MAMLEY

ROW YOUR BOAT

The trip to their hometown for the final funeral rites was a quiet one. Nobody spoke a word as they all seemed lost in thought. Mamley couldn't even look at her mum without feeling anger well up in her and it kept eating her up. How could she almost hate the woman who brought her into this world and suckled her at her breast, nurturing her to be the young woman she is today? It was just beyond her comprehension. Mamley wished her mum would just "woman up" and fight against her oppressors to protect her family but her laid back attitude annoyed Mamley to the core. She stared at her two brothers sitting by her side and her heart ached because she couldn't imagine how they were taking in all of this. It broke her heart that she couldn't ease their pain. The coming days were going to be extra tough for them, she thought. They soon pulled up in the drive way of their hired chalets by the quiet flowing river Volta. She smiled at the memories and feelings that came with this place. She instantly felt her dad's presence and missed him more. The driver parked the car, and quietly unpacked their luggage while Rita slowly made her way to the river side. She dipped her dainty feet in the water and closed her eyes to reminisce her honey moon she had had with Daniel. As hard as she tried to remember him in a happy way at that moment, a sharp feeling of pain shot through her.
Mamley noticed her mum's demeanor but she was not motivated to do anything about it. She wanted to just go through the burial and attend to her brothers. Her mum was old enough to take care of herself, she thought. They soon settled into their various rooms but Mamley came out to enjoy the sunset. She sat on an abandoned canoe close by and watched as the birds flew to the small island opposite theirs. She watched as the orange sun sunk into the end of the river and gave it a beautiful kiss to bid the day goodbye. She loved this part of the day the most because it gave her hope. Hope that endings didn't always have to be messy. They could be beautiful. She smiled as she caught the sun gradually set making way for her beautiful twin, the moon, who came with her entourage; the stars.

The following day was a busy day for them all. It was the wake keeping and it saw an influx of so many people in the family house. Mamley stood in one corner of the house with each brother on each side of her shoulder with all three clad in black. The body had been brought and rites had to performed and libations poured to inform the gods of the new soul that had departed. Her mum was in the room where the body was being bathed and the very thought scared her. She knew why her mum was there and it was a requirement since as the widow, she had to hold her dead husband's feet while the GBONYOHEDZULOI (those who bath dead bodies) bath the deceased with a new sponge. After this bath,all items used to bath the body, would be buried with it. Mamley knew her mum was not brave enough to go through this and she muttered a short prayer under her breath for her. As Aunties and other relatives prepared the house, Uncles raised canopies outside and arranged chairs to welcome well wishers from both far and near to keep wake on that friday night till the next day which was the burial day. That night, after the body had been embalmed and laid in state, the YARATSEMEI (professional mourners) cry and wail for the deceased in the custom called YARAWO ( mourning). This custom did not sit well with Mamley since most of the people crying barely knew her father but she sat tight and watched everything with keen interest and rapt attention. Throughout the night, the wailing continued, while she sat in the small corner of the mud hut and went over the short eulogy she was to read the next day. Was she prepared for that? She hadn't even gone to see her father's body that had  been laid in state because she feared. What did she fear, she couldn't tell. But the most important thing was that she heeded to her father's final words and compose herself. Nobody knew what she knew. And for now, it was best to keep it that way. She knew after the burial rites, things were not going to be easy protecting her father's properties from the envious eyes and looting claws of his family. She was prepared to fight because if there was one thing her dad had taught her, it was never to go down without a fight.