Books.. THROUGH THE RIVER

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Author’s Name:     NDENGE MAKANG NORAH

Book Title:             THROUGH THE RIVER

Contact Info:         +237694262365/ +237672046721

                                 makangnorah@yahoo.com

                                P.O Box 469, South West Region .Cameroon

INDEX

1.      Abelah Ngweh  - Greeting

2.      Akamancho  - village warrior

3.      Bu-linne  - Forbidden

4.      Ndengue  - Musical instrument

PART ONE

+The Birth

 Bafut village, Cameroon.

Struggling to breathe through the thick blanket of smoke hanging inside the hut, MaSirri grimaced at the pain spiking through her stomach. It is going to be a difficult delivery, she could tell after birthing seven children already. The older women in the hut rinsed out herbs, heating them over the fire while murmuring some incantations.

 “A child that delays so much is of the devil” said MaFor, first wife of her husband. At her words a couple of the women nodded.

The oldest amongst them, a herbalist, brought the concoction over to the bamboo bed where MaSirri laid. “Drink this, if it does not force the child out, we will summon the witch doctors to call on the gods.”

Since it was not an option worth considering, MaSirri forced herself to down the vile juice. Almost immediately, the cramps in her stomach intensified. Holding firmly on to the thatch mattress, she pushed down i am going to die, I am going to die was the litany going through her mind.

After what seemed like ages, MaSirri heard a tiny cry as if from a distance, she noticed the women quietly but heatedly debating. Listening, she heard“…..has to be sacrificed”. On hearing that, MaSirri struggled, sitting up, “my mothers, what is it?” she inquired.

“You have birth a daughter” responded the herbalist hesitantly.

“What is the problem?” questioned Masirri.

“Your daughter’s cry is that of the children of the river, The Forbidden .She cannot be allowed to live. For your sake and that of the village, we have to give her back to the gods of the river.”

“NO!” MaSirri screamed. “No! This is the only girl I have birth for my husband, I beg my mother’s do not take her away.”

With a gleeful tone, MaFor said “Sirri, you of all people know it has to be done.”

“Not necessarily” countered Ngwe.

“There is a way out, but it comes with a cost” she warned.

 MaSirri looked down at her little baby and she knew she will do anything for her. “Tell me, and I will do it.”

Ngwe started chanting:

“Bu-linne, Bu-linne child of the river

Welcome my offspring host of a fever

The chosen womb of a mortal to defile

The gods rage like a blade to decide

For the first who dares to posses

Will be the one who has to recess

Bu-linne, Bu-linne a curse awaiting……

…………………………………………………………………………………

Years later

A myriad of colours, a cacophony of sounds, and so many people filled the village square. It was the Bafut annual festival and Njinwi was only too happy to be in attendance. Tribal markings differentiated people from neighbouring villages. Though she had been named Bu-linne at birth, everyone now called her Njinwi, except her father’s first wife.

Lost in the beauty of the colourful celebration which included numerous traditional displays, Njinwi heard her brothers calling. With an inward sigh she turned and bumped into a solid wall, It as an older man, in strange traditional attire.

“You should watch where you are going” he bit out angrily.  “Who is your sire?”

“Pa Ngwa, the Akamancho in Njintep, Sir I am really sorry, you do not need to involve my father”. Said Njinwi, bowing. He nodded while Njinwi jogged away.

……………………………………………………………………………………

Had she known how the day will turn out, Njinwi would have stayed at home and not attended the festival.

“Papa has sent for you” informed Che from the door of their hut. The same hut she was birth in and now shares with her mother and seven brothers.

 Njinwi shrugs and continues with her chores, knowing he was probably pranking her.

“Bu-linne” called her brother urgently. He hardly used her birth name.

“What? Go away I am working.”

“But papa wants you to come to his hut immediately.”

Well this is serious, thought Njinwi, “okay I am coming.”

Immediately Njinwi knew it was not going to be a good night, she had only been summoned to her father’s hut once in her life, at 5 for ritual cleansing, that had not been a good day.

Outside, she looked around, nine small huts were placed strategically to form a crescent from the largest, and there her father spent his time when he was in the compound. Walking from her mother’s hut, she approached the huge hut with dread.

On reaching, Njinwi stood outside for a moment mumbling a short wish, then knocked twice on the door. It was opened from inside by her father’s cousin. Njinwi saw her mother facedown by her sire’s chair, her shoulders shook as though she was crying but no sound came from her.

The room was occupied by four men and one woman. She recognised one of them as the man she had collided with in the village square. Immediately panicky, she figured her actions had caused her family a fine.

“Njinwi!” called her father.

 “Papa” she answered.

“Njinwi, my daughter why do you stand apart, approach my chair.”

That was an unusual request; girls were never given that right.

“Njinwi, you have made us very happy my daughter.”

Well, that was surprising, considering that as long as she could remember, she grieved everyone by her.

Her father cleared his throat, clasps his hands, looking directly at her for the first time in her life and uttered the words that changed her life forever.

PART TWO

++The Marriage

Three years, a husband and three kids, Njinwi’s life was an early marriage nightmare.

At the thought her marriage, Njinwi instantly recalled that day ……………..

Everyone seemed happy that she was about to be married except Njinwi herself. MaSirri was inside gathering the things Njinwi will need to take along with her to the coast. She was crying silently.

 Rushing in, Njinwi fell to the floor by the thatched mattress and burst into tears

“Mama please I don’t want to go. I do not want to marry that man” She pleaded tearfully “Mama pleaseeeeeee……”

Coming to her daughter’s side MaSirri took her by the arms and held on firmly “do not cry my daughter; in fact this is a blessing. Some girls in the village will stay their entire life without having a man offer for them” she tried laughing “sometimes fathers force men to marry their daughters if a debt is owed”

Sighing, MaSirri slightly pushed her daughter away from her “ Njinwi, Child, Look at me!”

Sobbing heavily Njinwi met her mother’s eyes

“Even if I wanted to say or do something against this wedding, I can’t my child.”

“Why mama? Tell papa I don’t want to marry that man. Plead with papa, he will hear from you.”

“I can’t say anything my child.  The decision has been made.”

Njinwi tried interrupting but her mother continued

“There is nothing that I can do; you should know our culture does not permit women to voice their opinions”

“But mama that is not fair” sobbed Njinwi

“My child, this is our culture, it is our religion. Our forefathers lived by it, so we should! Listen my child wipe those tears you WILL be married……… “

“Mama …..”Njinwi began

“No! listen, you will be married. And you should know your place as a wife, am sorry I did not have the time to prepare you properly, but you are your mother’s daughter and so if nothing else, you will win your husband’s protection. Njinwi you must fulfil your duties as a wife. I believe you will not disgrace this family.”

She missed her mother, the one time she had asked for permission to visit; her husband had been so enraged that he had forced himself on her in front of her crying children. Lesson learned no more talks of village visit. Njinwi had come to realise there were worst things in life than cane and hunger.

Looking at the trees around her never ceased to fascinate, because up in the northwest, the vegetation was mostly grassland, wide spread endless green sea of grass. While at the coast, you could barely see from one house to the next, the vegetation wild and unruly, captivating in its own special unique way.

Finished with her musing, she noticed her first daughter wasn’t around; Njinwi went inside to look for her.

“Lum!” called out Njinwi “Lum where are you?”

 “White man, White Man, White man with a long nose………” Lum rushed in, singing.

“Stop singing that” scolded Njinwi. There is only one reason her child could be singing that song, Lum had spotted her husband’s boss.

Wondering what the boss was doing at the worker’s quarters, Njinwi held Lum, moving towards the window to look. Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

Three of her husband’s colleague along with the boss was standing there. She ushered them in “gentlemen please sit down.”

Taking a seat herself she waited quietly for them to tell her the latest disaster her husband had caused.

They all sat quiet seeming unable to decide who will start the conversation. Njinwi took the initiative “sir if my husband has committed some other crime against the company, I know nothing of it, but I will try my best to ensure he gives back whatever equipment he has stolen this time.”

“Madam”, the Medical officer (MO) cleared his throat repeatedly”. Sensing trouble, Njinwi braced herself.

“Madam, I am sorry to say this, but your husband had an accident earlier today. While harvesting palms, the knife slipped and fell on him”. Looking at Njinwi, he uttered “your husband was decapitated.”

The MO paused, wondering why she wasn’t screaming.  

“I’m so sorry madam, you need to sign some papers, the clerk will read and explain the documents to you” he was assuming she couldn’t read.

“The company will partially support for the funeral arrangements, ma’am we are deeply sorry for your loss, anything we can do to help….” he finished.

“I will need to carry the corpse to the village’ Njinwi said. “I need some money for my travelling expenses.’’

“Travelling arrangements will be made at your convenience” said the boss “Tayong, make the arrangements and bill everything to the company.”

“Thank you sir”

“Inform us of the burial arrangements when you get to the village, the company will send representatives.”

They walked out of the house, the MO turned to the boss “she is not coming back you know”

“Why do you say so?”

“Customs to obey, traditions to follow, and things like that.”

Lum whom Njinwi had totally forgotten about, asked, “Who is your husband mama? Why did they say he had an accident?” She fired repeatedly.

Oh God! Looking at her daughter, Njinwi fought down tears, her children had lost their father.

Lum is used to hearing husbands referred to as Massa, so could not understand the news. Hugging her, Njinwi said “We are going to the village to visit your grandmother.”

“Will papa come along with us?”

“No”, seeing her face, she quickly added “but he will meet us there.”

PART 3

-The Funeral

The boss had organised their travelling arrangements. Left alone with her thoughts in the bus, Njinwi kept picturing all the mourning rites she had to undergo. She had subconsciously prepared her mind for it. Things could go either way; her brother-in-law will inherit her along with her children and her husband’s property or, she could be rejected by her husband’s family and returned to her parent’s compound, a shameful but a much preferable option to her.

Jerked out of her thoughts by crying noises from outside, Njinwi looked out of the window. Bad news travels fast. Njinwi was surprise to see mourners lined up on the streets.

Upon reaching her husband’s family compound, Njinwi got out slowly carrying the twins. She was relieved of the babies almost immediately by her aunt, Lum was also ushered away from her, and then at her peripheral view, Njinwi saw her mother. It had been so long, happiness burst so suddenly from her, and before she realised, she started smiling.

“Thwack!” face stinging, her vision blurred, someone had slapped her.

“Bu-linne! Murderer! Evil woman!” Her mother-in-law, the person she dreaded meeting the most.

“You child of the river, how dare you smile, you should have been killed at birth…” She kept on ranting, some words in her dialect, thankfully Njinwi could not understand. Someone pulled her away, but the harm had been done. The women who had been crying at the road, were now looking at her strangely.

Then something even stranger happened, six half-dressed old women were walking towards her; everyone gave them a wide berth, at her side, they covered her with a black cloth, pulling her roughly into the compound. She was pushed into a hut, the blindfold removed and her cloths stripped. Her hair was shaved, with a broken bottle and wood ash spread on her. Pa Lum’s corpse was placed inside the hut. The head had been roughly sewed in place; the flesh around the neck was becoming putrid. Njinwi stared at the remains of her husband, tears spilled down for her children.

 In the evening, food was brought to her on a used plate. Plantain leaves were placed on the floor by the corpse, for her to sleep on.

Njinwi did not realise she had fallen asleep until she felt cold air whispering across her face, the door to the hut has just been open. She looked towards the door as a tiny person entered the hut carrying a kerosene lamp. There were too many shadows so she couldn’t make out the face, then the lamp was raised and chills broke throughout her body.

The figure started chanting, her voice very eerie.

Bu- linne Bu-linne child of the river

Pardon the offspring, oh stop the fever

The chosen part on earth to reign

The blood bath, a call of pain

For the heart that shrinks in sorrow

The gods’ blade a heart to borrow

Bu-linne Bu-linne a debt is paid

 Njinwi quietly pinched herself, and then had to stifle back a gasp of pain. The long death Mangwe was really here.

The old woman squatted, setting the lamp on the mud floor, raised her hand towards Njinwi’s face, the gesture almost loving. Then she picked up the lamp and walked out of the hut.

“Stop! Mangwe!” Njinwi called out but the old woman was gone. Getting up, Njinwi followed. She looked around the compound, but saw no one. Robbing the goose bumps on her hand, Njinwi entered into the hut.

Contemplating on the strange event, Njinwi looked towards her husband’s corpse. It seemed somehow her husband’s death had been fated to happen. Wiping her eyes repeatedly, Njinwi muttered “I must be imagining things.”

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

Day 1 of Mourning

“ehheeee….. ! Wooyooo!!!! Woyeeeeh!!! Wapikin!!!!! Ehhhhh!!!!

  “Professional mourners” thought Njinwi.

It is customary to cry along with the women, so getting up reluctantly, Njinwi walked towards the door, she realised she could recognise the voice of one of the mourners. Screaming, “Mother!” Njinwi rushed outside, eyes full of unshed tears, she fell on her mother’s body.

“Mama I did not kill my husband, I might sometimes have wished him gone, but mama believe me I did not kill my husband”

 “Hush my child!” consoled MaSirri “I know you are not the one who killed your husband”. Meaning she thinks someone else did it.

Looking at her mother inquiringly, Njinwi began “mama, what…….”

Her mother tried changing the subject, but Njinwi persisted.

 “It couldn’t be you my child, if anyone is to be blame then it should be me”

 “What do you mean mother?”

 “It is the circumstance of your birth, a rule applied’.

“What rule?’ but before she could answer, a voice broke in “MaSirri , let’s go and start the refreshment for the Bafut women.

…………………………………………………………………………………….

 ADP Head Office

It was almost closing when the HRD came into the boss office.

“Sir, I came to remind you about Mrs Galabe’s situation.”

“Is there a problem?”

“No sir! It’s just that a few of the workers have volunteered to represent the organisation. We just have to look into their transportation arrangements.”

The boss asked unexpectedly “do you know the way to her husband’s village?”

“Yes sir.”

“Then prepare, on Thursday we will travel to the village, Do you have any objections?”

“No objections.”

Day 2

Sitting outside, Njinwi tried not to complain at the hot afternoon sun blazing heatedly on her shaved head. A group of men dressed in shorts were playing drums while one fiddled with the Ndengue.  All had come as a sign of support to the bereaved family. Women bearing baskets of food entered the compound continuously. There was always a constant supply of either fresh or raw food to any bereft compound. This was one of the best aspects of their tradition, a full support in whatever activity a family undertakes, being wedding, birth or death. 

Day 3

“Your father is her to see you,” a little boy spoke to her from the doorway.

 Njinwi went outside and waited for her father to address her.

“Abelah Ngweh?” asked her father in the dialect.

“I am fine father” replied Njinwi .

“I came to give my own contribution, and your mother said I should check on you.”

Njinwi laughed and then questioned “mother had to remind you to do your duties?”

Her father turned sharply and looked at her.

They both felt silent, seconds ticked by.

“Did you kill your husband?” questioned Njinwi’s father suddenly.

“What? Papa, you will ask me that?”

“There are rumours around and I know you did not want to marry that man in the first place, so tell me did you kill him?”

Njinwi laughed hysterically, and then said “you knew I did not want to get married and yet you made me?”

“Child that is not the issue at hand, I just want to know the truth so I will know which measures to take”

“And if I say yes papa, what will you do? Will you turn back the hands of time so that you will cancel that day when you gave out your 15- year -old daughter in marriage to a man trice her age?” Njinwi asked mockingly.

“Stop this nonsense and answer me” red with anger her father stood up “you will not speak to the Akamancho of Bafut like that.”

“I am speaking to my father and not a titled warrior” replied Njinwi.

Sighing, her father asked again “did you do it my child? Tell me”

Wiping the unwelcome tears in her eyes, Njinwi regarded her father “what do you think father?  The witch doctor will be here tomorrow to conduct rituals to that effect, why don’t you wait for his revelation.” Entering the hut, Njinwi closed the door without so as much as a creek, the silence more final than a bang.

Day 4

A very upsetting day in a roll of a terribly upsetting week, the witch doctor had to come and confirm Njinwi’s involvement in her husband’s death.

“Mama I do not feel comfortable about this.”

“That is why I am here my child.”

“I do not like witch doctors; they are not diviners, just greedy crowd pleasers.”

“You cannot categorize all of them from your experience with one.”

Njinwi snorted

Smiling, Masirri said “just like any tradition or religion, there will always be the real and the fakers, truth is, it applies to all things in life.”

“But mama what if he is not genuine, what if …………”

“It is going to be okay my child, the gods are with you”.

They heard bells outside, the man himself was here. Her mother went outside and in entered a man dressed in a leafy costume with a white patch across his left eyes, from his neck hung the skull of a small animal. Seven elders followed him; they proceeded to surround the inside of the hut.

“Bring the essence over” commanded the witch doctor. A young man hurried inside carrying a bowl of dirty water, it stank. Njinwi realised it was water that had been used to clean her husband this morning.

Addressing her, he said “I need some fluid from you.”

She gathered spittle in her mouth, and then bent over the bowl, the stench from the liquid hit her so hard that she gagged and proceeded to empty her breakfast into the bowl.

“I suppose that will do” muttered the witch doctor.

 He set the bowl on the corpse, and  began singing, the song, a strange mix of incantations and lullaby, it almost lured one to sleep, that is if one likes sleeping with goose bumps all over their body. Opening his bag, he removed six small bundles, untying them; he pinched something out of it and then sprinkled it in the horrid mixture inside the bowl. At the fifth bundle, blue flames sparked out from the water, it caused the elders to shift back, and the flame disappeared almost immediately. Looking at Njinwi he poured the sixth portion into the concoction. Nothing happened at first, and then suddenly a black, smelly smoke rose from the bowl. As suddenly as the smoke appeared it vanished again, with no lingering scent left behind. If Njinwi’s eyes had not still been watering from the acrid scent, she would have thought it had just been a figment of her imagination.

The witch doctor stood; looking at all the elders he said “he has no one to blame but himself for his dead.” He went out of the hut carrying the bowl with him. The elders followed him outside.

“But eye of the gods, who killed him?” questioned an elder

“The who or what does not matter, all you need to know is that the gods are not blind, they let this happen”

“But…………” started the elder again

Interrupting abruptly, the witch doctor asked “do you doubt my words? The gods have answered, you are all just to deaf to get the reply,” then he strode bells ringing out of the compound.

Breathing in a deep sigh of relief, Njinwi sat down on her pallet.

This could have gone differently; that she had been spared seemed unbelievable.

Day 5

Nothing was going to spoil her mood today, Njinwi decided, yesterday had been a gift and she intended to hold on to it.

Day 6

 Before dawn, Pa Lum’s corpse had been washed, oiled and scented. Placed in a burial box and taken outside. Njinwi was given a black wrap to tie around herself. Before doing that, her mother had come in to bath her.

As her mother was sponging her, Njinwi asked. “What is going to happen to me after the burial?”

“Your husband’s family will decide your fate, you are just a child, you shouldn’t be going through this, it is my fault. I failed to protect you”

“No mother, it is no fault of yours, our culture does not permit us to be children! At birth we are all thrown into the river of life and it is our individual duty to make it through the river. There are times when we feel as though the current will overwhelm us, but mama, a day will come when we will swim through that river. We have waddled, almost drowned, but we are learning to swim”.

Njinwi continued “Mama I will swim through the river” she said firmly “all the past hardships and present have just made me a stronger swimmer. I am my mother’s daughter; we will swim successfully through this turbulent river of life.”

Tears in her eyes, MaSirri hugged Njinwi “It is a strange thing, such a young one as you can understand all this. I had always known you were a special child. Let the gods take you through this uncertain journey.’’ Crying softly they held unto each other for a while.

 ……………………………………………………………………………

The compound was packed full of people and Njinwi left the hut to the back of the house. Due to the state of the body, there was not going to be any public viewing, weeping silently, she sat by her husband’s remains.

The family head, Pa Galabe started the burial rites.

Libation is done.

Different family members are called forth to say their last words to the dead.

Finally the box is covered with soil, and the jujus begin dancing, stumping around, in the farewell dance of the departed.

The group proceeded to the front yard, where the occasion will continue.

…………………………………………………………………………….

Day 7

The family gathering

“My brothers, the burial is over, and I have called this meeting to decide according to the customs, what to do with our child’s properties.”  

Njinwi sat quietly at the foot of the tree listening.  

“Sama, as second son you have the right to be custodian of all the properties of your late brother” The elder turning to look at Sama continued “though a small portion of it will have to be shared amongst all the paternal uncles.”

Njinwi had expected that, in fact she had even resigned herself to it, what could be worse than being married to the first son.

Knowing it was already a done deal, the elder turned to Njinwi’s father to address other issues, when suddenly Sama spoke up.

“My fathers, I mean no disrespect, but everyone knows Njinwi killed my brother. I am not so eager for my death that I will so readily marry her.”

The elders looked at each other, and then Pa Galabe spoke “my son, those are all rumours; I was there when the witch doctor proved her innocence.”

But Sama insisted petulantly “But there is no evidence she did not kill him either, she might not have wielded the knife, but she sure is the source of his misfortune. Fathers, I need to be convinced something similar will not happen to me.”

“Is there a particular way you want to be convinced?” Pa Bobga asked.

“Yes my father but I need the help of the elders.

“Go on”

“I need the traditional council to provide a criminal. This man has  to lay with Njinwi for a period of ten days, then after, we will wait ten more days, and if nothing happens to him, then and  only then, will I marry her” Sama said .

He must be totally mad, Njinwi turned, looking at the faces of the elders and surprisingly, they looked as though they were actually considering idea.

“His warrior” the elder addressed her father “what do you think of Sama’s conditions.” Njinwi’s father with his head bowed replied, “if that is necessary for peace to continue between our families, as Njinwi’s flesh and blood, I accept on her behalf.”

Njinwi stood shakily to her feet “NO!”

Wrenching the cloth from her body, she threw it on her father “This is my flesh.”

Lifting her left arm she brought it down hard against the back of the old tree, pointing at the wounds, she went on “this is my blood; no one makes such decisions for me.”

“I am my own.” She said

Her father stood, slapping her to the ground, by now all the elders were talking angrily among themselves, no one could believe a woman will talk among them like that.

 Njinwi decided that she could either stop this now or live her entire life being treated like a mule.

Struggling shakily to her feet, she shouted “Enough.”

“Enough” she said again, and just as suddenly everyone stopped talking.

“My fathers I refuse to me treated like a thing.”

“I refuse to be a game for your idle pricks.”

That finally stunned anger out of Pa Bobga “What effrontery..?” he stammered out.

Turning to him, Njinwi said “my father, forgive me for I will continue. Have I not bowed to all the rites and done all which was requested, have I not done it for a husband who treated me like a slave, tell me my father….”

Voice rising to an unbearable level” what have I not done?”

“Then for you to reach this point is an insult to all the dictates of tradition, for you to suggest, this is a taboo against me and against the gods.”

“I may be called forbidden, but that does not make me less than you. I have had enough of this, from birth I was thrown cruelly into the river of life without as much as a single lesson. However, my fathers I have practiced, and I tell you this life will never overwhelm me again, its intrigues will not drown me, and its mysteries will instead propel me forward! Dare go ahead with this atrocity, and I will give you a reason to call me Bu-linne.”

Finished, she looked intimidatingly at the elders.

Realising she had won the battle, Njinwi walked pass them to get to the road, expecting someone to stop her, but no one moved, it felt like a walk of freedom.

The elders stood and started moving away from the meeting ground, no one uttered a word. Pa Bobga standing at the courtyard, turned as a stranger suddenly addressed him, “Elder what just happened?”

Looking at the stranger, Pa Bobga said “My son it is not everything that the eyes see that the mouth can explain.

…………………………………………………………………………

Njinwi walked towards the road naked, attracting everyone’s attention. Noticing a white car belonging to the boss, she walked towards it and stopped when she realised he was inside.

“Were you leaving?” she asked

“If you are, I am.”

“What just happened?”

Njinwi entered the car and looked out of the window. “I think I just fought for my freedom”.