realized that Goddess Gemu was punishing us and they refused to obey the Han. It was not until recent years the lake recovered.”
Sharon by heritage was Han too. She felt guilty for what the government had done to the Moso. Charlene told her that the Han had interfered with Moso’s marriage custom too, saying that it was primitive and immoral and forcing the married couples to establish their own households. It wasn’t until recently that the same custom was accepted and even praised because of international attention that the Moso had gotten and for the sake of tourist development.
Nobul was still looking solemn in reminiscence. Obviously the past had left a scar on every Moso’s heart.
“I’m sorry.” Sharon said.
“For what?” He looked startled.
“For what we, the Han have done to the Moso.”
He laughed, “But you didn’t take part in it. You weren’t even born back then.”
“Still,” Sharon lowered her eyes.
Nobul said cheerfully “It was in the past. Anyway, we’ve learned our lessons. The lake belongs to Goddess Gemu. She grants us the right to use it, and if she wants, she can take it back.”
Sharon was impressed by that pious look on his face.
“That mountain over there is Gemu mountain.” He pointed to her left.
It was a mountain in the shape of a lion’s upper body. Its head was bare rock and the rest was covered with trees. Vividly illuminated in the slanting sunshine, its face was unmistakably lion’s features, magnificent.
“Gemu was a female lion?” Sharon asked.
“Yes. A benevolent goddess with a lion’s strength and a female’s compassion.”
“Are there any legends about her?”
“Plenty. What do you want to hear?”
“Um, let me think. How about how she battled the evil gods and save the land for the Moso?”
He laughed. “No such violence. She wins with love and compassion, and sometimes tears.”
“Tears?”
“Yes. The whole lake is her made of her tears. A sky lord lusted over Gemu, and turned her lover into a hill, and separated them by an uncrossable chasm. Gemu filled the chasm with her tears, so they were connected again.”
“Interesting. Tears are valued by the Moso?”
“Exactly, along with love and compassion. Ours is a matriarchal society. We value feminine characteristics.”
“Do Moso woman really rule?”
“Yes. The head of the household is always a woman. She owns the property, and she owns the children of her marriage.” Nobul’s voice dwindled.
Sharon didn’t notice the change in Nobul’s expression. Her eyes beamed with awe, “Walk-marriage is wonderful. A Moso woman is never the slave of her husband.”
“But a woman doesn’t have to be the slave of her husband even in a Han or western marriage!” Nobul asserted.
“Um,” the flickers in her eyes died, and she whispered, “but she often is.”
Nobul sensed that he had touched a sensitive spot of her, and he asked softly, “Have you been married before?”
“No,” she shook her head quickly, “but I know it from my parents’ marriage.”
“And you’ve determined not to marry because of that?”
She blushed at his insight, but nodded nonetheless,
Sharon by heritage was Han too. She felt guilty for what the government had done to the Moso. Charlene told her that the Han had interfered with Moso’s marriage custom too, saying that it was primitive and immoral and forcing the married couples to establish their own households. It wasn’t until recently that the same custom was accepted and even praised because of international attention that the Moso had gotten and for the sake of tourist development.
Nobul was still looking solemn in reminiscence. Obviously the past had left a scar on every Moso’s heart.
“I’m sorry.” Sharon said.
“For what?” He looked startled.
“For what we, the Han have done to the Moso.”
He laughed, “But you didn’t take part in it. You weren’t even born back then.”
“Still,” Sharon lowered her eyes.
Nobul said cheerfully “It was in the past. Anyway, we’ve learned our lessons. The lake belongs to Goddess Gemu. She grants us the right to use it, and if she wants, she can take it back.”
Sharon was impressed by that pious look on his face.
“That mountain over there is Gemu mountain.” He pointed to her left.
It was a mountain in the shape of a lion’s upper body. Its head was bare rock and the rest was covered with trees. Vividly illuminated in the slanting sunshine, its face was unmistakably lion’s features, magnificent.
“Gemu was a female lion?” Sharon asked.
“Yes. A benevolent goddess with a lion’s strength and a female’s compassion.”
“Are there any legends about her?”
“Plenty. What do you want to hear?”
“Um, let me think. How about how she battled the evil gods and save the land for the Moso?”
He laughed. “No such violence. She wins with love and compassion, and sometimes tears.”
“Tears?”
“Yes. The whole lake is her made of her tears. A sky lord lusted over Gemu, and turned her lover into a hill, and separated them by an uncrossable chasm. Gemu filled the chasm with her tears, so they were connected again.”
“Interesting. Tears are valued by the Moso?”
“Exactly, along with love and compassion. Ours is a matriarchal society. We value feminine characteristics.”
“Do Moso woman really rule?”
“Yes. The head of the household is always a woman. She owns the property, and she owns the children of her marriage.” Nobul’s voice dwindled.
Sharon didn’t notice the change in Nobul’s expression. Her eyes beamed with awe, “Walk-marriage is wonderful. A Moso woman is never the slave of her husband.”
“But a woman doesn’t have to be the slave of her husband even in a Han or western marriage!” Nobul asserted.
“Um,” the flickers in her eyes died, and she whispered, “but she often is.”
Nobul sensed that he had touched a sensitive spot of her, and he asked softly, “Have you been married before?”
“No,” she shook her head quickly, “but I know it from my parents’ marriage.”
“And you’ve determined not to marry because of that?”
She blushed at his insight, but nodded nonetheless,
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