The Amayar are the peaceful native people on the island of Tremalking. They follow a peaceful doctrine known as the Water Way, similar to the Way of the Leaf, but not quite as pacifistic. The Amayar have a strong belief that "reality" is in fact not real, but only a passageway to another existence.
It is not known in the wider world, but the Amayar are the craftsmen of the highly valued Sea Folk Porcelain. The Amayar formed during the Breaking of the World. They sought help from the Sea Folk, who gave them gift of passage. Any Amayar who needs passage on a ship is given it for free, although no Amayar has asked for passage in living memory, not liking to travel far from shore. The Amayar are technically ruled by a number of Atha'an Miere Governors; as the Atha'an Miere seldom leave their ships, the Amayar generally govern themselves with virtually no consequence.[1]
The Amayar are physically shorter and much fairer than the Atha'an Miere, with lighter hair and blue or hazel eyes, indicating that they are not kin to their sea-bound friends. Marriage between the Amayar and Atha'an Miere is all but unknown, as each group finds the others' ways to be strange and unpleasant. Despite this, the two get along very well, probably due to the easygoing and fair nature of the Amayar.
Amayar culture is rural. For the most part, they raise sheep, goats, and small cattle, oxen, and horses. Although they do not receive the credit for manufacturing Sea Folk porcelain, they barely give it a thought, as they like the prices that they receive and mainlanders keep away from their homes in their ignorance.
It is believed that all of the Amayar are now dead. When the female statue of the Choedan Kal melted during the Cleansing of saidin, the Amayar interpreted this as the end of the Time of Illusion[2] and committed mass suicide.[3]
"Have none been saved?" Zaida asked. "None at all?" Tears glistened on her cheeks, too, but Harine could not fault her on that. Her own cheeks were wet.
"None, Shipmistress."
—Cemeille din Selaan Long Eyes and Zaida din Parede Blackwing
Notes
- ↑ TWORJTWOT, Chapter 19
- ↑ Winter's Heart, Chapter 35
- ↑ Knife of Dreams, Chapter 22