A Moving Mine

Part 1: Beneath the surface

It was a beautiful normal day in Kwesele village, a home in the northwestern part of Zambia. Where the sun dipped into the horizon and painted the sky with hues of crimson and gold. The sound of drums and singing filled the air as the community came together to honour their culture. Villagers gathered around the fire sharing stories and laughter as they celebrated the new men in the community.

The Mukanda initiation ceremony had just ended. A rite of passage for young men. It was an integral part of their cultural heritage. The ceremony marked the transition from boyhood to manhood, teaching essential skills, values and responsibilities that would shape the future of these young men.

Nala stood tall with a bright smile spreading across his face as he gazed at the community. His mind wandered back to the ceremony, replaying the words of praise from the elders and the cheers of his peers.

Nala took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his new status on his shoulders. He walked with a newfound confidence. His strides are longer and more purposeful.

As the last drumbeat faded away, Nala felt the echo in his ears as the evening washed over him. He wandered away from the crowd seeking a moment of solitude. Nala’s mind was still dwelling on the weight of his new responsibilities. He walked a short distance away,the silence giving him space to reflect.

“How am I going to earn respect in this village as a young man?” he wondered, glancing at the moon. “Even if I joined Lukwesa in the field, it would take time for me to secure myself. I need to find something to do that is not a common practice in this village. That would be the only way to get the spotlight.”

He stood with his arms crossed and a distant gaze exuding uncertainty. He paced back and forth as he was lost in contemplation.

The next morning Nala woke up early, heading to Lukwesa before he started off to his farming fields and checking on his hunting traps. With the road narrow and fog in the air with birds singing and insects chirping, he started off to Lukwesa’s house upon reaching the curve at the end of the hill.

Nala felt a chill in his core as he heard the bush crunching. He felt a wave of unease as he scanned the place. His eyebrows raised and stood in disbelief. A large, long black snake was slithering silently across the pathway. He held his breath and stood still like a log that had been placed waiting to be used, his heart pounding like a drum. Until the snake slithered away.

He quickened his pace,as he  rushed to reach Lukwesa. A few steps away, he saw a sparkling bronze stone on the ground. The stone was so sparkly compared to usual. “What could this be?” He asked.

Reaching out to the stone, glancing at it with admiration, he quickly placed it in his pocket. For he had always been drawn to the thrill of discovery and the rush of uncovering hidden treasures beneath the earth.

His words spilling out in a rush, barely containing his enthusiasm as he shared what he has seen

“You can’t believe what I have seen today. All my life I have never come across such a long, large snake.”

“Where did you see it? That you can’t even greet?” Lukwesa asked.

“Just after the curve of  the hill, of our usual path crossing to the other side of the bush.”

“Oh, I hear people say there is a goddess that crosses the road every morning and evening. It comes from the stream going to find food and sunbathe on the other side.”

Nala’s eyes widened with curiosity as he was eager to know what that meant. A goddess snake?? He asked.

“Yes, the mineral goddess, that our ancestors. A guide to where the minerals are, helping miners find the right path of minerals.” said Lukwesa

“Wait! Do you mean when that snake appears, then there are minerals nearby?” He asked with his hand brushing against the stone in his pocket.

“This is what I had picked just a few steps from where the snake was. Do you think it could be a valuable stone?”

A deep chuckle rumbled from Lukwesa’s chest. “I am just a common farmer. What would I know about stones? And even if the stone was valuable, why would our ancestors decide to give it to you? The almighty lazy Nala.” He chuckled and continued packing his tools.

Nala deflated and discouraged, sighed down and blew it away. Like nothing mattered.

“You know you are right. That’s not what brought me here. I was wondering if we can start going hunting together.”

Lukwesa’s twisted with a taunting eye and a mocking smile; “Can you even lay a trap or handle a dog, Nala?”  he asked, doubling over with laughter at his own question. “Well, I thought so,” he said, still chuckling. “When you decide on that, then we can go together.”

Nala could not handle the abuse from his friend. His spirit fell, and his head and hands drooped, and he slumped like a loser.

After that encounter, Nala tried hang around but could not help it and went back home.