X-FILES FROM THE VILLAGE - BY THE RIVERSIDE

Monday

There are many types of snakes known to inhabit our village, but the common ones are Nalunyaasi, Mamba Leo, and Mukoboyaka. Nalunyaasi is the green mamba; it is venomous and stealthy, so much so that, in most cases, you will not see it until you’ve already reached it. Mamba Leo, to us the young ones, is any big poisonous snake, while Mukoboyaka, which are rare, are pythons said to have the capacity to swallow whole animals or even people. They are rumored to be in Marekerero, those sides of Lwaboba in Muyekhe, as well as along the shores of River Manafwa.

But about the ability to swallow a person—my brain has never come to terms with it. Because the animal said to swallow people is Wanesilikhe, the one that swallowed Selah, according to Grandma’s story. So, what is the link between that monster and a snake?

But anyway, snakes are sacred. And much as the known venomous ones are supposed to be killed, there are patron snakes that are revered, respected, and indeed hold a high place in the village. There is no water source that exists without a snake watching over it. From Musweema to Wenyukha to Nakunuku, all these wells are protected by a known snake which, when we encounter, we must not kill but rather let it crawl away.

Tuesday

At the moment, there are rumors of an active python roaming around the river. We’ve been cautioned against walking alone, especially along the riverbank.

They say Chetulita, the wife of Wekwanya, was killed by a python. But that story has gaps and doesn’t really make sense. The only person who was there, Kaloli, says that by the time he reached the scene, the snake had already coiled itself around the woman and was trying to swallow her. Out of panic, he grabbed a log and hit the python. The snake let go, but by then, Chetulita was no longer breathing.

But there’s another story to her death that sounds more believable. It is told in whispers. It is said that Chetulita was not killed by any python. Instead, she was bitten by a snake as she eloped with Kaloli. They had made a “bed” besides the hole that harbors the black mamba at that time of the month when the snake is said to be sick and rarely comes out of the hole. How do we know that a snake inside the anthill is sick, you may ask? We tell this when the mushrooms called Bumekele start sprouting on or around the anthill where the snake resides.

Wednesday

Bumekele are tiny mushrooms that only grow on an anthill (ishiili or shishili) that harbors a big snake which patronizes it, just like we know that snakes patronize wells and other natural water sources around the village. The moment that patron snake is killed, the water source will dry up, or the mushrooms will stop growing on that anthill.

When the mushrooms sprout upon the hill, it is a sign that the snake is sick. Therefore, the women and girls can harvest the mushrooms without threat of being bitten by the snake.

On that particular day, Chetulita could have thought the snake was sick and there she lay with her lover, Kaloli. It is said that when the snake bit her, she did not take it seriously. Some people even joke that the ecstasy of the moment was too much that by the time they realized it was a snake bite, the poison had already reached her heart and she could not be saved. How this version came up, they say Kaloli told it to his wife.

“Women can never keep a secret,” they add. But Chetulita died!

Thursday

Related to that, so many scary animals are said to live around Manafwa River. One time, Namaumba claimed to have been chased by Imbulu, a feared alligator that has a sharp tail which, we are told, it uses to chop off the legs of its prey. Nonetheless, these stories never stop us from going to the river.

Friday

Life is lived to its fullness. We grieve and celebrate together. Not that we never fight and more than a few times, suspicion arises but to the boys of our age, it is all about living. On a day like today, we wake and join the rest for communal work. After the work, we lead the cattle to the riverside for grazing; here we are always on our own. We spend the day fighting, cheering the fighting cows, and for lunch, yes, we steal people’s sugarcane and then wait for evening time to lay the girls. It is by the river that the boys start transiting into men.

Saturday

Today the older boys were helping one of their own who is going to be circumcised next year. When we asked why they were placing the termite on his boyhood, they said it is an initiation called khukhala kharandasi. I watched as the termite’s mandibles gripped a lining of skin below the sheath on his penis. He almost showed cowardice by biting his lower lip, but Watenga hit the calf of his leg while proclaiming, “kamani mwibili!”

Sunday

Daytime by the river is for the boys and maybe some adult women. The girls come in the evening to draw water and bathe and yes, to be laid. Most of the thriving marriages started from the river. The girl who went to fetch water never returned, she did not even return the jerrycan
. From the river, she just proceeded to Namwalye, and it was the boy’s uncles who came to report that they have our sister.

Till then, we shall keep you posted!