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Balladeer’s Blog continues its examination of this epic myth of the Nyanga people.

PART EIGHT

The semidivine Mwindo, clad in the iron garments his uncle the bat god had made his subjects forge for him, prepared to attack his evil father’s village of Tubondo single-handed. His aunt Iyangura pleaded with him not to go, fearing he would end up as dead as the army of bats which attacked Tubondo in the previous episode.

Mwindo told his aunt that he had to go, and to provide her partial comfort he left her his battle axe and his magical pouch containing the enchanted rope. Wielding only his conga-sceptre (a riding-crop sized staff made of antelope tail) Mwindo went up the hill to attack Tubondo.   Continue reading →

Balladeer’s Blog continues its examination of this epic myth of the Nyanga people.

PART SEVEN

The semidivine Mwindo, his aunt Iyangura and Iyangura’s handmaidens set out from the home she occupied as the Ritual Wife of the river god Mukiti. The object of their expedition was Mwindo’s attempt to overthrow his evil father Shemwindo and become the new ruler of the village of Tubondo.

The first night the travelers stayed with Mwindo’s maternal uncle, Yana the bat god. (As with so many other ruling families around the world the Nyanga aristocracy claimed to be related to the gods.) Yana had the creatures he was the lord of prepare a goat of hospitality (as opposed to the wildebeest of misgiving) as a meal for the guests. Continue reading →