From time to time you hear stories that seem to be incredible or too good to be true and I try to write what I know to be true but there will appear the odd thing that makes me shake my head and just wonder about it all.
Big E never ceased to amaze me - some of the things he got up to, and the way things turned out!
He came to me one day to ask me to participate in a special meeting. So I threw on a tidy shirt and a pair of trousers and went to Big E's quarters.
He and six other men sat at the table and I had to introduce myself and shake their hands, then they each introduced themselves. Next to me sat a young man in western clothing - Emanuel, then there was this big fellow - a radio announcer who was dressed in flowing white robes. This guy was an advocate/best man for the next man (dressed in western clothes) who worked for the National Parks (Tanapa)- I think from Nigeria. Then a wide-nosed man who wore a fez type hat and robes of red, gold and black - this guy was an accountant with the National Parks. There John, Big E's brother and the other fellow I knew was a retired vet. John and he wore western clothes.
They asked me to tell them a little about New Zealand.
Big E then told me that he had been elected head of the (wider) family and that the Nigerian man wanted to marry into it. They we lobbying and negotiating bride price and the wedding arrangements, meaning of course who was to pay for what. Each side had their advocate who did the talking and there was soon agreement as the negotiations went smoothly.
Food was brought out and I noted that there were pork chops - the garb of some suggested they were of the Islam faith and I knew that the vet was. I heard him ask Big E what the meat was and his bland reply was 'mutton'. Most avoided it.
After the meal, Big E announced that the formalities were over and beer was brought out - the bride emerged with Mama B and Mags arrived as well so we toasted the happy, engaged couple.
I wrote to recap the day.
The groom had arrived in a flash,new Mercedes and he will be a tribal chief some day. Chieftainship runs in the family and he remembers his grandfather's death. They are buried sitting in their favorite chair! Apparently his grandfather was stiff with rigor mortise so they could not sit him properly and he would not fit into the grave properly, so they chopped off his legs with an axe to make him fit! Then with him they bury - alive - three or four young, fit, bright people of the village to keep him company! This is a great honour to be buried with your chief! This practice continues (according to him).
Mr Wide-nose with his neat hat and gold braided robe told me that the King of Sudan became king at the age of 17 while he was still at Oxford University and is now in his 20's and is proud of his tribal traditions. This guy takes a new wife each year and all the eligible young women dance naked before him in the hope they will be chosen. According to this guy, this tradition goes on.
I have no way of authenticating these stories but I wanted to share them.
Big E never ceased to amaze me - some of the things he got up to, and the way things turned out!
He came to me one day to ask me to participate in a special meeting. So I threw on a tidy shirt and a pair of trousers and went to Big E's quarters.
He and six other men sat at the table and I had to introduce myself and shake their hands, then they each introduced themselves. Next to me sat a young man in western clothing - Emanuel, then there was this big fellow - a radio announcer who was dressed in flowing white robes. This guy was an advocate/best man for the next man (dressed in western clothes) who worked for the National Parks (Tanapa)- I think from Nigeria. Then a wide-nosed man who wore a fez type hat and robes of red, gold and black - this guy was an accountant with the National Parks. There John, Big E's brother and the other fellow I knew was a retired vet. John and he wore western clothes.
They asked me to tell them a little about New Zealand.
Big E then told me that he had been elected head of the (wider) family and that the Nigerian man wanted to marry into it. They we lobbying and negotiating bride price and the wedding arrangements, meaning of course who was to pay for what. Each side had their advocate who did the talking and there was soon agreement as the negotiations went smoothly.
Food was brought out and I noted that there were pork chops - the garb of some suggested they were of the Islam faith and I knew that the vet was. I heard him ask Big E what the meat was and his bland reply was 'mutton'. Most avoided it.
After the meal, Big E announced that the formalities were over and beer was brought out - the bride emerged with Mama B and Mags arrived as well so we toasted the happy, engaged couple.
I wrote to recap the day.
The groom had arrived in a flash,new Mercedes and he will be a tribal chief some day. Chieftainship runs in the family and he remembers his grandfather's death. They are buried sitting in their favorite chair! Apparently his grandfather was stiff with rigor mortise so they could not sit him properly and he would not fit into the grave properly, so they chopped off his legs with an axe to make him fit! Then with him they bury - alive - three or four young, fit, bright people of the village to keep him company! This is a great honour to be buried with your chief! This practice continues (according to him).
Mr Wide-nose with his neat hat and gold braided robe told me that the King of Sudan became king at the age of 17 while he was still at Oxford University and is now in his 20's and is proud of his tribal traditions. This guy takes a new wife each year and all the eligible young women dance naked before him in the hope they will be chosen. According to this guy, this tradition goes on.
I have no way of authenticating these stories but I wanted to share them.
No comments:
Post a Comment