Post by Mindobwe on Sept 24, 2005 8:19:39 GMT -5
Chronicles of the Shombe -- the Gamba Haulib
Born of the clan Shumaza, the gamba who eventually was named Haulib grew up amongst the Shombe people herding cattle much as had the thousand generations that preceded him. Stories told by the elders of the clan relate early associations with the gamba Yakubu, SombUnto a N'anga, and Ole tUbi, a Nanala of the Shombe. The two Mbanta, Runako and Komasa are, of course, well known for obvious reasons. In these early days, however, little was known of what would become of them. They too were raised amongst the Shombe. The importance of this, while certainly not clear at the time, has become indisputable.
Haulib's story begins shortly before his coming of age. The earliest mention of him relates to a seemingly insignificant event while returning cattle to the Kraal one evening. The elders say that a group of boys which included all those mentioned above reported seeing an oryx whose gaze directed them to spot a strange bat-like creature flying towards the cattle under their charge. Some thrown rocks seemed all that was needed to scare away the unusual apparition, but the incident was sufficiently odd to suggest to Haulib that it might be an omen of great but indifferent change.
Soon after this incident, the youngsters were changed with delivering certain items to Msiba, an mganga living as a hermit near the Kraal then occupied by the Shumaza. The boys stayed overnight with Msiba where they learned the rudiments of natural medicine and ashe as well as, in all likelihood, information about, ancestral weapons and verdexes.
The most significant event in this journey to meet Msiba is an account which suggests that the Oryx appeared to the boys for a second time; this time on their return to the kraal. The stories say that it revealed an ambush laid by ingogo. Through the Oryx's intervention, the boys were able to ambush the ingogo, killing all three and taking trophies from the carcasses. Returning to the kraal of the Shumaza, the boys were interrogated by clan elders who examined the trophies and probed into the details of the incident and the involvement of the Oryx.
Very soon after this incident, the boys, as a group, began the rituals and tests that would precede their naming ceremony. Following these ceremonies the boys were sent on a hunt. The object of this ritual hunt was to bring back the tail of a blue lion that roamed to the northwest of the kraal.
Haulib is reported to have told the following story:
"We hunted to the north and west for three days, just the six of us young boys, finding little more than common giraffes, quagga and a troop of aggressive baboons. On one day we found ourselves crossing a strange narrow band of tiny red flowers that stretched in a line from one hill to the next. One night a hyena tried to sneak up on us by Komasa scared it away.
"On the third day of our hunt the Oryx found us. He led us for much of the day, leaving us into a dry riverbed and then up onto a cliff where, behind a thorny bush, we discovered a cleft in the rock. This opening led into the darkness and dove deep into the cliff. We lit two weak torches in the sunlight and open air before creeping into the darkness and stench of an ingogo lair. Deep in the cave, in the flickering torchlight, we found and killed three ingogo. Yakubu, who had drawn much of the cowardly beasts' attacks was badly injured in the battle but the healing paste, given to us by Msiba, proved its worth. We left the lair for the clean air of the world above and recovered from the fight.
"After resting, we reentered the cave to explore further. Searching the ingogo lair we discovered several treasures they had stolen and hidden away. These treasures included many cowrie shells and a pile of copper coins. Beyond the lair was a thundering waterfall feeding a hidden pool. We crossed the underground river using a stone bridge that someone had built there. From beyond the bridge we spotted the faint glow of light ahead.
"SombUnto scouted before we advanced further and told us that there was another room ahead adorned with shelves and cages holding creatures that looked like small, furry green coconuts with batwings. When we crept ahead to investigate, we discovered, behind a bend in the cavern wall, a bigger cage holding a large lion with blue-gray fur. For just an instant I thought I saw a shimmering spirit image hover over the face of the lion before merging with it. He spoke, saying 'kill my tormentors and you shall gain your names. He comes.'
"With that warning we realized that someone was approaching us from another entrance into this cave. We quickly dove into what cover we could find in the cluttered cave and sprang upon our startled enemy as soon as he was well into the quickly prepared ambush. Taken completely by surprise, he had no time to react and was soon dead. The lion looked on with satisfaction."
Born of the clan Shumaza, the gamba who eventually was named Haulib grew up amongst the Shombe people herding cattle much as had the thousand generations that preceded him. Stories told by the elders of the clan relate early associations with the gamba Yakubu, SombUnto a N'anga, and Ole tUbi, a Nanala of the Shombe. The two Mbanta, Runako and Komasa are, of course, well known for obvious reasons. In these early days, however, little was known of what would become of them. They too were raised amongst the Shombe. The importance of this, while certainly not clear at the time, has become indisputable.
Haulib's story begins shortly before his coming of age. The earliest mention of him relates to a seemingly insignificant event while returning cattle to the Kraal one evening. The elders say that a group of boys which included all those mentioned above reported seeing an oryx whose gaze directed them to spot a strange bat-like creature flying towards the cattle under their charge. Some thrown rocks seemed all that was needed to scare away the unusual apparition, but the incident was sufficiently odd to suggest to Haulib that it might be an omen of great but indifferent change.
Soon after this incident, the youngsters were changed with delivering certain items to Msiba, an mganga living as a hermit near the Kraal then occupied by the Shumaza. The boys stayed overnight with Msiba where they learned the rudiments of natural medicine and ashe as well as, in all likelihood, information about, ancestral weapons and verdexes.
The most significant event in this journey to meet Msiba is an account which suggests that the Oryx appeared to the boys for a second time; this time on their return to the kraal. The stories say that it revealed an ambush laid by ingogo. Through the Oryx's intervention, the boys were able to ambush the ingogo, killing all three and taking trophies from the carcasses. Returning to the kraal of the Shumaza, the boys were interrogated by clan elders who examined the trophies and probed into the details of the incident and the involvement of the Oryx.
Very soon after this incident, the boys, as a group, began the rituals and tests that would precede their naming ceremony. Following these ceremonies the boys were sent on a hunt. The object of this ritual hunt was to bring back the tail of a blue lion that roamed to the northwest of the kraal.
Haulib is reported to have told the following story:
"We hunted to the north and west for three days, just the six of us young boys, finding little more than common giraffes, quagga and a troop of aggressive baboons. On one day we found ourselves crossing a strange narrow band of tiny red flowers that stretched in a line from one hill to the next. One night a hyena tried to sneak up on us by Komasa scared it away.
"On the third day of our hunt the Oryx found us. He led us for much of the day, leaving us into a dry riverbed and then up onto a cliff where, behind a thorny bush, we discovered a cleft in the rock. This opening led into the darkness and dove deep into the cliff. We lit two weak torches in the sunlight and open air before creeping into the darkness and stench of an ingogo lair. Deep in the cave, in the flickering torchlight, we found and killed three ingogo. Yakubu, who had drawn much of the cowardly beasts' attacks was badly injured in the battle but the healing paste, given to us by Msiba, proved its worth. We left the lair for the clean air of the world above and recovered from the fight.
"After resting, we reentered the cave to explore further. Searching the ingogo lair we discovered several treasures they had stolen and hidden away. These treasures included many cowrie shells and a pile of copper coins. Beyond the lair was a thundering waterfall feeding a hidden pool. We crossed the underground river using a stone bridge that someone had built there. From beyond the bridge we spotted the faint glow of light ahead.
"SombUnto scouted before we advanced further and told us that there was another room ahead adorned with shelves and cages holding creatures that looked like small, furry green coconuts with batwings. When we crept ahead to investigate, we discovered, behind a bend in the cavern wall, a bigger cage holding a large lion with blue-gray fur. For just an instant I thought I saw a shimmering spirit image hover over the face of the lion before merging with it. He spoke, saying 'kill my tormentors and you shall gain your names. He comes.'
"With that warning we realized that someone was approaching us from another entrance into this cave. We quickly dove into what cover we could find in the cluttered cave and sprang upon our startled enemy as soon as he was well into the quickly prepared ambush. Taken completely by surprise, he had no time to react and was soon dead. The lion looked on with satisfaction."