After the Bene Gesserit had inputted the Missionaria Protectiva into the culture of the Fremen, the role of reverend mother became crucial to them. Using the method of initiation, the Fremen chose a woman as a priestess. Also called the Sayyadina, the lower-ranking priestess of the Fremen graduated to a reverend mother if the former reverend mother died or the current Sayyadina failed to become a reverend mother.
The Sayyadina of the Fremen – Definition
A Sayyadina is a woman who gets consecrated as a friend of God. A Sayyadina served as a spiritual guide that led the Fremen in the way of righteousness. Being the lower-ranking priestess, the Sayyadina graduated to the role of reverend mother after surviving the water of life. On passing the test of the water of life, the Sayyadina gained Other Memory.
Relevance of the Sayyadina in the Dune Universe
The Sayyadina’s role made it possible for Jessica to be in a place of great power for the Fremen. After she and her son escaped the Harkonnen’s invasion, they got imbibed into the Sietch Tabr, where Paul became the leader. Jessica became the Sayyadina of the Sietch, while her son became the Kwisatz Haderach. Taking the water of life, Jessica graduated to the rank of the reverend mother.
Paul’s powers and Jessica’s position of spiritual guidance gave them the necessary religious and political control to govern the Fremen, thus, leading them to conquer the House of Corrino and Harkonnen. Though Jessica became a reverend mother, a side effect of her ingesting the water of life was that her unborn daughter, Alia faced abomination; this led to her being born a grown woman in a baby’s body.
After Paul became the emperor, Chani got drugged by Princess Irulan; this made her unable to conceive a child for 12 years. After trying several methods to get pregnant, Chani turned to a Fremen fertility diet and got pregnant for Paul. During childbirth, she delivered a boy and girl and died. Scytale held Paul’s twins at knifepoint, demanding Chani get resurrected as a Ghola. However, he got killed when Paul saw through his son’s eyes.
The Sayyadina’s Consecration
The Fremen selected a Sayyadina before the previous one ingested the water of life; this ensured that there was still a Sayyadina even when the current one did not pass the water of life test. After Jessica became the Sayyadina and tried to take the water of life, Chani, Paul’s lover, got chosen as the next Sayyadina should Jessica fail to come out alive.
Paul also followed the same pattern of reverend mother enrollment as he took the water of life; this caused him to enter a coma for a while. After coming out of the coma, Paul became the Kwisatz Haderach.
Glossary Terms Associated with Sayyadina
Here is a list of words associated with Sayyadina:
- Reverend Mother: A reverend Mother is a Sayyadina who passes the test of taking the water of life. Because of its toxicity, ingesting the water of life could lead to death for its taker; this made the Fremen consecrate a new Sayyadina when the former was about to take the water of life.
- Spice Agony: Spice agony is an ordeal that occurs when a Sayyadina ingests the water of life and confronts her inner self and female ancestors.
- The Water of Life: The water of life is the bile of a young sandworm. It had a blue color and caused certain death when ingested by anyone other than the Sayyadina, Bene Gesserit sister, or Kwisatz Haderach.
FAQs
What does Sayyadina mean in Dune?
Sayyadina is a Fremen word that translates to: “Friend of God.” It was the name given to the lower-ranking priestess of the Fremen. Because the Fremen got influenced by the Bene Gesserit, the Sayyadina underwent a deadly process that involved her taking the water of life. On succeeding the test of the water of life, the Sayyadina gained access to Other Memory and became a reverend mother. After the House of Atreides fell, Jessica and Paul escaped into the desert and became a part of the Sietch Tabr. In the Sietch Tabr, Jessica took the water of life while pregnant with Alia; this turned her into a reverend mother. However, Jessica taking the water of life introduced Alia to the abomination
What happens when Paul drinks the water of life?
After taking only one drop of the water of life, Paul drifted into an intense coma that lasted for a while. The water of life was an alternative method for creating a reverend mother and the Kwisatz Haderach. After Paul drifted into a coma, Chani took care of him till he woke up. On regaining consciousness, Paul had become the Kwisatz Haderach and had prescience across space and time.
What is the water of life in Dune?
The water of life is the bile of a young sandworm. The liquid had a blue hue and became a crucial substance needed for making reverend mothers by the Fremen. The water of life, when ingested, made its taker undergo a process whereby their ancestral genetic memory gets unlocked.
Who was the Sayyadina after Jessica?
After Jessica, Chani was the Sayyadina of the Fremen. As Sayyadina, Chani became crucial to Paul, as they became romantically involved with each other; this led to Chani conceiving Leto II and Ghanima.