Chapter 9
Lost Daughter of Uwama
Lobo-yaka has waned.
The daily deluges continue, but with less volume or intensity.
The echoes of industrious behavior emanate from around iliwi-kelele and the big hut.
The high-pitched ring of knapped quartzite.
The thump of an ax striking wood.
The crunch of breaking rock.
Daily, skilled members from each tribe gather and collaborate.
The Bwana taught the Abantu how to mix clay and shape clever gourds to dry under Ulanga, and then bake over fire to hardness.
Clay gourds were much heavier than bladders, but more efficient in a village.
The Abantu taught the Bwana how to weave plant fiber and animal pelt with sinew, to make twine and ropes strong and flexible.
Over a period of days, Umthi demonstrated how to make the flexible bow of the guka-ombe, which sent the tiny spears flying so swiftly through the air.
Eku did not have to pester Yathi to stick around for those lessons.
Kaleni gifted the Mantel hunter a beautiful knife of isipo-gazi, crafted by Tiuti. Umthi selected an appropriate, sturdy sapling and used the blade to carve along growth rings to shape an astonishing new hunting device.
Soon after, Tiuti and Wutota used sinew glue to attach feathers vertically along the notched end of the tiny spears, which made them fly even faster, and with deadly accuracy over a distance.
Lume taught the Bwana the chipping and flaking techniques of the izik-kosa, including the use of fire to heat isipo-gazi for the precise knapping, producing blades of unmatched strength and sharpness.
The izik-kosa showed how to use vices and chisels to grind bone and shape wood, which translated into many improved devices, from proper ax handles, to keri sticks, to fish hooks and sewing awls.
While the rains tapered, Ulanga remained swollen and hot.
Most tribal activity took place first thing in the morning or at night.
Yathi tolerated the midday heat with frequent swimmings or by flopping in a hammock hung in the shade of the mopane.
Despite the heat, Eku remained restless.
One day, while Yathi was snoozing, he wandered alone toward iliwi-kelele.
The wide open area next to a large body of water was similar to their villages at home.
The soil was a mix of riverine sediment and dark forest loam; thus, the surface was hot.
Eku scampered quickly over the last few paces to stand in warm, ankle deep water.
Sloshed along the shore to where the great rock of iliwi-kelele emerged from the river.
Realizing he stood close to the very spot where he and Yathi first came to shore.
So much has changed!
He walked over the crest of rock to the Bwana side of iliwi-kelele.
Hopped down and strode across wet sand to the base of the log walkway.
Gazed down the length: logs stripped of bark, bleached pale, appearing to float on the dark water; though, Eku knew there were sturdy log legs underneath.
Shatsheli-lambo was a dark mass all around with stubbles of water grass.
Yat told him the Bwana cleared the area around iliwi-kelele because it was their initial encampment, which was why they built the path of logs here.
When the Bwana decided on a more permanent encampment, they moved upstream to the serendipitous grove of tall palms, which inspired them to resurrect the big huts they once lived in along the shores of ichi-Bwana.
Eku paced firm, brown sediment speckled with the detritus of reeds, papyrus and small branches, to where the four rafts were dragged above the waterline.
Papyrus, even more so than the wood, turned pale once exposed to Ulanga, while the flattened, woven, matted tops turned dungy brown, like dirty beach sand.
Eku thought they kind of looked like giant turtle shells.
Once harvested of meat and gutted, turtle shells were left to dry under Ulanga and then re-enforced to use as bowls or wash basins.
Interrupting the smooth and gradually rising embankment was an unsightly pile of debris, bulky enough to block the view of whatever came behind it.
Eku stepped away from the mish-mash of branches, bamboo, palm leaves and roots and continued away from the water.
Approaching the izik-kosa work area.
A trestle hung with a black and white zebra pelt on one side, a red and white kudu pelt on the other.
Eku mused how the coloring and stripes were different … But not so different.
Kudu horns on the other hand?
There would have been rigorous bartering over whoever got to display the gorgeous horns and their unique, corkscrew design around their personal shelter.
Eku stepped around the trestle only to jump back at an eruption of flies.
A jumbled pile of hooves and furred legs: duiker, zebra, kudu and other hoofed beasts, all of the lower legs chopped off above the middle joint, heaped on the hard packed dirt.
The lower legs of beasts contain the stretchiest sinew; thus, the mothers leave that essential and time-consuming extraction to the izik-kosa, who remove each tensile strip that connects toes to leg muscles.
Izik-kosa also separated the small and ultra-hard bones and, while still wet and sliced them open to recover essential oils not found in any other marrow, which the mothers used in poultices for a variety of ailments.
Small foot bones were valuable for many things, such as fish hooks, awls, needles and decorations for clothing and jewelry.
Last, any remaining flesh was scraped from the outer shells of the hooves and holes were drilled in the middle, setting them out to dry for later use to make shakers for dancing.
Eku leaned over the leg pile and sniffed.
Grimaced and swung his foot over so more flies burst forth, a few ramming themselves off his body.
Laughing, he skipped away from the leg pile, only to stop short when realizing that waka-waka people stared at him from under the roof of the big hut.
Yat and Dokuk, Tar and Maz, Tuve and Odi were with other males and females, all still young, but older, lounging in hammocks and grass mats, ogling Eku; all of them relishing their newfound method of avoiding the midday heat—and the adults—while earning credit for warding the work area for brazen crows and vultures.
Or perhaps, wandering young people, like Eku.
Grinning sheepishly, Eku waved.
Dokuk and some of the others lazily waved back.
Eku turned back for the main path along the water.
The paled tops of the big huts poked over the oasis of palm and shoreside vegetation and he thought of the beautiful Bwana female with the laza pendant.
How wonderful would it be to laze around with her in a hammock under the big hut!
Ran his eyes over the swimming area, where the mothers often brought the babies.
He sometimes saw her there, swimming with friends.
Probably due to the midday heat, there were only a few adult Bwana males sprawled out asleep or resting under the shade of the palms.
The area was unusually devoid of people.
Or so Eku thought.
He wandered back in the direction from which he came to spot Tiuti and Wutota down the length of iliwi-kelele, just a ways past the big hut.
He hadn’t noticed them before, probably because of the leg pile distraction and then his tribemates.
Eku went past the leg pile and through the izik-kosa work area to where iliwi-kelele rose like a miniature cliff face.
Placed his palm flat against the vertical surface and let his fingers glide and bounce while pacing along, feeling the power of Ulanga absorbed by the bedrock as heat.
Went past the big hut and stopped a respectful distance from Tiuti and Wutota, talking at the center of a gently curved portion of the wall, where boulders and seating logs were all around.
Thinking of how he watched the building of the big hut, Eku went flat against the rock wall and by going up on his toes, managed to hook his fingers over the top.
Raising a foot to push against the rock wall, he used the strength of his young arms to yank himself upward, toeing the wall and scraping his stomach, but managing to get an elbow and then a foot over the top edge to hauled himself the rest of the way over.
Stood and wiped grit off sweaty skin.
The pale surface of Iliwi-kelele was entirely bare and hot, exposed to Ulanga in a way that prevented even the most tenacious mosses or lichens from finding moisture. Remarkably flat, but for the spine of rock that rose just off center, toward the Bwana side.
A strategic, shady spot.
Sweat oozing, Eku walked gingerly to the spire where he first spotted the strange beast peeking at him and his tribemates.
The surface temperature of the rock was tolerable here and even better, from this vantage, Eku could watch and listen without being a pest.
Tiuti looked up and clicked to acknowledge his presence, but continued to speak with Wutota.
Pleased (and a bit surprised) to not be shooed away, Eku faced the water.
The sky was clear; the river was dark and reflective.
From where he stood, iliwi-kelele was like the pale haft of a mighty blade knapped from the core rock of an entire mountain.
Laid here by the Eku the giant!
Smiling, he gazed across at the dark green line on the other side of all that water.
Where they once camped.
Frowned.
They were so very far from home now.
Would he ever go back?
Eku shook his head.
They are here now.
That was what mattered.
Eku decided that he was the giant again and shatsheli-lambo was Uwama, stretching endlessly.
And he was Eku the mighty, a giant from the old world.
A time even before the terrible times, when there were nothing but giants.
(And Eku was the strongest.)
Standing upon the rock slab knife of iliwi-kelele, knapped from the biggest mountain.
Eku smiled again and craned his neck to look around the spire, back across the sprawl of the Abantu encampment .
He should have brought his ula-konto!
Standing up here like this?
What if the beautiful Bwana female saw him?
He would look like a hunter, for sure.
Would she not be impressed?
As always, Eku found himself energized when thinking of the beautiful Bwana female.
She inspired him like no other.
How was that possible?
He looked beyond the Abantu encampment at piles of twisted branches gone dry and leafless. Beyond the protective barrier rose the bushy green canopies of a mopane grove, followed by the dimpled tops of the forest, where the lone mountain rose as a dark lump in the distance.
Feeling Ulanga’s fire, Eku leaned back into the shade of the spire to face the Bwana side and almost fell over.
Waka-waka people approached the main trail by the river.
Eku easily picked out the tall frame of Uta at the forefront, accompanied by Kafila.
***
Eku could only imagine the looks of surprise on his sister and tribemates as Uta and Kafila strode past the big hut.
Uta had attained an almost mystical status amongst the Abantu, especially the impressionable young males.
The chieftain was tall with broad shoulders.
There was a natural majesty and seriousness to his disposition, which the terrible scar only magnified.
But even more so than his physical impressiveness was the way the Bwana universally adored and respected their leader, much the same way the Abantu revered Tiuti.
The kind of reverence that can only be achieved through a lifetime of accomplishment.
Eku found himself enthralled each time Dala and Longo told a story of Uta’s prowess in battle against the mysterious and horrible bubinzwana.
He crouched to his haunches, eager to see the Bwana leader up close.
Settled into a seated position, back rested against the rock spire.
Felt a burst of pride when he spied his father amongst the Bwana.
Kaleni, Nibamaz, Juka and Lopi walked amongst the nesibindi, including the twins Kotuta and Tokuta.
Eku saw Umthi and some of the other Mantel, along with a good number of Bwana mothers.
The entire entourage went past the big hut and gathered in a half circle around Tiuti and Wutota.
The area was well suited for holding court, boulders sunken into the dirt for seating, as well as cut logs dragged into place and secured to use as benches.
Perched as he was, Eku felt like a wise little owl with the perfect view of whatever was about to happen.
Uta and Kafila took a place of honor, a seating log directly in front of Tiuti and Wutota.
Kaleni, the Abantu and Mantel gathered to the side closer to where Eku sat.
Kotuta and Tokuta, and the other nesibindi went to the opposite side.
Directly behind where Uta and Kafila sat, Bwana females spread across the central rocks and benches.
Mothers, all wearing impressive hats, widely brimmed to provide shade.
The hats were woven of plant cordage and decorated with feathers and beads and flowers.
Some even had narrow strips of skin dyed orange and yellow.
He thought the mothers looked rather nice, like colorful birds or fruits out for a picnic under the gaze of Ulanga and couldn’t help but wonder what Yat and mother would think of such finery.
Looked at Kafila, seated up front, and realized he never saw the highly esteemed Bwana mother wearing fancy hats or jewelry.
She appeared the only way Eku had ever seen her: zebra loincloth and one of her beautifully dyed skins as a vest.
Kafila was very pretty.
Her hair was long, but only gently curled, pulled tightly against the scalp and loosely braided to cascade down her back, in a fashion similar to the male nesibindi, which made him wonder.
Eku turned his focus to Uta.
Unfortunately, he was not wearing the magnificent necklace.
But the scar!
Pink and pale with shiny parts.
Awful to look upon.
The flesh appeared tender; though, Eku knew from his leg scar there was the same pliable resistance as regular skin.
Nevertheless, Uta’s wound must have been terrible.
How could he survive?
Mother and Yat said the Bwana had excellent poultices to help reduce pain, but the Bwana chieftain surely suffered terribly.
Feeling guilty for staring, Eku allowed his gaze to drift to his father, who was waiting for him to look.
Kaleni put a finger to his lips.
Enthused, Eku almost clicked in response; instead, offered a slight nod, overjoyed at not being shooed away.
Leaned to one side and then the other to smooth the loincloth under his sweaty buttcheeks.
With a bird’s view of whatever important pow wow was about to happen, Eku did not intend to move. Unless he had to pee. (Really bad.)
This had to be some sort of tribal council.
In fact, Eku reasoned this would have to be an actual tribal council if it was dark (to the best of Eku’s knowledge, tribal councils were always held at night).
Whatever was going on was important. For sure.
He wished Yat and Yathi could see where he was now. And Kolo and Goguk.
Shocked, Eku realized Uta cut his hair.
Like an Abantu!
Being accustomed to short hair, Eku did not recognize the change, at first.
The dome of his head was spotted with coils of white.
Especially above the scar.
Uta was older than Eku first realized.
Probably because of his powerful physique, he had the appearance of someone younger.
The Bwana leader sat casually, looking at Wutota, who had stepped away from Tiuti to stand in profile to Eku, chatting with him and Kafila.
Wutota’s hair was very long, coiled in tight braids of silver, gray and black all the way to the band of cordage holding up his loincloth. His skin sagged, similar to Tiuti’s, who stood facing the crowd, so that all Eku got was his backside.
Tiuti wore only a plain loincloth that covered front and back.
Eku smirked at the brightly striped genet tail, which Tiuti sometimes hung from his loincloth to hang over his butt like a real tail.
Something he did only when speaking or teaching in front of a group.
For some reason.
***
Ulayo was curious to see what the people were up to and blew in from the river, her cooling air bringing murmurs of appreciation.
Drops of sweat along the bumps of Eku’s spine dried as Tiuti began the presentation.
The old master’s back remained straight, shoulders square.
In one hand, he held a reed the Mantel used to make the tiny spears for the guka-hombe, sharpened at one end, but neither notched or feathered at the other.
Waving the tiny spear, Tiuti’s voice rang out loud and high pitched, “People will follow us here!”
He waved the tiny spear toward the river.
“More Abantu will come from the shores of our homeland.”
Waved the tiny spear in the direction downriver.
“More Mantel will come from the forests of the coast.”
Swung the tiny spear in the upriver direction.
“And more Bwana will come from ichi-Bwana.
“So we are here to make zoba-upay.”
Eku leaned forward, growing more intrigued.
Zoba-upay, depending on the inflection (as well as hand gestures), could mean many things; such as, drawing with charcoal on rock or wood; using a stick to etch shapes in the sand; spontaneously using a rock or bone to etch instruction upon the flat surface of rock; even when attaching beads or feathers for decoration.
Tiuti pointed the tiny spear at the miniature cliff face, almost below where Eku sat.
“First, we will practice with etchings in the sand, but then we can make zoba-upay upon the rock face of iliwi-kelele.
“The zoba-upay can show the world so that others will know things without us having to be here to tell them.”
Uta asked in a curious tone, “How is that possible?”
Tiuti nodded and snapped back excitedly, “Yes! Yes, that is the question! And you will see, after the zoba-upay is drawn, how we can show people without being here!”
Eku realized this was the most excited he had seen Tiuti in some time.
The old master paced as he continued.
“By drawing upon the rock wall today, we show where the dangerous rivers are,” he said.
Gestured with the tiny spear and his other hand to indicate all around.
“And we will show the tall mountains and we will show the jungle and other dangerous obstacles.
“And then we will show to get to the endless lake of freshwater, from here.”
He turned to Wutota.
Taking his cue, Wutota pointed past Kafila, where the nesibindi stood behind her.
“We came down the river you call shatsheli-lambo, he said. “Shatsheli-lambo arrives here from the lands north of ichi-Bwana.
“So we will add our knowledge of how we went from ichi-Bwana, to the great river, and then to where we are now. We can show this on zoba-upay.”
Wutota paused and Tiuti added, “And we will show the path we took from the shores of our homeland, to where we are now.”
Kafila smiled and excitedly raised a hand.
“We have yet to see the mighty Uwama of whom you speak so reverently,” she said. “The mother of us all, as you like to say.”
She chuckled and added, “Can you draw her as well?”
She smiled in a pretty way.
Eku, who knew Tiuti rarely smiled, knew from body posture that Tiuti was actually grinning.
He nodded respectfully and said, “Of course.”
Kafila smiled back and nodded her thanks, adding, “I would like to do that, one day, travel to see your Uwama. The mother of us all.”
“The Zoba-upay can show you,” Tiuti said.
Kafila’s smile faded.
She and Tiuti exchanged a look.
Uta seemed ready to interject, but Kafila set her hand on his thigh and he remained quiet.
She said, “We have warned you of the dangers we may face if we travel north of Shatsheli-lambo, yes?”
Tiuti waved the tiny spear in the direction of the Kaleni and the Abantu hunters in a way to show he was not worried.
Kafila frowned and seemed intent on saying more, but remained silent.
Tiuti continued.
“Our scouts have traveled beyond shatsheli-lambo. They followed the river that comes from the north.
“The land is difficult, but nothing we have not managed already. The zoba-upay will show us now how we are going to the land of legend.”
***
Tiuti and Wutota moved closer to the rock wall and as a result, closer to Eku.
Leaving an open area of clear sand in front of the audience.
Tiuti gestured with the tiny spear and said, “For generations, we Abantu sent scouting parties along the southern shores, in the direction that Ulanga rises and the direction he departs.”
He scratched on the ground with the tiny spear to draw a representation of the southern coastline, a roughly oval shape.
Offered a smile at Kafila and scratched squiggly lines along the outside, to show how the three sides were surrounded by Uwama.
He continued to make etchings with the tiny spear, explaining as he did so.
Tiuti scratched in mountains that rose on each side of the oval.
Mountains where the irreplaceable isipo-gazi was found on one side, and the clouds that were mountains on the other.
Finally, he scraped smaller markings between the large mountains of the coasts and paused to offer additional explanation.
“In the days of old, we sent scouts north,” he began. “Beyond the hills where we camped during sika-yaka.
“But our hunters found only a place of death. A land with little water.”
“Yes,” Wutota said, coming up to stand beside him, addressing everyone, but looking at Uta and Kafila. “We have talked of that, Tiuti and I.”
He motioned at what Tiuti drew on the dirt and then the area above it.
“We think that the land north of where the Abantu come from is the part of the land beyond ichi-Bwana,” Wutota said. “On the side opposite of where we lived.”
One of the nesibindi called out, “The opposite side of the great sea of salt is a place of only death!”
Wutota nodded and indicated that Tiuti should continue.
Tiuti stepped to better reach with the tiny spear to indicate the side of the oval where the clouds were mountains.
“Which is why,” he said, motioning with the tiny spear, “Our scouts focused on the coastline, in the direction from which Ulanga rises.”
Tiuti shuffled about, etching and explaining.
“Along the coastline there is difficult terrain, but the land is rich with freshwater, fruit and beasts.
“This is the land here is where we found our Mantel friends.”
Added more scratchings and said, “And this is where the mighty shatsheli-lambo empties into Uwama.”
Kaleni and Nibamaz joined Tiuti to stand over the etching.
Addressing everyone, Kaleni said, “When we reached shatsheli-lambo, at first, we thought we had reached the end of Umawa or perhaps something different.”
“But the water was not salted,” Nibimaz added. “We thought maybe it was a vast lake.
“We did not realize it was a river until we traveled inland and saw the mountains and the distant shore.”
Kaleni finished, “We swam across shatsheli-lambo to this very spot almost four full cycles ago.”
Nibamaz smiled and said, “It looks different now.”
“We were not here then,” Uta said.
“We had not even left ichi-Bwana four cycles ago,” Kafila added.
Clearly impressed by the distance the Abantu had explored, Uta asked, “And you scouted further?”
“Yes,” Kaleni said. “We followed the river flowing from the north.” He startled Eku, by turning and pointing a finger straight at him.
“The river that joins shatsheli-lambo flows from the land of legend,” Kaleni said. “Past the lone mountain you see there.”
Eku felt as though everyone was staring at him, but realized his father pointed at the lone mountain, well beyond where he was seated.
Uta made a sound to show he was impressed.
“And you have been there?”
Proudly, Kaleni said, “It was a hard journey, but nothing harder than we have already done. And it is not far from where we are now.”
Wutota asked, “And you say there is a lake of freshwater? So vast?”
He gestured with his two hands to indicate something big.
“Bigger than shatsheli-lambo,” Kaleni said.
“Waka-waka bigger,” Nibamaz added.
The Bwana mothers began chatting.
Wutota exclaimed loudly, unable to keep the skepticism out of his voice, “You say it is not salted? But so vast?”
“We drank the water,” Kaleni said. “Fresh and delicious.”
Nibamaz said, “The water is clear. So clear you can see far into the depths and there are many different kinds of fish and birds. And antelope and hagu. Waka-waka monkeys.
“Fruit and food as plentiful as along the southern shores, even more so.
“And with so much freshwater!”
He gestured in an ebullient way, adding, “Wini-nesisa”, which was an Abantu phrase that meant a positive feeling, such as delicious food, sexual pleasure or simply a moment of pure joy.
“It is where we are going,” Tiuti said emphatically.
Kaleni and Nibamaz went back to their original posts.
Tiuti continued drawing more details on the dirt.
Scraped lines to show the plains of the southern coast, where the Abantu lived in large villages.
Added markings to better show the ponds and streams of the Mantel’s reach homeland.
Pressed hard with the tiny spear to carve trails that showed the great rivers crossed before reaching shatsheli-lambo.
Everyone talked about the drawing and modifications were agreed upon.
Wutota began using charcoal to begin a permanent zuba-upay on the rock wall, just below and to the left of where Eku sat.
While drawing, Wutota explained.
“We left our homeland around ichi-Bwana and we followed shatsheli-lambo. We travelled down the river and along canyons that are deeper than even the tallest trees.
“We crossed waterfalls so vast the water rose like smoke into clouds and made such a thunderous sound, we could still hear the roar after marching days away.”
Wutota showed how shatsheli-lambo emptied into a vast and mysterious delta, before spilling into the endless waters of Uwama.
With Kaleni calling out advice, Wutota etched the lone mountain into place, then drew in the south flowing river, starting at shatsheli-lambo and curving past the lone mountain.
The path of the river continued to the tip of the endless lake of freshwater, which Wutota drew in at the very top of the zoba-upay.
Once finished, Tiuti and Wutota stepped away so that people could take turns parading past for a closer look.
Standing just below him, Tiuti asked Wutota, “Is ichi-Bwana truly so large?”
“Our ancestors took voyages across the lake,” Wutota said. “It took waka-waka days of polling.”
Kaleni had joined the old masters. He offered Eku a wink and asked Wutota with polite skepticism, “You say you polled such vast distances?”
Wutota nodded solemnly and said, “You have told me of Uwama’s size and depth and the power of her storms and waves, but that is not ichi-Bwana. Her water does not run deep.
“Despite being so vast, ichi-Bwana is not even as deep as shatsheli-lambo.”
Tiuti clicked loudly to express skepticism and some of the nearby Bwana mothers giggled.
The Bwana were still not used to the Abantu’s frequent use of clicking.
Wutota explained, “ichi-Bwana is different. It is vast, like your Uwama and goes far far far into the distance, but the water is never deep.
“One can take a raft out very far—even for many days, until no land is visible in all directions, and you still could step into water no deeper than the knees.”
Incredulous, Tiuti said, “And the water is always salted?”
“Yes. The rivers and streams that empty into ichi-Bwana are fresh, but once the water joins ichi-Bwana, all of the water is salted.”
Tiuti suddenly lurched through the crowd, Eku watching him push through the mothers, not apologizing as he stalked over to Nibamaz, who stood with some of the nesibindi.
Tiuti interrupted whatever they were talking about and spoke hurriedly.
Nibamaz looked quizzical for a moment, but then hurried away.
***
Nyama was raised in the same laba-ini as Krele, but cut her hair for Nibamaz earlier than Krele did for Kaleni.
Nyama was said to have had a blessed life.
Being both isipo-bomi and ma-bomi.
Nyama’s first born was Ingwabi, companion to Kozik.
She and Nibamaz then had twins: Tar, a female, raised in the laba-ini that included Yatyambo, and Gidi, a young izik-kosa male, who now slept with the family of his mate.
Having robust and healthy twins gave Nyama the title of ma-bomi, but seeing all three children grow into adults made her isipo-bomi.
Once Tar and Gidi were weaned, Sisi arrived, another female, now very popular amongst the males of Eku and Yathi’s age.
Motherhood alone would have given Nyama a lofty status, but she was renowned for her singing; always in great demand for feasts and celebrations.
Her capacity to remember songs impressed even the most fickle of the elders, while her voice was enchanting in a way that could make the words irrelevant … or more powerful.
Nyama was seated comfortably in the shade, working quietly with Krele, Shona and Luvu making sinew twine, when Nibamaz came running into the encampment, dripping with sweat.
Seeing how excited he was, Nyama had no choice but to jump up and follow him back to iliwi-kelele.
When she crossed the rock outcropping to the Bwana side and started up its length, she slowed, having spotted beautiful Kafila and the impressive Uta.
And worse, the Bwana females with their gorgeous hats!
Nyama stopped.
Wearing only a standard, daily loincloth with a few ostrich bead bracelets, she glared at her mate.
Nibamaz grabbed her hand. “Tiuti asked for a song!”
Angry, she said, “Yes! And you said nothing of all those other people being here!”
Nibamaz grimaced, realizing how badly he messed up.
Crestfallen, he clicked rapidly in the way he did to tell her she was beautiful and that he loved her.
Nyama only glared.
Nibamaz sighed and shook his head, knowing he was in a bad spot.
Chagrinned, he looked apologetically and said, “You know, the meeting we had planned for zoba-upay?”
Nyama crossed her arms and nodded.
“This is going very well. You will see.”
Nibamaz smiled tentatively, adding, “I think you will like it. So, when Tiuti suddenly asked me for a song from you, all I could think to do was run back and get you.”
Nyama sighed.
Tiuti, of course.
The mothers had a saying about Tiuti always getting his way.
But Nibamaz had told her something of what they were attempting to do today with Tiuti and Wutota.
She was quite intrigued.
But those hats!
The Bwana females … Always looking so fancy.
Nyama sighed.
Nibamaz, taller by a head than his mate, leaned to click in her ear, the way he did when he wanted her to know that extra attention would be given later.
She pushed him away, but smiled and said, “As if you think that matters (even though they both knew it did).”
Nibamaz reached to squeeze her hand.
Nyama smirked and said, “Fine, they want a song, I will give them one.”
***
Tiuti greeted their return eagerly.
Everyone was back in their original seated or standing positions.
“Nyama” Tiuti exclaimed, adding a slight bow. “The song of Uleza, Uwama’s lost daughter? From the beginning of time. Do you remember?”
Nyama cocked her head. “Of course!”
“Please,” Tiuti said, pointing the tiny spear at the rock wall of iliwi-kele.
Nyama, who had been eying the fine hats worn by the Bwana females, turned to see the zoba-upay for the first time.
Gasped.
Though still only charcoal and would be colored in later, the drawing was beautiful.
She instantly grasped the profound meaning.
Moved close, while Nibamaz went to stand with Kaleni.
Eku, who had still not seen the zoba-upay just below him, knew it must be wondrous to look upon, seeing the fascination written on Nyama’s face.
She stared in wonder, recognizing the shoreline of her southern homeland and the curve of Umawa along the coast to the north.
She saw the great rivers they had crossed before reaching shatshelli-lambo, the greatest of them all.
Ran a finger where Wutota had used a shell to scratch the circumference of ichi-Bwana, the inland sea of salt.
Amazed by how much the zoba-upay made sense.
Tiuti explained for the sake of the Bwana, “We have a song. From before the terrible times. From long, long ago. When there were no Abantu. Nor any beasts or even birds.”
Nyama came to stand beside Tiuti who looked at her with appreciation and stepped away.
“This is a song of Uleza,” Nyama said. “Uleza was Uwama’s first daughter.”
She took a step closer to Uta and Kafila and began.
Her voice was rich, melodic and stirring.
Uleza
eldest daughter of Uwama
adventurous
curious
escapes from her mother during a terrible storm
travels onto land forbidden
trespassing upon Umawa
greedily he tries to swallow her
the salt of her mother protects
Umawa spits her out
Uleza laughs
she travels over mountains
crosses deserts
Uwama calls to her daughter
Uleza come home
but she has traveled far
Uleza stops
she rests
she sleeps
Uleza
eldest daughter of Uwama
the lost lake of salt
***
A few days later, the excitement of the zoba-upay had worn off.
Eku was back to feeling desperate.
He must talk to the beautiful Bwana female!
Or at least try.
When he told Yathi he was going for a walk by himself, Yathi offered a knowing look, but said nothing.
Eku wandered out of camp and across iliwi-kelele, toward the big hut.
Seeing nobody in the immediate vicinity, he paced toward the river, to where he could easily jump down and immediately saw the beautiful female with the laza pendant near the log walkway, with two of her female friends.
He had been unable to see them from further down the rock.
Eku stopped to watch.
Heart pounding as though he had just sprinted.
One of the females ventured down the boardwalk with a gourd to fill, while the female with the laza pendant talked with the other.
At that moment, for some reason, Eku realized the purpose of the log walkway: a way to quickly—and dryly—get past stagnant water along the shoreline to where the current remained moving, where the water was fresher and better tasting.
Eku approached, feeling his heart pound inside one ear.
Stopped at what he thought was a polite distance.
Wordlessly, the Bwana females eyed him.
Nervous, Eku smiled at the first female, then locked eyes with the wearer of the laza pendant and said hello, first in Bwana and then Abantu.
Both of the Bwana females met his gaze, but only the first smiled back and said hello in Bwana, while the female with the laza pendant simply stared.
By now Eku knew that she knew that he watched her.
No matter how quickly he averted his eyes, she caught him staring.
Which was actually good.
At least he thought so.
How else would she know that he liked her?
Eku also knew that when he looked her way—and more often now—she was already looking at him, only she was the one to avert the eyes.
Which also seemed good.
To Eku, at the moment, it seemed the beautiful Bwana female with the laza pendant was using her mind to figure out something, but knowing absolutely nothing about her, that was only a guess.
Not sure what else to do, Eku remained silent as the third female returned down the boardwalk with the gourd of water.
The Bwana female with the laza pendant continued to keep her eyes only on Eku, while the two others chatted, saying words too fast for Eku to follow.
The female with the gourd of water giggled and smiled at Eku and said hello in Abantu.
Eku smiled and said hello in Bwana.
When he looked back at the female with the laza pendant, she made a face and ran away, down the path leading to the Bwana encampment.
Confused, Eku furrowed his brow and watched, thinking her hair bounced in a nice way as she bound away, noting that she did look back once, slowing as she did, before continuing.
The other Bwana females looked at him and giggled and walked after her.
Eku stood for a long moment, gazing down the path toward the Bwana encampment.
The figures of the three Bwana females were brown against brown and the three zebra loincloths seemed to gracefully float along of their own accord.
He walked back to the rock and hopped onto iliwi-kelele and continued toward home.
Eku had no idea how to feel.
Disappointed, yes.
But exhilarated!
He did better the second time.
Eku coached himself, after all.
While throwing his ula-konto, he prepared his mind for how beautiful the Bwana female with the laza pendant was; that way, when he came face to face with her again, his mind would not stop working properly, like the first time.
And it worked!
Well, at least his mind worked.
His mouth … Not exactly.
Now he just had to figure out what to say.