Mola Mbua Ndoko: Wisdom and Ways of the Bakweri People

57. “Wove wo Mbiya, va-laa, va ve-nye”.

Palm nuts at an early stage of decomposition that are constantly being condemned, yet soup prepared from the nuts is consumed

 

Maito, maito  kai:  It’s time to tell Tales of the Animal World.

Yasi  nanu: A mentally stressed Mosongi  Inoni complaining to his friend Ikula Nyame said:
“Mwai  Ikulu  koko:

 Wolinyama, including my sisters are not worth dying for. They are very ungrateful.
I have pulled several of them out of Nyongo labour camps and destroyed the ropes that were used in tying them.

I have offered many of them free services from my sorcery. But I have never received a word of thanks from any of them. Instead they gossip me and complain that I do not give them enough assistance. Henceforth I will not commence treatment until a patient pays my fee.
I will no longer offer free services from my sorcery, not even to my sisters”.

252. Bakweri and forecasting of weather on the Mountain (o-Fako).

 

Bakweri persons who visit the Mountain (e-Fako) frequently and spend nights in caves on the Mountain make remarkably reliable forecast of the weather on the Mountain. It is said that the location of clouds, the direction of the wind and the pressure of the wind on the skin, particularly on the face, suggest on coming weather conditions. 

Bakweri mountaineers don’t dare leave their caves when hostile weather, such as heavy rain fall, storms, thick fog is forecast. They return into their caves before the start of inclement weather. With or without using clocks they guess time remarkably correct and return in their caves before night fall.  Fire keeps caves warm. From time to time strangers to the Mountain die on the savannah zone (Mosanje) when overtaken by hostile weather.

56. “isosi je Eso”

To continue to claim to be innocent even after being caught red handed

Tales of the Animal World.

Yasi  nanu.  Wolinyama were at a Conference when Kpwae Inoni wailed from the the path of  a latrine:

“Wolinyama come out immediately. Here is Eso devouring Yonja  Wuve”

(“Wolinyama  e-fuse  kpwa  ee !
e-je  kasi-kasi  ee  !
neni  maongo  ee)  !
Eso  mono  a-veli, a-laa  Yonja  Wuve  ee” !

On arrival at the scene security guards were surprised that even though they met Eso still chewing the body of Yonja Wuva, Eso claimed that it was not Yonja Wuva  that he was chewing. The guards arrested Eso and presented him to the Conference. Eso was still carrying in his mouth feathers of Yonja Wuve who he had already swallowed. The face of Eso was covered with blood. Yet Eso continued to say:

“Wolinyama  You are prosecuting me without reason. I have not eaten Yonja  Wuve

“Wolinyama,
eno  nwa  ndi  ngundu,
nhwe  !  nasa-leli  Yonja  Wuve” !

55. “ e-Mbako yamba Mosoke”.

Mosoko’s verdict

mbako = verdict.
 
kaka = to tighten; fasten.

mbafe  nakaki  ndi  anga  meene;
mbafe  na-lati  ndi  anga  meene;
anga  meene  ndi  mbafe  naveli;
anga  ndi iveli;   anga  meene  wondi  iso  vase  iveli”.
(I am or we are in agreement with what has been said, or what is about to be done.)

Yasi  nanu:  Chief Johnny Mosoko  Mekame the  traditional ruler of the village of Wakpwae  was one of the judges of the Bakweri Customary Court of Appeal in Buea. Whenever it was his own turn to state in whose favour he considered judgement should go, he routinely said:

251. Bakweri Rain Scientists.

There is a  belief that for more that three hundred years now the Bakweri have been in  possession of scientific knowledge that they use (i) to suspend rainfall, (ii) to cause rainfall and (iii) to cause whirlwinds and hurricanes to occur. 

It is widely known among the Bakweri that when a public ceremony,such as an eyuu, wrestling contests, Maale that involves the assembly of large crowds is scheduled to take place during the months of virtual incessant rainfall, that is, in the months of July, August, September and October, sponsors of the ceremony hire a Rain Scientist to suspend rainfall on the day of the ceremony.

As concerns whirlwinds and hurricanes, the following event that occurred more than seventy years ago and which has now become legendary is fascinating.

54. “Molisa moto mondi a-timbi mboli yamba e-wanga moto”.

I am a poor man escorting the goat of a wealthy person.

Yasi nanu:  Lifanje was an employee of a wealthy animal farmer. On one occasion when Lifanje was escorting his master's goats to an area with green grass, a group of elderly men (vetina  ve  wunyana) remarked:

“Taata  ee !  So, this lad is the owner of this herd of goats
He will be a multi-millionaire soon”.

("Taata  ee ! 
ene  elonge-longe  ya  mwaana  !
imele,
mofe, mondi,
a-veni  wono  gbwaaka  wosusu  wo  mboli  nau !
imele  a-gbwe-ya,
wokoki  fetei,
laka  nau,
seke  imele  ave  ndi  e-wangi  ya  hoo)”.

Lifanje frightened by the remarks, and fearing the elderly men may jealous him, and mystically cause him to be sick, pleaded in a trembling voice: