Leaving Mother Lake: A Girlhood at the Edge of the World

This is a solid anthological piece written by Christine Mathieu based off of the experiences of Yang Erche Namu and her development within Moso Culture. The Moso people, for those of readers who don't have any background in the subject matter, are distinguished for their matriarchic system that hinges on multiple male lovers, estate control, and independence. They are a contrast to our western society that I find both enlightening and confusing. In this strange world, we follow Namu's struggles in discovering herself and her home. Yet, as a result of her experiences her idea of home is not a physical location, but her relationship with her family. In my own experiences in China, I have noticed her experience to parallel many of the minority youths' due to the urbanization that is occurring in Yunnan and in China.Spoiler Alert:Namu's childhood is unique in many ways. Most obvious is her mobility. To keep this review from spoiling the entire book, I will try to keep this vague and brief. Essentially, her childhood is spent outside of the village with her uncle in the mountains. Her uncle, who lives alone, is a yak herder. By the nature of their job and location, Namu is exposed to many harsh elements and situations where she must react distinctly different from village life. This results in her being unique from her fellow villager when she returns home at the age of 13 for her Skirt Ceremony. She herself notices this difference almost immediately, "I was not one of them. I had not grown up as they had with their mothers and aunts and sisters; I had not grown up playing with girls. I had grown up with my silent uncle in a world of hairy yaks and vapory dew, and in remote mysterious land that lay beyond our mountains," (My Skirt Ceremony). This separation from the others draws a conclusion that Namu does not view the village as her idea of home. I draw this conclusion through my own idea of home, which understand as my kin. To put it simply, you can be distinctly different from your home. Therefore, I cannot understand the village as Namu's home.If Namu's village isn't her home then what is? The answer is her family, especially her Mom.Eventually, Namu leaves the village, something her mother tried to do in her childhood with the Communist Revolutionist. Her Mom was unsuccessful, but Namu is successful, and no matter how much chaos Namu causes within the village (which is a lot) her Mom is still proud of her for this achievement. This is love and that love transcends differences and mistakes, creating an idea of comfort and stability. In the last paragraph of the book Namu thinks to herself, "We both knew now that I would always come back," (Coming Home). The "we" refers to her Mom and Namu, who in the story had just made eye contact and in that moment they both understood that love of her family was Namu's home, and that she will always come back.End Spoilers...As a student currently in Yunnan, China, the increasing pressure of urbanization on minority cultures, I noticed, has resulted in many (especially the youth) to abandon their villages and move to the cities. I have seen one specific example of a Tibetan woman, who motivated to educate her child, moved to Beijing. Her choice to leave was viewed as a betrayal by her village and as a result many reject her. Thus, her village was no longer her home, because, like Namu, she became distinct from the others. However, every holiday she still returns to her village to be with her family. This enduring relationship is her home. Thus, home for these mobile individuals is not a physical location but rather the relationship with their family that draws them "home" every year. Whether they are worshipped or rejected by their fellow villagers, these individuals are different and the physical location of their village loses the meaning of home, but the idea of family remains.To close, I found this book to be very insightful and accurate (at least in relation to my experiences here). Christine Mathieu's writing style is simplistic and clear, which resonates what I believe to be Namu's actual voice. For those of you that are interested in minority culture in China or are looking for a quick read about a culture on the other side of the world this is a book for you.

Leaving Mother Lake is the story of a brave and curious Moso girl, Namu, who feels confined by Moso village life and traditions. Christine Mathieu, a Moso culture enthusiast and expert, helps Namu to tell her story. Though the book focuses on Namu's life, it also enlightens readers on Moso culture. Possibly the most appealing aspect of Moso tradition is their matrilineal family structure. In Moso culture, the women are `figures of family authority, managers of family wealth, co-owners of family property, caretakers of ancestors, and owners of their own bloodline' (page 278). As such, it is integral for each family to have a strong woman destined to carry on the family-line.Throughout the story it seems that Namu felt most at home exploring and discovering the world beyond her Zuosuo village. From the moment Namu was born she was `trouble.' She cried unceasingly. It appears that even at a young age, she was not satisfied with village life and yearned for something more. The first time Namu was content with life was when she went to live with her uncle in the mountains. She thought life in the mountains was more thrilling than village life because there was always something different and exciting to do. The next time we see an ecstatic Namu is when she went to the cities with the Communists for a singing competition. After she returned to her village, she realized even more clearly that this was not the life for her. She wanted to leave for Beijing and she wanted it so badly. She decided to run away from her mother's house but her mother pleaded for her to stay. Namu's mother told her of her high expectations for Namu - for Namu to be her successor. Her mother's dream did not deter her. Namu's eyes were fixed on singing and being praised by large audiences, and consuming the high, busy city life.The emotion emitted in the chapters where Namu contemplated her escape from village life is intense, and I think we all can feel it. The emotion is strongest where Namu related the interaction she had with her mother as she ran away. This is a pivotal point in the book for two reasons. It is the point where Namu left the life that was predesigned for her to chase her dream in an unknown world, highlighting her courage and determination. In addition, it draws attention to what seems to be a constant struggle between the younger and older generations of minority peoples. Throughout my travel in China, I have seen cases where the older minority generation deems the preservation of their culture as very important and worries that their culture will be lost. While generally, the younger generation is much less concerned with this and often pursues lives outside of their villages for whatever reason, sometimes failing to return. Perhaps if I had not seen and heard of these occurrences throughout my travel, I would not have felt as deeply as I did reading the sections that discussed Namu's separation from her village. Unlike some young people who leave their village for the city, Namu still paid homage to her village by visiting and telling her story in Leaving Mother Lake. She hopes that her story will give her people the `pride and confidence they deserve' (page 290).In the city on her own, Namu inevitably faced some problems. She had difficulties adjusting to Shanghai life and her financial status only served to intensify these complications. Nevertheless Namu, full of pride, wit and strength, eventually overcame these obstacles and fulfilled her dream.This book not only gives a story of a protagonist overcoming troubles and rising to success, but it also presents some background on Moso culture. It is a good read because it debunks some myths on Moso culture and gives anthropological information on Moso people in the form of a riveting, emotional story that is bound to have you connecting with and rooting for Namu.

I would recommend to everyone should read it. There are so many cultures out there to be explored .just great

A candid, insider's view of the fascinating woman-centered Moso culture of southwest China. Yang Erche Namu is a strong-willed, ambitious girl who wants to leave her village and make it in the outside universe. Yet her descriptions of Moso traditions, especially of her initiation into womanhood, show a culture of incredible beauty.--author of A Galaxy of Immortal Women: The Yin Side of Chinese Civilization

Love this book. Have shared with many friends.