councils to send talkers along with a Kenuti talker over to the Barren Land federation council, to discuss how to solve this grievance and mend fences.

It took a whole week before Jake arrived, along with his faithful satellite Neytiri. "Norm, I really do hope for your own sake that you have some problem that sincerely does require my and Neytiri's presence! My schedules are full to the brim as always, to get here we had to postpone a lecture in ceremonialism at the Namana Royal Academy and Tsailoni had to stand in for me at the naming of a new adviser to the Great Peace Council in trading to come here! And in a week we have to go to mediate in a quarrel between the Northern Land and the Feo federations for the Minuki islander clan, that clan which can't make up its mind which federation to join."

"I am sorry, we feared the worst when those raiders came, we feared that we would need the prestige of Toruk Makto to avert a full scale war between the federations of Barren Land and Myomyo Land. Didn't turn out that bad, thank Eywa! So now you two can sit back and watch how well a negotiation meeting to resolve a conflict between those two opponents is turning out, you can now intervene with the prestige of your toruk makto status you have if the debate gets bogged down. The idea to call you was Kiotar's but I am fully in line with him on this point."

The conflict resolution meeting was convened shortly after, the participants from abroad had arrived while Jake had been on the way. The meeting had ten participants: A representative from the clans, tribes and federations involved, a moderator from a neutral federation and a witness from each of the aggrieved clans – one of them was Loluri. Evidences were presented from both sides with passion, the misery that had made the Lone Tree clan go at the raid was described in emotional terms and so was the havoc the Lone Tree raiders had wrought. Those from the Lone Tree clan didn't fail to respond with grievances of their own and of course a famine was given as a motivator – leading to indignant replies that in so case they should have asked for emergency assistance rather than sending out a plunder raid!

Negotiations went on and on, both parties were mindful that the famed Toruk Makto Jakesully was present and as was common knowledge, he wasn't one to trifle with so better not whip up trouble…! Norm and Kiotak had the distinct impression that this realization worked to remind the participants that the negotiations simply had to find a solution satisfactory to both parties.

Finally, the differences were ironed out. One from the Lone Tree clan went to work for two years at the Kenuti clan as penance for the raid, in return the Lone Tree clan would in return have back a newly trained clan member, now with insight in superior hunting, gathering and fishing practices. It was left to the Lone Tree clan to find out whom to appoint to this task, if this one showed promise he or she would be sent to the tribe school of hunting, alternatively of gathering or fishing. In short he or she would be educated in how the Barren Islanders could avoid famines for the future. Later on this trained expert could be named leader of his craft and form a school for such people at Barren Lands…

Norm and Kiotak sat in the second row and together with Jake beheld the negotiations and how they turned out. Thus could the needed cultural developments be introduced at Barren Lands with a minimum of transitional pain for the Barren Lands people.

"Good success, Norm! I did have a certain notion that my presence at these dealings had a beneficial effect after all. So now Neytiri and me will at once go to Feo Land, to preside over the border delineation between this new federation and the Northern. Starting now we will have but a day to rest before those negotiations are to get started."

"You can probably take consolation that this busy period is probably soon to come to an end, when all federations are well established. And then, how about a well earned phenomenon from Earth for you – why don't you and Neytiri go for a 'vacation' for two or three weeks? To Western Islands may be or somewhere else rather far off, you would be a most welcome guest wherever you show up! You two haven't taken many days off the last years so you both richly deserve it, Jake and Neytiri! Tsailoni and his mate Terimiri is probably well able to handle your tasks day-to-day, or what do you think?" Norm uttered the term "vacation" in English for the idea that anyone could simply make themselves absent from society to take rest from daily chores for quite some time was alien to the Na'vi, there was no term in the Na'vi language for this English word. Being absent to take rest for an hour or two, or may be a whole day, that was readily understood by all Na'vi. But for weeks on end?

"I have heard worse ideas, Norm!"

"What was it Norm said, ma'Jake? A va-kei-shon?" Neytiri of course didn't understand the term but she soon grasped the content of it.

The notion had an appeal to it, however. When the hectic period of federation establishments etc. ran out and times calmed down again, the two of them went for four weeks of resting time to the Marakxali islanders and were received most courteously there. It was a time of wonderful relaxation. Tsailoni and his mate got their turn with a vacation when Jake and Neytiri finally returned. Not without effect – when Naraporn returned from her expedition to Earth, having given evidence at the court trial of the leadership of New RDA some months after Jake's and Neytiri's return back to everyday work, Neytiri was visibly pregnant with their number three. The product of the time of relaxation was in the end little Sa'aw, one day the playmate and later on, when he had come of age as historian and successor to Atanzau, the mate of the little girl Naraporn finally begat, Kxikat.