Monday
“Nangakambilla akwa khumuwanda kwe tsofu” is a lifelong adage called lusiimo among Baakyisu people, also known as Bagisu. It stands for, "one who does not heed advice learns the hard way." Well, this and many other provers form the wisdom that has transcended ages across generations. There are simple ones like Kamakyesi kamatiini bulwaaye - lack of knowledge is sickness, Umukaamani akama mumatsukhu - a greedy person at a slaughter house ends up being given lungs, Indekhelo’mali inamukobosa - hunger will always drive a child back home. But there are also those proverbs that are hard to crack, like Kameelu kappa khububambi - What it means, Abuneri knows and has promised to interpret it for us one day.
Tuesday
And just like all other African natives, we have our myths; superstitions are rife and deeply held beliefs. Some of these beliefs bear testimony, and we have seen them manifest. For example, when a grasshopper lands on you, it is a signal that you’re going to receive visitors and this is true. Abuneri says that it was the way nature communicated with people back in the days when there were no phones. So when we asked why some of these things do not work anymore, he told us: “Why should nature duplicate roles that can now be played by mobile phones and letters? Back in the days, we had no such inventions, and nature knew that we needed to communicate, so it came in handy. Having established other means, nature has to retract. This is not a myth, it is a reality. I, for one, being that I do not have a phone, when a grasshopper lands on my shirt, I do not wait, I immediately start preparing for the visitor.”
Wednesday
By coincidence, before he could not even complete the sentence, a grasshopper called Nambarara flew toward Abuneri but did not land on him; instead, it landed on the handle of the chair he was sitting. Abuneri immediately proclaimed that he would be getting visitors today and summoned his grandson, Wokape to find where their mother's cock is and make sure he keeps it under lock. At the point when Wokape was chasing the cock, Maayi Umukatsa, who is Abuneri's first wife returned from the well carrying a jerrycan of water. Even at her advanced age, Umukatsa can comfortably balance a 20‑liter jerrycan of water on her head while casually carrying kyimisyebebe (pumpkin leaves). Since our childhood, we have always known her as Umukatsa, and none amongst us knows her real name.
Thursday
It is normal for women to be called by their clan name, and no mention is made of their real names. So, in our village, we have Umukatsa, Umusoba, Umuyobo, Umuddadiri, Umuganda, Umunambutye, and so on. There is a story of one woman we call Mayi'Umuganda because she had come to the village speaking only Luganda. Later, when her people came to collect the dowry, we were surprised that none of her relatives could speak Luganda. It was then that we learnt that she was actually an Ateso and not a Muganda. But Umuganda took hold and we have never changed.
Friday
When Umukatsa found Wokape chasing the cock around, she wanted to know the reason. "Kukah told me," he threw the words, running past her trying to reach the chicken which was by now losing momentum and almost giving up. Umukatsa hurriedly put the jerrycan and the vegetables down, ready to calmly confront her husband.
"Papa webasiya" is a respectful manner in which women address their husbands, and therefore she needed an explanation. With a bit of incoherence, Abuneri could not satisfactorily prove to his wife that they needed to prepare for unknown visitors just because a grasshopper had landed on a chair he was seated on.
"Nature works in such a way that it is only and only when the grasshopper lands on your shirt/blouse or anywhere above your waist that it means you’re going to receive visitors. And since when did we start slaughtering chicken before the visitors have reached the homestead? What if it is a visitor bringing bad news, like to announce a death?" Umukatsa r
eminded her husband.
"My wife, the instincts tell me that we are getting visitors, and it may even be Mukhwasi, your younger brother," Abuneri tried to convince Umukatsa, who did not seem ready to be convinced.
"What if he is conveying bad news?"
"But you know very well, since time immemorial, that if anyone had died back at your home, the owl would have visited us in the night for it’s the owl that announces a death in our area. So, take heart. Let Wokape get the cock and keep it indoors so that when the visitors come, we shall not have to bother the boy."
Saturday
Among the Bakyisu, when an owl hoots around your house at night, it is an announcement that someone in the household or related to the household has died. It is one way nature communicates with the people. There is another bird called Wududu, the angel of death, and when it lands on your house, a person in the household dies.
Sunday
That is how nature communicates with us!
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