"Mother are we going to send them both away?"
"What are you talking about my daughter?"
"Mulindi and Shiundu are ripe for circumcision."
"Nowadays you're the elder of the circumcision committee. How do you even tell such signs? Ripe? Were they being cooked?"
"I didn't mean to offend you, mother, but the festival is fast approaching."
"So?"
"I was wondering if the boys will have to leave the village together."
"No, apparently your father wants to savor the moments. Shiundu will go first as he is the older one them Mulindi might go in December or during the next festival."
"But mother, the next festival will be after five years. Mulindi will be a man by then."
"You are not a man in any way until you are circumcised."
"Who came up with such standards?"
"Men."
"What is the difference between the circumcised and the uncircumcised?"
"The teaching daughter. The boy becomes the man once he undergoes circumcision. The act itself is not noble but the teaching from the older men, men who have tasted life properly. They go in as boys but come out as men. Prepared to face the world."
"I have always thought of it as just the change due to circumcision. But wait mother, how did you know this and the way everything pertaining to it is kept a secret?"
"I have lived more years than you. Some secrets don't stay secrets for long. They make noise just to be heard."
"Okay, that is why the elder brother came back changed and only dealt with me when need be. I always wondered what changed after the festival as they were still my brothers."
"You have a lot to learn daughter but for now focus on your education."
Maria stood up and went to the mud-walled, grass-thatched kitchen to start on the fire leaving her mother to finish up on the vegetable. She placed wood between the three stones as she split some into splinters to allow easiness in lighting the fire. She took a matchstick and slowly the fire came to life.
Darkness was fast approaching as her brothers came back with grass for tomorrow. They had left the father at the evening meetings that were held before the commencement of the festival. They took the grass outside the granary and went to take the cattle into the kraal with the sheep. Her mother asked them to slaughter one of the chickens. This was a mark of the beginning of a month-long festival. A celebration of change.
In the house at the edge of the village close to the river where caves that ran along the river were ten men seated quietly with a pot of homemade alcohol delicacy. The men were seated in ranks with those close to the pot highly respected. Into the pots ran pipe like twigs that were hollow to sip the delicacy. As they sipped, they cleared their throats as a way of affirming that the delicacy was as par excellence.
They had been at this for thirty minutes with no word just sounds of assurance and confidence. Another half an hour passed before Malile the elder spoke.
"It is about time."
"Yes." They all agreed in unison.
"We have upon us a duty."
"Yes."
"A duty that we are to execute not to piss off our forefathers. Those who came before us will guide us once more."
"Yes."
"I hope everyone here has a boy ready for the celebration."
"Yes."
"We are here to set a date for the beginning of the festival. He who had an idea may share."
Tom cleared his throat as he prepared to speak.
"My elders, I have a son who is ready for the change."
"I thought you had two," the elder asked.
"Yes but only one will be going. The other one is yet to mature for the task ahead. I want to do this right."
"Great, the more mature they are the more ready they will ever be."
"As I was saying, I think we should bless Friday the fifth. A day in August that will allow us a whole month for the festival."
"Anyone with another suggestion?"
"No."
"Then it is agreed." The elder spat on the ground as he spilled the delicacy he had sucked from the pipe. He stood up slowly and pulled around his flowered clothing, placed his animal skin hat on the head, and picked up his stick. He bid the rest goodbye as he left. He went directly into the forest. Tom took his place and enjoyed the delicacy once again in silence. The house creaked as the wind kept blowing outside.
At around eight in the evening, the nine men bade each other goodbye as they left for their homes. They had a long day tomorrow as date fifth was only a week away.
Tom got home, he got his sons in the sitting room, greeted them as he went directly into the bedroom to change. He came back, took the day's newspaper, and went through in silence. The boys were each engrossed in novels.
Fifteen minutes went by and Maria came with water to help then clean off the day's dirt. The started with her father before washing one of the brothers and leaving the other one to take care of himself. She left the room giggling. The father looked at her and shook his head. Mulindi took the water and washed his hands, he then placed everything under the table. They were ready for supper.
Maria came back with supper, the ugali was well cooked and properly touched to make a smooth mound, and she placed the plates of stew on the table from the tray she was carrying. She divided the plates as she was instructed by her mother. She went back for their two plates as Mother joined them for supper.
The family bowed down in silence before descending on the meal, they eat as they savored the meat. Mulindi was slowly sweating as he went on devouring the piece of meat on his plate. Shiundu ate with great composure. He seemed sure of what he was doing, a copycat of his father. Tom was done with the meal and bade his family goodnight as he washed off his hands. The mother was the last on the table.
"Shiundu clear the table and Mulindi take the dirty dishes back to the kitchen and close that kitchen properly. Yesterday I caught a dog in my pot."
"Okay, mother."
The boys rose up from their seats as each swing into action. Mulindi helped his mother wash his hands before carrying everything back to the kitchen. Maria took her books out and started on her homework. Shiundu left for their house opposite the kraal as Mulindi stayed behind to help Maria with her homework. Her mother went to sleep.
An hour went by and she was done. Mulindi left as Maria closed the door behind him. Mulindi made for their house as he urinated along the way as he walked. He always made these trips seem enjoyable to him. He whistled loudly and joined Shiundu in the two-roomed house.
Maria went to the room. It was properly arranged. She climbed on the bed and wrapped her body into the duvet in a bid to sleep. Her mind was racing on the events to come. The difficulty that comes with the festivals. The long lines at the spring, the increased number of people as those who had left for different villages were bound to come. She just didn't like it around the festival. This was her second one, but she was already hating it.
Tom moved aside to allow his wife to climb on the bed before resuming his position.
"How was your day, mama?"
"Good, what are the plans for the festivals? Have you talked to your boys in the city?"
"Yes, they will be coming on the last day. They are somehow held up at their workplaces."
"Okay, how are you feeling?"
"I am okay. How is Maria?"
"She is fine. We had a blast together. I hope she will keep it together, she hates the festival."
"She will be okay."
"Goodnight Tom."
"Goodnight Neria."