Spotlight: Treasure Buried Beneath the Walnut Tree
By: Yong-Yi Chiang
Derya Demir is a Material Research & Development manager, a sustainable innovation enthusiast who (according to her) was born in a cave. At our December ‘Treasure’ show, Derya told a tale about coming of age in Cappadocia and about revisiting what she had left buried underneath a walnut tree…
Unravel: What was it like to write and tell your story in a language that is not your native language? What is some advice you would give to other non-native English speakers who want to share a story?
Derya: No matter how fluent people are, they still sound less smart when they are trying to express themselves in a foreign language. While writing, I was scared that the story would not come out right, but Sarah, who workshopped my story, was really encouraging and patient. Telling the story was scarier. That night, watching native English speakers tell their stories was intimidating. I did not think I had space for improvising and decided to stick to my written story. My advice to those non-native English speakers would be to just go for it, it is the story that matters.
Unravel: Even after her marriage, your sister’s letter to you exemplified her courage. In what ways have you carried on her courage?
Derya: During my education, failing was a luxury I could not afford. Failing meant failing everyone who fought for my right to an education, so I never failed. I am glad to be an example for the little girls in my hometown so that they can be whatever they want to be. Every now and then, I feel guilty knowing that the life I am enjoying, my sister could have had too. She was smarter than I was. To my luck, I had her. To her luck, she had no one. Through her experience, I knew what was going to happen to me when I grew up, so my sister’s courage helped me prepare for, fight, and finally build a life of my own choosing, rather than one chosen for me against my will.
Unravel: Throughout your story, walnut trees are a recurring symbol of your roots, your history, and the metaphorical death of your family. What do walnut trees represent to you now?
Derya: There is not a single walnut kernel I look at without love. Planting trees for your children is an ancient tradition, one of those immortality efforts, both romantic and practical. It is romantic in the sense that your children will grow up with their trees and when you die, even your grandchildren will remember you when they enjoy the shade and the fruits. It is practical in the sense that you can sell the harvest every year and on your financially darkest day, you can sell the old walnut wood, which is quite expensive, and that day you’ll know that your father had your back.
Unravel: In what ways was sharing this story healing for you? How did you find the courage to share your story?
Derya: When I first heard the theme ‘Treasure’, I thought I had a fun story. As a child, I buried my earrings and made a map. Years later, my mom found the map and thought there was really treasure in the house. When I asked myself why I had even buried my earrings, a past that I had buried too deep and hid from myself for so long, came alive. In the process of writing, I cried for days. I relived the separation anxiety, the grief of 9-year-old me, and that shed light on so many life patterns of mine that I am currently working on. When the story came out of me, I hesitated to share because of the level of vulnerability in it. If it wasn’t for Unravel, I would not have discovered my major childhood trauma. Therefore, I thought I owed it to Unravel to share my story.
Unravel: We really appreciate you trusting us with your story and sharing it with our community. What would you say to someone thinking about sharing a story at Unravel?
Derya: If there was a list of Top 10 Crimes, keeping a great story untold should fall into the same category as finding a cure for a disease and not sharing it. Through stories, we feel in our hearts that we are not alone, that we are connected. All the struggle to find meaning and purpose, in the end, we only find it in each other.
Photos by Alejandro Scott
Formatted by Joanne Cattermole