Mola Mbua Ndoko: Wisdom and Ways of the Bakweri People

18. “osi tuta te a wuva, oma wosongi wasa soweli” !

If you did not excite the fowl the liquid medication would not have spilt.

Yasi nanu: Ewune, a  Wojuwa lady had consulted local gynaecologists concerning the recurring miscarriages that she suffered to no avail. She and her husband then travel to far away Vahwiya to consult a gynaechologist. The Doctor gave Ewune medication to be boiled in water and the liquid administered in the form of an enema.

In the evening after she had boiled the medication in a clay pot (“livanya”) and dropped a small quantity of “manyanga” on the medication, Ewune leaned the “livanya” with the liquid medication in it against one of the stones of the fireside to allow time for the liquid to cool down to warmth that she could accommodate. 

When fowls started to perch Lyengu a friend of Ewune attempted to control the movement of one of the fowls. Ewune asked Lyengu to leave the fowl alone since the fowl was familiar with the path to follow. 

125. “Molengu Mbole: elenge yamba Molengu Mbole:wheni a fanga ewoo-ngo yeni a nanga, ama; jaee ! a sooko ndi e-ndava amba Sange”

Molengu Mbole is so foolish that he fails to realize that he is causing damage to his own bed when he uses the bed also as a latrine.

Source: Tales from the Animal World.

Yasi  nanu.  A beautiful Molengu  Mbole used to sleep on the floor.  Later when the master of the Molengu provided the Molengu with a comfortable sofa (ewoo-ngo) the Molengu surprisingly used the sofa as a bed and a latrine as well.

Mwambala one o of the inmates of the home advised Molengu  Mbole to stop the use of the sofa as a latrine but Molengu would not listen. 

As usual, in broad day light and in spite of the presence of guests in the house Molengu  Mbole resting on the ewoo-ngo (sofa) discharged a large quantity of urine on the ewoo-ngo  “jolo-lo-lo”. Mwambala was enraged and then rebuked Molengu  Mbole:

“Chei !
Molengu  Mbole !
What is wrong with you ?
Why are you so uncouth and shameless to urinate inside the house ?
You are being disrespectful to the guests”.

Chei !
i-Molengu  Mbole !
owa, anu  na !
mandenga  o-kooli  nau, wi-nye-ya  minyali  o-tena  ndawo.
o-soka  te  vae-ni  isoni)

262. Vato va Fako vama loma leene e-Mbenge a Vakala.

The first persons from Fako to visit Europe.

Oral history has it that Isuma  Nyoki of the village of Wova east of Buea was the first Bakweri to visit Europe. He lived in Hamburg and in Berlin. 

Note:  There is also a village situated along the Wokoso-Muyuka public high way that is called Wova. Wokoso is the headquarter town of Womboko Clan.

Then, Burnley  Ekote  of Bimbia was the first person or one among the first batch of persons in the coastal plain that visited Europe. Mola Ekote studied music in Berlin and in Vienna.

He was the most celebrated pianist of his time in then British Cameroon now known as English Speaking Cameroon.  He lived for most of his time in New Town (Liyengu Mboke), Victoria.

Oma Nanu
Imba Thomas Mbua Ndoko
Chicago ILL, USA

17. “e-ngomo ya mo-ya-eli, o-mbusa litongo”.

Display of joy by a parent over the success of his/her children aught to take place behind the house.

Yasi nanu:  Iya  Ejose, the mother of Naliongo, pulled out one of her breasts in excitement and joy when Naliongo was once again declared victor of a wrestling contest. 

When Iya Ejoso was about to jump into the pitch to join the group that was dancing and parading the pitch in celebration of Naliongo’s victory her mother in law intercepted her and said:

“Ejoso  ee  !  Halt  !
You are not expected to enter the pitch. 

Do not enter the pitch lest your detractors and enemies should accuse you and Naliongo of usurping all the credits of the day.

You have opportunities to congratulate and salute the child at home quietly out of the view of your detractors/enemies. Your sisters and friends will dance the “fombowo” for us.

16. “Koote asi-leli te, Wolinyama vasi-le” !

Koote first then Wolinyama next 

Maito, maito kaii  !  (Fables of the Animal World).

Koote = the name of a bird.

Woli-nyama = the animal community; all animals.

Yasi nanu:  Concerned with repeating out-breaks of diarrhea at the beginning of harvest seasons, the Supreme Council of Wolinyama asked their eminent Traditional Doctors - (Mosongi  Inoni, Yongoole, Lisonjo, Yota  Ngule) - to work in concert and tell Wolinyama action to be taken to prevent recurrence of diarrhea. 

After consulting their respective oracles the Doctors informed the Council that diarrhea occurs when premature fruits and tubers are consumed.

The Doctors then recommended that Wolinyama should not commence to eat fruits and tubers from any tree or plant until after a Sanitary Inspector who had been duly mystically fortified against fruit and tuber poison had inspected and tasted the fruits/tubers of the tree/plant and made a declaration that it was safe to eat the fruits/tubers from the tree/plant.

15. “Moofi ikaku asa-la monge-nya”.

Someone who uses “ikaku” will not eat “monge-nya”.

Lexicon:

ikaku = (i) a thin splint with a sharp end used in testing if a tuber in the process of boiling has become soft, and good enough for consumption.

(ii) An ikaku also serves as a fork.

asa-la = will not eat.

(i) monge-nya = a tuber which does not become soft even when it is boiled for several hours;  plural is “menge-nya”.

(ii) monge-nya = counterfeit.

When sufficiently boiled a tuber, for instance a coco-yam, that is good enough for human consumption becomes soft for chewing. 

However, some tubers do not become soft even when they have been boiled for several hours. 

A tuber that does not become soft when it is boiled is known as “mongenya”. 

It is hard to chew and is not good for human consumption...

An ikaku penetrates into a soft tuber with ease.  Whereas a person who uses an ikaku as a fork enjoys the advantage of distinguishing instantly, a soft tuber from a “monge-nya”, even without first of all chewing the tuber, on the other hand, someone who eats tubers without using an ikaku only becomes aware that a slice of tuber is a “monge-nya” when he starts to chew it. 

He who uses an Ikaku obviously selects and eats the soft slices of tubers, and of course rejects the “mengenya” outright.  Hence the slogan:

“mofi  ikaku asa-la monge-nya”

Literally.   “ikaku” = privileged; cash in hand, power.

A person with privileges such as age, wealth, knowledge is expected to use his privileges wisely and moderately to select and acquire for himself/herself the best among any lot and to reject what is considered counterfeit, inferior, second hand.

Oma Nanu
Imba Thomas Mbua Ndoko
Chicago ILL, USA

89. “Yongoole ama:Ese, e-nyi-nga, si, yo-ndo-ndo,wonde-nga,imba, ne-nde kanga-nga-nga, noka woongo, nasi-ja li-kpwa”.

Yoongole says the World/ earth quakes. 
It is also slippery. 
Hence, I crawl along the road, lest I should fall.

Fables of the Animal World.

Yongole/yoongoli = a chameleon.

Yasi nanu:  It was a Vatoke Market day in the first week of the month of September (Veko-ndo-nde).  When inmates of the villages of Etome and Mbase were excitedly racing down to the market because it was not raining that morning, Yoongole who was also going to the market was in no hurry. 

He staggered along the edge of the road, away from the fast lane. As Njika  Nyame was about to over-take Yoongole, Njika  asked:

“i-Yoongoli !
Are you also going to the market” ?