Malile looked back at when he was a boy, a young man then a man who was ready to marry but he was called upon by the ancestors to take upon the mantle of leading his village into the ritual. He was tasked with something that made him wiser, something that was always weighing his head down. He lived for the festivals, he looked forward to them years before they drew close. He was the guardian of the forest.
He was now sixty years old but was still managing to walk with ease. The village looked after him as he looked after the affairs of their boys. In his assistance was Tom. He was led to Tom by the ancestors. Together they had done great in helping to lead three generations ahead into manhood. They had unwritten teachings that were passed down to the boys, teachings that varied from family, women, wealth, personal fulfillment, and growth. These were what Malile lived for.
He was not in a position to marry as his presence was always demanded by the ancestors and any time he would be called upon. He however was at any disputes that involved the married just to listen to the other side of life. Most of the time, he was happy as an unmarried man and with the village's support, he was contented in his position. He was the ear to the ground in the protection of the families in the village from problems of cattle rustlers and the occasional disappearance of young girls. The presence of an unmarried man with ties to the spirit world always steered away troublemakers. His village was peaceful.
Tom was initiated into the festival chairing after marrying Neria. He was still in the undertakings of marriage in its early stages. He was falling in love with her daily but since the initiation, he grew a little distant from his wife. He did what he had to do for the family to survive. He saw their nourishment and their provision, he also saw that his wife was well taken care of and with more sons than any man in the village.
Life in the village granted him respect, he was second in command after Malile. Tom had since then improved the lifestyle of his home with a brick house that housed his kids and his wife with the sons having a house on their own. He had followed through in ensuring his sons got educated but as a traditionalist was against the education of his girls. He saw it as a way to reward the husband as he will be unable to reap from education. He held onto the idea that sons stay around the family, they will look after him. The same way he did with his parents before he married. He saw his girls as packages to be dealt with by the husband.
He now had two sons well educated and working in the city. He was waiting on the circumcision of Shiundu so as he can send him to college. Mulindi would have to wait for a while as he figured out how to help him. As for Maria, she had to wait until her marriage which according to Tom was to be very soon. He didn't know she was in school despite his warnings about the same.
At three in the evening, the men stood up in a circle and made a walk in the same circle twice, it was time for the final round where the ten me will walk around the whole forest one more time before allowing the festivals to start. This final round was to confirm the readiness of the forest and as always the wind was blowing and among the trees, sounds could be heard of old trees creaking in a bid to resist breaking. The further they walked the stronger the wind. It kept blowing for the whole walk with intensity vary at each corner they would take.
By five-thirty the men were done with the duties for the day. It was only a matter of time before the news about the green light for the festival got to the whole village. Letters were shared, words of mouth delivered, and by the second day, everyone knew it was about to go down.
Boys to undergo the passage were separated from the rest as it was only three days to the big day. Malile and Tom stood for one side that allowed their boys to spend more time in the forest and come out only in the evening for entertainment to the villagers and show off of their progress. There was another group that allowed their boys out during the night only for practice on what to do during their release date. The two groups hated each other with passion but their hatred was restraint as bloodshed was a thing they had agreed as of the past. Malile's group enjoyed using heavy sticks and horns as their musical instruments while the other group enjoyed drums and bells.
As the days approached drums could be heard in the next village, a time to scare off their rivals. Here the drum men were trained on how to play the drum, on how to arouse the dance moves in the people. As a routine in the afternoon after lunch, most of them would camp outside shopping centers awaiting people to join them. Young men and girls were fond of the dances and as expected they would disappear with the drummers for a few hours into several villages before coming back.
Today Maria, prepared herself, took an early bath, and dressed well awaiting the coming drummers. She was eagerly waiting when she heard them. She stood up from her resting place under the tree and swung into a run. She wanted to catch them first, watch them before joining them. Luckily they were not yet at their shopping center. She waited for them by the school gates.
The drum beats increased, they were drawing close. The drummer, swept sweat off his face, adjusted his trouser for a second, fixed his walking style, shifted the drum from the left shoulder to the right shoulder, and allowed the dance to pick up. He touched the drum with the tips of his fingers, caressed it with the palm of his hands before beating it with the whole hand. Watching him work was spectacular. The beat was allowed to sink into people before the soloist came in, the bells were beating in a span of one minute as they blend with the drum. Behind them was a crowd of rowdy boys and uncaring girls who were united with purpose: to dance. They came to dance.
Maria watched them engage, she was overjoyed to finally get a day off work and dance. A minute went by as Maria absorbed the spectacle before joining them. In the group, everyone was doing what he or she can move a muscle. No one cared about the other as long as they were dancing. On the edge of the group as a way to let vehicles pass even as the dancers went on. The movement raged on powerfully like a flooded river. Maria found herself in the middle of the crowd. The air was musty with a mixture of sweat, warmth, tears, and mucus. It was difficult to breathe but as the group moved so did the thoughts of difficulty disappeared. She moved as they moved, she danced as they danced. She enjoyed it as they enjoyed it.
They were now a little past their village going to the next one before the drummer would turn the circus around. Maria was absorbed in the dance as she did not notice her father by the road. Tom was from Malile's house for the final touches on the festival. He saw his daughter, shook his head in disgust. He understood that she was allowed to choose where to go but he would appreciate if she stayed in what the family did in traditions.
Maria went with the crowd away as Tom hurried home. He had a bone to pick with his wife. The crowd went onto the next village for their final performance as the drum was passed to the next guy.