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2024-10-29 19:42:56He 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 sleeping and watched from a distance as he sat at the far end of the hut with his arms wrapped around his knees rocking back and forth as this drama unfolded.‘So…’ Farai let loose another tear, ‘So…’ he made a brief chuckle, ‘So…what am I to you now? Am I nothing to you now, Tsitsi?’‘I could never forget you, Farai, but…’ she gulped, ‘…as from now onwards to me, you’re just a stranger I will never forget.’‘Wow.’ He placed one hand on his forehead and the other on his hip. ‘So you terminated the love you had for me so quickly?’Now she was speechless.‘All we’ve been through is all just a joke to you?’‘What is it that you want me to do, Farai?!’ she wrung her hands, tears streaming down her eyes. ‘I am the chief’s wife now. There is nothing I can do about it…there is nothing anyone can do about it.’‘Oh, no,no,no,no,no…’ he pulled out his knobkerrie. ‘This shall bring death to that nasty chief!’‘Do you really think that stick is enough to end the life of the most elite war hero of all the Shona villages?’‘You’d be surprised at the strangest of places you could find a weakness on a hero.’‘But that is just a stick, Farai!’‘Are you forgetting what my father said?’‘Not this again.’‘This knobkerrie has claimed the lives of many warriors over the years when his father fought some of their chiefs.’‘But you don’t actually believe that, do you? How does a stick fare against a spear and a shield?’He became silent.‘Even if that folktale were true, as soon as your grandfather died, you and your father have only used it for domestic purposes. You’re not a fighter, Farai. You do not know how to take a life besides an animal’s…you have never been in combat! The chief is angry and if you do not leave now, he will kill you!’
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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,
Mighty Brahmuhn 9. Chaponda Village
This, Tawana thought, was a very good but difficult question to answer. Where to start? ‘My father…My mother…Those people…Last night, I…’‘Calm down, boy,’ the man told him realizing that Tawana was just vomiting words. ‘Let’s start with names then. I am Nyasha. I live in Chaponda (It has rung) Village which is not too far from here.’Tawana was gasping for breath as he spoke to Nyasha; ‘My name is Tawana, I live in Matanda village, I…’ he panted some more, ‘I…My mother was married to our chief, Chief Mbada yesterday but there was great disapproval from my mother and father. Then last night I was chased for a long time by these men with torches and I fell into this pit…’‘Chief Mbada!’ Nyasha literally spat onto the ground. ‘I know it’s tradition but I didn’t think there was any chief still sick enough to practice it. So are your parents and brothers and sisters okay?’ His face was still hardened as if the mention of Mbada’s name had left a bitter taste in his mouth.‘I
Mighty Brahmuhn 10. The Vadhindi
He leapt up and put the hot porridge to his lips, blowing and slurping it. He cleaned the plate dry in under a minute.‘You’re done already?’ Nyasha looked astonished when he saw the empty bowl in front of Tawana as he walked back into the kitchen. He was carrying a small sack over his shoulders. Rudo was still sound asleep.‘My father always told me to eat like a man,’ Tawana responded.He laughed, ‘And how does a man eat?’‘Not like a woman.’He laughed again then he tossed his knobkerrie at him.Tawana actually noticed the knobkerrie in that moment. He had not realized that he had been carrying it since the night the Gorivas chased him.‘It’s time to go, Masimba,’ Nyasha told him.He nodded then stood up quickly. Strange eyes were falling upon Tawana as the two walked towards the chief’s home. He was beginning to feel uncomfortable.Nyasha noticed it and grinned. ‘Don’t worry, the chief’s home isn’t that far off.’‘But then why did you wake m
Mighty Brahmuhn 11. Warriors
Tawana was still sulking when he and Nyasha left the kraal. He could still hear the piercing and heart-shattering laughter of the Vadhindi all the way back to the chief’s hut.Nyasha was now producing coughing sounds. He was still trying hard to hold his laughter.‘I don’t get what’s funny here,’ Tawana mumbled aloud.‘I’m sorry…’ his laughter burst out again, ‘…I just can’t imagine you…’ he was choked by his laughter, ‘…I just can’t picture you becoming a warrior, or better yet, throwing a spear!’‘Humph!’ Chief Kindi and Mai Kindi were still sitting in the same positions they had been sitting when Tawana had left them: the chief on the throne and Mai Kindi sitting beside him.As before, Nyasha bowed before them but Tawana chose to stay on his feet. ‘Your Humbleness, I have shown the boy around your humble home.’The chief nodded slowly. ‘Good. Tawana, how did you find my home?’‘It’s okay.’ He was still pouting because of the laughter he had suffered a
Mighty Brahmuhn 12. Unforgotten Demons
Shumba was the most muscular of the five and he was almost as tall as Cheetah. He could have been described as the perfect “war hero cliché” : Tall, with a gargantuan physique that looked like it had been chiseled for ages under the tools of the most competent craftsmen.‘Shumba’s field of expertise is bravery,’ the chief said. ‘Up to now I don’t think I’ve met any man as courageous as him,’ the chief beamed proudly at Shumba. ‘He once single-handedly killed a crazed female leopard with a broken spear.’Shumba tightened the seriousness of his face as if this was his counter response to Tawana’s undying smirk.‘And finally, we have Kamba: the Tortoise. He is the wisest man I know and sometimes I summon him for advice.’Tortoise was very short and stubby which made his physique look like a warning to any potential bully, but his skin looked soft. His face looked very calm.‘Well…’ the chief clapped his hands, ‘I think that’s all of them,’ he grinned and turned around to
Mighty Brahmuhn 13. Training
As he prepared to sleep, he still felt unnerved about what his new father had told him. He felt troubled all the more, concerned about his birth parents’ safety. He was glad that he now had a chance to live his dream. To be trained by an elite group of warriors just like he had dreamed of being a member of the Gorivas back in Matanda village, but what his father, the chief had just told him seemed to drown the feelings of happiness he had had earlier when the Vadhindi had been ordered by his father to train him. He still had his father’s knobkerrie with him. It glistened even in the darkness. This was the only possession he had from his father; a simple tool which had been used to pound nuts and hard-shelled fruits and to chase away birds of prey. From his mother, to remember her by was the sun tattoo at the back of his hand. He lay back onto the thickly padded goatskin mat and pulled the knobkerrie deep into his chest in an embrace and fell asleep. *<
Mighty Brahmuhn 14. Relentless
Hippo looked to be even more up for serious business when he greeted Tawana.Tawana had managed to grab hold of the black mamba’s head but that was after it had attempted to bite him thrice. He was now in a great deal of shock and wondered what kind of inhumane “training” Hippo had in store for him.‘I know you’re royalty, but when I’m training you, you’re a dog!’This insult caught him by surprise. His bladder betrayed him and let loose a few drops to the ground.Hippo led him around a mountain and they stopped in front of a very large boulder. It was the same height as Tawana but as wide as three Hippos standing side by side.‘You see that tree over there?’ He was pointing at a tree about a hundred meters from where they stood. ‘Every day, starting tomorrow, I want you to move this rock an inch a day. Failure to do that and I will give you five strokes on your calves with a whip.’His heart sank with fear and disappointment. He had heard that the training of the
Mighty Brahmuhn 15. Mandebvu : The Demonic Lion
After killing the mermaids of the Sungano (unity) River, Brahmuhn journeyed far into hostile lands, battling lurid and monstrous beasts and ruthless witches, plundering their treasures, but Brahmuhn, not really concerned about gold and material food for the flesh, threw them into the rivers or just dropped them along the path. He set free those wrongly imprisoned in dungeons for no reason…’Crowd of children: ‘And then what did he do?’‘And then…after a grueling seven day journey on foot, Brahmuhn stumbled upon a deserted cave…or so he thought…’Crowd of children: ‘What was in it?’‘The cave descended for another two miles and in the deepest part of the cave was the Great Nyame-Nyame…’ (The Great Legendary Serpent of Zimbabwe that is believed to have its dwelling in the Kariba dam).There was a loud gasp from the children.‘As soon as his foot touched the grou
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44. New Beginnings
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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43. The Battle for Supremacy
Chief Mbada looked threatening and voracious like a cornered leopard as he now stood ten feet from Brahmuhn. The entire village had made a large circle around them. Mbada was breathing heavily. His eyes were like that of a lion, engrossed with both hatred and disgust for Brahmuhn. ‘Ngoni! Bhonzo! Kill this bastard!’ he ordered them without even taking his eye off his enemy.The two brutes shuffled their feet hopelessly in the dust. ‘But…but, my chief,’ Ngoni started.He grabbed them from behind their necks and pushed them towards Brahmuhn as easily as little children. ‘Kill him or I kill you!’Two of the Gorivas threw their spears at Ngoni and Bhonzo’s feet.They hesitantly picked the spears up. They seemed to be actually taking their time. ‘My…my chief…’ Bhonzo this time.‘KILL HIM!!!’Without thinking, they rushed towards Brahmuhn, waving their spears in the air yel
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42. The Two Chiefs
The following day, Brahmuhn and Chief Mbada were taking a stroll outside the compound, walking through the village. ‘You see all of this, Brahmuhn?’ said Mbada, ‘All this wealth and beauty that is Matanda Village? This is the work of my hands!’ He beat his massive chest in pride. ‘I’m sure your people deserve credit too, right? I mean, there is no chiefdom without the people,’ Brahmuhn said. Chief Mbada laughed disdainfully. The laugh was so hoarse, arrogant and annoying that Brahmuhn fought every fiber in his body to slap Chief Mbada in the face. ‘Do not be so naïve, Brahmuhn!’ he gave him a friendly yet hard slap on his back. ‘The people are only there to compliment the works of the chief; to acknowledge his excellence. Why do you think Mwari created us in the first place? To add value to his excellence through the acknowledgement and appreciation of his power!’ ‘I do not acknowledge any deity by that name, but all I know
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41. Bitter Blood
To Brahmuhn, the feast felt like deja vu. It was like re-living the marriage of his mother to Chief Mbada those fourteen years ago. The ear-piercing ululations, countless and tempting foods and of course, inevitably, the drunkards scattered everywhere mumbling inaudible yet irritating mumbo-jumbo to each other or passing rude jeers to passing women. Cheetah looked deep in conversation with a man a short distance from where Brahmuhn was sitting. Brahmuhn had no interest whatsoever in traditional beer but rather, he was obsessed with his mbanje. However, on this particular night he was not in the mood for a smoke. He had decided to allow his anger to take control of his mind. He was sitting by a fire in the company of Bhonzo, Ngoni and two other men. One of them looked like he was Chief Mbada’s advisor. The four men were sharing a gourd of beer whilst Brahmuhn’s eyes were concentrating on the flames before him. He could not stop picturing his father’s death. The painfu
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40. The Truth
It was as if she was embracing a son who had risen from the dead. ‘Oh, Tawana! Tawana, mwanangu (my child)! Oh mwanangu how I have missed you so much!!!’He could no longer control himself either and without restraint, and for the first time in his life, he permitted tears to run down his cheeks. He felt so young and happy in her arms. That warmth, that motherly love that had kept his hope alive for so long. After a well-deserved moment of tears, he managed to compose himself. ‘Mother, mother where is father?’She could not stop sniffling, ‘Oh, my son, my son. This wicked man, this wicked monster speared him that same night…that same night you ran away. He first had him whipped for what seemed like hours by Ngoni and Bhonzo, but even then, your father continued to confess his undying love for you and me and how he would get his vengeance. Mbada then speared him in the ribs and even then, your father refused to die. That is when…that’s when…’ she broke down in tears again.
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39. Reunited (Part II)
when he and his father had come home from a hunt. He would throw all his cares away and flutter into her arms. He felt so safe in her embrace. She had always been his source of comfort.Chief Mbada had what looked like an uncomfortable frown on his face. Nothing had changed about him whatsoever, besides a few wrinkles of age. From his threatening physique to that same smell of arrogance that would sting anyone’s nose when they were in his presence, all were still intact. Behind him were Ngoni and Bhonzo, his bodyguards. As a child, Brahmuhn had seen them as gigantic deities, but all he saw now were two jokes with different complexions.‘Well, well, well. If it isn’t the “Great And Mighty Brahmuhn”,’ Chief Mbada chuckled. Even with age, his voice had not changed either but gained more boldness. ‘Brahmuhn, the “mermaid slayer”, the “nightmare of zvidhoma”,’ he chuckled some more. ‘Let me not bore y
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38. Home...is Where the Pain is
Neither of the two had noticed how quickly time was flying. They had come to an agreement that before they attack Mbada, they unfetter a few more villages under his oppression. They encountered the most gut-wrenching situations in their conquest but nevertheless, they triumphed over them. In every village they passed through, they gained support from the inhabitants. The Shona now had a trustworthy liberator who was open to sacrifice his life for their freedom. The Ndebele too began to rally behind Brahmuhn and were willing to place their rivalry on hold since they now had one common enemy. Brahmuhn knew that it would not be long before the same atrocities that the other villages were going through reached Chaponda Village. Three weeks had gone by like the blink of a day. They both missed their families very much but they also knew that in order to keep their families safe, they had to terminate the threat which was Chief Mbada. As they stood and stared at Matanda
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37. Amends
‘Time is clearly not on our side. Mbada must be destroyed before he harms more people,’ he answered him.‘Do you think you can stop him, Your Greatness?’ the distraught villager shot him with a question.‘Little man; I have danced with death several times. I have bruised the heel of fate and I have brought demons to their knees! Mbada is no god. He may be powerful among men but he could never stand toe-to-toe with the god that is Brahmuhn.’ He stood up at once and Cheetah followed suit.When they stepped outside the hut, they were met with chants and cheers from the villagers. Brahmuhn was both impressed and shocked at how even though they were starved, the villagers still had the energy in them to chant his name so loudly. He waited for them to quiet down before he demanded their attention. Brahmuhn said, ‘I understand that Chief Mbada has turned on his own people. I understand that the dog is willing to kill hi
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36. Painful Truth
‘You should have pretended to be dead, Brahmuhn!’ Akunda advised him, flashing a threatening grin on his face.‘Cowards lie on their backs, warriors die on their feet, but I am a god; I soar through the skies!!’ Without warning, his entire arm grew numb and he dropped his knobkerrie. He tried to pick it up with his other arm but it also became numb. He was now running out of options.Suddenly, an unpredictable and violent wind began to blow around them. Clouds began to gather in the skies with rapid speed as if they were long overdue. With them they brought flashes of lightning and the sound of terrifying thunder. The powerful wind pushed the Vakunda into the wall of a hut. The sound of broken bones could be heard on impact. The two witches tried to crawl their way to safety but like the blinking of an eye, a flash of blue light engulfed the entire village. The light stung everyone’s eyes. It was over faster than it had started. Vakunda,
