Dream || Neteyam

Twenty

italicized is when they are signing

"Neteyam, no!" I shove my hand at him to push his hand down. He laughs at me, as he pulls it back up.

After all this time, he still gets stuck on some of the words in our signing language. 

While the rest of the kids do their new chores, that the clan all have to pitch in and do, he is still learning parts of the obvious language. "Ni'awtu, do we have to do this?"

I give him an obvious look. "Yes. Neteyam. We do."

He groans and lays down in the sand.

"Up!" I lean over, my eyes almost directly above his, setting my knee between his legs and slap his stomach. "You have to learn the way to live here. Remember?"

"Aw, now why do that when I have you and my lovely siblings?" He smiles, looking into my eyes deeply.

I roll my eyes, and grab his hand to pull him up. Eye contact like that does not seem like a good idea in any way. "You are only getting a few things wrong."

"Fine." He looks up at me, bored, waiting for my explanation.

"What happened to being eldest and responsible?"

Beings that's all he wants to do, I don't understand why he's not learning this better. He should be able to speak on behalf of his family.

Kiri and Lo'ak almost have it down. Tuk is still learning but is almost done as well.

"I am in everything, but this." He jokes.

I smile, setting up my hands again.

And then I hear the sound. The loud shell noise sounds throughout the entire reef. This sound is going to answer everything Ive been wondering about.

It makes me stand instantly to look around.

Shortly after I stand, everyone is yelling and jumping into the water. They're back.

My heart does a spin in my chest. Neteyam stands up, confused.

"Neteyam they're here!" I grab his hand and squeeze it really hard.

"Who's here?" He asks, looking to everyone. I begin to pull him towards the water.

"Our tulkun!"

It is the perfect day for them to come back to us. The water is calm, it is sunny, I am happy.

"This sound means that our tulkun have returned. We have different shell sounds for a lot of things."

He laughs and calls for his ilu.

In the water, further away, I get my first sight of them. They look more beautiful than the last time I saw them. But that's how it always seems.

People jump on the skimwings with the tulkun, there are cheers for happiness. The big animals cause big splashes, and they all call loudly to their sisters and brothers. 

Everything comes together when they come back. 

In the distance I can hear Tsireya calling everyone to tell them our spirit siblings have returned. Thinking about Luitouy makes my skin get chills.

As soon as I get onto my ilu, I dive into the water to find my spirit sister. Usually she isn't very hard to find.

Neteyam follows me, watching the excitement.

Everyone talks and plays with their tulkun, bonding with them once again.

It's got to be fascinating seeing it for the first time.