In African culture, in our folklore, humans play animal life, and animals play human life. We see human beings and animals as very close together.
My people, the Grebo people, tell a story about two birds. We use it to teach people how they are supposed to work hard, together.
There is a flock of birds in Africa that, when you see clouds and know it will really rain, they come out and start crowing. So I call that bird Rain Bird. Then we have another bird, at exactly 5 o’clock in the morning they start crowing, and at 3 o’clock they start crowing. In English, I call it Time Bird.
Once upon a time, Rain Bird was going to engage a girl. To be able to win someone’s daughter, first the parents of that girl have to investigate your family background, your character and your working responsibility. They want a strong worker, because they don’t want to marry their daughter to you and have her suffer.
So, you have to go be with them, and you don’t get to be with her sexually. You have to go there two weeks and work, so they can see what kind of worker you are going to be.
Rain Bird, he’s lazy, so he wanted to engage the girl. And he was going to work, and he asked Time Bird, “Can you do me a favor, my friend?”
Time Bird said, “Why?”
“Because I want to marry, but I have to go to work. So I made this big, nice pouch. Can I put you in there?”Because when they take you to this place to work, they leave you by yourself, so they will know how much work you have done.
Rain Bird said, “I will reward you when we come back.”
Time Bird said, “O.K., put me in there. That’s what friends for.””
But, be careful,” Rain Bird said. “My medicine is in the pouch.” Usually, when you tell people your medicine is in something, they won’t be too nosy. So, when they took Rain Bird to the field and left him there, he took Time Bird out and Time Bird started doing the work. This went on for a period of time. Then, one day, Time Bird was there cutting the tree down, working hard, sweating, but he was singing, and his singing was:I’m Time birdI’m Time BirdRain Bird has put me to workAnd therefore, I am working!Now, the neighbor farmer heard that and saw that.
The future mother-in-law, when she brought the lunch, she had a ring on her left ankle n far off, you can hear that ring. So, when Rain Bird heard that, he would go and get Time Bird and put him in the pouch and put water on himself like he was sweating, you know.
So, the mother-in-law would say, “Oooo, you’re strong, Rain Bird, you’re gonna take my daughter!”
After a few days, the neighbor said to the future mother-in-law, “When you go out there, take your bell off. You will see something, I’m not going to tell you what.”
When an African mother carries something on her head that is very valuable, she holds a pole to walk with, so when she slips she can hold it to secure herself. So, when the future mother-in-law reached that destination on the farm, first thing, she dropped that pole. And she saw beautiful, nice-looking Time Bird up there, working hard.
So, Rain Bird lost a wife, and he wasn’t that good looking anyway!
Nymah Kumah’s unpublished memoirs and teachings will continue occasionally in the American.