ALL issues to do with the burial were complete. Mourners returned to the village as all others were leaving for their various abodes. The party of the chief, as is customary in this community, joined the mourners to see to it that all funeral rituals had been concluded. The sun had set, and the chief was set to return to his house but not without verification that everything was in order so as not to anger the ancestral spirits. The closest and grown-ups of the mourning party were summoned to meet the chief. In his supposedly subdued condition, he asked, \u201cHave you already identified the one to conclude this funeral?\u201d All were quiet. One of the brothers of the deceased\u2019s wife rose up and whispered into the chief\u2019s ears. He excused himself and went away with two other people from the family of the deceased. Upon return, they handed over an envelope to the chief. It contained some cash. So the chief dismissed the gathering and left the place together with his three ministers. Money had done it; in lieu of a cleansing sex act. A short story titled \u2018The Secret\u2019 by Stembridge<\/p>\n
The sun had set, and the chief was set to return to his house but not without verification that everything was in order so as not to anger the ancestral spirits. The closest and grown-ups of the mourning party were summoned to meet the chief. In his supposedly subdued condition, he asked, \u201cHave you already identified the one to conclude this funeral?\u201d All were quiet. One of the brothers of the deceased\u2019s wife rose up and whispered into the chief\u2019s ears. He excused himself and went away with two other people from the family of the deceased. Upon return, they handed over an envelope to the chief. It contained some cash. So the chief dismissed the gathering and left the place together with his three ministers. Money had done it; in lieu of a cleansing sex act. A short story titled \u2018The Secret\u2019 by Stembridge<\/p>\n
In his supposedly subdued condition, he asked, \u201cHave you already identified the one to conclude this funeral?\u201d All were quiet. One of the brothers of the deceased\u2019s wife rose up and whispered into the chief\u2019s ears. He excused himself and went away with two other people from the family of the deceased. Upon return, they handed over an envelope to the chief. It contained some cash. So the chief dismissed the gathering and left the place together with his three ministers. Money had done it; in lieu of a cleansing sex act. A short story titled \u2018The Secret\u2019 by Stembridge<\/p>\n
He excused himself and went away with two other people from the family of the deceased. Upon return, they handed over an envelope to the chief. It contained some cash. So the chief dismissed the gathering and left the place together with his three ministers. Money had done it; in lieu of a cleansing sex act. A short story titled \u2018The Secret\u2019 by Stembridge.<\/p>\n
The sun had set, and the chief was set to return to his house but not without verification that everything was in order so as not to anger the ancestral spirits. The closest and grown-ups of the mourning party were summoned to meet the chief. In his supposedly subdued condition, he asked, \u201cHave you already identified the one to conclude this funeral?\u201d All were quiet. One of the brothers of the deceased\u2019s wife rose up and whispered into the chief\u2019s ears. He excused himself and went away with two other people from the family of the deceased. Upon return, they handed over an envelope to the chief. It contained some cash. So the chief dismissed the gathering and left the place together with his three ministers. Money had done it; in lieu of a cleansing sex act. A short story titled \u2018The Secret\u2019 by Stembridge Dishoni is collected in An Anthology of Malawian Literature for Junior Secondary edited by Christopher Kamlongera and Wales Mwanza, a Dzuka publication of 1993. Synoptically, the story is about Manuel Kwenda who defies<\/p>\n
One of the brothers of the deceased\u2019s wife rose up and whispered into the chief\u2019s ears. He excused himself and went away with two other people from the family of the deceased. Upon return, they handed over an envelope to the chief. It contained some cash. So the chief dismissed the gathering and left the place together with his three ministers. Money had done it; in lieu of a cleansing sex act. A short story titled \u2018The Secret\u2019 by Stembridge Dishoni is collected in An Anthology of Malawian Literature for Junior Secondary edited by Christopher Kamlongera and Wales Mwanza, a Dzuka publication of 1993. Synoptically, the story is about Manuel Kwenda who defies<\/p>\n
So the chief dismissed the gathering and left the place together with his three ministers. Money had done it; in lieu of a cleansing sex act. A short story titled \u2018The Secret\u2019 by Stembridge Dishoni is collected in An Anthology of Malawian Literature for Junior Secondary edited by Christopher Kamlongera and Wales Mwanza, a Dzuka publication of 1993. Synoptically, the story is about Manuel Kwenda who defies<\/p>\n
Synoptically, the story is about Manuel Kwenda who defies\u00a0village odds and excels in life. His father and mother have lived in an impoverished condition only to be alleviated from the poverty through his success. He has built them a fitting house and the family life has changed. But the party is later spoiled by another villager, Nsimbenji, who comes ranting during one of the visits of Manuel to the village. The story unfolds that Nsimbenji was hired to sleep with Nambewe, Kwenda\u2019s wife, for the child. Four goats were staked for the very deserving service. Nsimbenji has five children in his own family but none has gone further with school. So, on this particular day, he decides to break the oath of secrecy and claim back his child. He confronts<\/p>\n
Four goats were staked for the very deserving service. Nsimbenji has five children in his own family but none has gone further with school. So, on this particular day, he decides to break the oath of secrecy and claim back his child. He confronts Kwenda at his house as Manuel is taking breakfast in the house. The Hyena Wears Darkness by Steve Chimombo is another interesting read. This is a trilogy and in the first story, \u2018The Widow\u2019s Liberation\u2019, Pangapatha<\/p>\n
This is a trilogy and in the first story, \u2018The Widow\u2019s Liberation\u2019, Pangapatha Ndamo dies and his cousin Sigele Jika comes in to assist at the funeral. Prior to that, the deceased\u2019s wife found Sigele as the closest relative to her husband. After the funeral, his uncle<\/p>\n
After the funeral, his uncle Ndamo tells Sigele what has been agreed by the elders and part of their dialogue goes like this: \u201cAndaunire is a businesswoman and interested in quick results. She told me she didn\u2019t have the time to come again on future dates for the lumeto and then kusudzura which usually take place on separate occasion.<\/p>\n
Therefore she came prepared to finalise the important rites, if we permitted her.\u201d \u201cAnd you did?\u201d \u201cIt is in the interest of both sides of the family to effect the rites as precipitately as possible.\u201d This was uncharacteristic of village practice, Sigele thought. \u201cFollowing the western practice?\u201d He couldn\u2019t help putting it in. \u201cWe are forced by circumstances to adapt,\u201d Ndamo almost chuckled. \u201cBut kusudzula includes having sex with the widow, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d Sigele wanted to clarify the issues involved. He had a vision of his wife.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just a duty on both sides to release the widow so she can marry again. You must admit in this case it is more than just a duty. Atupele is a quite woman, the epitome of womanhood. Several young men would jump at a chance like this.\u201d \u201cWhy don\u2019t you let them, then?\u201d \u201cYou are the brother to the deceased. You have already helped the family a great deal. The widow seems to prefer this arrangement too.\u201d<\/p>\n
He has built them a fitting house and the family life has changed. But the party is later spoiled by another villager, Nsimbenji, who comes ranting during one of the visits of Manuel to the village.<\/p>\n
The story unfolds that Nsimbenji was hired to sleep with Nambewe, Kwenda\u2019s wife, for the child. Four goats were staked for the very deserving service. Nsimbenji has five children in his own family but none has gone further with school. So, on this particular day, he decides to break the oath of secrecy and claim back his child. He confronts Kwenda at his house as Manuel is taking breakfast in the house.<\/p>\n
The Hyena Wears Darkness by Steve Chimombo is another interesting read. This is a trilogy and in the first story, \u2018The Widow\u2019s Liberation\u2019, Pangapatha Ndamo dies and his cousin Sigele Jika comes in to assist at the funeral. Prior to that, the deceased\u2019s wife found Sigele as the closest relative to her husband. After the funeral, his uncle Ndamo tells Sigele what has been agreed by the elders and part of their dialogue goes like this: \u201cAndaunire is a businesswoman and interested in quick results.<\/p>\n
She told me she didn\u2019t have the time to come again on future dates for the lumeto and then kusudzura which usually take place on separate occasion. Therefore she came prepared to finalise the important rites, if we permitted her.\u201d \u201cAnd you did?\u201d \u201cIt is in the interest of both sides of the family to effect the rites as precipitately as possible.\u201d This was uncharacteristic of village practice, Sigele thought. \u201cFollowing the western practice?\u201d He couldn\u2019t help putting it in. \u201cWe are forced by circumstances to adapt,\u201d Ndamo almost chuckled.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut kusudzula includes having sex with the widow, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d Sigele wanted to clarify the issues involved. He had a vision of his wife. \u201cIt\u2019s just a duty on both sides to release the widow so she can marry again. You must admit in this case it is more than just a duty. Atupele is a quite woman, the epitome of womanhood. Several young men would jump at a chance like this.\u201d \u201cWhy don\u2019t you let them, then?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are the brother to the deceased. You have already helped the family a great deal. The widow seems to prefer this arrangement too.\u201d
\n\u201cDoes she?\u201d Sigele ejaculated. He was reminded of Atupele\u2019s sores again.<\/p>\n
The fact is Atupele has not been in favour of the ritual. She has only acquiesced to it because it has been imposed on her. She has thought about telling Sigele that she is HIV positive. But Sigele abdicates the role onto his elder brother, Ndakulapa, on the pretext that he cannot afford to look down upon his elder brother who deserves such a \u2018privilege\u2019.<\/p>\n
As we read in the next story, \u2018The Widow\u2019s Revenge\u2019, Ndakulapa, too, bolts after being told the truth. This confuses the society which has been looking forward to a report that it has been achieved. In the final story, \u2018The Hyena Wears Darkness\u2019, debate ensues; to continue to be in the ancestral practice or not: \u201cWe\u2019ll have a scandal in our hands.\u201d Pumulani wrung her hands. We\u2019ll be the laughing stock of Mutopa. What will the people say when they hear that our hyena fled the ritual hut in the night?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will have a scandal of different kind,\u201d Ndamo corrected. \u201cWhat will the project people say when they hear that our committee members consented to the ritual behind their backs? All the plans for the orphan care and skills centre will be cancelled now.\u201d Writers are required to play their part in mitigating sociaills.<\/p>\n
The writing\u2014be it fiction and non-fiction–must embrace social messaging. And layering is also encouraged. It does not need to be by reference because even the approach through inference works. Our two writers here have given us cases which may invoke critical thinking in our society. To arrest hyenas is not necessarily the only solution. Civic education must take another heightened approach and writers have so far proven to be effective.<\/p>\n
The writing\u2014be it fiction and non-fiction–must embrace social messaging. And layering is also encouraged. It does not need to be by reference because even the approach through inference works. Our two writers here have given us cases which may invoke critical thinking in our society.<\/p>\n
To arrest hyenas is not necessarily the only solution. Civic education must take another heightened approach and writers have so far proven to be effective.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ALL issues to do with the burial were complete. Mourners returned to the village as all others were leaving for their various abodes. The party of the chief, as is customary in this community, joined the mourners to see to it that all funeral rituals had been concluded. The sun had set, and the chief […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":41817,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41815","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41815","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41815"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41815\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41818,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41815\/revisions\/41818"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41817"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41815"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41815"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41815"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}