WITCHCRAFT

CONTENTS

First part: life in rural area
PROLOGUE: BOYS TO MEN
CHAPTER ONE: SELLO'S VISIT
CHAPTER TWO: THE CHURCH
CHAPTER TREE: WHITCHCRAFT
AGAINST THE
TRADITIONAL COURT
CHAPTER FOUR: WHITE MAGIC
CHAPTER FIVE: BAKU-ALLER (PEOPLE ON
MOVE
PART ONE: THE TRUCK
PART TWO: THE TRAIN
PART TREE: THE BUS
second part: Life in town
CHAPTER SIX: MIND YOUR LANGUAGES
CHAPTER SEVEN: WITCHCRAFT AGAINST
THE MODERN COURT
CHAPTER EIGHT: WELCOME BACK HERO
CHAPTER NINE: NIGHT WALKER
CHAPTER TEN: THE ULTIMATE DISASTER.

PART ONE: LIFE IN RURAL AREA

Other names to be used as surnames, places, ritual...:
Kaina, Sineo, Sombela, Riana, Regina, Rolanifa, Umkila, Umpendi, Malaika, Banta, Moto, Vero, Bote, Zulu, Viloma, Wasala, Wembo, Diyoka, Dineo, Mutoto

Germany's names( hotels, names): Klinsman, Bodosky, Suzan, Ludwig, Scharwyk, Ballak, Frank, Gelsen
PROLOGUE

BOYS TO MEN

In this part of the continent were tradition was still part of the life. All the boys before qualifying to be called man had to go to the mountain to be baptized and initiated to this transition.

Hundred of boys from the age of 14 to 17 years old from different villages each years register and goes to the mountain to be taught by the wise man in the territory.

It is the most important ceremony in the manhood stage of life.
Kalao joined by others boys were to be gone for the initiative ceremony their heard and waited for a very long time. They all had all sort of stories of boys qualifying to manhood.

Everybody was excited, and anxious to go to the mountain called Kizito. A far away mountain situated deep in the forest. A mountain situated at about 30 kilometers.

Each boy before starting the long journey had to carry a stick, a blanket and a small bag of food to give to the elders who will be their guardian for the next 6 weeks.

Walking in group, the boy sang traditional songs while following a group of 2 elders. Their families were proud of the boys who will qualify and be called men on their returned. A proud ceremony to all the communities.

The women were not allowed to that ceremony. The girls become women when they get married and it is their mother in law whom privately taught how to take care of the families and the coming children.

The boys following their elder to the mountain Kizito just 5 kilometers away from the mountain, stopped for about 2 hours waiting for a group of others boys from different villages to arrive and enter the secret place.

Then others groups of boys and elders arrived in the evening in the deep forest covered by many big trees, long bushes, endless sound of insect and animals. In the dark bush the walked all having one thing in mind to see the big mountain Kizito and pass the initiative ceremony and be qualified to be men in their community.

Hundred of boys now with 8 elders in total were about to enter the baptism mountain. The ceremony takes place in the short African winter in July of each year.

While walking their could see the big mountain from far and all wished to reach the mountain as son as possible. Keeping their body warm the boys kept singing all sort of traditional songs. In the windy and cold weather.

They arrived at the entrance of Kizito mountain at around six in the evening. The 8 elder meet and talked about the procedure plan, then their left the boys and went in the mountain.

They cleaned the mountain from the evil spirit with their prays for about an hour. When it was dark, their returned to the boys groups and Wenge the elders who was already in is mid seventies talked to the group:
"You are the proud of your families and your communities. You are about to graduate from boys to men. You about to graduate from stupid to wise men. You are about to graduate from blind to man with four eyes."
Kalao was wondering what the elder who trying to say graduating from blind to man of four eyes.
The elders meant to be wise and knowing the secret of nature and life. It is the most important and the most demanded ceremony, the graduation from boys to men.

Then he instructed them to leave all the clothes, they heard in the entrance of the mountain. The elders took, the food parcels they boys brought.

Each one had to leave the clothes in the near by bush and they were allowed to carry only the blanked with them. They didn't mention food because most of the people in the far villages had no shoes. And no one in the group had shoes.

At the entrance of the mountain each one had to bath in the near by river, to enter with all his body in the water to be cleaned from all the bad spirits they may have with them.

The small river was just a small water source from Kizito Mountain. At the entrance of the ceremonial mountain were two boa snakes playing the guardian of the mountain. The two snakes were raised and maintain by the elders.

They were tie in a away they don't escape from their captivity. Each snake was in a small traditional cage made of trees at each side of the entrance door.

When the curious boys, entered the place it was nothing but an empty place in the mountain without anything. Especially no metallic object was allowed to enter. In the dark mountain, their sat for the first night not talking to no one for hours until late night they were told to sleep.

No mattress, nothing but trying to cover with the blanket they brought.
It was already a ceremony the silence they had to endure. It was the ability for a man to keep silence and not talk a lot. Talking a lot of big mouth according to the ceremony was too reserved to women only.
A man called Siza who was the youngest fit elders in his late thirties was in charge of the endurance training.
Then at around 4 in the mourning when it was very cold, the boys were wake up and they had to go outside and bath in the cold Running River and return in less than 5 minutes. An elder told them:

"A man must be able to be ready for anything in few second. A boy must be able to be awake when women and children sleep.
Siza taught them the ability not to sleep deep like dead"

A man must be able to sleep with one eyes open.
That is meaning able to hear everything going around even when he sleeps.

It was part of their tradition. A man must be able to wake anytime and in few minutes be ready to confront anything or even fight. They elder the second days started teaching the boy the ability to defend their family from any kind of fight, one the elder told man:

Street fight is the ability to defend your self, your family and your beloved wife. A man do not give up fight even if is tired. Even if he sees blood. A street fight does not last longer but the winner is the man who has the perseverance ability even if his down to stand and fight again. The winner is the one who do not give up.

The elders could cook for the boys mostly porridge and gave the boy. The quantity of the meal was so small that many of them weren't fool. This process was to endure the boys.
The first part of the ceremony was called the endurance process.
From the third day, it becomes worst. The elders could wake up the boys even tree times in the night and told them to go a bath in the cold water and get back to sleep.

They were told that a man must be ready anytime. Then the second week, they added other kind of ceremony called kill the fear instinct. What was strange is that no one was getting sick in these ceremonies.

During day�s time, they could make the boys run in the field. It was a technique to keep them fit and avoids any coming sickness from these inhuman practices. Sometime they could make them drink hot water to warm up their body.

The second week was concentrated on medical taught. A traditional doctor called Kalenga in his fifties was in charge of these teachings.
Another elder was specialized in the traditional medicine and the way to deal with disease. His name was Kalenga. Kalenda in day�s time was talking to them and teaching them the way to deal with diseases and the spiritual meaning of some diseases:

In the spiritual world. Mouth means the entrance of everything. Hear the ability to accept the others thought. Mouth, the ability to instruct. It by the tune of the month that you get respected or rejected. Eyes, the ability to see the past, present and future. Tongue, the ability taste all entering in your month, Face represents the mirror of the physical representation. Teeth, the decision maker. The implementing of decision come from the strength you show in your teeth.
The second week was left to the disease specialist to teach the young boy the ability to look after their family. In the second day of teaching the soft speaker Kalenga .

"Abdominal pain means body spiritual of processing foreigner object in the stomach. Accident, the inability to stand up for yourself. Abscess, the body refusal to realized unwanted thought. Itching is remorse. Ankle and pain is a feeling of guilt. Appetite and hunger is the ability to keep safe from warm and injury. Anemia is look for a pleasure. Fatigue is a calling to rest. Fainting is a forced rest."
The third day, Kalenga was opening the boy�s eyes with the traditional interpretation of the usual body disorders and the spiritual origin of the disorders: "Elbow, the organ helping us to move. Fever, is the body fight and resistance to unwanted thought. Cough is the body shouting to undesired thought. Gout is the body having enough to wait. Brain, is the master controller of the body. Heart is the center of feeling."
The fourth days, the old man had another session with the young boys but the boys were still curious to hear what the wise man is teaching them. The words and interpretation they had never had in their life: "Gray hair is the degree and number of stress, problems and circumstance a man had witness in life. Liver is the center of human emotion. Infection is a trouble. Itching is a rejection, anus is an exit. Vomiting is a rejection feeling. Lung is the acceptation place. Blood is life. Bleeding is escaping way. Spleen is place of continuation. Dizziness the requirement to rest the eyes. Skin is our protector from foreigner land. It is the borders of our body�"

Until, this point, the boys had no regret to undergo this formation. The most important transition from boys to men and the passport to life and marriage for those who were ready.

The third week was concentrated to the killing of fear. They believed that a man is the one who do not have fear. It was an important stage of the manhood.
The elder gave the boys the anti venom vaccine. They mixed the organs of different dangerous snakes� organs, and then they cut all the boys on their upper right arms and rub the mixture into their bodies.
Vuluma who was in fifties too a hunter by profession was the man in charge of this ceremony. He had many scars on his body. He was bitten and injured in his profession.

The elders then took the students at around tree in the morning and in the darkness, they make them walk in the deep forest. In the most fears land. In the land of dangerous animal were human were scared to be. It was at about 20 kilometers from Kizito mountain. In the virgin forest.

They killed first a helpless giraffe they got on they way with the stones and seven boys were chosen to carry the dead animal in the lion's land.

They left the animal down in the field surrendered by straight long trees and one of the elder instructed the boys: "You will all learn to defend yourself and kill the king of the animal so you inherit his power. You have to know how to escape from a dangerous animal."
Kalao, one of the boy in the group kept wondering how they will defend against the king of the forest without any weapon only simply sticks and few stones?
The lion was the most fears animal by humans and all the animals in the forest. For his ferocity, power and speed in attacking his opponent. The only animal that even the big creature like elephants fear of. He was a true king. When he was around every animal were on the run even the hunters with their weapon were scared of. They often manage to kill him in group.
The elder told them: "When you meat the wild cat(leopard) or lion, the first thing is to confront him. If the king of the forest has to attack you he will row then you have to take a cover and the cover is to climb a tree. Not only any tree but straight trees around."
The boys wondered were the lion will come from when the one of the elder instruct them to climb in each man to climb in one tree each: "I want to climb in a tree. No tree has to be home to two people. Wait and see the king of the forest. He is coming now."
The boys took refuge in the trees around the dead giraffe and one elders instructed again: "When the king comes, make sure that you stone him and kill him, like we killed the giraffe. Then we haven't eat meat for many days and we will eat him back to Kizito."
Kalao look at the long neck of the animal and praised God. He said to himself that God was genus in certain different animal and people with a different look. He said to himself God was Genus when creating this beautify animal. God was a good designer. He decided to design the animal with a long neck careful making him: Let me create this animal with a long neck.

The boys climbed in the straight trees waiting for the lion to arrive. It took some 2 hours when a hyena arrived to eat the dead giraffe. They boys climbed down to kill the lion when they heard an elder telling them: "I said, no hyena but we need a lion."
While trying to stop the boys from killing the hyena, the animal was already dead. And the elders were very furious with the group action.
They climbed back in their hiding. Then come the female lion. The well known best hunter. The lioness was a good hunter than the male lion because she is not that heavy and has the natural anger for hunting to feed her family while the male lion most of time spend the day fighting for survival to protect his female lioness from other lions, sleep and wait the lioness to hunt and grab the food.

The lioness before even touching the animal heard stones coming from different direction wounded, she escape. This made the elders more angry as one of them blamed him: "This is the worst tragedy; I haven't witness in the 12 years of my teaching career. We never miss our target. Let go back to our mountain and wash ourselves from the bad spirit and return tomorrow with the same procedure."
The disappointed group had to return in they group to Kizito mountain and clean themselves from bad spirit with elders prays and restart that ceremony.
The following days, they succeeded in their operation and returned with a dead lion.
While in the mountain before even cutting apart the dead lion. Using one knife, each student was forced to stab the dead animal 10 times in a small surface to leave others space for other to stub too. It was part of this killing fear ceremony.

They were forced to fry, share and eat a lion.
Eating the meat of the king of the forest was the last step to kill the fear. They didn't know the culture to eat the lions but they were forced in the manhood ceremony. Some tribes used to eat all sort of animals as meat. It was a unforgettable moment, in their tribe were they don't eat lion but in the mountain Kizito they were forced to eat the lion in ceremony to kill their fear and made this ceremony so special. All the people in the surrounding village knew about these practices, all the man graduated from this mountain. They boys had from far those secret ceremonies.

They fourth weeks was called the family teaching. It here, they teach the boys how to live with their future wives and children.
The elder responsible of the family teaching Ndombe taught the boys. He was married to 7 women and had many children. He was in middle sixteen: "What many people do not know is that a woman likes what hurt and look to be hurt emotionally. She want a man who is not a yes yes. She wants someone who says no too. She wants to be hurt from bed to emotion. She wants someone wild in bed. She will blame you for cheating when you show her little attention. She will look for something to hurt her emotion. It is her nature."

He told the boys that woman was created to love what is heart. From the bed and to giving birth. It why it was difficult to leave with the woman because she loves what it hurt and complain. He told them it why God makes the birth so special, something hurting.

For Kalao, this was something for new to him. He thought all his life that woman want to be happy everyday and want things to go always according to her way but the elder was teaching them something they haven't heard. Ndombe continued: "To love children is not to spoil children. To love children is to show them discipline, respect of everything and everybody. To love children is to teach them how to stick on your cultures, how to succeed in life without hurting nobody in process."

Ndomba finished is teaching by giving some advises to the future parent and chief of families some thing to teach their children: "Teach your children not to ask or take undeserved things. Never make asking an habit. The one who ask a lot will have a problem of giving. The one who ask and accept undeserved things will be a slave of materials and slave of others. Teach them never to complain in life but enjoy every little they have. Sometime poverty isn't only the insufficient materially but unhappiness."

The firth week, already the boys were glad that they were about to complete the boys to man initiation, the key to their future and respect in their community. The firth week teaching was called the witchcraft teachings.

The witchcraft man elder specialist Goma, a 68 old man stand with his gray eyes to teach what the people always hate to hear. They were all told by their families and communities to hate and burn the suspected witches.
Goma told the boys: "Witchcraft is a supernatural power possessed by persons in league with the devil or evil spirits to warm someone else."
Kalao, hated the witches this subject will only aggravate his hatred from the witchcraft: "The witchcraft has motivated by jealous. A jealous man or woman who is jealous is witchcraft. They jealousy is envy to regard with discomfort what other have. Jealousy, envy brings an internal anger, wrath, indignation, devotion, anxiety. This state of mind brings rivalry. Then this state of mind influences Satan, the devil, the slander to warm and do bad things. The witchcraft is the spiritual transformation of the envy to hurt the one who has advantage to you."
The boys were quiet listening to the definition of this phenomenon. They all agreed with the teacher Goma.

"Witchcraft" the old man said "is the desire to warm the one view successful. Witches send bad circumstances to other by making them ill, by bringing accident and take people's life before God's will."
Goma kept telling the boys, the in detail tin that week about this devil practices to the future family men: "Witchcraft, is the is devil power, ability to do something bad. Witchcraft is the negative power, negative energy, the negative capacity to control and influence the nature. The force that brings unlucky, disease, accident, death�"

Goma explained how the world could have been without this phenomenon and urged the youngster to punish the suspected witches in the community: "The world could have been a paradise without the people who brings misfortune. The witches warm everybody. They uses our pets and baboon to sent the negative forces in our life. They use the ghosts."
Everybody knew about the ghost and was afraid of this creature difficult to touch. Goma felt obliged to define well the ghosts: "Ghost is the people who die before they time. If you were meant to die at 60 years old and die when you are 20 years old. The rest of 40 years you will spend on earth as a spirit."

Many didn't know their traditional ghost interpretation of the Ghost. It was something new for many boys. They were learning a lot in this mountain Kizito. Goma continued to add more: "The Tokoloshi phenomenon is the sort of ghost who transform in unusual short creature with legs, head and hand looking at the back of the body instead of looking forward as human been. They are collaborator of the witches."
Everybody was more scared of the small creators called Tokoloshi more than ghost. Many people said sometime in the dark or isolated places they meet those creature. Goma continued: "The witches take our DNA from things we touch or were to send in the evil world to send us back luck and unfortunate in life. They take our DNA and transform it. They deserve to be killed like we do in our villages. They are night cannibal, they transform us in the dark world in animal eat and eat us and we die prematurely."
Every accident, bad luck, misfortune, incurable disease, fail in projects, premature death were viewed as work of the jealous people called witchcraft. Goma thought them as to combat the witches now: "We can fight the witches but burning them. Killing all the human find in unusual places with unusual position like naked people walking when people dies. People throwing bad substances in our homes and way. We can see the witchdoctors, they are people who can identify the bad people and help us with protection substances. The traditional doctors may help us to heal the incurable disease, the priests, the western religions, our traditional religion."

They boys went to many ceremonies: the body endurance, the interpretation of diseases and senses, the fears killer, the family teachings and the witchcraft.
The last week was also important ceremony week. It was a circumcision week, were all the boys were to be circumcise. It was a painful ceremony was their genital skin were cut without any pain killer.
The first day of circumcision, as usually, the boy was waked up at 4 in the morning.
Four o' clock in the morning had a big significance in their culture. It is this time even in the village that the mother checks their boys private part to check if they were impotent. It is a this hour that they believe the man private part erupt without any difficulties.
But this time it was a different story. They were expecting to go to bath in the near by river but they saw two beautiful women.
Everybody was called outside one by one. The two women in their early 20�s come to help the elder in this ceremony. They were testing the boy�s impotence. Before the boys got in the river, the were instructed to open their blanket covering them, then the two women could touch the boys private part and see if it may erect. The two women were naked too. After hours of testing all the boys, the two women side lined two boys who believed to be impotent and didn't qualify for the circumcision ceremony.

The two boys were taken to the traditional doctors at the nearest village at about 7 kilometers for the healing process.

The 8 elders were circumcising the boys one by one because they were avoiding big casualty. In the past the boys were quick circumcised by different elders and this practice was widely criticized because many were dying high number of death. Some were dying from lost of many blood, improper treatment and infections.
To avoid more death, they all started circumcising the boys one by one. All taking care of one patient at the time. Carefully cutting the skin, then rubbing the traditional medicine and covering with wild bush.

After this painful ceremony, they made a party were all the boys attended. They sang with drums and traditional instrument for two days before they leave the mountain Kizito.
Then outside the mountain they were all allowed to take their clothes back hiding in the bush by.

Wenge, the oldest elder who was in his seventies made the last meeting before to free the boys: "You are no more boys but you are men now. Man to look after your families and community. You have graduated from boys to men. You are the proud of your families and community. We taught you how to be strong and wise. We have opened your eyes and you are no more blinder. Go and encourage your youngest and family member to keep respecting our culture. Don't forget the Bantu and African philosophy: love and respect of everybody. In Africa there is no stranger but we are all members of the extended family."

In the traditional Africa they were no foreigners. Everybody was member of a big and extended family. To love everybody and everything was the foundation of that culture. It why the Elders Wenge remembered them not to forget after this ceremony.

They boys when they returned were welcomed too by their communities. They make some parties in the recognition of this graduation: Boys to men.

CHAPTER ONE: SELLO 'S VISIT

Kalao returned to his village welcomed by the community and his family. They made a big feast for the boy who has graduated to manhood. He gain the freedom of life and was respected as a man in Kisangu.

Kisangu village was situated in a deep Congolese Forest. Making very difficult to colonists to access. It takes many days to reach this part of the World. You have to take train, car and walk for many miles if you do not have a bicycle. Many people there didn�t have even an opportunity to visit town. It was just another world apart.
Two months after Kalao graduation, come a lost man in the community. His uncle Sello who left the village for town Leonville to work in the mine.
Sello was very fit physically. As a young boy he learn to hunt the animal and to fish with they boat. He went in town long ago but was still fit with the physical job he was doing in the mining company in town. He was short of height wearing a shirt packed with his muscle ready to tear apart.
With a clean haircut he entered the village Kisangu while the playing children were watching him. He was different to all the people of the village. He was wearing differently in a land were people do not care about labels clothes. On top of that he was wearing shoes. The villagers were not wearing shoes.
They preferred to walk without shoes in the stones and their bushes. They feet were used to those challenges. Their feet were very hard that they were not feeling pain.
The only time they had pain on their feet it when the mouse (rat) in their Thatcher house bite them. The mouse was so clever and liked to eat the human bottom feet. The mouse had a very strange method when biting people. It used to bite sleeping people and blow when the people could feel the pain. It used to make people a nice feeling in their sleep. Feeling a small pain mixed by a blow.
It was difficult to realize that the mouse was biting them, they only find out in the mourning that a top skin of their feet was eaten by the mouse. It then they can feel some pain on their feet.

Sello left the village many years ago for town but on his return to his village Kisangu he didn't see any change. The only change was that the village was big. The houses were still the same. The two rooms Thatcher houses with the small kitchen house at the back of each house. The kitchen house was always dark of colour because the villagers used to cook with the dry trees collected in the bushes. When the women cook in the afternoon the all village his full of smoke.

No one recognized him; the children had no idea of this man walking with a red bag on his shoulder. He was a stranger, as he was walking he started seeing big people greeting him. They were in their twenties and could recognize him. He knew were his parents and sister Fonfon houses were situated because it was next to each other next to an old a modern boat.
That boat belonged to one of the colonist who ventured in the river, get lost in that community. It was a small boat the owner was lost and didn't know how to get back to the big river Congo because of the many fall and rocks. When coming with the small boat, he meets more than 10 falls.

The region had many river and the biggest one was Mukamba taking the water in the river Congo. Congo was a long river of about 2 500 kilometers taking the water in the Ocean Atlantic. The owner of the boat was called Raymond. He lived in this village for two months only and died from Malaria more than fifty year ago.
The adventure colonist was flowing with the virgin water were a boat never been before. He enjoyed jumping 30 meters to 80 meters falls. He broke many ribs when he ends up in Kisangu from the river Mukamba.

He was cured by the villagers and when he recover and was about to find his way back, he got Malaria and died in Kisangu.
They named even their biggest street in Kisangu in his remembrance(memory), Raymond street.

The boat was parked next to Sello's parents house where birds and chicken put their eggs there. They were also many snakes in that boat.
Kalao have lost, the village touch. He was not able to walk in the stones and even on the soul without shoes. The fact of wearing the shoes with socks made his feet very soft comparing to babies in the far villages.

Most of the people loved to build their village next to the rivers. Along the river Mukamba was many villages.
Then in the dry land was many mountains include the popular initiative mountain Kizito many miles away.
Some of the mountain were volcano and warm the small running water around. It where many villagers used to bath. The water were mixed with few warm larvae(latent) soil.

Sello had left the village long time ago to work in town in the mine 20 years ago. He left two after graduating from the mount Kizito. He killed his fear accompanied by his friend, he went in to town without having any family in the colonies land, towns.

He received a letter from his nephew Kalao, who was one of the few people to have studied 4 grade in the neighbouring village Kumato. The nephew told him how his father was very sick and how they fail with the traditional medicine to heal him. And how they fail from the under equipped hospital in Kumato managed by priests to heal him.

Sello was forced to return and fetch is sick father Tata in the village and try to bring him to town to get the best treatment. He brought with him some clothes. Clothes were luxury, they were not using money in the area, and they were exchanging things.
Some urban businessmen and business woman were bringing articles from town especially old clothes, salt, sugar, rarely bicycles that was really a fortune. They haven�t even heard a radio neither television in that village�The nearest school was situated 20 km away in Kumato.

Kumato had catholic priests they were responsible for the hospital and school. It had also a under equipped and ineffective police station with about 3 policemen. People relied in this region to the traditional law and administration. It had about 30 000 people while Kisangu had about 10 000.
Many churches from town especially African Christian churches have few followers in all the villagers around, more than 20 village citizen meet that Tuesday in Kumato.
Most importantly Kumato had the market. The markets were people exchange things used to take place only Tuesday. All the villagers around used to meet In Kumato Tuesday for the exchange with businessmen from the civilized towns.
The villagers didn't care to be clean the entire week; they were trying to be clean Tuesday for the market and Sunday for church. They bath everyday and wore clean clothes but Tuesday and Sunday they were wearing they best clothes.
Only big people were studying and very few young. You will find in a first classroom some 20 years old people mix with 8 years old people. The school was run by Catholic priests.
In Kisangu they were only one man who could read and hardly write he was the genus of the community. Every body were coming with letters and rare magazine to give to Kalao and few people who went to school to Kumato.
Because of the respect their gave him. He didn�t wants to admit that he didn�t know everything. Kalao attended the priest school and completed the high level classroom 4 before going to the mount Kizito for the initiative Boys to Men. When he couldn�t understand some words and stories in the magazine he used to invent some stories.

No one could even disagree sometime contradicting himself, he was always right. They have been many rumors in the community about the cities and their technology that local people were calling white magic. White magic because brought by Colonist who were whites from Europe. Everything that they don�t understand the mechanism was called magic. The where very much linked to magic.

They called their traditional medicine black magic because made by themselves whom were Africans. And the new technology was called white magic because it was imported from Europe.

The priests living 20 km away and many African pastors who were from town were like gods, they were chief giving advisors and also resolving conflict in all the nearest villages, of course using the Bible preaching tolerance, love, forgiveness, no vengeance�The one who doesn�t follow the commandment will not go to heaven after his death. They also preached some kind of evangelism that the poor and good man will go to paradise and rich man and bad men will go in hell. The evangelism kept many people very happy because many people were not rich or either poor.
They were just happy; they didn't need the modern technology or modern life. They loved what they had and were happy with it. They were not exposed to the modern need. The only modern things they needed were clothes and sometime bicycles.
They were not sleeping angry because they were all farmers. They used to eat the products of their farmers and used to exchange to clothes too. The problem with the food in this region is that it was unbalanced. For example when it season to collect maize in that area, all the people eat maize. Then next season they don't eat maize they start eating cassava. Cassava and maize were the main food in that region.

They didn't have any special meal like breakfast, dinner or lunch. They eat the same food according to the season and anytime of the days. They used to share food too.
When an hunter kill an animals such us an antelope or when the neighbour kills his domestic animal such us a goat, ship he gives to his neighbours some meats and the chief of the village used to get his part too include the relatives.
In their culture they don't eat alone, they have to call even passing people on street to share food.
They used to respect the elder. Any elder was able to send any kid he sees on the street. They used to greet each other even the unknown people they see on street. They greet each other each time they see each other. And the famous greeting was, Moyo.
Moyo in all those villagers had many significance: hello, sorry when someone is heart or tired for example with carrying his farming product. It means also congratulation.
They had plenty of food but it was difficult to transport it to town because of the poor roads and transport facilities. The businessmen from town were not able to take all the food in towns were people needed food.
In the past five years because of the demand of the Ivories internationally the businessmen introduced the modern hunting guns and bullets to kills elephants. Some people in towns were coming to this region to hunt too the elephants. They were many elephants in this region. The elephants used to walk in the farms and each time the pass or walk in a farm they destroy many plants. So the villagers too wanted to get ride of some of the elephants.
The hunters kills the animals, sell them to businessmen and the businessmen sells them to towns and from town it was sold to the capital of their land Kinshasa and from there sold to foreigners businessmen and them too they were selling into different part of the world. It was just a long chain of business. From the bush to overseas.

Each time the hunter kills the elephants they were going into the villages and beg for people to go and take the free meats. The villagers used to eat the elephants while the hunters were only interested in Ivories leaving the all animals in the bush.
Elephants meat become even unwanted, the villagers eat them every time they wanted. They preferred most their domestics animals and the antipopes.

But the villagers were strict with the witchcraft problems, they used to solve it themselves in their traditional court were there is no appeal and charge the witches on the scene and punish them.
People suspected that the priests were having dozen of same clothes giving impression that they don�t have enough clothes. But it wasn't that true. The priests were all European and they were five in Kumato.

People used to criticize them that they were having also many pairs of same design and same color of sandals especially people from others churches. They had all bicycles that they were sharing with others villagers too. Especially villagers who were working for them in the church and their activities.

They were solving many conflicts in the area many of the conflict were related on land issue, family murder, witchcraft. They didn�t believe that diseases and death were normal but blamed and always suspect old peoples, women of being the cause by witch crafting. They used to beat up even kill and burn for example wife whom looses the husband or child.

The priest and many African pastors from the African Christian churches with their evangelism had changed some practices and
Customs. They were also helping people with modern medicine such us pain killers, antibiotics�Most of the people after the fail by traditional medicine, the last rescue was to contact the Priest. The rate of death any way in Kisangu was very low they experience death may be after 5years.

The priest also were teachers in the local schools�They were also running a charity organization not forgetting the church service. They were also very busy traveling in the surroundings villages to assist the people in need. Many pastors were not able to teach because many of them knew only how to read and write.

Let come back to the expenses of some goods, they businessmen were exchanging 300 grams salt to about 5kg of maize meal, used pants or old pant to about 50kg of maize or cassava. They didn�t care about labels no one knew labels. A bicycle was changed to half a full truck depending of the bicycle at about 12 000 kg of maize and a hunting gun to about 15 000 kg.
The other product the businessmen were interesting in was the peanut. The price of peanut in exchanging was much expensive. 6 kg of peanuts was about 1 kg of peanut in value. A farmer who had lot peanuts was able to exchange it to many things compare to the one who had maize.

The other products the businessmen were interested too was the smoked meat they used to sell to towns. Because they were no electricity or fridge in the rural area the villager used to smoke they meat and keep it. The smoke neat could last for many months. They only thing the villagers used to do is to warm it again with the fire after many weeks. It could last even for a year.

The used to cut their fish mix to salt and put on the sun. And it was lasting longer too like meat. It why salt was very important, an ingredient in food and also help them to conserve their fishes. Those fish were wanted also in big towns. Fish was the most eaten than meat in the towns. It was very cheap and people like it a lot.

The businessman were able to transports their product only from Kumato because it had a unpaved road to the train station. It was easy to transport the product in the short winter because the road was dry. But it was sometime impossible to drive in the middle of summer because of the big and strong rain making the road impracticable.

Coincidently most of those businessman had others wives in the village and other one in town. Those who were not polygamous were also preacher. They are the one who expanded the religion in Kumato and the surrounding villages such us Kisangu.

The biggest street in Kisangu called Raymond street was very long about 8 kilometers and many villagers built they main house along side that street.
After about two kilometers, Sello met a ex friend of his. He looks at about 60 years old while he was in his forties. And Sello who was in his forties look at about thirties to his friend Lumbi. Lumbi was married and had many wives and children while Sello was newly married.

Lumbi was able to assign two boys to help transport and accompany Sello to his parent house.
Sello arrived at around five in the evening accompanied by two local boys who helped him to carry his two bags. Many people of the big family come to see him.

The women rushed to cook a special meal to welcome him after many years. The men went to sit with him under the local big trees in the middle of the village. This is one of the big days for villagers:

Fonfon his sister was full of joy when he saw his brothers coming. Fonfon was the mother of Kalao. She couldn't hide emotion and shown tears of joy in hugging his brother Sello.
She took his bag and put in one of the room. Slowly people started coming to see the man who left the village long time ago. "Sello how are you."

Sello could hide is joy of returning home after many years: "I am fine especially back in my original village after a long time. This really my big blessing for me. This moment is just to big for me�"

While the man from town was speaking everybody were watching him what he was gathering outside the house. Kalao shyly entered the house and was watching the only man who wore shoes often. Kalao recalled all the event in the passed when he saw an African wearing shoes. It was priests were he used to study many years ago. The businessmen from town were not bringing a lot of shoes in this area because people were not interested in shoes. But Sello's sister Fonfon told the man from town: "We are happy hearing you talking about these words�But we were very angry that you didn't come for your mother's funeral�"

Not attending your parent funeral was inexcusable but Sello tried to defend why he was absent at this memorable ceremony:
"I am very sorry for not coming."

First he got the news 2 months later when Kaloa who was watching him Kalao wrote. The later has to pass by priests and with very long journey to reach him. The priests who travel often to town were very busy when they come to town didn't easily got Sello address to search for me�

The area had no postal office, trusted traveler people were playing the post office. The businessmen were not helping much the villagers but the priests were a reliable post office. They help the community for free and try the best to deliver letter when they are in town and back home they used they bicycle to deliver letters from the village surrounding Kumato and in Kumato too.

He sat on the peace of tree in the small two rooms� house. In this area they were not doing the traditional chairs. They used to cut the big trees and used those peaces as chairs.

Sello's sister reminded the importance of sticking to their tradition: "We understand that to get our news in town is very difficult. I pray that you stick always to our culture is the most important thing to do in life."

"I always stick to my culture there is nothing bigger more than our culture."

Forgetting culture is like living as a dead walking man. There is a lot influences in towns. A lot of people with different cultures interact. Sello acknowledge the difficulties to raise his children in town with many influence.
Everybody was expecting him to have dozen of children and many wife as a curious villager asked: - How many children and wives, do you have?
"I have 2 children now and one wife."
This was a shock to many villagers to learn that the man who left the village some twenty years old had only two children and one wife: "You are poor. You have few children�"

Sello young sister Kapinga that he left was only 2 years old now she has 5 children and she was pregnant too. She makes children every years since she was fourteen years old and she also have twins. For the villager Kapinga is more rich than Sello. Some of her children will be doctors, some engineers; some will be robbers or serials killers�
The man tried to explain in short the modern life: "You know life have changed a lot."

Especially in town they don't want to have many children life is expensive now. In future even in the rural area things will change stated Sello. They have to provide children with every thing include a well deserved education.
"You have to get married to a second or third wife to have more children." the villager advised the man from town "Even cheap vegetable children will eat and grow, even half peace of clothes their will wear, even on simple sponges they will sleep and grow taller�"
Sello had the experience even in town, people were always complaining how life has been expensive and very demanding but the children were growing. In fact people realized that they have grew when they children growing up.

Shock as they heard a man from town defending himself. Some of the villagers couldn't believe as many lighted their traditional cigarette to come down their shock: "More wives you have. The more problem you have."

Sello work every day, sometime in the weekend too. He has a 12 hours shift every day some time when the mine is very busy he work 16 hours.
For them Sello was finding an inappropriate excuse to escape the blame: - That is not a reason to avoid making a big family.

The villager work hard too. They go to their farms 4 o'clock in the morning and return late in the evening but they have big families and they are rich with the farm products and children.

"Life is not about competition or comparison but do what is best for you." the man from town said "You are happy with your big families and I happy with my small family�"

Fonfon warned his brother: "You will die poor my brother if you don't change your attitude."
"I respect your opinion and for once respect mine too. I am happy about your concern, my way of seeing thing are very different."

They gave him his favorite food in less than 10 minutes of his arrival in the village. He used to love when he was a growing up in Kisangu Cassava and springbok meat. Fonfon already whispered to the neighbour that menu. With others women they makes a big fire and made a food for him.
When he finished, the women warmed water and using an outside room Sello had a bath. many villager bath in the rivers but for sick people they had small bath place at the back of the room.
Those bathroom and toilet were made of hole for toilet and a small space to bath. They were covered by a lot of palms trees leaves.

Because many people were coming to see him, he decided after having bath to seat outside his sister house to talk to many visitors.
The man from town was not ready to learn something new as a curious in that group of twenty men asked him about a different subject:
"Tell us more about life in town." A villager said
"Life is town is quiet different."

Some time Sello regret for leaving the rural area. Life in town is very fast, every body is hunting money. Some works, some want money and dream of working to get money but they don't find jobs. Some goes with the short cut: stealing and others illegal activities�He told his the group of men that if the man who does not have money in town is nothing. The villagers were happy people because you don't know really money but in future you will know.
He heard another question: "We heard that people are hungry in town."
"Yes and No the same time."

Yes, because when someone don't have money to buy food it difficult to ask to his neighbor food in the villages they ask any body food and the will give them. The villagers had plenty of food here but to send them in town it quiet difficult because of the poor state of our roads. Many of things you throw here are eatable in town. There are many part of the cow you throw but we in town eat almost everything: the blood of cow, the soft ox to the skin the cow, intestines. In town they eat chickens legs and heads that villagers always throw in their villages. Poor people buy those things that they throw in the villages.

Many couldn't understand why many struggling people do not want to return to the villages: "Why you don't you return to villages when life is tuff�"
"No way."

Many people will not affords to live the rural life anymore, their prefer to struggle in town than living the rural area life. The have a new nature. Habit is a second nature.
"How long will you to stay with us?"
"Two weeks" the man from town said "I have to return to my work."

In town they say that work is parent. That is mean in town work is a father and a mother. Parent are giving children every things foods, cloths�The same with work it give them money to afford their need. Sello was one of the lucky one in town to have a descent job. Many people really envy him.
He come also to fetch his father. He knows the traditional medicine cannot help him anymore. The hospital next door in Kumato cannot help effectively. Tata needed specialist for his disease. He was decided to send his father Tata to the hospital were he can have a much better medicine and treatment. Tata alone cannot each the town because it was difficult to get there. No one could take care of Tata effectively after the death of his mother Connie Vuka. The other villager seems to get fed up of him. Tata will return soon after the treatment at his own will.
One of the villager backed Sello: "That is excellent because we were sure that your father may join ancestors soon (die)."

For them Sello's father was still young at 60 years old but is very sick, they called and consulted all the famous traditional doctors but they fail. They went many times to see the priests in their small hospital but they also fail. "I am sure with the medicine in town we may come up with a life time solution."

Sello was happy to return and sleep in a Thatcher house. All the souvenir returned. he remembered this village and all his activities going to hunting and fishing. He remembered how he used to accompanied(follow) his parent: Tata his father and Connie Vuka his mother to the farms.
He had an idea to fetch his nephew Kalao too. He loved her sister Fonfon and wanted to give him opportunity to prosper and wanted Kalao to help him in his project in opening a business in town.

The villagers didn't have anytime fixed time to eat. When he wakes up after taking bath people who didn't see him wanted to meet him. He was expecting to many hundred of villager who will come to great him. The villagers were greeting the newcomer.
Just when he wake up at around seven people were waiting for him outside. He decided to spend most of his time outside his room. He was not able to get ride of the shoes even for one second. His feet have become so soft that when he try to walk for a short space without shoes feel like his legs were nailed.

After the short discussion, they were called by the women who were cooking to eat. In the villages men were not allow to cook but women were cooking for their family and their visitors.

It was a good welcome back, this time they cooked the dog meat. Dog was the most prestigious food in Kisangu. Funny enough in their tradition dog were not allowed to be eaten by woman. The dog was cooked with many the local spice. Women were cooking it without even testing it. It was a Saturday when he arrived. The eating man continues their discussion. In they culture they don't eat alone. So he was served with his visitor sitting under a big tree enjoying the sound of the bird and wild animal passing near by watching in the river Mukamba, small crocodiles passing by and hippopotamus playing in the rocky villages: "Sello, tell us how many time do you eat dog in town?"
"I haven't eaten a dog for all the years I lived in town."

Sello has become a number one fan of chicken but many people in town do not afford to eat chicken every day, they eat a lot fish because is more affordable but they make sure to save money to eat chicken in the feast such us new year or Christmas.
Dog were not allowed to be eaten there. If they catch someone eating dog in town, he is appearing the next day morning in all the newspaper in town. It is a big scandal to eat dog.

Many people hearing the omission of eating dog in town as a crime against the tradition: "I will never personally live in town. That is good for young people."

Many people in a group of the about 10 visitors prefer to live in village were they can eat their traditional food and live a natural life. It is a big crime not to allow men to eat dog in Kisangu.
One villager said: "Dogs are delicious it why the male ancestors were clever enough not to allow women to taste that meat."

Sello find strange enough the women were the one who cooks meat but couldn't even taste even the dog's soup. He has been living in town Leonville were they promote the women right. Sello at least agreed to one thing: "Even me I will make sure in my late stage to come and live in village."

He was planning to save money to come and implant a modern farm with the newest equipment. Then to will implant a school and hospital in Kisangu. He was motivated by a man who lived in town called Kakoke who build a school, farm, hospital in his home villagers far away. Sello was very touched to see young men walking far to go to school and hospital. Even his nephew Kalao studied far to learn how to read and write. Some classrooms here still under the trees or old buses sponsored by the government. The classes were always disturbed when the rain comes.
The villagers were happy to hear that: "It will be a blessing if really you provide us with those facilities."

Many villagers didn't have the chance to go to school but they wanted the future generation to have access to the modern World. It was painful for villagers that they have to see few people who read like Kalao every time to read and write some of our correspondences, some of them were strictly confidential.
They loved to ask Kalao for assistance because he used to keep secret while many people were spreading their correspondences secret.

Then Sello decided to take even his nephew Kalao to help him in town for his business project: "I will take Kalao too."

Sello knew with Kalao courage he may help me in town and he will enjoy the life in town. Sello decided to take him too together with Tata his father because the trip is too challenging. Alone they will meet many difficulties on his way to town.
Villagers were not pleased: "But Kalao is the one who help us to read and write. So you are taking every body away from us!"
"I understand" the man from town said "Kalao did only four classes his young brother Jika who is here is now have to study and replace Kalao."

Many young in the village are now busy: some going to farms, some going to fishing, some goes to hunt and many are studying that is mean they won't have many problems for your correspondences�
"We still trust a lot Kalao than everyone else."
"It the same. You will have to trust others young"

Sello was sure that it will eventually take time for this group to find a trusted boy for their correspondences. Kalao works hard and he didn't have time to do other things. He needs someone to take care of other occupations. He want to open others activities beside his job. He has to open others activities. His job is very dangerous. He was lucky to be alive today many people are dying underground.

The villagers have no notion of the miners going underground: "Are you serious?"
"Really, I am serious" Sello said "We are going under the ground every day."

They meet a lot accident there. The last time they were lacked under the ground for many hours.
He told the villager what is was like to be underground: "Can you imagine with the hot temperature under the ground"
Another elder wanted to get Kalao a wife before he leaves the village because he graduated from boys to men ceremony: "But he had to get married before he joins you."
"It will be too soon for him to get married." Sello said "I know is twenty years old but I may get him a wife in town."
This statement has reopened the woman subject again:

The villager had a bad impression for the women. They heard that women in town loves money too much. They were scared that Kalao may end up loving someone who really don't love him back but love his money more than him. They knew that the women in town lost the African culture too. So they wanted a woman who will keep their tradition value for the children.

"I understand" Sello said "It is true but there are also many women who may love you for what you are rather than money."

Sello was there to guide the young man and promised not allow him to fell in love with a non perfect woman. He promised that if he try and fall to find a good woman in town, he will advise the villager to send him a wife.

The conservative men insisted on the woman of the same tribe: "But she must be from our tribe."
"Not necessary."

Sello was married from a woman from another tribe and was very happy.
People from Kisangu, Kumato and hundred of villages around were all from one tribe called Kambelembele and the name of their dialect too was Kambelembele too. They share the same dialects, the ancestors, same culture, same main tribe chief and same land covering about 10 000 kilometers square. They all have the same gods and all does the ritual at the mount Kizito and in the passing river Mukamba despites having small river too.
The man from town insisted: "There are also a lot women from our tribe too in town."
A villager confronted him: "I know that it difficult to understand us but if Kalao may end up marrying a woman from our tribe it will be easy to rise the children according to our custom, how do you raise your children with two different cultures and languages?"

Sello explained: "It is not a that much difficult, all the African cultures are the same, really the same."

They are all based on Ubuntu: sharing (love of each other) and respect of everybody and everything. They all have a common big difference is that in town the children are talking the local language in town: Swahili, Inswa and French the language that the colonist left.
The villager asked "Tell us your wife is from which tribes?"
"She is a Potolama."

Scandal Potolama were feared of being cannibals. They remember they traditional fight with this tribe from the North. The fight happens centuries ago but it was related to the generation through out songs and stories.
The African who had no scripture to keep they stories kept them in the songs and the stories. They were able to relate their children what major stories happened years ago. The government sent many historians in the villagers to try to write those stories in the books. But those stories collected were just too few.
Everybody were in shock. Sello has married their ancestors� enemies and they were accused of eating the human been: "But man Potolama used to eat human?"
"No, that custom is over. They are no more cannibals do not eat human any more."

Kalao visited his wife's village more than 5 times because it was near the town and they have it was easy to get access there because they was a good road left by the colonist. The reason the colonist build a road that side it was because it was rich in coal. And coal was an energetic mineral needed in most of the industry in the past century.
He told the villager: ":I went to their village many times. I didn't see any human's pot. Those cultures are finished."
"This is a shock of our life, how all started?"

Sello confessed: "I met her and fell in love, the culture are not important now. We are happily married. Everybody is Christians now" Sello then asked "but a way do you still go to church?"

Some in the group were church goers too but they were not that dedicated.
They were many congregations most of them taking place under big trees with about 30 to 50 followers each. They were more than 10 different churches in Kisangu taking place under big trees. Most of them were African congregation, expended by the businessmen. But many people were were believing in their ancestors. About 90% of people in this region.
There was also a catholic church but the priests rarely comes but they send some of their usher to come and do the service in many villages. The priests were very busy with only 5 priest covering hundred of villagers. It is why Sunday and Tuesday was important days for many villager to wear they best clothes. Sunday for the church and Tuesday for the exchange market.

But Sello was a church goers and very dedicated Christian. He was not drinking heavily like most of his mines colleagues. They drink because of the stress and fear of their challenging job and the second reason is that their salary was good enough to allow them to afford to buy drink.

He was not visiting the night club and never smokes while working with many smokers.
The Christians miners prays every time before going underground. While others were doing their ancestors ceremony for protection. Sello prays because every time he goes underground into the mine and at his house. He always thank God too when he finish the days after coming out from the underground and thank God to protect him and allow him to see again his family.
The only thing he wasn't sure with his colleagues when they start their day is to be able to return alive home and to see they loved one. Even with they protection they were not sure how the day will end. Some of the people who die were believers too.

The money was good but the price and the risk was so high. Sometime they feel like if they were paid to die. The mining company used to compensate the miner's family who dies or even disabled by the mine accidents. They felt most of the time that they were waiting for they days to succumb by major accidents. Even the most experienced engineer dies in the mine.
But the government had a priority in mining than farming. They used to make sure that the get the latest technology to diminish the accident. The mines give the government a lot of money and all the eyes of the politicians were on the natural resources.
Every years the numbers of the accident were diminishing with the new technology and new upgraded system.

CHAPTER TWO : CHURCH

The next day it was Sunday, Sello a catholic follower by blood get ready for church. But he was attending too the African independent churches where he got his wife. Many of old people went to accompany him to the church. They have been neglecting the churches living the church to women and children only. But this Sunday it was a different story many old people poured in the church under a big tree.

The usual gathering number that day was almost doubled because of many visitors who accompanied Sello.
They walked about two kilometer to reach a place where they pray every Sunday. Thanks that the rain was not that day. They were no church service when there is rain.
The first think Sello saw was the usher bicycle parked against a tree near by. The loan was well cut while people were seating. The usher has traveled 20 kilometers from Kumato to do the service to Kisangu.
He was in his fifties, wearing a white dress like a priest.

They chose a quiet place and a big tree to start praying. They were many cut big trees used as chairs unused and this group had a chance to seat too.
The usher preached that days on Genesis chapter one, two and tree. Talking about the beginning of the World and the sin that Adam and Eve committed.
Many men who accompanied Sello were already sleeping while the usher was preaching. This shown the level of their uninterested in the gospel.
They were waiting for the church service to end as soon as possible. Because they had no watches they were watching the sun position. In the villages they used the sun as watch.
The sun was so hot likely the tree was big enough to protect them.

When the church service finished, the usher noticed that Sello wasn't from this area because he wearing shoes and was wearing a clean shirt and black well iron trouser. People in this area were not interested to Iron well they clothes. They used a brick put on top of a fire with clothes they handle it well and Iron their clothes when they want too.

Despite this method of ironing clothes the businessmen brought the iron using the coal or peace of wood. They open it and put the hot traditional coal from hot trees to iron they clothes. But very few people were interested in this practices.

The usher real name Omani who never been in town too was curious to ask him many questions. He pleased to learn that Sello come to visit his family after 20 years.

Sello had a chance to talk to some of the people he met long time ago while returning from the church. He also had a chance to chart to the usher sent by the priests to conduct the church service in their village. Every body were very happy, on the way home Sello accompanied by more than 15 adults started a new topic of discussion:

They complained that every time they go to church every time they return confused and worried. They claimed that church was good their children and wife for them it clash with their tradition.
They heard about names they don't know. One of the men asked his friend while returning from the church. "The same with me, I don't understand and I don't know were is situated Israel?"
Sello let them exchanging view on what they don't understand:
For some:
- Israel is up there in the sky or in heaven.

For others
- Israel is part of paradise where Moses and other angels live.

For this some they understood that Israel was:
- This all lie, Israel is an old earth where God created people then people left Israel to come in our World.

Then they asked a man who could be able to explain well: "Sello, what do you thing about our discussion, You may be one of the person who can clarify the matter."
Everybody thought that because Sello was from town knew everything: "You know, It also very difficult for me to explain"

They have just raised an important subject. Sello too never think a lot about Israel, he know Israel is in the Bible, there is an other Israel that the also talk about in the news were there is always fighting Palestinian and Jewish without end. He doubt that is the same Israel, there is a country existing by the name of Israel on our planet earth.
He decided to tell them: "Israel is a country on this planet earth."
Many villagers doubt of the answer. They were convinced that Israel do not exist on this earth. They were sure that it exists in another planet. They doubt that God could interact with human they way they had him interacting with human like: Moses, King David, King Salomon...

Some believed according to their understanding God had created Adam and Eve and put them in Israel and from there people entered different part of the world!
"That is mean the entire story they teach from the Bible happen on this planet earth?" Asked one man.
Sello confidently answered: "That is correct according my understanding�"
Many where not sure that Israel is situated on this planet earth:

For some people were wrong and completely wrong. Israel do not exist in our World it was an ancient World, were God put their ancestors. For him Israel is called in their tradition Minofa. According to their tradition Minofa was the first village that existed in this planet earth where everybody come from.
In their song their praised Minofa, the first village where everybody lived. It was the first village on earth. It believed to be situated in the far north of earth.
This time the man from town asked the villager: "What about the Garden of Eden?"

For some The Eden garden do exist even to day but we do not see eat because we are sinner, the no sinner may see it like small children. When they cry they talk to the angel of Garden of Eden.

For some the Garden of Eden is the paradise. If they die today, they may have a chance to go to the Garden of Eden.
Another villager intervenes: "That is false my friends. It is why I don't want to go to church. Every time I hear what the teaching in church I become always sad and more confused."

The villager where sure that garden's of Eden is very different to paradise it why they have different names. Many didn't believe that Israel exist on this planet. He wondered Sello said they are fighting in Israel how come a land that God may have used to create people end up in fighting today? But for some Israel and Garden of Eden where the same thing according to their understanding.
One comes up with his understanding: "May be there are two Israel: the one in the Bible and the one in Asia next to Europe. And the holy one mentioned in the holy book the Bible."

A villager cited: "Those theories are good for our children and wife."
"No" said Sello "My friend it very important for everybody, the eternal life belong to everybody."
The thing that was noticeable to all the villager is that the accent of Sello has changed. Eevn thought he was still speaking perfectly they dialect but the accent was very different. Everybody understood why. With all the mixure in town of many African dialects and French, it affected is pronunciation.
Another elder called Timothy Puto in the community who was quiet confessed. Timothy was a name given to all the drunker. He was in his fifties but look at seventy even thought he was still strong physically: "I am sorry, I know that I will go to hell because I cannot leave alcohol."

Timothy Puto tried many time to give up without any success. If God can forgive him for beer he will definitely be in heaven. He heard that in paradise there is no beers so He prefers to go in hell and get drank everyday.

Just when he finished to give his point of view he open a small bag that he was carrying and started drinking while walking. He loved their traditional alcohol (enriched) fermentated from maize and cassava. People didn't care because they knew that he is a drunker, they continued charting like if he doesn't exist: "You are a lair." said another villager.

Timothy Puto was called a good liar. He was well known in the community of lying each times he open his month. Even when he wasn't drank. He look at drank every time. Even when he hasn't touch a the traditional alcohol. The only man in our group who lies every minutes he talks. In facts in all his talking more than 50 % are always lie.
He defended himself: "Man, don't take it personally. Only God may judge me not a sinner like you. I will go to heaven because I go to church every Sunday but you go to church once two years."

It was true that Timothy Puto goes to church every Sunday. He reason of going to the catholic church was to test the holy wine used for the service. He loved that test of that red wine. He didn't know how to get hold of that imported wine.

People were laughing at him while they were approaching Sello's sister house where Sello lived. Sello the civilized man said:
"Church is heart not an house"
Timothy Puto the drunker find a suitable excuse: "Anyway I don't have really to give up beer because Jesus made wine that people drunk and were all drank."
Timothy Puto knew only tree Biblical verses in his heard. He was repeating those verses each time he wants to defend himself. This time he didn't want to talk about those verses because people knew already. They were Psalms 104:15 where was mention that wine for him beer makes the heart rejoice. The second one was John 2:9 where Jesus transformed the water in wine (beer). And the last one that he loved the most. And was the motivation to be called Timothy was first 1Timothy 5:23, where apostle Paul was advising someone not to drink any more water any longer, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent cases of sickness.

Many usher and the rare priest who comes knew him. They always give him the left out wine. Some time the priest used to surprise him with bottle of wine. He was a very dedicated Christian to the eyes of the clergy even thought the community called him a good liar. He was one of the few men who attend the church service every Sunday even when he was drunk.

Sello explained: "Beer is not bad but become a sin when is too much even any food when you eat too much it become a big sin."

For many every time we go to church they always come back with discussion even fights. This days they won't fight today because they have a visitor by the name of Sello.
The used to have a different view and interpretation of the Bible. They didn't know how to read so they may read the book properly. But they were interpreting according to what they hear. The few verses they hear.
Sello advised them: "You don't have to fight even if I am not around."

It was not a good example to fight, they were adult. They supposed to be a good example to their wives and children. Not only to their families but to their nephews, nieces, uncles, aunts, neighbours�

Sello was right because he read in their behaviour that they always fought after the church service because of their differences.
They arrived at Fonfon's house. Sello sister, they sit on the peace of big trees outside the small house. The women already cooked food. Before they even sit women where bringing food for everybody. The villagers never complain that the quantity of food is small or they are many people. They never refuse to give food to anybody even a stranger. They share what they have. They call refusing to give a neighbour food as refusing with shit. For them food was only shit, no matter how good it smell. No matter how good it looks or decorated. The bottom line is that the food will enter the body by the mouth and end up in toilet.
While Sello was eating with the villagers. They always eat with hands, eating with end bring them closer to their ancestors spirit. They wash they hands before they touch any food.
A villager asked him a question: "Sello God created the humans, animals, plants�everything that exist in the World but who created God?"

After swallowing what he had in month. Sello pour some water and drink then told him: "God is always God."

It was the usual question for all the villager. They called God Leza. Leza was the same God of the Bible and ancestors Gods. In the traditional religion, they contacts God by the dead or ancestors spirit. And in the Bible by Jesus Christ.
But they keep wondering who created the one who created Leza and then the one who created the Leza creature and the one who created the last one�and the one who created the creator of creator of God( Leza)�the list it just endless.

The man who asked insisted: "It is the only question I have to ask if I have the answer I will never wonder�"
Sello advised him: "My brother you have to stop thinking that way, you will get mad and crazy my friend. We have to accept the words in Bible like children without asking many questions."
Another man attacked the one who asked that question: "Don't you know, he already mad."

This villager has asked many times this question. All the villager were not interested to get anymore an answer to that question. this man asked to all the ushers and the priest who come Sunday.
Another man surnamed too Timothy Bianda has arrived and joined the eating men. Timothy was a surnamed given by the villager to all the people who drinks a lot. The name has become very popular in the region, even in Kumato the biggest village around all the drunker where surnamed Timothy after the popular excuse of Puto. He asked too this question: "What a difference between the God of the Bible and our God of ancestors, Sello?"
"There is no difference." Sello said "The God of the Bible is the same God with our God of ancestors. The difference is that we reach him passing through ancestors and in Bible the used the angels, Maria�to reach him."

Timothy Bianda continued with another question: "Where is God living. I mean where is house?"
"God is every where."
"No, Sello God live behind skies."
According to they tradition Leza or God lived in the sought of ancestors. Only ancestors or dead men could see him or even talk to him not a human's been. That African culture Leza the big God was only in contacts with ancestors was different with Christianity where they say that even the alive human can get in contact with him. They can pray ditectly to God while in the tradition they have to pass throught the ancestors.
The villager believed that Leza (God) is too far it why human were suffering because God is far and may not see them. They suspected that he is too old now because he has been living for thousand and thousand of year is little bit blind now. They couldn't imagine that a man get older and hardly lives for hundreds years. But Leza has been alive for all the this years. They believed too in the end of times. For the villager in their tribe God will die one day. And when he will die the earth will be dark for ever.
In their tradition it is dark when God rest or sleep at night. During the days when he sleeps it become little bit dark and the rain fall. When he totally sleep it when their experience darkness.
They noticed that in the past they were very little suffering because God was young and could see humans and the earth properly.
Sello knew this tradition and answered: "This is crazy my friend. God is not a human to get old and tired. Only human old and get tired�"
Another man in group had is impression: "I don't support your idea."

The villager believed that God had emotion like human, he get also tired. They were convinced that God had a human's feels too because when their cry in their prays with tears most of the time he answers to their prays. The popular memory in Kisangu is when the rain was not falling for about 4 months in a region where the hot winter was shorter than a months.
The villagers under their village chief Kifwebe cried and prays to God. Then the rain comes like never before. It was raining for weeks without non stop. And they farms were flooded and they lost most of their product. They believed that God heard the prays and decided to send more rain.
For many also believed that when God sleep it when they have accidents and ugly children are born. When God wake up in the morning he creates beautiful people.
Timothy Bianda noticed that when his wives give birth in the morning those children are beautiful but once they gave birth in the mid night, those one are ugly. He accepts that when Leza is tired his wives give birth to an ugly children.
Everybody in that group laughed while Bianda insisted: "Men, I had to deny that he was my child because he was so ugly but deep inside me I knew that God was tired, he is a human too. He works very hard and get tired."
The man from town tried to comfort him: "That is coincidence. For God every body are unique there is no ugly or beautiful human to God's eyes."
Another man intervenes angrily: "But if I could meet Adam�I will blame him for eating that fruit. Just because of a simple fruit we are suffering today!"

Bianda had another idea to whom to blame for the human suffering and misery: "Yes, I could blame first the woman Eve. Why did she accept to talk to a stranger, snake? See now the stranger lied to her and today we are suffering because of her sin."

They villagers learn to angrily kill the snake because they learn that if the snake didn't lie to Eve we couldn't suffer. Now people are dying, fighting, and experience pain because of snake. The snake was popular in the rural area. They meet snake every where. They had the traditional vaccine against the snake. Most of the villagers had one. They had snake under their traditional bed made from the branch of tree. They had mattress with cotton inside because they had few cotton that they collect in the bushes. In the village where there is no cotton they saw they mattress with herb or plant leaves inside.
Timothy Bianda wasn't done yet. He believed that the visitor from town knows every thing. Sello was viewed as a genus in his community: "Which fruit do Adam and Eve ate?"
Before Sello answer Timothy Puto answered: "It is probably apple because it taste nice."

Bianda felt bad. The apple tree was introduced in this area only 10 years ago. It becomes popular because it tasted differently. It was also growing with difficulties in their region. They had few of them and the apple were exchanged to many clothes and good in the marker place in Kumato. It was a special fruit.
The first drunker to call himself Timothy Puto insisted: "Look now because of an apple we are suffering."
Another man had his own understanding: "Sex."
Sello refused to accept that theory but have heard some people saying that it was because of sex that Adam and Eve where punished by God. As a man who used to go to the catholic church before switching to another church noticed that the priest avoided the book of Genesis and Revelation. One priest told him that the authenticity of those two book were very questionable. Not suitable to the reality. But with all those villagers who had a different understand to go further in explaining those realities, will bring more confusion and an unfinished discussion.
He heard in another church the preacher saying that the first sin wasn't eating a simple fruit it was sexual relation that make them suffering. The preacher in that congregation has said that the writer of the Bible had the truth. Because eating a simple fruit wasn't a big deal for human to suffer. That fruit was sex, when God found Adam and Eve in act of sex he punished them.
Now intervene Sello: "Who said?"
"People"
"It not true because it is not written in the Bible." Sello said "We have to stick to the Bible only. The Bible said they eat a fruit."
"But the Fruit is to vague and imprecisely."
"We have to translate the Bible too."
Sello warn them: "The Bible said you don't have to add or retrench anything� Let leave this discussion we will never have a common solution or a common point of you. We will end up committing more sins that we have already committed. Let respect each others opinions."

They villagers that thought with Sello we may come up with a solution to their worries.
"I am also a human like you." Sello reminded them "I learn everyday, I tried to contribute with my input that you seems not ready to accept."
It was not because he was the only man wearing shoes in the group or wear differently that means he has changed. He can't walk without shoes anymore. Not wearing shoes for the villager brought them close to the ancestors or eating with they hands bring them close to they ancestor. Sello never forget his tradition even in town many Africans were still eating all kind of food with they hands it brings them close to they ancestors.
They understood and accepted to change subjects:

They had questions before they close the subject. This wasn't concerning religion. It about Sello's work, they heard Sello insisting that he works in the mining sector.
Timothy Bianda and Timothy Puto were used by the communities as drunker. They villagers called them drunker for life. The beer wasn't doing any wrong in their body. They become vaccine by the alcohol. Even when they drink a lot or do not drink anything they look the same.
Some called the Timothy the drunker for life too, sometime they appear drunk even without taking any alcohol.
Timothy Bianda asked Sello: "Tell us what your work is, what are you doing in the mine?"
"We deal with the extraction of minerals such us Cobalt, Zinc, Iron, Copper, few Diamond, Gold..."

The only minerals they knew were diamond and gold. They had no idea of the other stones. In their tradition they used to dig too the gold and some few diamond for the decoration. But the quantity of those precious minerals was very few in that land. Not good enough for the government to start extracting it.
Timothy Puto asked him: "So where you are sending those minerals?"
"We send it in developed countries where they make cars, bicycles�" Sello taught them "Diamond and Gold are used to make jewelries for wearing and others use."
"Tell us how do look like the others minerals beside the one that we know diamonds and gold?"
"They are some kind of stones. They look like stones that we find under ground or some time in the mountains"
"That is mean we have minerals too here." a villager concluded

The miners explained to the ignorant villagers: "We have minerals all over the World but they only look at the place were they can get a big quantity to exploit"
"Sello how do the transform those minerals to make cars?"

This was the most interesting question for many. They always kept wondering how they make cars. Strange enough some of them heard about car but haven't see the car yet: "They burn it at the highest temperature to come up with new products except diamond that they only cut to make a good form for jewelries."
Then the man who was drinking comes with back with his album photos. It then started showing them is families, friends, an other things in the Album photo. For many villagers it was the first time to see an albums photo. Very few people own a photo. They used to be photograph by the businessmen from town who used to return after about two month with the developed picture. It was a luxury to own a photograph. It cost about 25 kilogram of maize for one picture.
But Sello come with a camera to take few picture not for sell but for his Album to show to her wife and children how his village look like.
"If we take our stones in the mountains burn it we may come up with some kind of metals?" He was showing them a picture in the mine. Sello wearing the yellow overall with a lamp or light on his mining hat. The villager could understand with ease with the photograph supporting his explanation.

Just when they were about to end the discussion another man intervenes: "I accept that God is old now and partially blind now it is why we have many crimes today"
Before he finished talking everybody got angry and started leaving the place. Complaining of the return of the religious subject.

CHAPTER TREE : WITCHCRAFT AGAINST THE TRADITIONAL COURT

The same days evening there was a judgment of people suspected to be witch. The take the opportunity to judge them Sunday because no one is going to the farm. The people find guilty could be beaten up or burn alive at the end of the judgments. Most of the people find guilty were old women and old men. Other was even young women and children. Every bad luck or disease in the family had a cause. The do not accept the death of young people without a natural cause.
The judgments take place in the local traditional court. The biggest room in the village. It is here all the village dignitaries and even chief Kifwebe and curious people meet. Strange in the traditional court there is no appeal but they have witness. They accept verbal proof. It is the most challenging court that exists in the village.
They burn the bad people just outside the big wall.
The young people especially the one who have just graduated from the ceremony boys to men where in charge of punishing the witches. They have learnt the consequences of witchcraft.
They were still motivated and passionate to punish the bad people in the community. Kalao was anxious too, he has graduated from the mountain hated the witches with all his heart.
The biggest room in the village was well designed and builds to accommodate up to 200 hundred people. It was they important wall. They didn't want to be disturbed under the trees when it was raining.

The first case was the case of a woman who accused her mother in law who lived with them in the house of being a witch. The mother was chased by her son and then after two months the son got sick. Scared of loosing the husband the wife went to accuse the mother in law to the village court. Saying that she want to kill her husband. The tribunal were composed of 20 old men, dignitaries called the wise men seating in front of the wall while the others were seating on the peaces of trees.
The dignitaries seat on the well decorated by the best traditional artists. Many were drawn with animals faces on them. The popular animal were: elephant, lions, giraffe, springbok and cheetah. And the bird eagle.
The rarely design on the dignitaries or their chairs animal like chicken, mouse, goats, ship or cows on their chairs. Those animals weren't that respected in the community.
In fact all the domestics� animals weren't designed on the chairs. The only animal living in the community and designed on their chairs were cobra. They were not domestic�s animals but time to time they enters the villagers rooms and were all over their far and nearest bush.
The animals who wasn't loved also in the same case with cobra were mousse(rat). They were not domestics animals but lived in their houses. Hiding under the bed, on their thatches...The mouse was one of the hated animals. It used to eat them feet while sleeping. With his techniques it was difficult to realize that something was bitten them. He bites with slight moves of the sleeping men or after a certain period it gently blow the wound. The mouse in this region rarely eats the clothes but liked the human's feet. Sometime eat a small quantity of left out food.

In that they refused to any meeting to take place. The Catholic Church and others churches approached them to use it before the traditional judgment in the evening but the village dignitaries refused they offer. It was strictly a traditional court room or dignitary meeting.
The popular definition of witches was bad people or criminal. The physic witches were robbers, killers... They used to cut the hand of robbers so they may not steal again. The robbers were not hungry people who take food. Because eating food wasn't a crime. But people taking what is important from his neghbour. The people who rape were in the robbers category. People who kills were also in that category of robbers too, they take life away.
The second categories of witches were the dark one. The one who causes the misfortunes, accident, kills people in causing diseases...Those find guilty in the first degree were burned outside the court.
The dark witches were the most fears in the community. They didn't know them well.
Kifwebe the village chief was always busy and was not attending all the court session. He had a group of trusted judges called wise men. They were all older, more than 50 years and heard a good reputation in the community.
Different judges were handling the cases with the help of others. Then the witness and other people were in the wall able to help them to make decision.
Kisangu had about 10 000 peoples but only few were allowed to regularly attend the judgments.
The judge who was ending this case started by asking the woman who accused is Mother in law: "You accuse your Mother in law for being a witch why not accuse your own mother too of being a witch. What prove you that your mother is better than your husband's mother?"

The woman complained that because since her mother in law arrived in their house her children and started getting sick and when her husband chased her away from our house, he fell also very sick.
"May be is your own mother who doing those tricks?" The judge said.
"I know better my own mother she is not a witch."
"What prove you that your mother is better than your mother in law?" The judge asked
"She is a good mother since I was a kid."
"What the husband said regarding his own mother?"

He admits too that his mother must be a witch because he also had bad dreams.

Dreams were also very important in those cases. The judges sometime ask for what people dreams before or after an accidents or disease or a death. They were experienced too to be able to interpret the dreams.

Most of the case where solved in minutes. They had many cases to come. The judge gave the sentence just after those words:
"No, you persuaded your husband to chase her mother so you may have control of the house."

This was a small case, they all knew the women, for choosing their husband weakness probably in bed when he wants to make love to her and disturb him with a stupid problem. In that period of making love many men accept what the women told them. It why in their traditional culture they don't allow women and men to chat in the bed. They blamed specially the husband for chasing her own mother from his house. He has to pay 2 cows to her mother and ask for forgiveness. The women who accused her mother in law was sentenced to 10 slashes every morning for a period of one week. The judge told the husband: "Your woman your are a bad wife. You supposed to accuse also her mother for being a witch too. You all have bad dream because you mind is suspecting your mother in law of being witch."

Then the judge turn to the mother accused of being a witch: "Mama, why you didn't inform the community that your own son is chasing you from his house?"

She didn't want to make more troubles. They have been fighting a lot with her daughter in law, the woman she chosen to be her son's wife.
For Sello who was happy to return to the traditional court room wasn't strange to the fight between the mother in laws and the daughter in law. It used to happen even in town. In they tradition they always says, "Where they are women there is always fights"
The judge asked the mother who is being accused of being a witch: "Tell me mother why the children have been sick while you were in the house?"

The women accused of being a witch responded to the man of traditional law: "You know better that the children always get sick when there are small; I even went to my son's house to help of the children."
"Why now that you have left the house your son is very sick?"
"Judge" the accused said "if I was a witch why not to kill my son when he was young instead of raise up?"

Another judge confronted her: "May be that time you were not witch yet."
"If I am witch now that mean I may kill him even now."

She was upset the way her own son chased her like a dog in front of her grand children and the woman she chose to be her daughter in law. This must be the punishment of ancestors to her son who forget the pain she had of caring him in my body for 9 months. She insisted: "Leza (God) will punish my son of that sin."
"We understand mother" the judge begged her "please forgive your son is always your blood."

They young women and their mother in law fight a lot. It was common in their villages and the newly married people listen more to the bad advises given by their wives instead of taking family's good advises based on their culture.

In their tradition when an elder is unhappy and worry something bad will happen. They knew that if the matter keeps worrying his son will not get better, the ancestors will take him. Dying was called ancestors call. In their culture children has to bury their parent not parents bury the children. If it happen that child dies before the parent, they must be something wrong and witches has done their job of prematurely killing people.
Then the judge looks the husband and said: "You are stupid to be called a man, you make all the men in the World shame. Next time you have to go and wear the women clothes instead of wearing man clothes."

Another judge insulted the husband: "Adam."

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