You don’t have to climb up to the sky in order to stop rainfall.
Maito, maito kaii ! It’s time to narrate tales.
Yasi nanu: Njika Nyame died in Vahwiya on the last Thursday (Eluwa Muea) of the month of July (Veyaale). After two rainy seasons Njika’s family working in concert with the Maale group to which Njika used to belong decided to hold a Maale ceremony in honour and remembrance of Njika. They agreed that the Maale would take place on the last Thursday of the month of July that is the day and the month that Njika died. Njika’s family hired the renowned sorcerer Yoongole (chameleon) to stop rainfall on the occasion of the Maale. In the course of negotiations Rainbow (Ngulendi) and Thunderbolt (Ngala Loova) introduced themselves to Njika’s family as graduates of Sorcery and Control of Rain from the Womboko Academy of Metrological Studies .They then requested that they too should be involved in the control of rainfall on the occasion of the Maale.
Ngulendi and Ngala Loova explained that rain lives in the stomach of clouds, so, it rains every time that the clouds belch. The most effective method of stopping rainfall is to climb up to the sky, strangulate the clouds and seal the mouths of the clouds so that the clouds will not belch at times that rainfall is not wanted. They then invited Yoongole to join them when they would be climbing up to the sky.
Responding, Yoongole (Chameleon) exclaimed:
“Sei !
It’s being foolhardy to climb up to the sky to stop rainfall.
I will not expose myself to imminent death up there in the sky.
It is not necessary to climb up to the sky.
I combat rainfall from here on the ground, not from the sky”).
(“Sei !
oma o-te mbuwa nange uuka o-loova ?
asa-ve nau,
kpweli meene ne-nde le-yasa o-mwanya loova.
jae ! imba Yoongole,
na tee-ya ndi e-mbuwa anu se.
nasa gbwa o-loova”.
Ngala Loove (Thunderbolt) said:
“Mola Yoongoli !
Do not panic. We have the professional and mystic expertise to climb up to the sky and effectively combat rainfall up their in the sky without any risk at all”.
Yoongole replied:
“No ! Never !
I will never climb up to the sky. It’s an obvious risk to climb up there in the sky.
I will launch my attacks from here
In any case no one can stop rainfall.
What I do when a ceremony is taking place is to divert the rain to a forest area or to the sea”.
.(“kpo ! imba nau, kpo, nasa gbwa o-loova
na na-ne-ya ndi e-mbuwa anu se).
ose-nje moto
a-tane a temise e-mbu-wa ama esa yo.
mame imba na gbwe-ya
eveli ndi o-litinda e-mbuwa
si, e-yo-eya o-tena likomba to o-tena mwanja”).
It was then decided that Yoongole (Chameleon) would ensure there would be no rainfall from Tuesday morning to mid-day on Thursday. Ngulendi (Rainbow) and Ngala Loove (Thunderbolt) would be in charge from Thursday afternoon to Friday after nightfall, so that guests would be able to return to their homes without being discomforted by rain.
Yoongole was able to stop rainfall within the Vahiya area from Tuesday to mid-day on Thursday.
The clouds were enraged when in the afternoon of Thursday, Ngulendi (Rainbow) and Ngala Loova (Thunderbolt) appeared in the sky with their mystic laboratory. The clouds then said to Ngulendi and Ngala Love:
“You Ngulendi (Rainbow) and you Ngala Loova (Thunderbolt) !
You are doomed to die.
You Ngulendi, your corpse will not return down to the ground.
Wolinyama will view your dead body from the sky”
The clouds attacked Rainbow (Ngulendi) ferociously and twisted his neck until he died.
The clouds then suspended Rainbow (Ngulendi) in the sky for Wolinyama to view.
In continuation of the combat the clouds said to Ngala Loova (Thunderbolt):
“You Ngala Loova (Thunderbolt).
Your corpse will return down to the ground but Wolinyama will not see it”.
The clouds then landed a serious kick on Ngala Loova’s navel. Ngala Loova suffered instant attack of diarrhea (luu-nga la moku-wako) that could not be controlled. He screamed in pain and as he descended at high speed to the ground, Ngala Loova expelled fire and hot liquid. He screamed again:
“na nweli, eeee ! na nweli” !
(“I am dead ! I am dead” !)
Ngala Lova struck a Wuuma, split the Wuuma into two halves and then he penetrated the ground to a depth that is not accessible. It rained cats and dogs from that Thursday afternoon to mid-day on Friday.
oma ote mbuwa uuka o-loova.
Literally:
Attempting to do the impossible.
A sympathizer becoming too involved and more concerned in a funeral than members of a the bereaved family.
Being excessively generous to the extent of giving out all your resources and then remaining empty without any reserves to sustain you.
Lexicon.
Mbuwa = rain.
O-te mbuwa = to stop rainfall.
UUka = to get to a destination.
O-loova = the sky.
Loova/Loove = Almighty God.
Taata Iwonda Loove/Iwonda Loove = The Creator.
Njika/njika Nyame = a wild animal that lives in the forest. It is as big as a cow.
Yoongole = a chameleon.
Ngulendi = rainbow.
Ngala Loova = thunderbolt.
Maale = a society of persons who claim to be able to transform themselves into elephants.
Maale = a dance by members of Maale clubs/societies/sects.
Vahwiya = a group of Bakweri speaking Villages within Muyuka customary court area.
Womboko = A clan on the slopes of e-Fako that overlooks Mbonge, Vakundu and Valondo area. The Bakweri are said to originate from Womboko.
e-Fako = The Mountain, generally referred to as Mount Cameroon.
e-wunya wo Liwo lo Ndo or Liwo lo Ndo = Tuesday.
e-wunya wo Liwo la Gbwa or Liwo la Gbwa= Wednesday.
e-wunya we Eluwa Muea or Eluwa Muea = Thursday; Muea Market Day.
e-wunya wo Mesango or Mesango = Friday. Veyaale = the month of July.
Veyali = leaves, singular yali, for instance yali ya liko = a plantain leaf,
Yali ya likao = a leaf of a tuber from which coco yams grow.
Wuuma = one of the largest and tall species of trees.
Oma Nanu
Imba Thomas Mbua Ndoko
Dallas Texas, USA
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