THE LEGEND OF KIWAKAAZI

After Nana Bomofo V lost his wife; mother of Anantie, he searched for a new wife. He was a powerful chief and powerful chiefs demonstrate their power by marrying five or six women. There was one maiden called Aso – beautiful Aso with a smile to die for. She was tall and lanky. She was a little bit flat chested but that was Nana Bomofo’s taste – girls with supermodel like bodies.

After about a year of grieving for his departed wife, Nana Bomofo V together with three of his most trusted and loyal elders visited Aso’s parents. Her parents were overjoyed. Finally, the gods have answered their prayers. They were poor but soon their fortunes will change when their daughter married the great Bomofo (hunter), Eja (Father) Bomofo V. Aso’s mother called out to Aso. She came out to be delivered the best news. Her beauty; her grace; her innocence and her charm have wowed the Chief and the chief want to make her his sixth wife. Aso’s mother asked her, “Is that not wonderful news?”

Aso frowned. She made a face that did not please her parents, the elders and the chief himself. Her father asked, “Aso… What is it? Why have you frowned?” Aso shook her head and replied, “I am sorry father but I don’t want to marry the chief.” Her mother got up quickly and slapped her lips for passing such sacrilegious comments. Abomination! Was she stupid or something? Did she not know that such comments could not only lead to her death but the death of her entire family?

Her father quickly apologized to the chief for his daughter’s rudeness. The chief was not impressed but he was late for some urgent chief business. He spoke, “Let me know your answer after seven days.” He got up and commanded his elders to follow him. After seven days Aso and her family were summoned by the chief. The chief takes what he wants. He did not care for feelings. All he must do is point and it was his. He had pointed at Aso, and now she belongs to him. Aso had no say in the matter. When Aso and her parents arrived, the chief called for the eldest woman to come and examine his soon-to-be bride.

The eldest woman examined Aso’s palms and her eyes. She bent over and examined her feet and shook her head. Nana Bomofo V questioned, “What is it, Sisi (elderly one)?” She answered, “Your Highness, this girl is pregnant!” “No! That cannot be!” shouted Aso’s father. “My daughter has never been seen naked by any man or even woman,” he added. As if women can impregnate women. Sisi simply reteirated, “I am very sure about this Your Majesty. She is definitely pregnant.”

Nana Bomofo was incensed. He rose from his throne and asked, “Aso, tell me the truth. Are you pregnant?” Aso nodded. Her parents were ashamed. They both quickly went on their knees and begged Nana Bomofo for mercy. The chief was merciful. Aso and her entire family were banished to live on the outskirts of Bomofokro. They were not supposed to mingle freely with the other villagers. No one should sell anything to them or help them in anyway. They were to live a life of misery and hardship.

As for the boy responsible, he was captured and buried alive. Soldier ants were incited and they fed on his body for days before he died. Anantie was about a year and some months older than the child Aso gave birth to. She named her daughter “Xhamla.”

When Xhamla was about thirteen, she went to the river one day to fetch water. Two of Anantie’s step-brothers and three of their friends found her and decided to torment her. They took the pot she carried from her and crushed it. Then they pulled her long black her. She cried and begged them to stop but they did not. One of Anantie’s step-brothers pushed her and she fell. They surrounded her and laughed at her. They called her “Osum” meaning the cursed girl who has no father.

Aso’s family worshipped Wen-la-tse (god of lightning). The innocent girl in her moment of despair cursed the boys who taunted and tormented her. While holding back tears and snot she cried “Wen-la-tse will never forgive you. He will smite you all and burn you with his lightning. You wait and see.”

Anantie happened to be playing around with his own friends. Anantie and two of his friends were climbing and jumping from trees like apes – a dangerous game. His father had warned him to stop playing that game but he was like every child ever known in history – stubborn. Anantie said to one of his two friends who were ready to jump from a really high branch, “Wait! I can hear crying.” The three boys paused and concentrated on their hearing. The boy sitting on top of the branch said, “I can see her. It is Xhamla. Your brothers and their friends are there too.”

Anantie and his friends rushed to the river side. His step-brothers were not more than a year older than him. They came from different women; wives of Nana Bomofo V. “What do you want here?” questioned one of his step-brothers. Anantie just said, “Please stop. She has not harmed you in anyway.” “Her mother harmed our father and so she has harmed us,” insisted one of his step-brothers. Anantie said, “Maybe… but for how long is she going to continue paying for the sins of her mother?” Before one of Anantie’s step-brothers could answer, the clouds darkened. Anantie, his friends, his step-brothers, their friends, and Xhamla all looked up.

One of Anantie’s friends questioned with mixed feelings of fear and worry, “Anan, why are only the clouds over our heads dark?” Anantie did not have an answer. One of his step-brothers yelled “it is her! She cursed us. She called the name of the lightning god and cursed us!” Anantie shouted, “Run!” The boys and Xhamla all ran in different directions. Lightning struck and its purpose was soon revealed. It was definitely the curse.  It attacked Anantie’s step-brothers and his friends and missed each one of them narrowly. Anantie and his two brothers met after some time of running. His brothers had wet their pants. They knelt at Anantie’s feet and begged him. They told him to beg Xhamla on their behalf. They were just playing with her. They never intended to harm her physically or emotionally.

Xhamla suddenly emerged from the bushes to find the step-brothers of Anantie kneeling at Anantie’s feet. They turned to her and crawled on their knees. They begged, they cried and asked for her forgiveness but all she could say was, “It is too late. I cannot undo this.” She too knelt at Anantie’s feet and said, “I heard about you from my mother. The boy who walked miraculously after everyone thought he could never walk. Please help me.” Anantie was stunned. How was he going to help any of them?

The light came rushing down. It was heading for one of Anantie’s brothers. It came down quickly but Anantie saw it’s trajectory in really slow motion. He stretched his arm and shielded his brother’s head with just his palm. The lightning stopped a few centimeters above Anantie’s palm. His brothers and Xhamla had closed their eyes afraid of what might happen but when they opened their eyes, they saw the most magical thing ever.

The lightning was sitting above Anantie’s palm while Anantie watched it admiringly. The sky started to clear above them and the lightning disappeared. His brothers had been saved but they were still trembling with fear. They ran as quickly as they could and reported the incident to their father. Only no one believed that story. To them, they were the imaginations of children. But Anantie since that incident knew he was special and secretly trained himself to hone his skills. Initially, he thought his gift was lightning but soon discovered that he could do more – control more.

Now, back to our story. So, when the lightning came down upon him, he simply lifted his left finger and stopped it. He looked around him. Four nhutu’s surrounded him.  On his left was the white-haired nhutu. On his right was the black-haired nhutu. Behind him was the red-haired nhutu. And in front of him was the blond-haired nhutu. But it was the white-haired nhutu who went down first after Anantie pointed his left finger, the same finger that stopped the lightning attack from above.

The speed of light was too great for her to counter. It pierced her heart and she turned to stone. Anantie shouted, “Show yourself!”

Safihutu emerged standing on hexagonally shaped ice. She remarked, “A human who can control all the elements and lightning. If I didn’t know better, I would have called you my son.” “Sorry, but you look nothing like my mother. I have seen her paintings and I must say, she looks more beautiful than you do,” answered Anantie. Safihutu smiled.

The black-haired nhutu clapped and two palms emerged from the ground to crush Anantie with a clap of their own. He jumped and a long cylindrical rock stopped the two palms from clapping. The ground beneath Anantie suddenly caught fire – a very violent fire that rose quickly to consume Anantie. But water a few centimeters away from the fire broke through the earth and quenched the fire instantly.

Anantie rose higher and stood on a pentagonally shaped rock. The nhutus that were basically long range attackers changed their battle strategy. The black-haired nhutu opened her palm and seconds later held on tightly to her earth spear. The red haired nhutu also held a bow made of fire that was definitely going to shoot fire arrows at Anantie. And the blond-haired nhutu held two curved and white ice swords in her arms.

Anantie also changed. He wore a reddish clay armor that covered his body from neck downwards. His face was protected by white clay. On his left hand hung his rock solid circular shield, and as part of his right arm was an ice extension tapering and sharpening towards the end. He too floated in the air on a pentagonally shaped rock.

The three nhutus lined up in the air. The blond-haired nhutu stood on her hexagonally shaped ice block on the left of the red-haired nhutu, and the black-haired nhutu on the right also stood on her hexagonally shaped rock. Safihutu stood behind her three warriors. The red haired nhutu took a step forward. She rode on hexagonally shaped rock. She held her bow horizontally and inserted an arrow that was literally on fire in a string also on fire. She pulled and pulled and released a fire arrow.

While the arrow flew towards Anantie, she whispered, “Piti na twa no ho shia,” meaning multiply and surround him.