The Gatekeeper

by Nuraliah Norasid

  – yun’(ma) roc : originally a jungle-dwelling sub-species. Smaller in size compared to the other two.

  Ro’ ‘dal : common tongue

  ror : many ; common

  ru : a point of reference to oneself ; I

  – It is actually a shortened form of “ru’nee”, which is best translated into “see this child”. Tuyuns, like the Scereans of Su(ma), refer to others primarily using terms that indicate kinship—“na-uk”, “is-uk”, “ja’tur”, “ja’tis”, “nee”, “tu’tur”, “tu’tis”.

  rujot : a point of reference to another when indications of kin are not involved ; you (generally taken to be hostile)

  runa : home ; permanence

  ru’neeura : “I see you in/close to heart” ; a form of greeting between intimates

  Runi : name of the clan that unified the various Tuyun tribes under one banner during the period of Tuyun enlightenment, the same clan that led to the building of the Ne’rut catacombs, later known as the underground system of Nelroote.

  rut : see

  S/C

  /se’h/

  cay : dog ; canine

  cay’nees : Cayanese

  cera : hills

  ceranin : mountains, or tall hills

  sc’r : lizard ; reptile

  sc’rnees : Scereans

  scer : speak

  scer’jot(h) : spoken Sce’ ‘dal : spoken tongue (represented as earliest lingua franca)

  su : marsh

  su(ma) : marshland

  T

  tis : sky

  traac : relatively small domesticated mammal, usually between 25 and 30 centimetres in length, not including the tail. The species is identified by its long, pointed ears that grow backwards from the top of its head, ending with a frill-like finish that resembles those borne by some Scereans. They are solitary animals and can be highly territorial in terms of their direct physical vicinity. However, with training and care, they prove to be good and simple pets for those who do not have the time and energy for a roc.

  tu : earth (world)

  tuis : man ; also flight or “skybound, apart”

  tur : rock

  tura : woman ; also earth or “ground beneath”

  turam : consume ; eat

  tura’is : picture ; also “sexual intercourse” or “joining”

  tura’isnee : most intimate one ; “precious person”

  Turni’in, bcir(o)h : “Ground above, night below”

  – Tuyunri words of prayer when interring the dead

  U

  /oo/

  uk’rh : “what is not, yet could be” ; lower or minor

  uk’m : “what is most, always” ; higher or major

  ura : heart

  uram : keep

  uram’gur : protect ; “keep from harm”

  W

  /‘ur/

  (wre) : on

  wre : wear ; “dress in”

  (wre)ur’ : “to wear on heart” ; Tuyunri equivalent of “thank you”

  Y

  /‘ur/

  yun : wood ; bark

  yun’(ma) : forest ; jungle

  yun’wre : tree

  Notes on language:

  The premise to keep in writing words of the Tuyunri language is that ancient Tuyuns, before the advent of Human civilisation and the compact with the Scereans, are deeply tied to the natural landscape. Their language is deeply embedded in gestures, particularly when speaking of temporalities, and their perception of the natural order of things. As such, their language is also deeply matriarchal, rather than patriarchal. The earlier point on gestures also hints at a hunter’s way of living, in which signals are a preferred means of communication between nees.

  There are very few words of abstraction in the Tuyunri. For example, they lack a word for “love”, seeing how the sentiment is not a thing that words can easily express.

  Symbols and sound:

  ‘ : (apostrophe) is akin to saying “un” without opening the mouth ; back of throat

  ( ) : (parentheses) is a full sound, very similar to saying “orh” with a wide open mouth, embedded within the pronounciations of the words. E.g (ma) will sound like “moah”, with emphasis on the “m” and “ah” sounds.

  Tuyunri words are very rich with sounds that are derived from the animal calls of the jungle.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Firstly, a big big thank you to Edmund Wee of Epigram Books for daring to have the Epigram Books Fiction Prize and providing Singaporean novels, which would otherwise be buried somewhere deep in some drawer, or on a hard disk drive, the opportunity to see light. And for giving many a reason to write. Oh, and where do I begin with all the enthusiasm in putting this book out; thank you to Yong Wen Yeu for the beautiful cover design and maps, to Jason Erik Lundberg and JY Yang for the arduous editing and enduring my terrible propensity to be too optismistic about time. Winston Tay and Andy Lim have both done so much in keeping my neurotic self calm through media events and meetings. Finally to Allan Siew for making me look good in the author photograph and to Clara How for being so wonderful during the initial phases, because my anxiety about this whole thing started way back. This is also not to forget everyone else who has kindly contributed in their own big ways to making the prize (and, as such, this book) possible. Thank you, all you awesome people, you!

  That said, this book has been a long time in the making. A long time. Just ask my PhD supervisor, Jen Crawford, to whom I am indebted for her sharp critical eye and all the positive energies she sent my way while this story was being written up as part of my creative doctorate thesis. I thank her for her friendship and support, especially when it came to pushing me to read and share little bits of earlier drafts in various academic domains. I really look forward to the day this book is in your hands.

  I would also like to thank the members of my defence committee at the English Division of Nanyang Technological University—Neil Murphy, Daniel Jernigan and Barrie Sherwood—for their thought-provoking questions and honest feedback during the viva. The points they raised were very helpful in the preparation of the manuscript. Daniel was especially strict with me throughout my creative writing journey, calling me out each time he felt I was falling short of my potential. Neil was instrumental in getting me into the division, seeing something in me when my grades barely made the cut, which opened my path to this book in the first place.

  The earlier drafts of this novel were read and critiqued by a number of wonderfully helpful people to whom I am deeply grateful: from my peers in my graduate cohort, to the undergraduate students whom I was teaching at the time, and to writer Timothy O’Grady, then one of the NTU-NAC Writers in Residence (International). Thank you for the early feedback.

  My family I have to thank for their fortitude through this journey: my brothers have been supportive of and even optimistic about my writing, and my parents, even though they may have differing opinions on the validity and propriety of fiction within a religious context, have maintained an open mind when I chose to pursue a literary path in my education. My most heartfelt gratitude to my mum, Juliah Bte Othman, who has endured so much in her own life to make sure I got mine. I am afraid I may be too rebellious and headstrong a daughter, and she always feared me going out there into the world. But I have only learnt from the best of women.

  To Rebecca Yeo, my friend since thirteen and my sister from another mother, thank you for seeing me through the “Wolverine” days, and for making me go out when you know I have been holing up in my room for too long. To Nurul Ain Yahya: So much of the wisdom of this novel was born and sharpened from our lunch and coffee sessions together. Terima kasih, sahabat, bagi sokongan, dorongan dan suntingan-suntingan kritikal anda terhadap novel ini.

  I also have my colleagues at the Centre for Research on Islamic and Malay Affairs (RIMA), Shariff, Nabilah and the ever calm Diyana, and the Board of Directors—current and former—Mr. Nazzim, Dr Razak, Dr Nawab and Mr Azha Putra, to thank for their support and excitement through th
e course of this publication journey. No one could be more excited about the prospects this book will have than the centre’s projects coordinator, Shariff. And when I thought I was going to be in deep trouble, the Directors have proven to be true champions of achievement within the community by being some of the first to congratulate me on the news. Thank you.

  Finally, to my Lydia and Garrus combined, Frederick Wu: if you had not bugged me so much about the EBFP and flooded me with email upon email of publishing and writing opportunities, The Gatekeeper would be absolutely nowhere near where it is now. Thank you for having so much faith in everything that I do (except climbing stools with no accident), for coming to get me when I needed a shoulder, and for all the little things that you do to free up the mental bandwidth for creative work. Thank you so much for your initial work on the maps upon which the ones in this book are based. I could not ask for a better supporter, man-in-arms, sounding board of crazy ideas and best friend. Ru’neeura.

  And to everyone else who, in their own ways, have made this novel possible, (wre)ur’, thank you.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  NURALIAH NORASID holds a PhD in English Literature and Creative Writing from Nanyang Technological University. She works as a research associate at the Centre for Research on Islamic and Malay Affairs (RIMA), where she studies marginalities and the confluence of religious ideas and secular society. Her writing has been published in QLRS, Karyawan Magazine, AMPlified and Perempuan: Muslim Women Speak Out. The Gatekeeper is her first novel.

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  The Epigram Books Fiction Prize promotes contemporary creative writing and rewards excellence in Singaporean literature. The richest literary prize in Singapore is awarded to the Singaporean, permanent resident or Singapore-born author for the best manuscript of a full length, original and unpublished novel written in the English language.

  For more information, please visit EBFP.EPIGRAMBOOKS.SG