Manchild by Khaleel Jooste
permission to go hunting again. This time to get the honor of a mate. She hoped that Manchild would find her gatherer skills a plus. She found roots and shrubs that the other Tree Dweller girls could not. The roots she got were always sweet and filled with juice. They were a real treat to all the Tree Dwellers. Even Manchild like the shrubs she always surprised them with. She bumped right into a tree as she was admiring Manchild's swinging skills. Though he would never be as graceful and agile as a Tree Dweller was, he still moved with a certain flair and determination that was rarely seen in a Tree Dweller. This year she noticed something different too. With his muscles strong and tight, she saw a certain confidence that he had never shown before. It was like his entire body radiated with it.
Manchild noticed Ee!xu watching him, but soon had to lunge into the air again, just missing another net that was flung from his left. He couldn't believe that he was still in the game. Only three Tree Dwellers remained. All with eight baskets. They only needed to collect two more and dump it all in the centre to win the Victory Swing. Manchild's heart pounded hard in his chest. The nerves he felt earlier were now entirely gone. He was however not relaxed. He had only collected six flower baskets, which meant that only a booby trap or some great swinging skills, would help him win this Victory Swing.
6 – Arrow to the Heart
A quill-mud-ball hit a Tree Dweller right in his behind. He went immediately limp. Hitting his small body several times as he plummeted to the ground. Quill-mud-balls were balls of mud, filled with porcupine quills. These could grow to three centimeters in length causing sharp pain. Laced with dinkie poison it was a sure recipe for disaster.
Manchild landed on a small branch and took a moment to catch his breath. He watched the Tree Dweller's part in the game come to an end with a hard smack to the head. Immediately the herbalist was there with her herbs to his injuries; and the rest. He was still unconscious and would definitely have to spend the night in the hot room. The Victory Swing could get really dangerous.
There was now only one Tree Dweller left in the game. Manchild scanned the area around himself. There were only two baskets left to collect. One to his left and the other further towards the Tree Dweller who still had only one to collect. Manchild swung over to the one on his left quick and quickly tossed it to his pile. He gently eases into a full-round-monkey-swing and softly steadies himself on the branch again. He could hear the Tree Dwellers cheering. He was however not sure who they were rooting for.
All they belted at the top of their lungs were !Xe !Xe Ban!xu!
Manchild contemplated his next move for a moment then lunged forward. Swinging swiftly between three trees, circling to his left and landing on a branch of a tree directly opposite his last opponent. Just as he was about to leap forward, the Tree Dweller twirled like a ball through the air and booted the basket right to the centre of the crowd, making those petals the first to mark the bloom of the time of plenty. Manchild's participation in the Victory Swing, was at a sad end. He watched in disappointment as the crowd cheered louder. Some of the hunters started whistling frantically. As soon as the Tree Dweller collects his final basket, the horn would sound. Making him the ultimate victor. Perhaps even be honored by getting permission to take a mate.
A thick lump lodged in his throat. He looked at the Tree Dweller already celebrating his victory. Manchild didn't hate him. This was all part of the Victory Swing. If you lose your basket, you are out of the game. Even if your opponent takes it from you. Manchild watched as the Tree Dweller leaped to grab his basket. He only got the handle. It was booby trapped. Or the basket itself was a booby trap. As soon as the Tree Dweller tugged hard at the handle, the bottom of the basket opened and flower petals went floating through the air. The Tree Dweller girls were dancing as it fell about them.
Manchild looked at what was unfolding before him. There was hope yet. With the two of them tied, he still stood a chance, if he was able to find a flower basket before the Tree Dweller did. And as fate would have it be, the chief always told, there was only one flower basket left. Whoever got it to his pile first, would be the victor.
The flower basket was strategically placed near the chief's house, high up in the canopy. The Tree Dweller was closest to it, though he too had a way to climb. Manchild stared at the basket in agony. How would he ever manage to beat the Tree Dweller at swinging up the trees. He was about to jump, when he saw the white lion. It was behind the chief's big chair at the edge of the big gathering place. Manchild looked in astonishment. The body of the lion was lined with big muscles beneath its smooth hairy white pelt. The mane reflected some of the sunlight that made it that far down. No one else saw it. Not even the tiny baby sitting right in front of it. He wanted to scream, alarmed, again, but again, he was stopped.
The lion kept looking at him with that deep stare. Manchild felt as his heart slowed down. It seized its pounding completely, to only a steady, rhythmic beat. He could feel the blood in his veins. It was like it was buzzing with some new life. Then he felt the sharp jolt to his heart and saw as an ostrich egg broke in two, releasing the yoke, that splattered on the ground. He then stared at the smiling chief confused.
Manchild was now convinced he was a hee-bab.
Ee!xu screamed the loudest as Manchild landed with the basket right in front of the chief. She couldn't believe that Manchild just did what he did. She had held her breath almost since Manchild threw himself like a ball into the air. Landing only for a heartbeat then graciously started swinging from one branch to the next. He literally twisted his body in fluid like movements to avoid the onslaught of quill-mud-balls and nets. Once a paralyzing dart almost got him in the neck. She saw as he did another risky manoeuvre, never holding or landing on any branches, he just tapped hard against the tree trunk to the next and went higher up. The Tree Dweller tried to do the same, but being much shorter than Manchild, he just hit the bark of the next tree. It came loose. The Tree Dweller slipped and fell, just as Manchild lifted the last flower basket into the air, doing a somersault, before he caught the flower basket and landed in front of the chief.
As the horn sounded the end of the Victory Swing, the flower petals were emptied from their baskets. Tree Dweller males started chanting, while the girls shouted,
E!xos! E!xos!
That was the title given to the Victory Swing victor. E!xos meant blessed-victor, for only with peace in your heart, will you win the Victory Swing.
Ee!xu made sure that she was standing right in the centre of the big gathering place. She wanted to be showered in the petals of the giant hunter.
Secretly she hoped that he would choose her as his mate.
7 - Legend
As the story goes, the chief stood closer to Manchild. Manchild went on his knees. He and the big chief were now eye to eye. The chief's dark eyes stared into his. For a Tree Dweller of nearly seventy, his face was not wrinkled at all. Only lines that were prominent were those surrounding his lips. The chief was always with this pouted smile on his face. You would rarely see him without it. That day he was smiling with his teeth exposed. Manchild smiled at the sight of the chief's missing teeth. The chief held Manchild's face. Then only uttered one word.
E!xos.
Manchild saw a slight shimmer of a tear in the chief's right eye. The chief then turned and presented Manchild with a gift. It was wrapped in some of the skin of the short-horned-dream-flesh that he had slain. It was the chief's very first bow and arrow. He made it himself when he was allowed to start hunting. It was not made the same way the Tree Dwellers traditionally made their bows and arrows. They simply used the branches of the trees that were around them to make bows. The string they made from the skin of the hunted.
The chief's bow was made from the white-berry-flower-tree. The chief's grandfather told him that that is what he saw the dark-skinned-man used for their spears. Applying the technique used by the Tree Dwellers to bend the bow, this wood worked well for the great chief. The string was made from the skin of the first gazelle he speare
d. The arrow was also not like the traditional Tree Dweller arrow. Theirs were simply sharpened sticks. These arrows were covered with bone tips. It was the bones of the gazelle he speared. The great chief told that during the time of the great war of the heart, the man-with-no-thirst taught him how to do this. The man-with-no-thirst also told him that the best poison, was that of the crawler, which was the beetle poison the chief used to slay the short-horned-dream-flesh. The quiver was also made from the skin of the gazelle.
The chief took Manchild's hand and lifted it up into the air. The Tree Dwellers were now absolutely frantic. Amongst the ever repeating horn sound, were girls cheering e!xos e!xos while the men were doing the hunter dance. It was all part of the ritual of the feast of the petals. As they danced they chanted,
!Xa-!xa ee!xa-ba! !xa-!xa ee!xa-ba!
That meant let the hunt begin. Manchild looked at the chief. He wondered if the chief would give him permission to go hunting. Now that he has won the Victory Swing, surely the chief must see that he is ready. If he succeeds, he might then be a Tree Dweller. Truly be his son. More than anything, this is what Manchild wanted. He wanted to belong and he wanted to belong to the Tree Dweller
Manchild noticed Ee!xu watching him, but soon had to lunge into the air again, just missing another net that was flung from his left. He couldn't believe that he was still in the game. Only three Tree Dwellers remained. All with eight baskets. They only needed to collect two more and dump it all in the centre to win the Victory Swing. Manchild's heart pounded hard in his chest. The nerves he felt earlier were now entirely gone. He was however not relaxed. He had only collected six flower baskets, which meant that only a booby trap or some great swinging skills, would help him win this Victory Swing.
6 – Arrow to the Heart
A quill-mud-ball hit a Tree Dweller right in his behind. He went immediately limp. Hitting his small body several times as he plummeted to the ground. Quill-mud-balls were balls of mud, filled with porcupine quills. These could grow to three centimeters in length causing sharp pain. Laced with dinkie poison it was a sure recipe for disaster.
Manchild landed on a small branch and took a moment to catch his breath. He watched the Tree Dweller's part in the game come to an end with a hard smack to the head. Immediately the herbalist was there with her herbs to his injuries; and the rest. He was still unconscious and would definitely have to spend the night in the hot room. The Victory Swing could get really dangerous.
There was now only one Tree Dweller left in the game. Manchild scanned the area around himself. There were only two baskets left to collect. One to his left and the other further towards the Tree Dweller who still had only one to collect. Manchild swung over to the one on his left quick and quickly tossed it to his pile. He gently eases into a full-round-monkey-swing and softly steadies himself on the branch again. He could hear the Tree Dwellers cheering. He was however not sure who they were rooting for.
All they belted at the top of their lungs were !Xe !Xe Ban!xu!
Manchild contemplated his next move for a moment then lunged forward. Swinging swiftly between three trees, circling to his left and landing on a branch of a tree directly opposite his last opponent. Just as he was about to leap forward, the Tree Dweller twirled like a ball through the air and booted the basket right to the centre of the crowd, making those petals the first to mark the bloom of the time of plenty. Manchild's participation in the Victory Swing, was at a sad end. He watched in disappointment as the crowd cheered louder. Some of the hunters started whistling frantically. As soon as the Tree Dweller collects his final basket, the horn would sound. Making him the ultimate victor. Perhaps even be honored by getting permission to take a mate.
A thick lump lodged in his throat. He looked at the Tree Dweller already celebrating his victory. Manchild didn't hate him. This was all part of the Victory Swing. If you lose your basket, you are out of the game. Even if your opponent takes it from you. Manchild watched as the Tree Dweller leaped to grab his basket. He only got the handle. It was booby trapped. Or the basket itself was a booby trap. As soon as the Tree Dweller tugged hard at the handle, the bottom of the basket opened and flower petals went floating through the air. The Tree Dweller girls were dancing as it fell about them.
Manchild looked at what was unfolding before him. There was hope yet. With the two of them tied, he still stood a chance, if he was able to find a flower basket before the Tree Dweller did. And as fate would have it be, the chief always told, there was only one flower basket left. Whoever got it to his pile first, would be the victor.
The flower basket was strategically placed near the chief's house, high up in the canopy. The Tree Dweller was closest to it, though he too had a way to climb. Manchild stared at the basket in agony. How would he ever manage to beat the Tree Dweller at swinging up the trees. He was about to jump, when he saw the white lion. It was behind the chief's big chair at the edge of the big gathering place. Manchild looked in astonishment. The body of the lion was lined with big muscles beneath its smooth hairy white pelt. The mane reflected some of the sunlight that made it that far down. No one else saw it. Not even the tiny baby sitting right in front of it. He wanted to scream, alarmed, again, but again, he was stopped.
The lion kept looking at him with that deep stare. Manchild felt as his heart slowed down. It seized its pounding completely, to only a steady, rhythmic beat. He could feel the blood in his veins. It was like it was buzzing with some new life. Then he felt the sharp jolt to his heart and saw as an ostrich egg broke in two, releasing the yoke, that splattered on the ground. He then stared at the smiling chief confused.
Manchild was now convinced he was a hee-bab.
Ee!xu screamed the loudest as Manchild landed with the basket right in front of the chief. She couldn't believe that Manchild just did what he did. She had held her breath almost since Manchild threw himself like a ball into the air. Landing only for a heartbeat then graciously started swinging from one branch to the next. He literally twisted his body in fluid like movements to avoid the onslaught of quill-mud-balls and nets. Once a paralyzing dart almost got him in the neck. She saw as he did another risky manoeuvre, never holding or landing on any branches, he just tapped hard against the tree trunk to the next and went higher up. The Tree Dweller tried to do the same, but being much shorter than Manchild, he just hit the bark of the next tree. It came loose. The Tree Dweller slipped and fell, just as Manchild lifted the last flower basket into the air, doing a somersault, before he caught the flower basket and landed in front of the chief.
As the horn sounded the end of the Victory Swing, the flower petals were emptied from their baskets. Tree Dweller males started chanting, while the girls shouted,
E!xos! E!xos!
That was the title given to the Victory Swing victor. E!xos meant blessed-victor, for only with peace in your heart, will you win the Victory Swing.
Ee!xu made sure that she was standing right in the centre of the big gathering place. She wanted to be showered in the petals of the giant hunter.
Secretly she hoped that he would choose her as his mate.
7 - Legend
As the story goes, the chief stood closer to Manchild. Manchild went on his knees. He and the big chief were now eye to eye. The chief's dark eyes stared into his. For a Tree Dweller of nearly seventy, his face was not wrinkled at all. Only lines that were prominent were those surrounding his lips. The chief was always with this pouted smile on his face. You would rarely see him without it. That day he was smiling with his teeth exposed. Manchild smiled at the sight of the chief's missing teeth. The chief held Manchild's face. Then only uttered one word.
E!xos.
Manchild saw a slight shimmer of a tear in the chief's right eye. The chief then turned and presented Manchild with a gift. It was wrapped in some of the skin of the short-horned-dream-flesh that he had slain. It was the chief's very first bow and arrow. He made it himself when he was allowed to start hunting. It was not made the same way the Tree Dwellers traditionally made their bows and arrows. They simply used the branches of the trees that were around them to make bows. The string they made from the skin of the hunted.
The chief's bow was made from the white-berry-flower-tree. The chief's grandfather told him that that is what he saw the dark-skinned-man used for their spears. Applying the technique used by the Tree Dwellers to bend the bow, this wood worked well for the great chief. The string was made from the skin of the first gazelle he speare
The chief took Manchild's hand and lifted it up into the air. The Tree Dwellers were now absolutely frantic. Amongst the ever repeating horn sound, were girls cheering e!xos e!xos while the men were doing the hunter dance. It was all part of the ritual of the feast of the petals. As they danced they chanted,
!Xa-!xa ee!xa-ba! !xa-!xa ee!xa-ba!
That meant let the hunt begin. Manchild looked at the chief. He wondered if the chief would give him permission to go hunting. Now that he has won the Victory Swing, surely the chief must see that he is ready. If he succeeds, he might then be a Tree Dweller. Truly be his son. More than anything, this is what Manchild wanted. He wanted to belong and he wanted to belong to the Tree Dweller