KIANG'OMBE...
The term kiang'ombe can loosely be defined as the harbor of cows, it has a zillion mysteries...
...previously on the tales of kiang'ombe (read with a movie soundtrack). My Grandmother had led a revolt against the colonialist popularly known as the "mubeberu." They were in the deepest part of the forest of Kiang'ombe hills where one of the soldiers had submerged in an invisible spring of water. The soldiers decided to retreat...
If you thought a white man surrenders, then you need to watch a lot of blockbuster movies where the starring are unwilling to give out information even after being chopped off their fingers. The lieutenant had called off the raid not as a sign of amicable end to the pursuit, but to regroup and change the format just like the chosen one, Jose Mourinho. On the other hand, the villains were already celebrating the victory and submerging out of their hideouts. My grandma was receiving numerous spits on the chest (its an act of acknowledgement a heroic act, it can be equated to the Burning Spear Award from the president) for leading a successive mission.
Their husbands heard the noise from their hideouts and also came to see what was happening as they could recognize the voices. It was an astonishing act to meet women in the forest at the wee hours of the night. Actually, blue, silver coated rays of the sky were unearthing symbolizing that it was about day-break. From a top point, the lieutenant could view the entire action with his binoculars. He could see how jubilant the village was after emerging triumphant.
Within a fraction of a second, there was an abrupt flee of birds as they made squirmy noises that scared the villagers. There was an abrupt wagging of twigs and a hefty breeze that swarm all over their clothes. It was not a usual wind, but a strong, scary wind. My grandfather noted that the hill was signalling them of an impending danger that would be consequential to them. Concurrently, the white man was tip toeing towards the crowd so that they can find them unaware and capture them. They did not want to give any chance that would let the villagers to escape.
Since the villagers had smelled a rat, they had to hatch a plan that would get them out of the foreseen trouble. They believed that Kiang'ombe was the only place that could protect them from any looming danger. Women were instructed to light fire in three different points and everyone was to leave the paths that led to their hideouts. If you have watched movies keenly, forests are bombarded with a thicket that leaves only small pathways without alternatives. Some men climbed on top of trees, while the others escorted women into the caves.
The lieutenant and his troop were approaching with a well planned strategy that would lead to a capture of these rebellious group of illiterate Africans. As a trained army person, he clearly new all the tricks of handling such situations. He perceived himself to be the toughest in the region and he was popularly known across the ridges. No sooner did they approach the "crime scene" than the fire that the women lit had become huge attracting attention from the wild animals. Warthogs, wild-pigs, squirrels, antelopes, and even rhinos occupied all the pathways in the forest running either towards or away from the fire place. As you know, rhinos hate fire so they were running to extinguish it while the warthogs were running against it. One peculiar thing with a warthog is that it follows a straight path without minding the obstacles. The poor lieutenant and his troop were the only obstacle to these animals. It was a humerus and hilarious situation that made my grandma laugh out loudly as she narrated the innuendos that followed.
That is when i asked my grandma what happened next as it seemed the white man was in real trouble. Her answer was, that is a story for another day but just know the hill saved us once more..
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