บททั้งหมดของ The Long-lasting Tree : บทที่ 1 - บทที่ 10

    The land lay in ruins, quietly mourning for her treasure - her injured men, her offsprings gunned down and cattle and grains plundered in the harsh rebellion. The once beautiful leafy and rocky Seme now resembled a lifeless wasteland, boding a future wrought with hardship.    The war was over, but the pain was unbearable. Voices of women bewailing their sons and husbands slain in the resistance were all over hell's half an acre. Most of the clan's thuondi (warriors) who were lucky to survive the dreadful warfare had been captured by the Blue-eyed and no one knew their whereabouts. A few, however, who managed to escape by hiding in caves and groves, returned home with broken legs and arms, and the sound of gunshots fading between their ears. It seemed to be the end of days to a people who had lived peacefully, less interrupted by any external force, except for the usual acceptable raids between local communities.    These repercussions

    Men and women together with their youngsters toddling behind them walked towards the clan-shrine, an enormous ng'ow tree at the bank of River Awach. Octogenarians who held the tribes customs tightly in their brains trudged downstream, along the meandering footpaths in the forests, on both sides of the river. But the morning appeared to be sullen due to the contradictions and confusions posed by the new faith.    Long before, all folks in this clan had dwelt together, united by a common faith. Nobody had ever thought of committing any traitorous tort against the traditions of the society. However, when the Blue-eyed made their way into Seme, people who had lived a cultured way of life began drifting into sin one by one. Perhaps they had not fully comprehended what the new faith meant or, as the remaining conservatives now held, they had been beguiled into it. But one day everything would become as open as day unto these people. The Blue-eyed seemed to h

     The sun was high up in the sky yet Okayo had not woken up. He would be late for the ceremony. The drumbeats were so loud signaling the beginning of a life-mark occasion, one that would be both a reincarnation and emancipation from childhood prejudices. Okayo would now be a full man, ready to take part in onerous tribal and clan affairs. Because of the circumstances surrounding his life, his father had opted for him to undergo the ritual without delay. He was only fifteen yet he had the brain capacity of a full grown-up.     The previous evening had been filled with all manner of preparations. The candidates had to be carefully instructed on the prerequisites for the ritual, of which self-assurance was on the front foot. They also had to express readiness and maturity for the occasion. The ritual was strictly meant for boys and girls who had come of age and had remained chaste until then; coition was only allowed in marriage. The initiates wo

   Life at the mission center was not what the boys had expected it to be. There was more work than learning for the African kid than the Blue-eyed's. They were only taught on Mondays and Tuesdays. The rest of the days were lined up with numerous activities running from work on the cotton and maize plantations to cleaning the school compound, classrooms, dormitories and the commercial section. But at least they were happy to be drinking from the Blue-eyed's cup of knowledge.   There were about five hundred of them at the center - both juvenile and mature boys and girls. They came from all over the province  - Nyanza - and even as sparsely habituated as towards Western, Central and the Great Rift. The academic standards were, notwithstanding, kept high. Only a few who performed meritoriously proceeded to the next levels. The rest were divided into two groups, the weak and the robust. The weak would move about wearing many hats, helping in the farms and

    It was the end of a long day. The Saturday had been tied up with a range of activities for the children, from harvesting cotton and carrying them to the warehouse to music practicals in the afternoon. Okayo spared a moment with the gatekeeper before attending his piano lesson. They called the man Pita, a Swahili word which meant 'pass'. Pita seemed to be quite accommodative and sprightly, at least not like he had appeared to be before when they first met at the gate. It was, however, said that the man suffered from cyclothymia; he would seem to be jovial one moment but then quickly turn gloomy or even ballistic after a few minutes of talk. Others also said he was paranoic, hence his extreme irrational distrust towards people, and yet others that he had demons in him. Okayo went to him to enquire about Mr. Shan. The man spoke to him genially and said that Mr. Shan had been fired. When Okayo asked him why, he laughed hilariously and replied that Mr. Shan might have been