A Moving Mine

Part 3: The Minerals Vanished, But The Mystery Remained.

The miner toured Nala around the site and asked him to come back for a work in the morning.

Later that night, he couldn’t close his eyes. He barely slept. He almost counted every second of the night, eager for it to be morning. With his back on the bed and eyes fixed on the roof.

Nala imagined the praise from his elders and envy from his peers for their accomplishment.

As the night veil lifted, revealing a new day’s promise and possibility, the sky lightened and stars faded, casting a warm glow on the landscape.

Nala fastened up and took off to the site. Behold, beyond, and behold, Nala’s eyes met an aura. With his eyes widened and mouth open, before him was a place with ditches, a site that was busy with people digging out minerals, had vanished in thin air.

With all the miners gathered around, Nala’s mouth could not help but shout.

“What happened here?”

With his voice above everyone gathered, the miners responded,

“Someone has offended the spirits.”

“Offended the spirits?” Nala asked with a raised brow.

“Yes, Nala, minerals and mining have rules to follow. For the rocks to yield minerals in abundance.”

The old miner said, gathering everyone around,

“Minerals are spirits, and they belong to the spirits. As miners, we make vows to the spirit and sacrifices to appease them as they bless us.” He continued.

“I don’t understand,” Nala said.

“If our ancestors are the ones that direct and give us minerals, how then would they let it disappear?” he asked.

Adjusting a stone where he was trying to sit,

“Listen, young man, it’s not only about the gods directing us. We need to be at peace with them, even as we work.”  The old miner explained

Nala frowned with concern. His eyes scanning around the site, searching for answer.

“So, what then could someone have done overnight for the spirits to be angry and take away what they had given?”

His curiosity and concern were evident on his face as he asked.

The miner, Jaw-line betrayed his growing frustration. His tone laced with annoyance,  tapping his finger as he attempted to explain his theory. His maturity and experience were evident in his words.

“It’s obvious someone satisfied his selfish-desires last night, even when you knew we were in a massive quarry, Really???

You guys are such a disappointment; don’t you know the consequences ??”

The old miner uttered with his voice echoing in everyone’s chest

Nala listened attentively. He leaned forward with a teasing smile.

“This is so ridiculous. You sound like Kaka (grandma) telling us all these mythical stories.

“It’s clear to me what happened,” the old man said.

“I have seen this before, young man, and this is serious. The minerals has moved.

We need to start an animal-led discovery of folkloric methods, and when we find the new site, we need to do rituals to appease the spirits.”

Nala pursed his lips and nodded his head as he weighed the truth of the statement, though still processing its validity. He shook his head and said,

“Do you remember the stone I showed you yesterday?

Yes, I do. What about it? the old miner replied.

Before I picked it up, I saw a large black snake crossing the pathway, and a few steps from there, I discovered that stone.”

Everyone’s concern was palpable, with all eyes fixed on Nala, waiting to see what he would say next.

“Lukwesa mentioned that it indicates minerals around the area, and besides, it marries with your theories. Maybe we should try it out.” Nala suggested