A Tribalist Two

9

A Tribalist Two

9

A Tribalist Two

Jefta Iluyomade

To Grandma Abiola, for loving me in spite of everything I am not and could never be.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

© 2017 Jefta Iluyomade

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 0692900136

ISBN 13: 9780692900130

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017908800

Jefta Iluyomade, Champaign,IL

Contents

Tribe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix Part I The Precursor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

I YORUBA:

Ọjọ Burúkú || ENGLISH: Wicked Day . . . . . . . 3

II

HAUSA: Ebo || ENGLISH: Tribe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

III

ARABIC: Kilyubatra || ENGLISH: Cleopatra . . . . . . . . . .14

IV

NYANJA: Za Ena || ENGLISH: About the Others . . . . . . 20

V

AMHARIC: K’wat’ero || ENGLISH: Knot . . . . . . . . . . . 29

VI

SHONA: Uya Ne Enda || ENGLISH: Come and Go . . . . . .35

VII I

SW

S A

W HILI: W

: a

W v

a ul

u ana

n I

a t

I a

t ku

k wa

u ||

wa ENGLISH: Boys Will Be . . . 46

VIII

FRANÇAIS: C’est La Vie || ENGLISH: It Is Life . . . . . . . .57

IX

LINGALA: Bobóto || ENGLISH: Friendship . . . . . . . . . . 64

X

IGBO: N’agbụ Ka Nwatakịrị || ENGLISH: Chains for a Child . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72

XI

MALAGASY: Hatrany Am-bohoka || ENGLISH: From the Womb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83

XII

SESOTHO: Le Bothata Ba || ENGLISH: Trouble . . . . . . 90

XIII

ZULU: Isikhathi Sempi || ENGLISH: A Time for War . . . .95

Part II The Present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105

XIV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107

XV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

XVI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123

XVII . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

XVIII . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145

XIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155

XX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164

XXI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .174

9

XXII . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184

Tribe

XXIII . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196

XXIV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .209

Author’s Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217

About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219

N oun. A social division in a traditional society consisting of families or communities linked by social, economic, religious, or blood ties, with a common culture and dialect, typically having a recognized leader.

On my right the tribe attacks;

they lay snares for my feet,

they build their siege ramps against me.

They break up my road;

they succeed in destroying me.

No one can help him, they say.

They advance as through a gaping breach; amid the ruins they come rolling in.

—Job 30:12–14

Part I

9

The Precursor

I

9

YORUBA: Ọjọ Burúkú ||

ENGLISH: Wicked Day

Rays of sunlight glittered across the destruction of the Kialli village, highlighting the defeat of a once fortunate people. The hot breath of a Domka soldier ran down the back of Khyik’s neck. As if that were not enough to remind him of his situation, the soldier shoved Khyik in the center of an open wound carved into his lower back. He did not need to ask where the soldiers were taking him in the heat of day; he knew it was his death. He was the last son of the king, and with his death, the Domka could rule without worry. Even if he were not killed, Khyik doubted his presence would disrupt Mana’s rule in any significant way, but he understood why they would execute him. As long as he breathed, the Kialli people would have hope. They would have hope because he would give it to them, and because of this, there would be great unrest.

The village was unrecognizable to Khyik. Even if his prior unconsciousness had not muddled his senses, it would have looked like a stranger. Pieces of rubble from the destroyed homes littered the 3

J e f t a I l u y o m a d e A T r i b a l i s t T w o

ground. The blisteringly hot sun overhead set the landscape ablaze.

it was his brother Anen, who was surely to be killed by the Europeans Sweat dripped from the faces of the men and women as they trudged now that the peace had been broken, then his brother Orlo again when in a line across the hot dirt road. Khyik was no exception, but sweat, he had been actually killed, and now it was likely Takloh and his baba, he was used to. What he was not used to was the burning sensation in which left only him.

the small of his back as the sweat dripped into his wound. Every time

Young man, why are you so eager to die? There is still life to be a droplet slid across the open cut, he cringed in pain. Part of him ex-lived, and you do not have to suffer the same fate as your baba or the pected an empathetic leopard to jump out from a thornbush and attack rest of his kin. I will allow you to live under my rule as my servant.

the soldiers, but the other part of him, the more mature part, knew Mana’s face was now close enough for Khyik to smell the wine that that this was to be the end.

the Domka must have stolen from the king’s quarters.

His baba had been deceived into trusting the Domka, and in the

You drink the wine gifted by the men who sought to destroy our end, it had been his baba’s final mistake. It was also Khyik’s final mis-people? Khyik asked.

take; he had been the one to suggest peace. Khyik was grateful that,

You are the ones who accepted the wine, Mana pointed out.

at least, this village had already been pillaged, and any Kialli villagers

Out of diplomacy, Khyik retorted.

he came across were either dead or had already been taken prisoner.

Never mind. It is fitting. This wine belongs to men who sought to Mana’s desire, like that of all kings, was to rule uncontested, and now destroy your people, and it seems that today we are those men. Mana that Mana had control of the entire island, he could do so. Khyik looked smiled as the Domka soldiers raised their weapons in agreement and up and squinted at the too-bright sky. They had come to a clearing, and cheered.

the Domka soldiers formed a circle around him. Khyik looked left and

We are the same people! Khyik shouted.

right, trying to figure out why they had stopped.

Mana took a step back, drew back his hand, and slapped Khyik so A voice boomed from behind him, Let me see the boy.

hard that the sound echoed in the chaos. A drop of blood rolled down Khyik turned to face Mana himself. He was as large as men came; Khyik’s cheek from where Mana’s nail had dug into him with the slap.

the pitch of his voice was as deep as the Elder River’s rumble. Mana did

No, Mana whispered as he took a swig of wine. We are not.

not look at all tired, which made sense because his attack on the Kialli had been swift and nearly effortless.

Ah, and here is the boy of the dead king, said Mana as the Domka soldiers laughed.

I am the king now, and I advise you to execute me quickly! Khyik yelled.

He did not know why he said that, but he was glad that he had. It could be true for all he knew. First his brother Orlo had been thought to be dead, then not Orlo when it was discovered he was alive. Then 4

5

A T r i b a l i s t T w o scapegoat of the family. The king did not know where his son had found the knack of making himself a sponge for blame; of the traits that had been passed down from generation to generation, favorabil-ity was one that both he and the queen possessed. Not that his other II

children were not without their faults, mutual mischievousness for 9

one, but his other children possessed traits that accented mischievousness. For Nyari it was mature intelligence, for Anen it was curiosity, and for Takloh it was pure, unmatched strength. He loved his son, but something about Khyik’s vagueness, something about his HAUSA: Ebo || ENGLISH: Tribe

son’s disinterest in greatness, went against the very fiber that made up the rest of the family. The boy was clumsy and weak. He showed no concern for how he represented the family, nor did he show concern for how he came across to their subjects. Whatever it was that made Before…

his youngest son so unextraordinary, it was not a lack of exemplary Young children ran around outside of the royal kraal in their tiny role models. In the Kialli territories, there was an overabundance of clothes, for now he let them play in spite of their boisterous-laudable men—masculine, astute, tall like elephant grass, and island ness. Obnoxious children always reminded him of his third-born son, born. But for Khyik, none of these qualities came with age, so the Anen, who was probably up and about as well, just not in the same king could only wait, watch, and be disappointed.

location. Anen was most likely pestering the chiefs about the mean-ings of old tribal texts until he either got his answers or used up all Khyik watched as his older brother tossed two men aside, though of the chiefs’ patience. That was his third-born son’s favorite activ-they were older and bigger; Takloh was stronger than both combined.

ity, and though he admired persistence, he sometimes wished all of Dawn had just passed, and the local pastime of roughhousing, which his children would act more like Nyari, his only daughter. Unlike by now was seeing who was bold enough and stupid enough to chal-her siblings, Nyari kept quiet and to herself. She acted well and did lenge Takloh, was under way. Most of the men knew better; sitting in all the things that were expected of her, but the king knew that his the shade, drinking spirits, they watched. Khyik kept watching. Every daughter was inarguably the most intelligent of all his children. Just move Takloh made was well coordinated and backed by power. Khyik like her late mother, Nyari knew when not to be smart, and although wondered how his brother had gotten that way, not that he had ever seen he discouraged her from doing that, he felt a sense of nostalgia when Takloh any other way. Even in his very first memories, Takloh had been she would play dumb to avoid getting in trouble, even if it meant bigger and stronger than most. But it was not admiration that Khyik her brothers took the punishment. As far as punishments went, no felt; it was envy. He knew it was not good, but how could he not be one took more of them than his youngest son, Khyik. Khyik, the envious? How could anybody not be envious? One of the men staggered 6

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backward to his knees and then leaped again at Takloh. Takloh dodged There was silence between the two of them as they watched the last the attack, spinning around the man with ease before launching a coun-remaining man opt out of the tussle with Takloh.

terattack. He was bloody and sweaty, but the men were not accustomed

Your thoughts don’t even try to hide in your head, said Khyik. "I to seeing him any other way.

assume you want something from me to ensure this news will not reach

Brother!

Baba?"

Khyik turned around to find Anen walking up to him.

It was a reasonable thing to expect. Anen’s specialty was gathering

Hello, brother, Khyik greeted. Does the day treat you well?

information, and he had learned that information was as good as any Anen nodded with a large smirk. "Only as well as the chiefs let the currency if used correctly.

day treat me," he remarked.

You know me all too well, young one. I do want something, Anen

With you around, it’s no wonder they grow weary.

admitted. He lifted his knuckle to his mouth and gently bit down as he The two boys let out loud laughs that were ultimately drowned out thought it over.

by the noise of Takloh’s grunts.

Ah! You will give me entertainment, he finally said.

He sounds like warthogs in the mating season. Has he no brain?

Khyik was confused.

Anen sighed.

How so?

Would you like me to ask him for you? Khyik opened his mouth Anen raised his hand and whistled, garnering the attention of ev-to call for Takloh, but Anen gave him a playful shove.

eryone nearby. Takloh! he called. "The young brother would like to

And you? Have you no brain? Anen asked with a sudden change put you in your place!"

in tone. He turned toward his younger brother. "Crossing the Elder There was laughter throughout the group of men as shock settled River like it was a farmer’s fence that children climb over when they’ve onto Khyik’s face.

kicked their playthings too far," Anen accused.

Is this true? Takloh asked with amusement.

Khyik’s mouth hung open, speechless.

Khyik glared at Anen, who, knowing he had leverage, only glanced

"You don’t think you can just sneak out after dark without at least back. So with no other choice, Khyik stepped forward.

one Kialli scout noticing? You’re lucky Hiniri told me instead of Baba."

Anen’s face pulled closer so that his ears could pick up whatever excuse The good part was that it ended quickly. The bad part was the effort was about to be said.

Takloh had to put forth to make it end quickly. As Khyik walked away,

I was just a bit curious, that is all. And our animals cross the river, people either laughed or shook their heads, though one man tried to so why shouldn’t I? Khyik reasoned.

make him feel better.

"Because the Domka won’t slice open the bellies of our animals and

It could have been much, much worse, he said.

wear their intestines like dress scarves, Anen reminded him. So leave Khyik wanted to smile, but he was afraid some of his teeth might the curiosity to me."

fall out. The damage was deliberate. Even if it had been a joke, a younger 8

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brother challenging his older brother would not be tolerated, especially in the middle of the village, and as Khyik got closer to the prized cen-in front of an audience. Takloh was to be named deputy in a month’s ter, he could see his surroundings change. Small mud huts gave way to time, and as his brother, Khyik could challenge him when the time large log ones, large log huts gave way to larger stone ones, and where came. That was out of the question. Even if Takloh had not been the there were larger stone huts, there were polished wooden walkways oldest, if the king had had older sons of age, even then, Takloh would to remind one of the lesser materials one had just surpassed by passing still be the undisputed choice for deputy. The man was right; it really by. Then there was the royal kraal, made from every material available could have been much, much worse. Khyik had seen Takloh break the locally and from many materials fetched from lands far away. When jaw of one man and wring the ankle of another. He had seen his brother Khyik reached the kraal, he found his baba sitting on one of his outdoor take out the legs of giants just as fast as he could bound straight over the thrones, this one placed under a large bush willow that provided shade heads of shorter adversaries.

from the impeding sunlight.

Why are you doing this? Takloh had whispered when they were

How are things, my son? the king asked as Khyik walked up.

getting into position.

Khyik bowed a low bow. Very good, he replied.

All Khyik did was glance at Anen, who looked on with eagerness.

"Hmm, yes,