D'EJA' vu

chapter 2:LIFE IN AFRICA 2

   THE continuous crow from the rooster was not the only reason to my waken up,
They were voices outside, I could hear the Young boys scream the name of cetshwayo
one of the best wrestlers in MUTANGA with his contemporary kampande  "the fox"

INDU!!  I could hear my name from the distance of the square it sounds like Biriwa
My best friend,and not just because he is my cousin. I walked
Briskly towards the cheering crowd at the middle of the square,
as I approached I could see biriwa run towards me with excitement, his bare chest polished with his sweat,  he has always been taller than me even though i am two months older than he is, his arms wrapped around me with a fierce embrace. Did u see !he said panthing, see what?
You just missed, he said it as if the fight was over, moreover I have always been in similar wrestling matches like these mostly with my papa. Let's take a closer look he said, I moved towards the hyper  active crowd then to the front when I can see two
Grown men in there inner wears hold each other violently behind the thigh trying  to knock themselfs down, cetshwayo is big, his twice the size of kampande, his height and over grown beard  makes him look fierce,
Papa says he never smiles. I wonder how he moves so swiftly with so much body weight,
KAMPANDE  on the other hand is well built probably in is early Fifties, he is older than cetshwayo, his  light skin makes the hairless part of his head vissible he has a reputation, Since all his years of wrestling, no man has been able to throw him on his back  But this match is about to change some things, I don't know why but am enjoying it.  a young man shouted from behind, knock him out cetshwayo! he raved
With  a blow towards kampande,s  left hip
Sheckwoye lifted him up with a loud cry he threw kampande to the ground with a great thud.
  THE crowd went wild with excitement, they carried there new champion  on there
Shoulders, his hands held up  a fist, as he Dangled on the shoulders of multiple men lifting  him.
The time of the fox Is over
Biriwa said as we went home.
I enjoyed  the wrestling match, but my mind
was fixed on the festival of dreams and spirits,
Papa use to say, " on the eve of the festival of dreams and spirits pay attention to what u desire the most, dream about them and they will come true. I would wish to see my papa again, even if it's just for a minute, I want to know if he is ok we're he is, if he is allowed to hunt, and eat well i want to know if he knows how much I missed him, I wanted to know why he left the way he did. I  told biriwa, who was shocked at the weird way I broke the silence that existed since we left the square.  you know dose things are myths right, biriwas rhetorical question made a point but I won't believe it, I cant, deep inside I knew he was saying the truth and that's why it hurts so much.
I walked forward, faster than usuall, he tried catching up, OK OK, am sorry u were right and am wrong,  he pleaded, I just don't want your hopes to be tied to a belief that our
People probably created for the sake of customs and traditions. but what if I need something  to hold on to!  I lashed out,
I didn't know when it started but I could taste the salt in my tears,  He drew me close enough for me to Lean on him, I sobbed violently  letting it all out. I never really cried on the day my papa died, nor when he was being buried, I guess the thought of living with out him, not seeing him, the stern reprimanding I get from staying out long,the silyness on his face when he tries to be funny, it's as if he always knows what to do and say, I am lost with out him.

  It's funny  am just seeing Mami now since
Yesterday, she probably saw me before leaving early these morning to the market.
Since I could remember mum has always made  tasty dinners for the festival and these festival was not an exception, she made hossu'su bowalle (mashed rice) my favorite,
I can still remember me and Papa going back to mami's  mpata for more  bowalle, she didn't really mind, but always acts angry when we did it.
Mami walked towards  me quickly, we're have you been child?  I...  U came back so late last night  I didn't even know when you came,  and after leaving the square you didn't reach home, why?  Mami am sorry, it won't happen again, I quickly cut in before she traps me in a never ending sermon,
Hmm,  have u eaten? She asked, I eat fresh shrimps from your mpata( local pot). come I made some bowalle, am coming.
The front of our sunghai (chief)  palace
Was big and had a massive willow tree,
almost the whole village sat in front of it, all in there various groups
Chatting,
Expecting the arrival of the sunghai, I have been looking all over for you,
Biriwa throw his long arms around my neck
Come the others are there, even Sabina ( pearl) he said her name with a smirk on his lips, I halted, Sabina?  I asked like I didn't understand what he had said, yes Sabina.
My head was filled with an awkward kind of Excitement, I could still remember my first wish at the dream festival, it was for Sabina to feel for me what I feel for her.
Sabina was the only daughter of our village 
Goldsmith,  and  royal adviser to the chief,  she has always been my heart desire for as long as I can remember, She was an amazing singer and dancer,
Unlike the other girls of her age, she has large features that complements her dance moves, the tight puli'ma she wears(waist beed)  around her waist,  come's to life whenever she dances
She  sat close to her friends, smiling broadly as usual, such smile that makes me second guess if she was human or one of the seven maidens of hai'te (the moon goddess),
her form is the perfect definition of beauty, for  even the over refined ivories of Mahadu ( city of precious stones) aren't  as captivating  as her beauty, I kept on steering, glowed to the earth.  (Kom Kom kom)  sounds the drum of the emerse( priest) aprentice, announcing the arrival of the priest,  the chief stood to greet the surprisingly old but strong looking priest he comes out four times every year,and the festival of dreams is not one of the few times he comes out of his cave,  he wore a long leopards coat,  covering from his shoulders above his kneel, his  bald head dressed with a piece of his leopards coat. He was tall and Bony, looking a  bit over his 80's, with his staff that you could hardly see due to its coveings, on the top feathers of ravens, shells of crabs and large snails. His attendant was a short and abstract looking man,he has always been silent, his bear chest exposed some of his chest hair and Old Sacrs.He holds the skin bag for the priest, and stays by him at all times.(priest, clearing his throat, he slightly coughed)his voice was dry and husk. it Is impossible to see a snail out of his shell, for he knows the value of home,( silence)..... Years before the men whose skin has no colour, from far away were the clouds can't reach, came to our village, at first they were confused off  our customs and so we had a rough beginning
But now after many years they are back,  not as our enemies but allies, to help move our village forward. The gods have nothing against  these visitors, infact they are pleased, we should try to accommodate  them, He bowed towards the surprised looking chief, lifted the pointy part of his staff from the earth and walked away with his apprentice in pursuit, until his form faded out.
( crowd starts to murmur). After the announcement of the priest, we continued with the festival of  dreams, Sabina lead the dance group,dancing  for the clan, I really  enjoyed that part, we eat, drank and sang praises to to o'dy (god of  dreams) yet  we haven't waved of the supprise pronouncement of the priest. we all left to our various abode's with uncertainty, of the arrival from our supposed visitors.