Mola Mbua Ndoko: Wisdom and Ways of the Bakweri People: 247. Mosongo-songo, aso-nwee e-nyama a-tonga eseva.

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July 18, 2007

247. Mosongo-songo, aso-nwee e-nyama a-tonga eseva.

Mosongo-songo ~ A Hunter ! How dare you sound the horn when you have not already captured the wildlife ?

Yasi nanu. As recent as 60-70 years ago meat of wild life that a hunter captured either up at the savanna section of e-Fako (o-Mosanje) or deep in the forest was exclusive property of a hunter.

When a hunter captured wildlife within the fence that surrounds a village, meat of the animal was considered as a gift from the ancestors of the village. Every male inhabitant of the section of the village in which the animal was captured was therefore entitled to a piece of meat.

On one occasion Naliongo, the hunter shot a Njika at close range within the village fence. Assuming and excited that he had killed the Njika, Naliongo as is customary sounded the horn, hum-hum-hum - huuum, huuum, huuum !

Inmates of the village singing “nyao, nyao” instantly ran towards the direction from where the horn was sounded. To their disappointment there was no animal for them to share. Hunter Naliongo’s bullets had missed the Njika even though he shot it at close range.

The angry crowd then rebuked Naliongo:

“ii-Naliongo !
sei !
oso-nwee e-nyama, o-tonga e-seva,
wenga,
o-jovangise livangi la ngundu”.

(Naliongo ! How dare you sound the horn when you have not verified and ensured that the Njika has been shot and is lying on the ground dead or dying.

Lexicon:

Mosongo-songo = a hunter.

Njika = a wild cow that lives in the forest.

seva = the horn of an animal designed to produce sound when air is blown into it.

a-tongi e-seva = he has sounded the horn.

nyama = an animal or a fish.

nyao-nyao = a celebration chant following a good catch.