The Golden Land (19 page)

After many weeks, using this network Thomas's wife managed to enter a refugee camp in Thailand. But conditions in the refugee camp were bad. There was little food and the sanitation was very poor. She became very ill and almost died. She was extremely fortunate that a doctor from Médicins Sans Frontières was able to save her life. Messages were carried between the various refugee camps and Thomas heard where she was and they were reunited. Thomas continued to write about conditions in Burma, the military junta and the problems faced by the people in the refugee camps, waiting years for some country to accept them. He started to broadcast through the Free Voice of Burma radio and, as a result, his father was arrested and tortured.

‘I was telling the truth about what has happened to my country under the military regime,' said Thomas, his voice now firm and assured. ‘The serious abuse of human rights committed by the armed forces, especially in ethnic-minority areas, still continues. It includes rape and torture, arbitrary executions, the indiscriminate use of landmines and the forced labour of millions of Burmese citizens. The regime is involved in a modern-day slave trade, which includes the kidnapping, buying and selling of children to be used as child soldiers.' He paused as Natalie, Holly and Jodie exchanged shocked glances.

‘My country was once the rice bowl of Asia. We exported teak, jade and rubies. Now our rich resources, gas and oil, are being exploited so that the generals can become rich while the ordinary people never have enough to eat. There are few paying jobs, no health care and very limited opportunities. They remain impoverished beneath the boots of the fattened junta. We need Aung San Suu Kyi to be free, to help bring about democratic change in Burma! Please, take a leaflet with you. It will explain what action you can take to bring about change. Thank you for supporting us today.'

Thomas received an enthusiastic round of applause.

‘I'll take a pamphlet but how are they ever going to boot out the military?' said Emma to Natalie.

‘Peaceful persistence,' said Natalie.

There were some brief closing remarks from Thi, thanking everyone for their support, before a large birthday cake with flaring sparklers was pushed to the fore. Natalie could see Vicki trying to organise the media. Photographers from the local newspapers took pictures and a couple of cameramen filmed the cutting-of-the-cake ceremony while the crowd enthusiastically sang ‘Happy Birthday'. The singing and sparklers quickly captured the children's attention, and they were soon asking for cake.

‘Will this be on the news tonight?' said Emma.

‘Could be,' said Natalie. ‘My friend Vicki is the media organiser for the group and I saw her with a journalist interviewing Thi and Mi Mi earlier. Burma's problems need all the publicity they can get. Let's help the kids get some cake. Do you want to try some of the food?'

Natalie and her friends gathered up their things and counted heads when Natalie heard her name being called.

‘Natalie! I wondered if I'd see you here,' said Moss walking towards her.

‘Hi, Moss, nice to see you.'

‘Which are your children?' he asked.

‘Those two, Charlotte and Adam. Moss, these are my friends Jodie, Emma and Holly. Our children all go to the same preschool.' As Jodie and Moss greeted each other, Natalie added, ‘Moss is in my yoga class.'

‘What did you think of the rally? Not a bad rollup,' Moss said. ‘Must be a few hundred people here.'

‘I thought it came together well,' agreed Natalie.

‘The speeches were very moving. Quite inspirational,' said Jodie. ‘Are you with the Friends of Burma, too?'

Moss smiled. ‘I'm a friend of Burma, and a great admirer of Aung San Suu Kyi. Especially how she combines her Buddhist philosophy with a political agenda.'

‘Moss teaches Buddhism and Asian art,' explained Natalie to Jodie.

‘I thought Buddhism was more pacifist, you know, not involved in politics. I always think of the three wise monkeys – hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil,' said Jodie.

‘Burmese Buddhism doesn't mean being passive, but rather calm patience without fear. It is said that's what has carried Aung San Suu Kyi through her ordeals. She demonstrates that the personal spiritual struggle can't be separated from one's political beliefs and actions,' said Moss.

‘Isn't that interesting,' said Natalie. ‘Moss, we've promised the kids a piece of cake. Would you join us for a coffee?'

‘Yes, do,' said Jodie. ‘You coming, Emma, Holly?'

‘No, we've got to get back. Thanks, Nat, it's been a great morning. See you guys later,' replied Holly.

The children raced ahead towards the food stall followed by Jodie. Moss took Natalie's bag as she pushed the stroller.

‘So do you still keep your finger on the pulse of what is going on in Burma?' said Natalie.

‘I try to. I think Aung San Suu Kyi is an inspirational leader for many reasons. Particularly the fact she is a woman, leading by example, in a nation dominated by traditional male monasticism, not to mention a male military junta.'

‘That's true,' said Natalie thoughtfully.

They found a table and the children quickly tucked into their slices of birthday cake.

‘Let me treat you both to coffee,' said Moss.

‘Thanks, that would be nice,' said Jodie.

Moss returned with coffee for the three of them and said to Natalie, ‘Did you find any of those books I suggested?'

‘Yes, a couple of them, but I haven't had much time. I'll enjoy reading them in bed at night now Mark's away again.' She smiled.

‘Good on you for roping in your girlfriends today. Are they on the same path as you?' said Moss.

‘What do you mean?' asked Natalie. ‘I hadn't considered myself being on any path. Or do you mean my interest in Asian art objects?'

‘A little of that. What I like to see is someone's mind expanding, someone being prepared to explore new things. You've become interested in a culture, a place and a people I bet your friends had never thought about till now.'

‘Well, that's not entirely true, is it, Jodie? You've been interested in Burma, haven't you?'

‘Only because it was in my course at uni. I have to say, you have rekindled my interest, Nat.'

‘I guess when I inherited that kammavaca it set me thinking.'

‘How did you go with your kammavaca? Find out any more?' asked Moss.

‘Actually, my husband's friend put it up on the net and there's been a lot of interest. Not that I'm going to sell it. Mi Mi put me in touch with a descendant of the old king and I've written to her to see what she knows about it.'

‘Amazing. I'd love to know what she says when you hear back,' said Moss.

But as the days went by the letter to Princess Aye Aye was pushed to the back of Natalie's mind. She was utterly drained with the dramas of the bathroom renovations, both of the children were irritable and difficult to manage, and, as she entered her final trimester, her pregnancy was tiring her. So when she opened her letterbox and discovered a blue envelope with an exotic stamp on it, her hand started to shake a little with excitement. She poured herself an orange juice, opened the letter and sat down to read the dainty handwriting.

Dear Mrs Cutler,

Thank you for your letter. It was very kind of you to seek me out and tell me the story of how you came by such an important part of our family history.

This particular kammavaca was mentioned frequently among the family. My grandfather was very attached to it. One of my aunts was with the king on that day in Man-dalay when the abbot from the monastery presented the kammavaca to him. She told me that the abbot brought the young monk who had painted the beautiful object with him to the ceremony. My mother said that the king kept the kammavaca close to him all his life but on his death it passed to his half sister. This was the person who sold it to the collector. It is good to know that your great-great-uncle kindly retrieved it for her, but so sad that he was killed before he could complete his mission.

To now know of the extraordinary journey it has taken and to know that it is safe moves my heart. I would dearly love to see it, since it was considered so precious by the king. But I know that this is not possible so it is good that it resides safely with you. I realise that times have moved on and the story of the kammavaca must seem like ancient history to you but, as I have learned, fate can play a powerful role in one's life. The fate of the king's kammavaca is in your hands. Something tells me there must be a reason for this.

Yours sincerely,

Aye Aye

The signature was an almost indecipherable flourish. Very slowly Natalie neatly refolded the letter along its crease marks and sat absorbing what the Princess Aye Aye had written. Natalie felt conflicted and confused. She hadn't known what to expect in reply to her letter but she hadn't expected to be so moved by the fact that the exiled royal family had held her little kammavaca in high regard.

And now she owned it by default.

She glanced at the little teak box, which she had dusted that morning. Then she sat down at the computer and went to the website where the kammavaca was listed. The kammavaca was her responsibility and she wanted to honour that by cancelling the sale.

But when she saw the latest offer she caught her breath. It was for over nine thousand dollars. How could it be worth that much, she wondered. Who would want to pay nine thousand dollars for it? Clearly a personal item of the last king of Burma was valuable, but nine thousand dollars sounded a bit ridiculous. She swiftly hit the keys. ‘Burmese artefact, 19th C kammavaca with historic provenance' disappeared from the screen.

When the banging from the bathroom began again, Natalie took the children for a walk down to the park at the end of the street. She thought about calling in to see Vicki, but the kids wanted to hit the swings and the slippery dip, and she was happy to see them expend some pent-up energy.

After Charlotte and Adam had talked to Mark on the phone that evening, she settled them in front of a story-time DVD, took the phone to another room and told him about the letter from the princess.

‘That's amazing. Hard to believe that little thing was so important to the old Burmese king. What now?' he asked.

‘It's made me think about things. I really can't sell it now so I've taken it off the net. But do you know how much the latest offer was? Over nine thousand dollars!'

‘No kidding! Who'd pay that much?' exclaimed Mark.

‘That's what I thought. You hear stories of people paying silly prices for things, so who knows? But since Princess Aye Aye's letter arrived, the kammavaca seems even more special.'

‘I'll be interested to see the letter. If you ever do sell it, you have two letters to authenticate it. Are you going to write back to the old girl?'

‘Mark! Don't call her that. She's a dignified, mature woman from the former royal Burmese family.'

‘You said her family was kicked out of Burma before she was even born. So what makes her so special? What did she do with her life?'

‘I actually don't know,' said Natalie thoughtfully. ‘Mi Mi said that she is a remarkable woman and it's clear from her letter that she is very well educated. I do know that she came back to Burma some time ago. I haven't really got a clue what her life is like.'

‘Write back and ask her,' said Mark. ‘If you want to know. I don't think she can tell you anything else about the kammavaca. She never even saw it, and there probably isn't anything more to tell. . . What's on the agenda for you and the gang tomorrow? How's the bathroom looking?'

‘It looks like a bomb's gone off. Absolute mess! And the noise is horrendous. I can't believe they have to totally wreck the room to fix it up.'

‘Yep, I know what they have to do. Glad I'm not there,' he said with a laugh.

‘Thanks. Tomorrow I have a doctor's appointment and then we're joining the Little Kicks soccer club.'

‘That's great. How fantastic! Adam will love hunting down a ball. Isn't Charlotte more into twirling and pretty outfits?'

‘Exactly. I've been trying to get her out of princess dresses but because all the others are wearing baggy shorts and striped tops with their name and number on them, she's totally up for it. I've decided to become a soccer mum!' Natalie said laughing.

‘With a big soccer ball up your jumper! How's the little one coming along?' asked Mark tenderly. ‘I know how tired you get and what you've got to manage,' he added.

‘Yeah, I do get tired. S'pose I'll be exhausted for the next few years. But it's okay, honey. I know what you're doing isn't ideal either. But just think of the home and the life we're building.'

‘I love you, Nat.'

‘I love you, too. I better go. The kids' movie is almost over, nearly time for bed.'

Natalie called Mi Mi the next day, thanked her again for putting her in touch with Princess Aye Aye and told her about the princess's letter.

‘It's incredible that she knows about my kammavaca. I'm going to send her some photos when I write again.'

‘She's quite a woman,' said Mi Mi. ‘Burmese women are quite strong. They expect equality. They keep their own names and engage in commerce if they choose to. It seems that the royal women ran the old palace and the king as well.'

‘How do you know all this?' Natalie was intrigued.

‘Stories about the royal family have been handed down and gossiped about for years, and there are still letters with tales told by those who knew them or had met them. There was a British bookseller in Rangoon who was married to a local woman who started to compile stories and anecdotes about them. But I've no idea what happened to him or his notes. Of course the king always believed that the family would be returned to power and the kingdom restored.'