Posted by Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in Friendship and Raw Fish

Posted by Civilian Kenzo B’tren-Hyrushi (Governor) in Friendship and Raw Fish

Posted by Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in Friendship and Raw Fish
Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snips)

Eela tapped the tips of her chopsticks to her lips and smirked. “No, you don’t have to bring anything except your lovely self.” First a real smile and then a laugh. Goodness, this was fascinating! “And care to share with the class?” she teased.

~Eela

He shrugged slightly and said looked down as he started preparing another dish. “I was thinking that if a purist saw me teaching you to dip your food, they would lose their minds. And then I thought how it was interesting when practicality and experience override tradition and ceremony. And that led me to think that the closest person who would take umbrage to you dipping was billions of kilometers from here; and besides…” and he paused and looked at her, his black eyes filled with amusement, “… I’m the Governor. I can do what I want.” and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly as he went back to making the next dish.

Kenzo

She laughed. “Yes, you can! We both can, with obvious caveats and the possible need for protective gear. We really should enquire with a designer about making something fashionable.” This time, unlike others before, Eela was entirely joking. Even if they were remotely serious, she might as well have opted for the full torso brace Jal’na had shown her that first day and then she could waddle about awkwardly. No thanks.

“You know, some days I really miss Halii, but it’s the planet of my childhood. I don’t get back there very often and the thing I’ve observed is that through all my travels I became content to weave bits and pieces of my culture into everything around me. It also helped I think that I was raising mixed-species children. We wanted them to feel grounded in their roots, so it became less about following exact dictates and about how it made them, and me, feel. I can still feel Haliian and connected to my culture even though I have no one on my life who has that specific cultural upbringing.” With her parents and all her grandparents gone there were no elders to learn from- not of her family anyway, it was just her.

~Eela

Kenzo took a drink and said “The first time we left Japan, I was homesick even though I had not been born there. My father, although strict, was very wise and open to discussions of emotions. He sat me down when I was particularly unhappy and said something that has always stayed with me. He said ‘Japan is not a place. Japanese is not an ethnicity. Both are states of being. Japan is our soul, so we are never without it. Japanese is when we are in synchronization with that soul. If you are comfortable and proud when you say to yourself ‘I am Japanese.’ then you are in Japan, and you are home. If you do not feel that way, seek solace in your traditions and you will return home.’

Kenzo

She smiled warmly. “Wise man,” Eela said before taking a sip. “And I agree. I think identity within a culture is very much about how you feel. I think that’s why Caridee felt so strongly about coming out for Batarael. Each day of the six has a theme, a call-to-action. The First Day is Gather. I think, for obvious reasons, that’s been hard to do the last several years, and honestly, even before that. I miss that.” Her smile became rueful. “I think I’m trying to find the places in my days and weeks here where I can share touches of Haliian life, even if it doesn’t look like what I’m used to. I mean, I don’t know how we’d possibly fit in all the parties Haliian have into our schedule!” she said, breaking into a laugh.

~Eela

“Traditions are not about the act.” Kenzo said and took a drink. “They are about the feelings of community and connectivity they produce within us. If the schedule does not allow for the tradition… change the tradition, keep the connection.” He shook his head and began working again. “Far too many believe that traditions and ceremony are immutable. Fixed and aset in stone.” His knife work was precise and controlled, yet seemed as if it was meaningful. “Here. Now. The motions of rhe knife have a purpose… but they mean something to me that I learned from a master. This kitchen is not a sushi restaurant. I am not a chef. But the art speaks for itself. It is the new interpretation of the art that connects us the old feelings they are supposed to enshrine. Many say the journey is more i.portant than the destination. I would argue that if the destination is reached, the journey should be up to the one doing the traveling.” He set a rose made of tuna and lemon on her plate. “The destination. And the journey was one I enjoyed and learned from. So… the art and tradition, even if not as originally intended, served its purpose.”

Kenzo