Chapter 8
Tribes United
The Abantu happily accepted the Bwana’s offer to share their spectacular riverside location through the remainder of lobo-yaka.
The pilgrimage would resume sometime after the heaviest rains subsided.
The entire tribe was hard at work, clearing land to the downriver side of the rock outcropping.
Away from the riverbank grew forest, primarily mature broadleaves that allowed enough light to filter through for foxtail grass, as well as patches of the inevitable boxthorn.
At the far end of the encampment, a swampy section skirted by tall bamboo was sure to come in handy for shelter construction.
The Abantu started by chopping selected trees to the ground.
All bush, saplings and smaller trees were cleared.
Only the largest trees would remain in the encampment area, but even those would be stripped of lower boughs.
Bushwillow came down first.
The dense wood was favored for the sturdy poles used to make handles for tools and weapons, and was excellent firewood.
Stripped of bark and left under Ulanga to dry for just a few days, bushwillow logs burned long and slow and left a fine, white ash that was mixed with clay to form a paste that was useful for the construction of waterproof barriers.
An endless supply of palm leaves, papyrus, water reeds and vines provided ample material for the construction of familial shelters.
Rounded huts popped up all across the encampment.
Canals were dug through the living areas to connect with tributaries that guided excess water to the river.
The digging provided extra mud to mix with the boxthorn ash for daubing onto walls around the circumference of the shelters, keeping the interiors nice and dry, even during the most vigorous deluges.
***
Eku thought his family had an excellent shelter.
Krele and Shona directed the construction.
Flexible hardwood poles and papyrus for ribbing, water reeds for weaving into sides and roofing, and mud walls around the base to prevent water leakage.
A cap of palm fronds allowed no water to seep through the top, even during storms.
Inside was roomy enough for four adults and three young people, as well as storage of bedding, melon husk bowls, satchels and backpacks, grass baskets, bladders, tools and other personal belongings.
Almost like they were back on the southern shores, Eku thought
Only the caress of Uwama was missing.
And her salted scent, of course.
After so many days on the move, the encampment had become downright comfortable, Eku thought; though, extra work still remained.
More branches and underbrush to clear.
Normally, the Abantu simply burned boxthorn, but the Bwana encouraged the Abantu to add the spiked branches to the barricade being erected along the perimeter of camp.
Eku did not fully understand what the people of ichi-Bwana feared.
Dangerous beasts on the southern shores were given the harshest of lessons and learned to avoid Abantu.
Barricades were rarely necessary.
Eku, like everyone, heard talk of the mysterious creatures called the bubinzwana.
Kolo said the Mantel believed the bubinzwana were the same beasts as the dreaded yolumkono from their own legends and stories.
The problem was, nobody seemed to know much about them.
Eku asked his father, but Kaleni was hesitant, explaining that he and the hunters had much to learn about the bubinzwana.
He asked if they walked on two legs, like a human, as people were told.
Kaleni said that was correct.
Eku asked if they were dangerous and his father answered, “Like a leopard, but worse.”
And that was very scary.
When Eku pressed for more, Kaleni told him that was all for now, but promised to share with Eku what he learned in the future.
When he tried Yat for more details, for once, she only knew as much as he.
“The Bwana and the bubinzwana are like the Mantel and the yolumkono,” she said. “Probably the same beast, yes?”
Eku said that he and Kolo thought the same.
“But no one has seen them for a long time,” Yat continued. “Only Uta and Kafila have actually seen the terrible beasts. And that was long ago.”
Regardless of how fearful the beasts may or may not be, sagely advice from people who thrived on this land for generations was not to be ignored.
The mothers made it clear that all of the spiked branches within the encampment would be put to good use.
Eku and Yathi spent a miserable day hauling boxthorn to the edge of camp, where a formidable barrier was erected.
Stinging from scratches, Yat came to their rescue, treating them with poultices to take away the sting and keep the cuts from festering.
***
The last of the trees to come down and perhaps the most important, were named aza-enji-umthi.
Yat explained that in the Bwana language, aza-enji-umthi meant a transformation of the leafage from deep green during lobo-yaka, to fiery orange by the midst of sika-yaka.
More importantly, the Bwana showed the mothers how to remove the heavy, outer bark, then carefully peel away the inner bark to boil into a solution used for the softening of hides.
An incredibly valuable substitute for brains!
Krele conjured a rousing and funny song the other mothers instantly adopted:
happiness for aza-enji-umthi
miraculous after boiling
a replacement for the brains
brought by the hunters
always in short supply
and small to begin with
***
Smoke wafted through the trees and the sharp thump of ax heads impacting wood echoed.
Another day of hauling brush for Eku and Yathi.
Eku wiped watery eyes with a free hand, the other clasped around the base of leafy stalks he pulled toward the burning area.
More miserable and scratchy work.
“I wish we were still on the journey,” Yathi said, pulling his own set of branches. “I want to go swimming.”
“We can go swimming when we are done. And we are still on the journey.”
“You know what I mean. Overnight camps are better.”
Eku could not resist a bit of chiding and said, “When we were traveling, you complained all the time.”
“Only when we hiked,” Yathi corrected.
Eku smiled. “For sure.”
The two dragged branches beneath mopane boughs heavy with new growth.
With all branches cleared to the height an izik-kosa could swing an axe, a ceiling of light green hung across the encampment.
Eku can see far in every direction, even to the downriver end, where an already well-trod path pointed to the area designated for emptying bowels and bladders.
The heart of camp was well cleared and with open access to the water.
The ground now hard-packed and swept.
Inspired by the Bwana, the Abantu built storage shelters next to where the main food preparation took place, copying how the Bwana used tall palms as support pillars.
Using hardwood and bamboo as beams and rafters, they arranged papyrus roofing.
Knee-high walls of mud on three sides protected from seepage and splatter, creating excellent dry spots for the people to shelter during the daily storms.
Surrounding the communal area were familial huts.
Arranged in three areas: downriver, center and upriver.
Each living area included waka-waka huts, all similar.
Saplings and papyrus for ribbing.
River reeds and palm for roofing.
Half-walls of mud.
The encampment now appeared as if Umawa himself grabbed the local material and bubbled up waka-waka-waka huts straight from the ground.
Eku and Yathi dragged the branches down worn paths that circumvented the huts of the center, living area.
Headed for the forest side of camp, where the extra brush was burned in the cleared area alongside the barrier.
Ahead of them, young Abantu heaved branches onto smoldering piles, while izik-kosa and hunters converged with burnables from other areas of camp.
A group of young people began running away from the smoke, toward Eku and Yathi.
Tuve, Dokuk and Odi raced past, Dokuk hollering, “Time to go swimming!”
Kolo and Goguk raced by next, shouting at Eku and Yathi to hurry up.
Yathi bellowed with enthusiasm, lifted his knees and charged forward, pulling the branches so fast the leaves hissed.
Eku followed, doubling his effort, knowing that if he didn’t, the miraculously energized Yathi might pick him up and haul him to the river himself.
The steady work continued for several more days, during which Eku and Yathi helped dig fire pits and gather layit-umlilo to store under the roofs of the community shelters.
Finally, the Abantu had a fully functional village.
***
Ulayo continued to deliver a daily storm down shatsheli-lambo.
At the first raindrops, the Abantu stop what they are doing and race for the communal area shelters.
Young Abantu run especially vigorously, as they compete for limited space.
Competition is fierce.
Not everyone fits under the shelters built under the tall palms at the center of camp.
And now, these exclusive locations to wait out the daily deluge are THE place to be.
If you are a young person.
There is only so much room to stand underneath; thus, the young people contest hard to be amongst the first to fit under.
The sloped roofs the Abantu built between the trunk are now solid, matted papyrus.
Firm and hollow.
The first fat drops pop explosively.
It wasn’t long after the construction of the roofs that the young people realized how exciting it was to stand underneath.
The drumbeat of rain grows louder and louder.
Those who don’t make it have to either get wet and find shelter elsewhere.
Most choose to get wet, because at least they can still sing.
That’s what the contest is really about.
The pounding of the rain accompanied by singing.
So much of the Abantu culture centered on song.
Songs of Uwama and Umawa.
Songs that tell their history and legends.
Tribal songs and family songs.
But most Abantu figure they sing the songs they do because it was simply so much fun to do so.
As the rain-driven percussion increases in tempo, all of the spots are taken and young people begin to raise their voices.
Opposing shelters contest with each other.
A battle based solely on volume.
As the rain batters the papyrus roofs with a frenetic drumming that reminds Eku of cicadas ramping up faster and faster, just as the Abantu sing louder and louder.
The singing gives way when the thunder arrives and laughing young people wait for the booming to end.
Yat was the first Abantu to call the daily storms vulu-ula-alu, a combination of Abantu and Bwana words that means a time for singing in the rain.
Now, at the first sight of clouds, someone cries vulu-ula-alu and the race was on.
***
While the daily deluges remained predictable, Eku could look forward to something new everyday.
Most mornings started with ula-konto or ibe-bonakalio practice.
Sometimes both, if he had extra time.
Once Yathi roused from sleep and filled his belly, Eku dragged him to the central rock outcropping, where the hunters met in the cool of the morning to share knowledge of traps and snares.
Afterwards, while Yathi remained relentlessly enthusiastic at any opportunity to fish in shatsheli-lambo (which of course, meant unlimited swimming), Eku often found himself by the river.
Shatsheli-lambo was loaded with catfish, but even better, was a fish the Bwana called gwe-lanzi, revered for its flesh.
A swift swimming predator that made daily migrations up and down the river.
Luckily, gwe-lanzi only preyed upon other fish, as they had a full jaw of teeth and grew to the weight of a human child.
Daily competitions were held over who could catch the largest prize with the most fearsome fangs.
When Lume captured a spectacular specimen, Eku snatched the skull away during butchering to secret aside and clean meticulously.
Set the bones out to bleach white under Ulanga.
Gave the skull a final picking over and gave it to Yathi, who squealed like a bushpig in appreciation.
The fierce white skull with gaping eye holes and a jaw full of needle sharp fangs now hung from a string inside their familial shelter.
***
The mopane trees around the encampment were inundated with fat caterpillars.
A grove of mature trees has been under constant surveillance.
Eku and Yathi, like all of the young people, are obligated to fill a shift, shooing away birds and beasts.
Generally, the interval each person spent watching over the mopane was minimal; though, when Yathi was caught peeing for a second time in an area he was not supposed to, both he and Eku—being his ikanabe—were punished with extra mopane duty.
Eku didn’t really think of it as punishment (though Yathi certainly did), because the mopane grove was a terrific place to practice with his ula-konto.
Helping to ease Yathi’s pain, Goguk and Kolo tagged along, just for something to do.
Beyond the barrier of thorns, the mature grove had thick trunks wearing healthy round canopies.
Continuous traffic by adults to and from the forest kept the area safe for young people to be left to themselves.
While Yathi morosely patrolled the trees, on the lookout for birds and the occasionally bold troop of monkeys, Eku took advantage of the opportunity to prowl with his ula-konto.
Stalked and speared a tuft of grass that was a bush pig.
Crept below a low hanging mopane limb to spring up and whip a three-step-three throw into an acacia bush that his mind transformed into an impala.
Eku retrieved the ula-konto and spotted a brush pile that became a charging hyena.
Whirled and matched the motion of a three-step throw by shifting his weight and using his torso instead of stepping.
Releasing the spear as quickly as possible, but still with good velocity.
Pleased at another direct hit.
Eku then bundled tufted grass into a landing area to protect the barbed end during continued practice.
When his arm grew tired, he found Yathi on his haunches, back against a mopane trunk, Kolo and Gokuk climbing in the canopy above.
“Try not to squish too many caterpillars,” Yathi called as Eku knelt on the grass beside him.
Grumpily, he said, “All I did was pee once outside the shelter.”
“You have to go where everyone else does,” Eku said. “And you did it twice.”
“The first time was the first night and I did not remember where to go.”
“It still counts. We live in a village again, you know.”
Yathi grimaced, “You are right. I do not want to go back to hiking every day, but it was better to just stop and squat.”
“For sure.”
Goguk and Kolo dropped out of the tree beside them.
Yathi, feeling the need to demonstrate, stood and lifted his loincloth to show his naked butt and demonstrated an exaggerated act of defecation, replete with groaning, robust farting noises and a pained facial expression.
The four young males laughed and ran off to check another area of trees.
***
The rock outcropping is now a place for the people to commingle.
Along the Bwana side, the slab of bedrock rose vertically from the earth to form a miniature cliff face.
The wall was smooth, like the top of the plateau; but even more so, undulating gently down the length, though not enough to stray from the straight path it made from the river.
Scattered about the ground along the base of the rock wall were half-buried, rain-worn boulders, as if Uwama purposefully knocked them into place to serve as natural seating and benching.
The area was officially designated iliwi-kelele, a combination of Abantu and Bwana words that meant a place by the big rock for serious talking.
The tribes began daily meetings at iliwi-kelele to share, such as hunting skills, braiding techniques for cordage, weaving styles for baskets and how to attach colored dyes to the skins of beasts.
The mothers pooled their knowledge of the mosses and plants they used in the poultices for pain relief, for upset digestion and other ailments.
Members of each tribe proved particularly talented at picking up the language of the other and began teaching members of their own tribe.
Yat was remarkable at learning new words and phrases, which she enthusiastically shared nightly with Eku and Yathi, who then taught them to Kolo and Goguk.
While the adults were fast to commingle; at first, many of the young people had to be dragged into close proximity.
Shy, at first, the Abantu and Bwana began to engage in fun and games and friendships formed.
Dala and Longo were Bwana males of the same age as Eku and Yathi.
Dala desired to be nesibindi in the same way Eku wanted to be a hunter and a natural bond was formed.
Eku’s foursome now had a pair of Bwana males to go on adventures with.
***
Strange beasts roamed the Bwana encampment and all of the Abantu and Mantel were talking about them.
Some of the Abantu adults have seen them, but only a few of the non-adults, like Yat.
Young people were frantically contesting amongst their individual groups to be the first to see.
Kolo, adept at picking up the latest tribal gossip, told Eku, Yathi and Goguk the beasts walked on two legs, but were not people.
The four wandered along the access point to the river with shatsheli-lambo vast on one side and the entire encampment on the other; but at the moment, Eku was focused solely on where he placed his feet.
He and Kolo were walking through sheared stumps of papyrus, now splintered and yellowed and dried and painful to step on.
The four were just looking for something to do in the middle of a normal day.
Ulanga blazed and Ulayo pushed little air.
Hot.
Eku asked Kolo, walking within arm’s reach, “You said they walk on two legs and look like people?”
Kolo, with his eyes to the ground, was to the side of Eku closer to the water and said, “I have not seen them. But that is what others say.
“They say they are like a person, but they are not like an Abantu or a Mantel or a Bwana. Not a human. Something different.”
Goguk and Yathi had remained away from the stumps, standing on smooth-packed dirt.
Watching Eku and Kolo step carefully, Goguk asked, “They walk on two legs like we do?”
Kolo called, “Yes.”
Eku stepped from the rough ground to stand by the others.
Turned and asked Kolo, “Like a person or a bird or a monkey?”
Kolo stepped away from the stumps.
Shrugged and said, “They walk like we do, I guess. But they are not big. The adults are the same size as us. The females are even smaller.”
Eku thought of the odd looking creature he saw peeking over the rocks on the day they crossed shatsheli-lambo.
Coming to a decision, he said, “We need to find out more.”
Kolo groaned and said, “But I have asked everybody. Only adults get to walk over there. Whenever they want. It is not fair.”
“I know,” Yathi said. “It is not fair. We should go too. If we want. Besides, nobody actually said we cannot go over there.”
The four of them looked at each other, wide-eyed at the thought of doing such a bold thing.
Walk into the Bwana encampment?
By themselves?
Not a chance.
Eku looked at Kolo and asked, “Did you ask Yat what she knows?”
Kolo indicated no and Eku turned away, motioning with his hand and said, “Follow me.”
***
The four young males tramped into the community area, where they found Yat with Tar and Maz, the three of them seated upon reed matts with the mothers Krele, Shona, Luvu and Nyama, chatting merrily while using the three-hole bone tool for weaving cordage.
They sat in a rough circle, next to a trestle loaded with drying sinew, in front of one of the large, roof-only shelters of papyrus.
The mothers smiled and clicked greetings to Eku and his little posse.
The young males clicked polite greetings and Eku asked what was known of the strange Bwana beasts who walked on two legs, like a person, staring at Yat, expectantly.
Yat, because of her language proficiency, now visited the Bwana encampment frequently—much to the envy of all the young people.
“I saw them many times,” she said, looking smug.
“Tell us,” Goguk implored as Yathi called out, “What do they look like?”
Yat’s hands rolled and twisted the cylinder tool used to braid three strips of sinew into a strong cord.
Her hair was loose and combed out to fall like a brown waterfall over her shoulders.
Eku noticed a new bracelet of ostrich shell beads of Bwana design.
“They are silly,” she said, looking at her hands, but lost in the memory.
“And they make funny noises.”
“They have bodies like us, but are smaller and have more hair on their bodies.
“They are pretty, especially the females.
“They look like an Abantu and a monkey had a baby.”
Eku and Yathi looked horrified at each other, Eku again thinking of the odd creature he saw peeking over the rocks on the day they crossed shatsheli-lambo.
Goguk exclaimed, “Like an Abantu and a monkey had a baby?”
Yat clicked yes and said, “It is hard to describe, but you will see them. They are hairy, but have bare skin, like us. They are called linwelewana.
“In the Bwana language, linwelewana means the hairless climbers.”
Eku asked, “They like to climb?”
“Yes. They are always hanging inside the big huts.
“They understand Bwana words, but do not talk. They chatter like monkeys.
“They are silly, but very clever.
“When I see them, I want to pet them. For some reason.
“And they are always doing chores.
“The linwelewana do whatever a Bwana tells them to do.”
***
A major project is planned for iliwi-kelele.
Already the center of tribal activity, there would be a new addition: a large hut for the entire community.
Different and smaller than what the Bwana built, due to a lack of large palms to use as columnar supports.
This big hut would be round, but larger than anything the Abantu had seen.
The area all around iliwi-kelele was flat and cleared and the Bwana side in particular was cleared to nothing but hard-packed dirt.
The izik-kosa arranged an impressive work area, directly alongside the rock wall, across from where the big hut was being raised.
The work area was a busy place these days, though not at the moment.
The izik-kosa set up in front of a smooth portion of the cliff face, amongst serendipitous rocks scattered half-buried and good for sitting.
Sturdy tripod frames for heating or cooking arranged along a long and deep fire pit.
Sharpening stones set next to vices.
Racks for curing skins and drying sinew.
Past the izik-kosa work area, toward the river, the ground gently sloped to where the walkway of logs stretched into shatsheli-lambo, straight and pale.
Past the walkway of logs, the four rafts were dragged onto shore, followed by the swimming area.
The big round hut was being erected on the upriver side of the izik-kosa work area, more towards the center of the cleared area that separated iliwi-kelele from the oasis of land before the Bwana living area began.
Like all projects, once conceived, work on the big round hut began immediately.
On the far side of the Abantu encampment was the swampy area with the fringe of tall bamboo, where Eku and Yathi gathered with other young people to watch the izik-kosa cut some of perfectly straight culms.
Helping to transport the sturdy, but light poles all the way across their encampment and over the rocks to the Bwana side of iliwi-kelele.
To avoid the higher drop off from the cliffside, Eku and Yathi trudged with the long pole over their shoulders down to the water, before cutting across the rock and heading back up alongside the bedrock, before dropping off their load in front of the izik-kosa work area.
Eku and Yathi were impressed and enthused by all of the activity.
“Waka-waka people,” Yathi exclaimed. “And father is here!”
Eku saw Lume amongst some of the izik-kosa, no doubt present to lend the use of their excellent tools and skills.
“I want to watch what they are going to build,” Eku said.
Yathi, on the other hand, was staring back toward the water, where waka-waka young people gathered by the swimming area.
Took a step in that direction and turned to look at Eku, who was watching one the izik-kosa run a blade of quartzite back and forth across a sharpening stone.
Yathi fidgeted and looked longingly at the river.
Not even looking at him, Eku clicked and said, “Go ahead.”
Yathi clicked his appreciation and began trotting for the river, calling over his shoulder, “I will find Kolo and Goguk and we will see you later.”
***
Not sure where to put himself, but knowing he wanted to watch, Eku wandered back to the pile of bamboo.
The culms were very long, but there were not that many pieces.
Eku guessed the longest were more than three times the height of a tall person.
Next to the bamboo pile, closer to the vertical face of the rock wall was a much more substantial collection of papyrus.
Shoots wrapped in bundles according to length and assembled into twisted stacks that reminded Eku of termite mounds.
The Bwana were no doubt harvesting the tall reeds for some days to have assembled such a large supply.
Some of the stalks were dried and pale, others were light green and fresh.
Eku turned away from iliwi-kelele to face the direction of the Bwana encampment.
The big hut would sit right in front of him, with the grove of tall palms that held the Bwana’s rounded huts in the background.
Already, a circle of support poles were planted in the ground.
Hardwood logs placed into deep holes and secured by rocks and packed with sand and dirt.
The columnar supports were evenly distributed around an impressive circumference and Eku found the symmetry of the spaced poles pleasing to the eye.
And just in time the workers were gathering!
Bwana were stepping between the support pole and into the circle area.
Being the only young person in the vicinity, Eku hurriedly looked for a spot to get more out of the way.
Unsure of where to go, he backed up against the rock wall.
He looked past the izik-kosa work area along the cliff face and saw Tiuti and Wutota approached.
The two old masters spent much time together.
Always talking.
One tall with short hair.
One short with long hair.
They conversed past the izik-kosa work area and Eku wished he could hear what they were saying, but there were too many voices going at once.
Eku saw others glancing past him toward the forest in an expectant way and turned.
Bwana approached from the forest, having just emerged from the treeline, carrying big logs over their shoulders.
Very big logs.
Big enough to require four sets of shoulders, two to each side.
Heading straight down the length of iliwi-kelele, sure to pass where Eku was standing.
Eku looked up at the crest of the miniature cliff face.
Went to his toes and stretched his arms over his head, but could curl only the ends of his fingers over the top edge.
Crouched and sprang up and managed to hook both hands solidly; then, pulling with his arms while pushing off the wall with his toes, hauled himself up, scraping his stomach as he threw a foot over and tumbled onto the plateau.
Stood and adjusted his loincloth, wiping sand and grit off his skin.
A few scratches were worth the excellent view!
On top of iliwi-kelele, Eku can see everything.
Three groups of Bwana from the forest carried three logs.
Almost as straight as bamboo, but much sturdier and stripped of branches.
They came along the length of iliwe-kelele and passed directly below Eku before swinging in front of the papyrus stacks and toward the big round hut to slip into the circle of support poles.
Depositing the three long logs in the middle of the circle.
***
Standing atop the bedrock slab, Eku cannot escape Ulanga, but the heat was tolerable and he settled onto his butt with feet flat, elbows on the knees.
More workers appeared, carrying armloads of additional logs, which were dumped around the ring of support poles.
Different groups of bwana and izik-kosa went in turn to each support pole, attaching the short logs from one support pole to the next, until a solid ring was built around the entire circumference.
Eku marveled at the diameter.
This would be a big hut indeed!
The three enormous logs inside the circle were notched and loosely bound at one end.
Many strong workers straddled each of the three logs and together, began to lift and shimmy the enormous tripod into place at the center of the big hut.
Eku was impressed when a pair of Bwana, not appearing much older than him, each climbed straight up a single leg pole to the top, where they used cordage and worked together to more securely tie the three tripod poles.
Once the climbers shimmied down, logs were placed horizontally between tripod legs, making a sort of ladder for others to more easily climb to the top.
Eku noted still more workers approached from the Bwana encampment and went tense with excitement.
There were two, distinct figures.
Walking upright, like people—but they were not people.
Eku had to admit that at first glance, a linwelewana did look like a monkey and a human had a baby.
He guessed the beasts were about his height and adults, judging by their musculature and demeanor.
Their skin was grayish with a hint of laza.
Fur was heavy in their groin area and lower legs.
Too furry to see private parts, Eku guessed they were male because of a lack of teats.
The legs and arms were of similar proportions to his own, but their hands and feet were enormous.
They walked with a funny-looking gait, hands stuck forward in a silly way; but then, Eku saw their shoulders were built differently, muscular and shaped in a way that forced the arms to angle out, palms forward; whereas, the arms of an Abantu hung inward.
Eku realized the linwelewana were about to play a role in the construction.
***
The long bamboo poles that Eku and Yathi helped bring over were put to use as rafters.
The framing progressed at a rapid pace with so many people—and especially with the help of the linwelewana, who Eku thought were simply marvelous.
A pair of square platforms were dragged into place on the outside and inside of a support pole.
Bwana workers climbed atop the platform on each side, while others transported one of the bamboo poles, already cut to length.
The bamboo rafter was hefted up and muscled into place by the workers at the support pole, who in turn guided the pole up to workers waiting at the top of the tripod.
And then the linwelewana sprang into action.
A linwelewana grabbed a handful of ropes from a Bwana and went quickly skipping forward two or three strides to launch a magnificent leap and latch onto the bamboo rafter just put in place, swinging wide with a single hand.
The linwelewana swung to a stop and cleverly transferred the tying material from the one hand to a grasping foot with flexible toes and then used both hands to pull itself quickly up the length of the rafter hand over hand, rope strands held securely by the one foot.
Quickly reaching the top, the linwelewana used its strong arms and body to elegantly extend the leg holding the tying materials to a waiting Bwana worker.
While the tripod workers worked to secure the rafter connection at the top, the workers on the ground moved the platforms to the next support pole.
In the meantime, the linwelewana simply hung from the bamboo rafter and chatted at the other linwelewana, waiting at the new rafter about to go up.
The beasts made squeaks and barks, noises not quite like anything Eku had heard, not a monkey, but … they didn’t seem to be talking.
Did they?
The linwelewana reminded him somewhat of one of the laza monkeys from the Mantel forest, but this beast was something else completely.
The linwelewana moved so quickly and gracefully.
With trees around, they would be impossible to catch, even for a leopard.
Comfortable climbing and swinging through the trees as they were walking and leaping on the ground.
As soon as the next bamboo rafter was ready, the linwelewana playfully skidded its way back down, letting go at a fast pace to purposefully tumble into a clever roll upon landing, springing to its feet to the laughter of some of the Bwana.
The other linwelewana repeated a similar performance at the next rafter.
Between the two teams of Bwana tackling the support poles, each with a linwelewana, the entire skeleton of the hut came into place with marvelous speed.
Eku was enthralled at the sight of the round form, the rafters radiating from the center tripod where once all secured, was dismantled leaving the spectacular dome shape in place.
//Marvelling how all the rafters supported each other now, without the tripod in place.
Yathi, Kolo and Goguk wandered up from the water to join Eku on the rocks, hooting with excitement at the sight of the linwelewana.
Kolo sat next to Eku and leaned against him and asked, “As good as watching monkeys fly?”
“Yes,” Eku said. “But the linwelewana are not monkeys.”
***
The following day, once chores were finished, Eku dragged Yathi back to iliwi-kelele in the hopes of watching more hut construction—and especially, the linwelewana.
As soon as Eku and Yathi left the encampment, they could see all kinds of activity already in progress on the other side of the rock.
Eager to see who and what, they paced the open area in front of the river and walked onto iliwi-kelele.
Across the rock, Eku and Yathi saw young and agile Bwana crab-walking over the roof of the big hut, winding papyrus stalks through the rafters.
Two workers clung to the peak of the big hut, where all the radial beams criss-crossed to form a kind of bristle, almost like a pine cone or flower.
Eku found the design symmetrically pleasing to the eye.
The two climbers used cordage and strips of palm leaves to form a waterproofing cover over the cone-shape.
Disappointed, Eku figured that if linwelewana were helping, they would be where the climbing took place.
But all of the workers were humans.
Funny how that seemed boring.
Yathi, on the other hand, had evidently spotted something even more exciting.
Shouted, “Eku look!”
Following Yathi’s pointed finger, all that Eku saw were disparate groups of people milling about, both Bwana and Abantu; in fact, waka-waka people wandered everywhere, it seemed.
Adults and young people lounged along the river, from the walkway of logs to the swimming area.
Still more approached from the Bwana encampment.
Closer to where Eku and Yathi stood, waka-waka people orbited the big hut area.
The tribes were starting to look the same, Eku thought, except for the zebra loincloth part.
Not sure who Yathi indicated, Eku suggested, “Yathi, look at how many people are there already. We can jump down.”
Yathi grabbed Eku by the shoulder and pointed. “No! There. Look!”
Something in Yathi’s tone made Eku more carefully scan the people below.
Ah!
Of course.
Bwana females.
A good-sized group, the same age as Yathi and himself.
Having gathered to watch the construction of the big hut, like so many others.
“This must be a good day to watch the big hut,” Yathi said.
The young females were grouped on the side of the hut closer to the river, away from where Eku and Yathi stood near the uplifted spire.
“When it comes to females, you have eyes like a fish eagle,” Eku told him.
Yathi giggled.
Eku motioned him to the edge of the rock slab.
They walked over and squatted; placed their hands on the rock to one side of their feet and shifted their weight while twisting to hang their legs over the edge, dangling for a moment before dropping.
Eku landed easily on his feet and spun around, thinking the big hut looked … Well, bigger.
Yath, plunked down beside him, stood and said, “The hut looks so high from down here.”
Grinned and smacked Eku on the shoulder, adding, “We are on the Bwana side again!”
They wandered away from the rock wall to the izik-kosa work area.
A large fire pit filled with ash was at center, with blocks of sharpening stones and logs to sit on.
Eku spotted a rack of spear poles, debarked and drying.
There was a second rack of poles with the bark still on, shorter, set aside to carve into other handles, like axes or diggers.
He made note that all the poles were bushwillow.
Checked the sinew racks, currently empty.
Rock vices and other tools.
Eku began to wander closer to the tools, but Yathi yanked him back by the elbow.
Irritated, Eku tugged his arm away, intending to deliver a sharp rebuke, but Yathi was feasting his eyes on the Bwana females, suddenly much closer.
In fact, right there in front of them, halfway between where they stood and the big hut.
“What,” Eku snapped.
Yathi leaned against Eku, not looking at him, saying, “Look!”, even though Eku was now looking.
Some of the Bwana females made pointed glances their way.
No doubt Yathi’s silly grinning at least had their attention.
Surprising himself, Eku boldly stared back.
“This is good,” Yathi said, leaning off of Eku. “Females we have not seen before!”
Stuck out his chest, hoping he looked like Kozik and leaned into Eku again, accidentally knocking him.
Eku took his eyes away from the females long enough to offer another irritated look at Yathi, who simply stood there, gawking.
“Move closer,” Yathi said.
Reluctantly, Eku shuffled a few steps closer, Yathi practically shoving him along.
Eku noticed the Bwana females were smiling and laughing, the same way Abantu females smile and laugh.
The young Bwana wore their hair in varied styles, like the adults: some with braids or poofy around their head and shoulders, like Yat.
Suddenly, and inexplicably, Eku had a powerful urge to be off throwing his ula-konto.
He should be practicing!
Struggled with an unusual feeling of panic.
Not sure what to do, Eku glanced at Yathi, still grinning and staring.
Yathi waved and the Bwana females giggled.
Some of them waved back.
Eku thought Yathi looked silly.
But then … at least he had their attention.
Eku looked at the Bwana females again.
Their breasts had grown, some more than others.
Yathi leaned into him again and whispered, “We should try some new words.”
“Yes,” Eku said, though this was the rare occasion where he waited for Yathi to take the lead.
Strangely, Eku’s tongue felt fat and sticky in his mouth, like he just had honey.
But even more strangely, his eyes kept returning to the same female.
She was tall.
Slim.
Graceful, though he had never seen her move.
Just knew that she was.
Somehow.
An ostrich bead bracelet stood out sharply on a slender ankle.
Her legs were long and strong and … rather nice to look at.
For some reason.
She was one of the tallest of the females in the group before them, so tantalizingly close.
Her zebra loincloth looked soft, an excellent pelt.
Clasps of lavender feathers dangled from each hip, where the curve of her buttock and the muscles of her thigh met.
A necklace hung with a pretty laza pendant between her breasts.
Eku guessed her hair was long and poofy, like Yat’s, but currently coiled and tied with cordage to sit elegantly atop her head.
All Eku could see was her profile, but there was something about the curve of her cheek that made him stare.
The delicate line was … What?
Fascinated, he studied the arc between full lips and long eyelashes, noting the round nose, shape of her brow, the curve of jawline to chin, everything together somehow … Perfect.
Sensing his attention, the Bwana female turned and looked and Eku was lost, swimming in her eyes, no longer capable of thinking, let alone saying anything.
She stared back at him.
The barest of a smile tugged one side of her perfect upper lip.
Eku realized his own mouth was hanging open and snapped it shut.
And remained immobile, staring at the beautiful Bwana female.
Who continued to stare back.
Finally, she arched a perfect eyebrow.
The side of her perfect upper lip turned downward and she made a huffing noise; spun from Eku, walking away; though, she did throw a quick glance back at the strange Abantu male to see if he was staring after her.
Eku was.
***
Eku spotted the beautiful Bwana female the next day at iliwi-kelele.
Barely aware that he was doing it, he remembered the interval of the day and who she was with.
More and more often, he put himself in the same proximity.
And each time Eku saw the beautiful Bwana female with the laza pendant, his heart quickened; in fact, now if he expected to see her and did not … his heart sank in a way he never experienced.
But sometimes—and more often it seemed—she looked his way, Eku thrilled of course; though, he always turned in a different direction, lest she catch him staring.
Again.