hunters/ other memory/ semi spoilerish question

[Chani]

Hi all, I hope you are well.

Now forgive me if I'm being stupid here,  but I'm currently readin Hunters of Dune.  It's alright.. not amazing by a long stretch yet.

But I came across something that I can't get straight in my head and if you havent read it, it doesn't really *spoil* it, but nonetheless you could class it as a sort of spoiler.. but anyway, I'll get on with my question.

Sheeana has someone in her Other Memory talking about jihad and when she asks who it is, the voice identifies itself as Serena Butler.

Now, correct me if I'm wrong please because this is doing my head in a little...

Wasn't the Bene Gesserit started with Norma Cenva..AFTER Serena Butler?  Is that right or have i mixed it up in my head?  Because if it was after Serena Butler that the Bene Gesserit originated, then how did she get in Other Memory? 

Now I'm really hoping I have my facts straight here, so I dont make a complete idiot of myself but.. can someone explain?

Thanks guys x x x x

[MrFlibble]

I thought Other Memory is stored genetically... The BG Reverend Mothers get access to it after the Spice Agony, and can also willingly transmit (share) Other Memory stored in their body/mind to other BG adepts. Other Memory traces back to the origins of humanity, not just to the origins of the Sisterhood. Basically, every ancestor of a BG adept (and of those with whom this adept has shared Other Memories) is present in the Other Memory.

I might be mistaken about some points though.

[Chani]

ohhhh kay.  yes, you are right about the genetics that makes sense and i did actually already know that in the back of my mind.. so yes.  thank you!! i got too involved in being confused to think about it sensibly!! xx

[Andrew]

If Serena Butler had a child (I forget if one survived in the jihad trilogy) and Sheeana is a descendant (part of bloodline, thus has some genetics) of her. Then yes it is possible.

[Khan]

But according to the prequels serena didn't have any children who survived (what with manion dying). So I can't see how it could work unless other memory can take sideways steps, ie through her sister.

[Andrew]

That was what I was thinking. I didn't think she had another child, but I didn't read the last jihad prequel so I wasn't sure.

So if that is true, they really screwed up the timeline. Unless they kept a piece of her DNA and then made a ghola and brought memories back and then she had offspring... but no mention of that.

[driftingcloud]

I thought that after Leto, the tracelines of genetics didn't matter. Leto had other memory that was in his bloodline but also beyond his bloodline. As Sheeana is a descendent of Siona (Am I remembering all this correctly, crossing so many books?) she has some of Leto's connection to the other memory of everyone.

[MrFlibble]

I think it is never explicitly stated that Sheeana was indeed a descendant of Siona Atreides (and Duncan Idaho ???), but it is a point of speculation for the characters. I'm not sure, however.

[Tako]

Siona is no decendent of Leto (II) , he did not have any children because of him changing sandworm etc.

His "children" ehere the ofspring from Ghanima an Farad'n

as I recall

[Moose212]

Norma Cenva didn't start the sisterhood. I can't remember the name of the woman or many of the details, but it was that woman that took over the planet of psychic women who were keeping genetic records of breeding patterns wasn't it?

I think Norma Cenva started the Guild.