Staffrider Vol.5 No.2 1982 - DISA

IF YOU
ARE NOT
STRONG
YOU
MUST BE
CLEVER
by Milkalena Ndokola Petros
LONG, long ago there was a Kavango
tribe called Kwangali. Among this tribe
there were four twelve-year old boys.
Their clothes were made of Springbok
skins. Their names were Nangolo,
Ihalwa, Idhimbwa and Tonata.
They were the laziest children in that
area. All the children of the tribe
worked hard, except these four. Their
work was playing games. Each one of
them had his own game. Nangolo's
When they were sixteen years
old Nangolo tried to catch fish
from the rocks as usual. This time
an incredible thing happened. He
caught all the fish in the river. He
called his friends to have a look at
what he had done. They asked
him how he did it. 'It just happened
naturally/ he said.
game was to catch fish from the rocks.
Ihalwa's game was to drink water from
the river, and Idhimbwa's game was to
pull trees out of the ground. Tonata was
always playing with irons.
When they were sixteen years old
Nangolo tried to catch fish from the
rocks as usual. This time an incredible
thing happened. Me caught all the fish in
the river. He called his friends to have a
look at what he had done. They asked
him how he did it. 'It just happened
naturally,' he said.
Ihalwa said: 'Well, then I will drink
all the water from the river. Although
*?&&&
'This is a story which tells children that if you are not strong you must be
clever. This story was told me by my grandfather Augustinus Kwenye who is
87 years old and lives in Kavango.'
Have you heard similar stories, parables, folk tales from your
grandparents or other members of your family? Send them to us.
If you feel you cannot write scribble them down exactly as you've
heard them. We will put them into shape and possibly
publish them in Staffrider.
it is much water, I'll drink it all. Then
we will be able to cross the river to the
other side.'
When he tried it happened!
Idhimbwa said: T am used to uprooting
trees. I think I will succeed
also.' And he did! 'Now I will build a
road for us!' he shouted.
While all this was going on, Tonata
sat aside quietly.
'What are you going to do with your
irons?' the three asked him.
Tonata did not answer. He knew the
irons would not help him achieve such
fantastic feats.
One evening the parents of the four
boys held a meeting. 'What are we going
to do with these lazy children?' they
asked. 'AH the children in the village
work, except them.'
While the parents were discussing
their problem, Ihalwa the water drinker
crept up and overheard what they were
saying.
The following morning Ihalwa went
to the same place to play. He met his
friends and told them about the
previous night's meeting.
'Our parents want to punish us,' he
warned. We must escape!
Idhimbwa said: 'We need food to
keep us alive. I know of a big river with
an island which has a house. Our fathers
must not know about this.
Ihalwa said: T will drink all the water
to dry up the river so that we can cross
over to the other side.'
Idhimbwa said: 'I will uproot all the
trees in our way.'
Nangolo said: 'I will catch all the fish
so that we will have enough to eat!
Tonato said nothing.
His three friends asked him whether
he had thought about his irons. Tonata
STAFFRIDER, VOL. 5 NO. 2, 1982 29