Class: The Aiel

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This is a transcript of the class about the Aiel with Liiane Sedai from June, 2010. The class was 85% completed with only one lesson not posted. Two people completed the class with five out of six homeworks submitted.

Lesson Plan

Week 1: Introduction, Aiel customs
Week 2: Aiel clan structure, Aiel family structure
Week 3: Aiel warrior society structure
Week 4: Wise Ones
Week 5: Aiel prophecies -- the Prophecy of Rhuidean, which prophecies have been fulfilled and which have yet to be fulfilled, and speculation on the meaning of some unfulfilled prophecies.
Week 6: Aiel history
Week 7: Aiel present -- location and allegiances of the clans and clan leaders, TBA depending on spoilers.

As you can see, this will be a pretty quick class, and we will be covering a lot of material in each lesson. It's important that you try and keep up!

As your teacher, I promise to be on time with all lessons, to keep things as clear as possible, to answer all your questions to the best of my ability, to direct you to useful outside resources, and to have someone let you know immediately if something unforseen occurs that takes me away from the class for more than a week.

As students, I expect you to be on time with your homework, ask questions, let me know if you will be gone more than a week or will be dropping the class, and above all, to respect that other people have not finished the books yet and not spoil them.

Again, anything past Book 5 is considered a spoiler for purposes of this class. Once I've determined how far everyone is I may change that, and if I do I will let you know. Otherwise, please spoilertext any replies that contain material further on than Book 5.


Week 1: Introduction, Aiel Customs

The Aiel live in a large expanse of land east of the Spine of the World, in what is commonly known as 'The Waste', but known to themselves as the Three Fold Land.

It is named such because of the beliefs the Aiel hold regarding the land.

  1. It is a shaping ground to make them.
  2. It is a testing ground, to prove their worth.
  3. It is a punishment for their sin.

Only certain people are allowed to enter or cross the Three-fold Land -- peddlers, gleemen, and Tua'athan (Tinkers).

Outside the Three Fold Land, little is known of the Aiel other than that they are dangerous warriors who veil their faces when they're about to kill you. :p

They fight only with weapons that have practical uses such as spears, staffs and arrows, and never with swords.

The Aiel are divided into clans, and the clans into septs. There are also warrior societies, which span all the clans, and Wise Ones, who are also somewhat held apart.

The Aiel have many customs that differ from those of the countries on the other side of the Spine of the World. All of them have significance to the main concept in Aiel culture, ji'e'toh.

Ji’e’toh is a complex relationship of honor and obligation. Ji, or honor, is balanced by toh, or obligation. To Wetlanders, the ideals of ji’e’toh are confusing, to say the least, and for an Aiel to try to explain how ji’e’toh works to one not born Aiel is also very difficult. Basically, ji'e'toh is the essence of Aiel culture, and it IS the Aiel. It defines them.

Ji, or honor, is valued above all else in Aiel society. There are many paths to find honor. One of the most difficult ways to gain honor is to touch an armed, living enemy without killing him. Being able to kill an enemy is simple; to leave an enemy alive, but one’s captive, is infinitely harder, and thus increases the honor gained.

Toh, or obligation, can only be determined by the one who has incurred it. To remind someone that he or she has incurred toh is to shame them in the worst way. Toh must be acknowledged, met and discharged before the person can restore balance and raise their eyes again. Toh can be incurred by lots of things, like lying, stealing, doing something to put the clan in danger, or when a person feels they have done something inappropriate.

Once a person's toh is met, it is forgotten as if it had never happened. Ji is once again restored.

Other Aiel customs include: - Aiel women ask men to marry them, not the other way around - It is forbidden to harm a blacksmith, or for a blacksmith to fight - Aiel will not use or carry a sword - Aiel will not ride a horse


Questions:

  1. What is the term used by the Aiel to refer to outsiders, or those who are not Aiel?
  2. What are some physical characteristics of the Aiel?
  3. Pick an Aiel custom (either one I discussed or a different one) and explain it fully.
  4. What is an action that could gain you ji?
  5. What is an action that could gain you toh?
  6. What are some ways to meet your toh?


Week 2: Aiel Clan Structure, Aiel Family Structure

The Aiel society is based on clans instead of nations. There are 13 clans, including the Jenn, but for purposes of this lesson we'll be discussing the 12 active clans. The 12 clans are Chareen, Codarra, Daryne, Goshien, Miagoma, Nakai, Reyne, Shaarad, Shaido, Shiande, Taardad and Tomanelle.

The clans are divided into subgroups called septs. Each sept has its own chief, and all the sept chiefs report to the clan chief.

Only men can be clan chief. Paths to power for women are different -- either being a roofmistress or Wise One.

The Aiel family structure is a little different from what we're used to, and each family relationship has a separate name. In your immediate family, you'd have a mother, father, and first-siblings. Your mother's sister (your aunt) is known as your sister-mother and your father's sister (aunt) is your father-mother. It seems like a lot to learn, but it actually makes a lot of sense in a clan-based society -- when you have a big family it's useful to be able to define people's relationships to you as "sister-mother" instead of "my aunt from my mom's side".

Other family terms are:

First-sisters: First-sisters are daughters of the same mother. ALSO, People who have been near-sisters for a time can become first-sisters by asking a Wise One who then use a form of Bonding on the two women.

First-brothers: First-brothers is the name of a relationship between two Aiel men. It means having the same mother (they are real brothers), but not necessarily the same father.

Second-sisters: Second-sisters is the name of a kinship between two Aiel women. It means your mothers are sisters. For a real world perspective, your second-sister would be your cousin. This is considered a closer relationship than father-sisters, but not as close as first-sisters.

Second-brothers: Second-brothers is the name of a kinship between two Aiel men. It means your mothers are sisters. For a real world perspective, your second-brother would be your cousin.

Father-sisters: Father-sisters is the name of a kinship between two Aiel women. It means your fathers are brothers. For a real-world perspective, your father-sister would be your cousin. Father-sisters aren't considered as closely related as second-sisters.

Sister-wife: Sister-wife is the name of a relationship between two Aiel women. It means they share a husband.

There are others, but these are the main ones.

When Aiel want to marry, the woman makes a bridal wreath for the man, and if he picks it up, he has accepted her proposal. The bridal wreath can be made from different types of flowers, each of which represents a different personality type the woman has.

When Aiel marry, after they exchange wedding vows, the groom and his family fight their way through the bride's family, then he fights her into submission and carries her off.

When an Aiel woman wants to marry a man who already has a wife, it is the wife she must talk to, not the man. If the wife is willing to accept her as sister-wife, they can marry. The man doesn't have a say in the process. :)

Questions!

  1. Give me an example from the books of each of the following types of relationships: First-sister, near-sister, sister-wife.
  2. Give me an example of a flower that can be used in a bridal wreath, and its significance.
  3. Name one type of Aiel family relationship I didn't cover in this lesson, and describe it for your classmates.
  4. What Clan and Sept is Aviendha from?
  5. Which Clans were known to had blood feuds between each other?
  6. How many Wise Ones must a sept chief get permission from if he wants to try and become clan chief? Describe the process.


Week 3: Aiel Warrior Society Structure

There are 12 official Aiel warrior societies:

Sovin Nai (Knife Hands) Far Dareis Mai (Maidens of the Spear) Shae'en M'taal (Stone Dogs) Aethan Dor (Red Shields) Seia Doon (Black Eyes) Far Aldazar Din (Brothers of the Eagle) Rahien Sorei (Dawn Runners) Sha'mad Conde (Thunder Walkers) Hama N'dore (Mountain Dancers) Cor Darei (Night Spears) Tain Shari (True Bloods) Duadhe Mahdi'in (Water Seekers)

There are two other groups that may be considered societies, the Mera'din, or the brotherless, and the siswai'aman, or spear of the dragon.

The Mera'din is a new society that formed after Rand declared himself the Car'a'carn. When Rand al'Thor revealed the nature of the Aiel and their history many refused to believe what he said. These Aiel defected to the Shaido; however, abandoning clan and sept is anathema to the Aiel, and so these renegades became the Mera'din, the Brotherless. The other Aiel ignore them.

The siswai'aman are comprised of men and women from all societies, even some who are still ga'shain. They consider their loyalty to the Car'a'Carn above all other loyalties and wear a red headband showing their allegiance. All the other Aiel refuse to talk about them and pretend the aberration doesn't exist.

Of all the societies, we know much more about Far Dareis Mai than any others.

Far Dareis Mai (Maidens of the Spear):

One day early in the Jenn Aiel's history a woman's child was taken by raiders. This woman, named Morin, refused to merely ask for aid. She demanded to go and fight with the men, knowing that this would mean that she could never return to her wagons. She was given a shortened spear which is now in use by every Aiel. Morin became wedded to the spear, saying that she was married to no man. Today, no Maiden of the Spear may marry, nor carry a child while she carries the spear.

Any child born of a Maiden must be given by a Wise One to a Wise One of another clan. In this way no one may know who the mother of the child was, and the child grows up not knowing. The Maidens also have a whole language of signs and hand signals. All societies, clans, septs, and even holds have their own, but the Maidens have created an entire language out of it.

Far Dareis Mai often form the scouting parties of most Aiel armies. They are usually above regular Aiel and known for their skill. Almost every little girl in the Aiel Waste grows up learning rudimentary spear and bow skills in hopes of one day becoming a Maiden. Maidens are the main bodyguard for Rand al'Thor.


Questions:

  1. Name 5 Aiel warriors and the society, clan and sept (if known) they belong to.
  2. Which society are said to be akin to police for the Aiel?
  3. Which society is used as rear guard?
  4. Why, in your opinion, do the Aiel ignore the siswai'aman?


Week 4: Wise Ones

“I have heard it said that a man caught between his wife and a Wise One often wishes for a dozen old enemies to fight instead. A man caught between a wife and three Wise Ones, and the wife a Wise One herself, must consider trying to slay Sightblinder.” —Aviendha

This lesson contains some spoilers from The Gathering Storm. If you haven't read The Gathering Storm, you can still finish the lesson! Just don't scroll over the spoilertext stuff. You won't need it to answer the questions. If you use any of that information in your answers, please please please remember to spoilerfont it!

Every Aiel woman who can channel or Dreamwalk will be trained as a Wise One, though there are also many Wise Ones who can do neither. All Wise Ones are trained in the use of herbs and healing. Until recently, the fact that Wise Ones could channel was not known by people other than the Aiel, and all Wise Ones avoided contact with Aes Sedai for fear of being taken to the White Tower.

Wise Ones have great influence among the clans and also great responsibility. They stand apart from blood-feuds, cannot be harmed or impeded in any way according to ji'e'toh, and cannot be taken as gai'shain. Certain events in Aiel society require the approval of the Wise Ones, for example, three Wise Ones are required to declare a person dat'sang and four Wise Ones must give permission for a man wishing to become Clan chief to enter Rhuidean.

Unlike the Aes Sedai, strength in the One Power has no bearing on a woman’s standing among the Wise Ones; nor (it seems) does any other factor besides a Wise One’s strength of will. To become a Wise One, a prospective apprentice must first go to Rhuidean and enter a ter'angreal much like the one used by the Aes Sedai in the White Tower for the test to become Accepted. However, instead of facing one's fears, the Rhuidean ter'angreal allows the user to see their future, laid out for them many many times in variation.

After this first test, the apprentice undergoes training in various aspects of being a Wise One. From the use of the One Power, to Dreamwalking, to the use of herbs and medicine, depending on the student's abilities and talents. In the mean time, she must also serve the Wise Ones much as gai'shain do, by making tea, tending the sweat tents, etc.

When an apprentice's training is complete, she would be subjected to menial, and increasingly meaningless tasks without any further training, until she declares herself ready to be a Wise One. This step of the training is often confusing to the apprentice, as she would not know why she was being subjected to such seemingly unfair treatment. However, the rationale is that the apprentice must see herself as an equal to the Wise Ones rather than be told she is ready, and therefore thinking independently rather than remaining obedient as an apprentice would. She also must understand what it feels to be treated as dat'sang, because one of the most serious duties of a Wise One is to declare someone dat'sang and it is a serious thing to do.

Questions:

  1. Name five Wise Ones, their clans, and sept if known.
  2. What are some differences between Wise Ones and Aes Sedai? Think in terms of training, testing, hierarchy, and so forth.
  3. What do apprentice Wise Ones have to do on their second trip to Rhuidean?


Week 5: Aiel Prophecies

The Aiel prophecies are not the Prophecies of the Dragon. They are prophecies of Rhuidean, and tell of the coming of He Who Comes With The Dawn. The biggest thing to remember in discussing these is that, although the Dragon Reborn and He Who Comes With The Dawn ended up being the same person, that wasn't necessarily a given, and even after the Aiel helped in the fall of the Stone of Tear and started guiding Rand, it wasn't because they already accepted him as He Who Comes With The Dawn; rather, it was because they thought there was a good chance he might be and wanted to get him back to Rhuidean safely so that they could find out whether he was or was not. If he was not, they would have just kept looking.

He Who Comes With The Dawn is destined to change the Aiel society.

Parts of the Prophecies:

He will unite the clans and he will destroy them.

The Aiel will leave the Three-fold Land and be changed forever.

He will be of Aiel blood, born of a Maiden of the Spear ("Blood of our blood mixed with the old blood, raised by an ancient blood not ours.").

The stone that never falls will fall to announce his coming. Of the blood, but not raised by the blood, he will come from Rhuidean at dawn and tie you together with bonds you cannot break. He will take you back, and he will destroy you.

We will know him when we see him, for he will be marked.

Under this sign (the ancient Aes Sedai symbol) he will conquer.

He shall spill out the blood of those who calls themselves Aiel as water on sand, and he shall break them as dried twigs, yet the remnant of a remnant he shall save, and they shall live.

QUESTIONS

  1. Why is Rand's being born of a Maiden of the Spear so important to the other Maidens of the Spear, enough so that they claim him as theirs to protect?
  2. How did Rand find out the Aiel were part of the Prophecies of the Dragon in the first place? What made him then realize he needed to go to the Waste?
  3. This is just an opinion question -- what do you think "the remnant of a remnant" that will live means? Any ideas as to who it might be?
  4. Which prophecies, of those above, have been fulfilled, and how?

Week 6: History of the Aiel

The Aiel as they exist during the current Age are very different from their Age of Legends ancestors. We get to see thiis when Rand is in Rhuidean, going through the columns ter'angreal. Part of your homework will consist of rereading that part of the book. :)

A brief summary:

During the Age of Legends, the Aiel were known as Da'shain Aiel, and lived by the Covenant, the "Way of the Leaf", and served the Aes Sedai. They were respected and honored and people were careful not to take advantage of their pacifism, unlike the 3rd Age attitude towards the Tinkers, who live the same way.

After Lews Therin and the Hundred Companions sealed the Bore, and the Dark One's counterstroke tainted Saidin and began the Time of Madness, the remaining female Aes Sedai made preparations for several Foretellings, and entrusted a great cache of angreal, sa'angreal, ter'angreal and chora trees to the Aiel, instructing them to take care and protect the items of the Power and find someplace safe for them.

At several points during their journey, the Aiel split up into what would become different groups.

The first split came after the Aiel train had been traveling for several generations and suffering attack after attack from those who would take advantage of them and were desperate for food, water, and supplies. Several of the Aiel just snapped, and decided they couldn't take care of the chora trees and objects of the Power any more, and that they needed to focus on just surviving, and recreating the old days by relearning the seed songs. They became the Tinkers, or Tua'than, continuing to follow the Way of the Leaf and roam the world looking for "the Song." The Aiel reluctantly allow Tinkers to cross their lands but will not speak to them and only reluctantly speak of them.

The second split occurred after yet more attacks and raids, when several captives had been taken and several of the younger people decided they were going to save the captives instead of just sitting back passively and allowing attack after attack. After they returned from retrieving the captives, they were shunned by the other Aiel for forsaking the Way of the Leaf.

The remaining Da'Shain Aiel who followed the Way of the Leaf eventually became the Jenn Aiel, or "the only true Aiel." The rest of the Aiel protected the Jenn and the few remaining Power items and chora cuttings that were left. Eventually, the Jenn and some Aes Sedai built Rhuidean, and called the clans to what became the Pact of Rhuidean, where the tradition of going through the ter'angreal to become a clan chief was started in order to ensure the Aiel would never completely forget where they came from.

Questions:

  1. Describe the Way of the Leaf. Discuss the similarities and differences between the Way of the Leaf and the Water Way of the Amayar.
  2. Why do Aiel cover their faces when they fight?
  3. Why do Aiel refuse to touch or use swords?
  4. Who was the first Maiden of the Spear?
  5. What was the threatened penalty for any clan or sept chief who refused to come to the meeting at Rhuidean or who refused to go through the arches and follow the Pact of Rhuidean?
  6. The Da'Shain Aiel split twice. One split resulted in the Tinkers emerging. Another ended with the Jenn Aiel splitting from the main group, along with the Aes Sedai they were guarding. Why do you think the Aiel allow Tinkers to cross the Waste, despite not liking them, while they don't allow Aes Sedai to cross?

Other homework:

Go reread the part of The Shadow Rising where Rand goes through the ter'angreal in Rhuidean and sees the history of the Aiel.

Graturated Students