As soon as the Ndebele had driven off the Matanda warriors, they returned singing loudly in their tongue.
The remaining Matanda villagers cowered in fear when they saw the Ndebele approach.‘Do no harm to them,’ Brahmuhn told the Ndebele warriors. ‘These…these are my people.’ He fell onto the ground.‘Tawana!’ Tsitsi raised his head up into her arms.‘My chief!’ Cheetah also shouted in concern.Leading the Ndebele warriors was Bhekumuzi, the chief of the village Brahmuhn had saved from the ntokolishi (goblins). He came and stood before Brahmuhn with the entire army behind him. He smiled. ‘I guess my debt is paid, Brahmuhn.’From within the Ndebele army emerged Shumba and Tortoise.Tortoise stepped forward. ‘My chief, word of how you liberated a lot of the Shona villages and the Ndebele villages in your journey spread like wildfire. You are now a hero among both the Shona and t
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Mighty Brahmuhn 1. Stirring Dust
Their coarse, black skins could hardly bear the heat of the African sun. They walked with little words spoken to each other.The weather was unbearable and it limited their speech. They had drunk water from the well a few minutes ago but it was not long before the intense heat reminded them of the summer thirst of Zimbabwe. This was partly the hardship of Bulawayo. Greater problems abound, what with the war between the Shona tribes and the Ndebele tribes over land, celebration was always short-lived especially in their village: the Matanda Village.Tawana was trying to keep up with his father, Farai Masimba, who was carrying an impala across his shoulders walking ahead of him. Now at fourteen years of age, Tawana had actually seen his father hunt different kinds of animals like impalas, rabbits and the elusive duiker. Any animal bigger than the impala or the duiker was impossible for Farai. He was now thirty-eight years old. He was a thin but strong man with sparse stran
Mighty Brahmuhn 2. Royal Visit
He grabbed her hand and clasped it in hers. It felt rough, like sand fresh and seasoned in a drought. The mark was still there. The mark she had hidden for almost half her life. Once greeted by people, when one saw the mark, the conversation would become serious. Tawana also had the same mark. The mark was a tattoo at the back of their right hand. It was a small symbol of the sun with a smile, a nose but no eyes. He had always asked her about their tattoo and why it was only the two of them who had it in the village. As usual, she would avoid answering the question which made him think of it as being of some importance. ‘Mother, please…’ he insisted, ‘…what’s wrong?’She had now turned silent, staring blankly into the dying smoke of the fire.‘Tawana..,’ his father called him, ‘come give me a hand.’Hesitant at first, he decided to get up and join his father and they began skinning the impala together.‘Father, I’m beginning to worry about her.’‘Your mother is a heal
Mighty Brahmuhn 3. Tattoo
‘Then make sure that he’s kept in check,’ the chief also warned her. The voice itself was authority.Just as quick as he arrived, the chief began to leave.‘Crazed baboon!’ Ngoni spat at Tawana. ‘Maintain that attitude and we’ll throw you into the army at your age!’ he added. ‘You’ll be dead in seconds and dead boys can’t disrespect chiefs the way you did.’Smack!He was slapped backhand by Bhonzo. The force knocked him face first into the ground.His father rushed to his aid this time.Tsitsi was on top of Tawana, acting like a shield between the two giants. ‘What more do you want from us?!’ she shouted at them, her eyes were quivering, trying to retain the tears in her eyes.Farai now had both his arms above Tsitsi and Tawana, also acting as a barrier to protect his son. He had seen enough madness for that day.Tawana was still on the ground. He turned his eyes upward at Ngoni and Bhonzo. Tears could be seen glistening in his eyes but anger did not permit h
Mighty Brahmuhn 4. Stolen Treasure
The next day, the Masimba family prepared for the journey to the chief’s home.Farai had finally given up. He knew that the situation was beyond his control. Even if he had decided to kill the chief, he would have still not been successful in his mission. In fact, he would not have come within a mile of his reach. With the Gorivas carefully guarding him, he would be dead before he even said a word. Besides that, Tawana would be left fatherless and Tsitsi would still remain married to Mbada. He boiled inside in anger. The cart moved on along the dusty rocky road, drawing them ever closer to their fate. He looked to his left at Tsitsi who was sitting beside him.She had her chin in her palm, blankly staring at the trees as they passed by.He could not tell what she was thinking but he could tell that she was distraught. He looked to his son who was sitting at his right side.Tawana was frowning as if he had been punched in the belly by death and left to feel the ex
Mighty Brahmuhn 5. Morality over Culture
‘Was? You speak of her as if she's dead. Father, you're a man. You once told me that it is better for a man to lose his life than his dignity.’‘I know I did, Tawana but...’ he shrugged hopelessly.‘But what? Father, another man has just taken your wife!’‘What can I do about it? It’s our culture!’ he defended himself.‘No it's not...it's you! Morality conquers culture and you know that.’ He jumped off the cart and ran into the multitude of guests leaving him sitting alone in the cart. Tawana was greatly frustrated. He was infuriated by this turn of events. What was once his happy family had now been driven apart. So much chaos caused by one man: Chief Mbada! His eyes were blurred with anger and his skin crawled. If he ever got the chance again, he thought, he would kill the chief himself.‘So, you think that since your mother is marrying the chief you shall be above us?’He had bumped into three boys who were each almost twice his size.‘I never s
Mighty Brahmuhn 6. Love
‘I heard you tell mother to use it. What did you mean?’‘Tawana, I said..!’There was a sudden clap at the entrance of the hut.They both stopped talking and stared at it.An old man came in. It was the same old man who had married Tsitsi to the chief.‘What do you want here?!’ Farai asked him, developing a bitter taste in his mouth.The old man raised his hands in innocence, ‘I just came to congratulate you on the wedding.’‘Is this a joke?!’ Farai was getting even more furious.‘Of course not. Now that Tsitsi is married to the chief, she and her son are now royalty. They are now part of Chief Mbada’s royal family…’‘I’m not joining a family of immoral fools!’ Tawana spat at the old man.‘I’m afraid it’s too late for that, my boy. Everything is done. Tawana, as of tonight you’re moving into the chief’s hut with your mother. Farai…’ he looked at him in disgust, ‘…you’ll be provided with everything you need for your journey back home.’‘I’m not leavin
Mighty Brahmuhn 7. Stirring the Pot
He had been napping on the floor. As soon as he heard Tsitsi’s voice he sprang up and ran to embrace her.She pushed him away gently with both hands.‘What’s wrong?’ he asked her concernedly.‘What is this I hear about you beating up Va Mutasa?’‘So the dog has a name?’ Farai spoke casually.Tsitsi on the other hand looked devastated. ‘Do you know what that man is?’ she asked him.‘A fool?’She sighed in anger, ‘Va Masimba...that was the chief’s royal advisor!’The reality banged him on his head. ‘Ad…visor?’She clapped her hands on her thighs, ‘You beat up the man who molded the chief from since he was a child!’He was now speechless. ‘Let’s leave. L…L…Let’s leave…all of us!’ he grabbed her wrist.She snatched it from him. ‘You don’t understand, do you? I am no longer your wife! I am no longer a Masimba! I am a Mbada.’This statement was enough to crush Farai’s soul. A tear rolled down his cheek like it was long overdue.Tawana had been sleepi
Mighty Brahmuhn 8. RUN !
Tawana had been having an unpleasant dream when he was woken up by a loud commotion outside. He turned around on his sleeping mat. His father was absent from the hut. Rubbing sleep from his eyes, he stood up and peeked through the window. It was already dark and in a distance he could see a group of people with flaming torches in their hands. They were ranting and barking like rabid dogs.He frowned harder to get a closer look but the scenario was too blurry. The door of the hut was suddenly banged open. It was his mother, Tsitsi. ‘Mother, what is going on? What is happening outside? Where is father?’ he asked her in concerned curiosity.Without even bothering to answer him, she pulled him to the side.He noticed that she was carrying in her hand some sort of burning incense.‘Lie down on your back on the floor, Tawana.’‘But, mother…’‘Just do as I say!’She looked as glum as she did earlier when she had fought with his father. Not wanting to awaken her wrath,
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