Bend Down Select

Chapter 1

It is just a few hours before the ceremony begins and my parents have come to see me. Nne, as usual,  has a worried look on her face while her husband stands beside her with a face that says he doesn't want to be here with her. Nne knew me. She knew that I wasn't bluffing when I said that I didn't want to be a part of the Iru mgbede ceremony this year. She knew that even if her and papa had succeeded in dragging me to this place, they had not won the battle.

Staring at me with a grim look, her wrinkles folded neatly on her forehead and the horizontal tribal mark on her left cheek, she looked almost scary and convincing. Who she wanted to scare? I do not know. And who she wanted to convince? I do not know either.

"Ulinwa, my daughter. How are you?", my mother asked, cupping my hands slowly.
Anyone passing by would assume that her actions were similar to those of a dotting mother showing concern and giving encouragement to her daughter who was about to participate in the coming-of-age ritual. It is only when the person is in my position that he/she would feel the excruciating pain her grip on my hands was causing me. She was one woman I knew who has mastered the art of silent physical persuasion.

"I'm fine, mama", I replied with a radiant smile. Flinching would mean defeat and victory was one thing I wasn't ready to give my mother.

"Have you practised your dance moves yet? Do you remember all the steps I taught you? Where is Mgborie. I already paid her a large number of cowries for her to place you in front".

My mother's anxiety was understandable. In fact, she was just one of the many mothers who wanted their daughters to outshine the others during the Iru mgbede ceremony. This is an annual coming-of-age ritual for the young maidens of the village. Before the actual ceremony, maidens eligible for marriage are sent to fattening huts where they are served for fourteen market weeks. They are not allowed to do any work during this period- except to bathe themselves and defecate, if they please. Although it was a memorable moment for most of them, it was the most infuriating fourteen market weeks of my life. After this period, the maidens are called to dance in front of the village elders, ogling bachelors and lustful married men. This final activity made me very uncomfortable. I felt like I was being put on display to be bought, by my own parents. Sometimes, I wish I was like Mgborie. She is the only woman in this village who was lucky enough to escape the claws of this ritual: fifty-three years, unmarried and living the dream with no man to control her. She is even the head of the fattening house, plus with all the cowries she gets from the elders, I am certain that she is the richest woman in Umunze!

"Ulinwa! Are you not the person that I'm talking to?", my mother shouted, glaring at me like she was just few moments from slapping me.

"Nne, I did everything you asked and Mgborie is obviously busy", I retorted.

"You'd better not embarrass your father this day. Make us proud o. Ada m", my mother beamed, cupping my cheeks and pinching them softly as if I was still a child. She only called me Ada when she wanted me to do something for her. It was an audio bribe. Just like how I called her 'nne mara mma' everytime I sought for a little mitigation for my offence.

"Nne, I have heard you", I said, carefully choosing my next words. "I will try to do my best".

"Nna anyi, let's go and look for a place to keep our stools", she said looking at my father and dragging him gently towards the crowd. It was her statement that made me realise that my father had been there the entire time, listening to our bickering. As I stared at their withdrawing backs, my father turned, and glared at me briskly with a sturdy countenance. A countenance every father had. One that I had learnt to decipher as a child. One that said, "Don't dare disgrace me, child".

Once my parents were out of sight, I walked to where the other maidens were gathered. Most of the looked so eager and excited. Some tied their chest wrappers low enough to show more than enough cleavage. Some tied their waist wrappers short enough for any man in the crowd to see what was between their legs if he inclined his head at the right angle. The more desperate ones did both.

The ceremony commenced and the oldest man in the village, Nzeribe, stood up and offered some eulogies to our Chi. This was the first thing to be done in every gathering. After all, it was our Chi who gave us life and it is him who would make the ceremony a success. Next, Nzeribe broke the kola nut and prayed over it before giving it to the youngest man in the crowd to share it to the men according to age hierarchy.

When the rudiments ended, Mgborie came, greeted the elders and they in turn accorded her the respect as the one who was truly in charge of the ceremony. We were then called to dance.

As the local drummers beat their drums, we thumped and stroked towards the center of the village square, forming a circle and dancing our egwu ukwu. Looking up, I sighted Ifeyinwa dancing fiercely and passionately. Wasn't that the same girl whom I'd told of my plan of becoming the most unattractive of the lot and she agreed to join me after I convinced her that we were both barely seventeen years and too young for marriage? Well, it wasn't that surprising. Betrayal is a human.

While I danced, I tried very hard to conceal my face from my parents' view and anytime I could not hide myself properly, I would dance furiously so it'd be convincing enough.
We danced for a really long time and the drumming just seized. Or maybe it was I who couldn't hear it anymore- because of him, the man sitting five stools away from my father. He was the only man in the crowd who looked...bored? There was no lust in his eyes. No desire. He looked like he had better things to do than to be here. Why then? Why was I having mixed feelings about my discovery when I should be happy. It felt weird. Like an abomination. What is he doing here then? And why does he look like we are not worth his time? Like we maidens have no worth?

Once he was out of view, I danced hurriedly, hoping to get another glare at him and maybe catch him ogling at a girl. It was then that our eyes met.

It was not fair how much time our Chi put into creating this man. He had the smoothest face, even for a man that was obviously used to hard labour, and the rays of the sun made his dark skin look even more lustrous. He had thick eyebrows, almond shaped eyes, swirly broad ears, a well defined nose and a sparse beard. To me, compared to him, I was ugly, because he was undoubtedly, the finest man in the village and I should be the tenth or even the twelfth most beautiful of the girls here. Little wonder he wasn't interested in any of us. He was proud. As if to confirm my thought, he thinned his lips at me- he couldn't even smile. Ego.

Soon, the drumming came to a halt, signifying the end of the occasion. Everyone was now to go home. It was time for potential suitors to make rounds at their potential in-law's huts. While the rest, who didn't fancy any maiden go home in anticipation of the next year's ceremony.

Relieved that this gruesome activity was finally over, I walked towards my parents feigning nausea and silently hoping that they did not notice my game. Even if they did, I prayed that my punishment be given tomorrow. Right now, I just want this phase of my life and my thoughts of that man to be over.

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Glossary:

Nne: mother.

Nna anyi: our father.

Ada m: my first daughter.

Ada: first daughter.

Nne mara mma: beautiful mother.

Our Chi: our god.

Egwu ukwu: An Igbo traditional dance for women where they bend their waist and move it for their behinds to shake.

Thank you so much for reading chapter 1 of 'Bend Down Select'! Two chapters would be published each week so don't panic. I won't keep y'all waiting!

Sophie❤.