Mama Roger's Sequel

Mama B brought Mama Roger and Roger to meet us. Mama Roger was a strong, wellbuilt woman of the Chugga tribe. Young Roger was a bright, friendly lad and he bowed his head in greeting in the Maasai way. (Bowed head and saying shikamoo and I was required to place my right hand on his head and reply marahaba. This was respectful and normal and actuall Mama Roger greeted Big E in the same way.)

As I have said, Mama B was one in a million and she was showing wisom and offering help to Mama Roger, for she knew the situation, while we did not! We sat together and drank tea and chatted generally. Mama B told us who Mama Roger was and how difficult life no was for this young widow.

Mama Roger suggested that we might like to buy some books from her as they were written in English and were of no use to her. They were field guide books to birds and mammals that her husband had used. The Chagga people are well known for their business expertise and this was showing through. We agreed to look at the books. She had them with her.

The books were dog-eared, but in good shape, and in fact I had thought of purchasing them at Kase Bookshop in Arusha.

Mama Roger had her price which was slightly inflated on the new price. We agreed to pay the price, but in our way of security, told her to come back tomorrow after we had found the cash.

She wrote in the books Zawadi kutoka Mama Roger. A gift from Mama Roger. I think now Roger would like them back, and I will be trying.

This was the wisdom of Mama B though - no doubt Mama Roger had asked her to facilitate a meeting, and Mama B had protected us by staying there and making sure she did not ask straight out for money. I think the money was for food.

By now Mama B trusted us and confided that there was trouble for Mama Roger. Her mother in law did not like her and did not want her to inherit the house she shared with her husband. The woman wanted the house for herself! Further, Roger was a rightful heir but Mama Roger would benefit should the house go to him. I noticed that Mama Roger and Roger spent a lot of time with Mama B much to the chagrin of Big E. In fact when he arrived home unexpectedly, they would hide - sometimes at our house!

One day Mama Roger came crying to me 'They have tried to kill Roger, I must get him away!' She had come to ask for money to send him away. Mama B confirmed that the story was true, he had gone to school and someone had tried to poison him! I gave her some money, and he was whisked away.

Later we were asked for more money because Mama Roger wanted him to go to boarding school somewhere by Manyara National Park. During school holidays, Mama B would protect him under her roof - Big E argued against that because we heard him, bit Mama was strong in her love for the boy!

Mama was a regular visitor to us, and we enjoyed her company. One day she asked us for more money. She had decided to fight for her house. She was determined and strong, telling us that Big E had promised her husband that he would protect her and help her, but that was not happening.

Village disputes are often heard before the village chairman, perhaps with the mtendaje and with a few village elders. Mama Roger needed to entice them by providing nyama choma - grilled meat and beer. So she needed the money to do pay for it. Well they ate the meat and drank the beer, but other issues cause a postponement, and the next week she had to ask us to help her buy more meat and beer. They listened to her and to her step mother but could not resolve the matter, suggesting she file a case in the primary court.

With no resources, Mama Roger asked us to to help pay for a lawyer, which we did. Meantime her mother became ill and was in hospital but the medical staff could find nothing ailing her. One Sunday afternoom Mama Roger asked us to to and see her mother in hospital. Relatives care for the daily needs of patients and hospital are not what we have in New Zealand. The woman was quite frail because she was not eating and Mama Roger was worried. With no medical cause fir her ailment, the conclusion was a hex had been put on her! The removal of a hex was through prayer, powerful prayer, but this had not worked. An Indian preacher arrived and prayed with and she sat up in the bed and spoke in fluent Hindi! She did not know the language! But she was cured~ take that as you may.

The lawyer proved costly and the summary the first hearing was before the primary court magistrate. Later as Mama Roger returned home, she saw the magistrate eating and drinking with Big E at his bar.

There was more cost for the lawyer, and I suggested to Mama Roger that she was not going to win - but she would not give up. Tearfully she returned with the printed judgement - she had lost the case, and the court documents read that she was denied the right to speak, and that none of her witnesses were allowed to speak. It was a costly sham!

Mama Roger later found a small corner area of land a built a small single roomed house - wattle and daub, and we helped with the roofing iron which she found second hand. When it was finished she asked us for a meal there with Mama B.

Mama Roger began a business trading in beans and in her Chugga way, she was successful. We continued to watch Roger whenever he returned home - he is a fine young fellow!

Mama Roger's father, who owned a bar took ill and she gave up he business to run the bar and nurse her father. I think she is doing just fine now!