12 Lashes

The fire. The light that would guide my soul back to pain words cannot describe. For the evil in the eyes of their white skin could not be from this world; but a world where evil translates as good. They found me, hiding behind the bushes, with no breath left and no energy to run any further. They beat me. Until I felt nothing and saw only darkness.

My right eye slowly open to see the dirt. I could not open my left. All of the men and women who slaved in fields like I did stood. Watching me. My hands tied up to a thick stake made of wood. The white devil yelled in the same dreadful language of the devils that stole us from the shores of home. With blood from my mouth, my weakness of my ribs and loss of hearing in my left ear, my body was beaten to near death. And the lashes began.

Lash 1

My first memory, of my mother’s voice singing songs of praise to the Sun.

The pain. So sharp that my mind and heart revisited my life. I released a cry. A cry, I cry that soon was hushed by the voice of my mother. My earliest memory of her beautiful voice singing my cry to silence. She sang praises to our Sun. It seemed as her voice called for the Sun to return and fill our village with light and joy.

Lash 2

My first memory of running. Running from the Bobe snake.

My breath, leaves my lungs. Like the day me Wundu, Fela and Menwa disobeyed our mothers and went to play in the fields of Lojo. We picked up rocks and sticks and tried to make the spears like the elders in our village. We pretended to hunt game. Then Menwa walked by a stick that moved by itself. A Bobe snake, the fast snake that moved faster than the feet of us children. We ran as fast as we could with tears falling from our eyes with fear and no air left in our existence only to return to the rath of our mothers.

Lash 3

Elder Mystic Gunde speaks of Mahte Jende “our ancestor of purity”.

My cry echoes into the voice of Gunde, the village elder that told the stories of our legend ancestor Jende. Jende was the purest soul that ever lived. He was known to be the leader of the village that would end wars between tribes. He would speak and souls would change forever. Gunde spoke of his majesty. He spoke to the Sun and the sun spoke back. She would change into a woman and back to a man depending on the movement of the moon. He would walk amongst prides of Lions and they would not eat him. Then one day, she turned into light and ascended with the Sun. I prayed to be like Jende and prayed for his spirit to protect me.

Lash 4

Death of Wundu, my best friend

I heard death call my name. Death sounded like Wundu. I was many moons of age but still too young to journey with the men of the village. Wundu, my best friend, was only a few moon cycles older than me was a great leader. Though tribes close to our region were in war, Wundu was never afraid of anything. Even when we ran from Bobe snakes, he would laugh. His mother died after she had him but his father was mighty warrior. One hot day, Wundu was upset. His relatives that watched over him did not know what was on his mind. He seemed troubled. Me and a few friends tried to play with him and he refused to have fun with us. Though no one knows when, but Wundu set out into the moonlight. The next morning, he was nowhere to be found. The men of the village searched for him. 2 days later, they found his body, ripped into pieces. And never told us what animal or creature killed him. He was gone. Forever.

Lash 5

Waters Peace and Waters Wrath

I could feel the blood drip from many places on my body. Flowing like the waters of the rivers that we would travel to once every earth cycle. So calming, but when the shore of the ocean would roar, the children would feel fear. The elders would teach us of where the water came from and why the water in our bodies were red. The water felt cool. Sometimes we would find gold hiding in the sands and rocks of the coast. These moments of freedom away from the jungles filled my soul with joy.

Lash 6

Vibration of the Universe

This lash ripped deep. Deep into my being. The same way the spiritual mystics of our tribe ripped into my soul with their rhythms. Our ceremonies for ancestors, passed souls, new births and healing prayers guided me to seeing the unseen. I could finally speak to Wundu again. I could finally understand why the warriors fought and some died. I could see into my soul and understand the point of growing into a man and then elder.

Lash 7

Niyame: The what Love lies to be.

I cried into the night. The way the rope from the white devils hand whipped cut my heart. I cried with might, the way I cried after sharing beautiful experiences with Niyame. I’ve never loved a soul other than my mothers the way I love Niyame. She was beautiful. Clever. Caring and a true friend. We would play in the fields. Lay till the Sun would rest and watch the moon come out to play. We would count the stars and speak of tomorrow as if we knew exactly would what happen. We shared happiness together. Until she found love in the arms of the much older and much stronger Sandu. He became a great drum master and warrior. I learned of him when she told me she would bare his child. I’ve never ran from the village before. And they thought I had reached the same fate as Wundu. My heart wished I did. I returned from the forest a week later and the village sent me to the Journey of Manhood.

Lash 8

Journey of Manhood

This lash had no feeling. Nothing compared to the cutting of the skin of my privates during the Journey to manhood. The tattoos and fighting with older boys from other tribes. Then the moment I made eye contact with a Lion. This journey was what I needed to free my soul from the beauty of Niyame’s spirit. Her spell was broken as I entered the higher plains of my existence. Becoming a warrior made me see. What we had was a lie. To be like Jende was my only concern now.

Lash 9

Heaven | Death | Birth

The white devil continued to lash me as if I committed murder of his whole family, though he did so to mine. Death & Life both seemed to fall together in these moments. I no longer fought to breathe or to try to continue to live. My soul longed for my land. My tribe. My people.

Lash 10

Fear from the Penksa Tribe:

The lies from these odd looking people that came from the seas. They arrived with such majestic ships I have never seen. They had weapons that seemed as magic but brought death and turmoil to our people. The Penska Tribe, we were at war with them for so long and they captured us to give to these wicked white souls. We fought them off as much as we could. Fear came over the land. Even the Penksa people were tricked by the evil minds of these beings.

Lash 11

White creatures of Evil

I faintly hear the voice of the “master” as the called him. All of these beings who looked like me stood and watched. I was the example of what happens when someone wants to try to run from these fields of plants I have never seen before. Tools that are alien to my heart. I could taste the red water from my body grow more potent.

Lash 12

Moon of reflection

I lose my footing and slip to hang. I stare at the moon. I wonder if that moon is the same moon I saw years ago. The same Moon from my childhood. The same moon my mother would sing to sleep so the Sun can rise. The same moon me and Niyame watched rise into the sky. The same moon I cried to Jende’s name for strength. The devil stopped. As my eyes closed. I can see home.