Tobby' genesis and its exodus

 Chapter 2

                             TIME TO HUNT

School session was in. The following morning everyone was set for school. On the way Toga was with Tiwonge sharing stories about how sheep were grazed.

“We are three, me, Happy and his young brother Gift. Days are divided into three. With you we are going to be four and we will be resting for long before one’s round comes,” Said Tiwonge.

As they were about to cross river Kamfulu which was two kilometers away from Mabiri Primary school, another guy joined them.

“Morning Tiwo”, he started the talk.

“Morning”, replied Tiwonge. “Today you tried to be early, is it that you wanted to pass by our place to take Toga, since I already told you yesterday at the sangweni that he is in same class like you?” prolonged Tiwonge.

“Yes of course that’s what I wanted but porridge delayed me because mama lala did not wake up too early today to prepare it”, said Chiza. By mama lala, Chiza meant his older mother who shared husband with her young sister. The older one was Chiza’s biological mother.

“Am Chiza, Chiza Ngulube”, he started the intro while shaking hands with Toga. “About you I heard already yesterday at the sangweni, that you are Toga”, he carried on.

“Come on, I also know you Chiza. I used to see you in standard 3B before you got shifted to 3A. Only that I used to stay at my Uncle that’s what made me not get used to you guys from here”, narrated Toga.

From that time Chiza became Toga’s best friend at both school and home. Where so ever Chiza was seen it was likely to see Toga too.  At the sangweni they used to back each other up when one had a case to answer.  No one of the two could watch the other being painted black.

Its time to hunt .This was the only time Toga went out without Chiza. GogoWanalume was Toga’s best friend in times like this. They went out together. Sometimes Tiwonge   accompanied them. Gun, bow, arrows and axes were the weapons for the hunt to be complete. Antelopes, River ducks, Guinefowls were some of the targeted game whenever they went hunting. They could also cut some trees for their curving art. They were good at making cooking sticks, hoe handles and many other Ngoni items. Ngoni was the tribe to which they belonged.

In the jungle they walked side by side. To the left was Tiwonge while Toga to the right at a twenty meter distance apart. When GogoWanalume found fruits, like Nthumbuzga-green round fruits that become dark when ripe, he could call the two boys at once, “Tiwonge –Toga!” Come heather, heather was a word, he mostly used instead of ‘here’. When he saw any danger, for instance wasps, snake and thorns, the same was the style in order to alert his two boys. 

As time went by GogoWanalume’s teachings started to bear fruits in his grandsons especially Toga who started showcasing his artistic carvings to his young boys. Eventually, elders from within the village as well as the neighboring villages like Songeya, Luhana and Jeremiah started benefiting from the young boy’s art. They could ask him to carve cooking sticks, hoe handles, bows and arrows, dishing spoons, fighting stick, walking stick and ingoma dancing stuff called Chibiyozo. Ingoma is a traditional dance for the Ngoni people. Originally it was performed when the umbizo -ngoni troops- were either preparing for war or coming back from war. Whether victorious or not they still had to perfume it as a symbol of curiosity. 

Toga became so popular amongst all age groups around mabiri. His peers respected him, not only for the art but also for his ability to unite them in times of disagreements. All these were possible because of the wisdom he emulated from GogoWanalume who was a magistrate at a traditional court under Traditional Authority Mzukuzuku by that time. He spent most of his after school time at the sangweni with few of his home boys who wanted to learn the art. Not too long some of his loyal most friends like Joseph, Joel, Chimwemwe and Allan learnt some basics of the art. They together produced a lot of artistic items which they could sell to raise funds for them to use at the sangweni. When it came to the point of selling the items Chifundo was the sales man. He was really best at approaching customers at a rural mobile market called Kabwandire. GogoWanalume was very proud of Toga. He introduced him to every visitor that came in the home. 

School session was over. It was holiday time. The sun was bright on a Monday morning. It was not Toga’s sheep grazing day. It was Tiwonge’s. GogoWanalume was at the sangweni fixing an axe into its handle. He called his grandsons in the usual style; Tiwonge –Toga! Sir! Replied Toga as he walked towards him.” Where is Tiwonge?” asked GogoWanalume.

“He has gone to graze the sheep”, he answered. 

“Alright then I will go with you alone”, said GogoWanalume.

“No problem Gogo we can go”, he unhesitatingly answered.

“Get yourself prepared, today we are going as far as Kachikwa forest along Lukulu River”, commanded GogoWanalume.

Bow and arrow was Toga’s weapon every time they went hunting. GogoWanalume used his gun but he also had bow and arrow. Axes were must to carry. In case of hunting till late at night, head torch was another important asset on the trip.

On her side GogoWanakazi had already finished preparing breakfast for the two hunters. Soon after finishing their breakfast the journey was set. Bicycle was the mode of transport since kachikwa forest was a long distance to walk. It took them three hours to reach a village close to the forest where they kept their bicycle at one of GogoWanalume’s long standing friend. It was guduza village. Another hour was spent to get to the actual forest of Kachikwa. Hunting started. Their main target on this day was guinea fowls and bush barks. They moved in the forest side by side from east to west in a random wave. At times they missed each other. Mouth whistling was the mode of communication. Whistling back could indicate the position you are moving. 

As they reached the middle of the forest, each one on his on, Toga saw a swamp of guinea fowls. He never whistled to avoid frightening the birds. On the other side GogoWanalume had also seen the same swamp. He too avoided any kind of noise to avoid frightening them. He quietly crawled closer until he reached a position where he could see the whole swamp through the barrow of his gun. He crawled a little more with his finger on the trigger. He thought two, three times, “should I shoot?” “But what if this is the very same side Toga is?” A flow of questions never ceased in his mind. Apparently Toga was standing very close to the south of targeted area. His bow and arrow on guard, thinking he would be shooting in three minutes time. He was late, his grandfather had already decided. 

While he was having a second thought, noise of a gunshot was everywhere in the forest. Phwaaaaaaaaa! He automatically fell down into the ground while closing his ears with his fingers. He was lucky. The bullet never reached him but it passed very close to where he was standing, at an estimated distance of forty centimeters. It saw seven guinea fowls down. He was shivering, so powerless, voiceless his body useless. All remained in him was a question “am I dead or still alive?” Then he thought it was stupid to think of death when he is able to think.  “Ooooh! Am alive”, he concluded his thoughts in such a fast forward manner. 

Then he woke up, gathered his anatomy and maneuvered towards the shot fowls to finish off those still breathing.

“Oooooh! My son”, screamed GogoWanalume as he realizes how close Toga was to the shooting zone. “Am glad no bullet reached you, are you fine?” he curiously prolonged. “Yes Gogo am okay, only that the sound of the gun got me terrified”, said Toga.

“Alright son lets carry our birds,” said GogoWanalume while collecting the seven guinea fowls while Toga was busy finishing off the eighth one which tempted to fly away following those that escaped the bullet.