Chapter 2
November 5, 1847 (2 months ago)- Asante (Ashanti), Africa
Standing on the dirt feeling the rocks and sticks pricking underneath my feet, as innumerable multi-colored squawking creatures raise themselves into the air flying off across the never-ending sea of trees.
Watching the branches carry countless of the homes of living creations and then behind me more of plenty Lazy-leaf trees rustling against the hushed winds. Every day this scene replays again and again in front of my eyes.
I breathe in the humid muddy air with a reposing smile easing its self on my lips. The life here is always so impelling. I was about to sit on the damped ground to take in more of nature's beauty until I hear a familiar voice call out my name.
"Adaeze!"
I look over my shoulder to see Obasi walking towards me with his usual firm–line expression. Obasi is a friend that I've known since childhood years as we have grown up together; I've always sensed that Obsai was just a little serious.
His face would always hold a determined warrior look. He has never played with me and the other children in the village nor has he laugh or smile.
Yet still as we grew into what we are today he stands tall wearing dark cocoa skin, a round bald head , high cheekbones, a wide nose , full lips, aphotic eyes that holds an ambitious energy, broad shoulders, thick arms, athletic legs, and these six bumps that protrudes from his dark midsection.
Most girls my age and older admirers Obasi for what he has grown to be, I smile and fully turn around to him.
* "Maaha Obasi" I chirp out to him. He stops in front of me and nods to my greeting.
"Maaha Adaeze" He greets back. I tilt my head looking into his eyes waiting for him to go on, yet he only stares back with his stone face.
"...εtε sεn?" I asked furrowing my brows. Obasi blinks realizing his pause.
"Adaeze your mother sent me to bring you to her" He states.
I roll my eyes internally not wanting to leave my sanctuary, "Fine" I mutter following Obasi to our village.
After fifteen minutes of following, we both walk into our village of condensed huts and green-leaf tree surrounding us. When I see my home I thanked Obasi and wave him off walking towards my family's hut.
"Agoo? I call looking around our hut. I quickly found mother sitting holding Osei, my two-year-old baby brother. Osei notices me walking in and begins to squeal with excitement.
Mother looks up with a smile and beckons me over. "Maaha Adaeze."
I smile taking a seat in front of my mother. "Maaha Mother is something wrong?"
My mom gives Osei to me and huffs in relief.
"Yes, I wanted to speak to you about your future." I push back the urge to groan in protest and just started to bounce Osei on my lap.
"Mom I thought we have already-" Mom cuts me off with a swish of her hand.
"I know what we have spoken about before, but I feel the need to remind you again." I look down to Osei and kiss his forehead and pinch his cheeks. He giggles and tries to slap me with his hands, I laugh at his attempt.
"Mom you should not have any duty to me anymore. I am a woman now remember?" I look up to mom with a smile, remembering that seven years ago I participated in our *Puberty Rites ritual.
That was when my mother who is queen mother of our village and other highly respected women gathers us girls who had just begun our menses, and isolate us from everyone else and teach us the ways of womanhood. Afterward, we all had a celebration for us new inducted women. We wore long colorful beads, a flowing kente cloth skirt and our chests on display. The bachelors who watched had picked out a bride from the bunch and so many of my female friends are now married, many with children.
I put Osei on the ground to let him crawl around and look back to mom waiting to be lectured. She shakes her head in disappointment.
"How could I not forget? Look at you..." She cups my cheek with her hand and smiles softly.
"Every day I can see you grow into such a strong free spirit. I thank Onyame every day for you." I put my hand over mother's hand and smiled gratefully for her thoughts.
Then she pulls her hands away and sighs. "However-"
'Here she goes...' I thought as my smile changes into a saddening one.
"You need to share this spirit, Adaeze. You were not taught our secrets just for you to live without using them." I look down with guilt.
"I understand...but what if I just wanted to enjoy my-"
"Adaeze." I stop my convincing and peak at my mother's face.
She goes on, "Enjoying life by one's self is not as fulfilling as enjoying life with another..." I fully look up at her pause.
"That is why I...Adaeze there is someone who wants your hand." Anger was igniting my body's temperature to rise.
"Mother I did not want to marry right now." I rush out my true feelings of not wanting to carry on this conversation anymore.
"Adaeze, Listen to yourself. Marriage is one of the-"
"Mother!" I snap for her to stop.
"I understand how great it is to share your life with another, yet I do not feel like bonding with someone when I just want to...live," I mumble the last part not knowing how to explain my decision.
"...You have no choice..." My eyes widened in shock my anger leaving me.
"Mom-" She ignores my call and talks over me.
"Forgive me for not informing you before, but I need you to keep the family going..."
"Mom-" She cuts me off again.
"I thought that you would have married years ago, but here you are still living with me and your father..."
"Mother!" I call out loudly grabbing hold of her hand.
I take a deep breath and look into her eyes.
"Who...who is he?" She gives a small smile.
"Obasi..."
I let go of mom's hands and stood up walking out of our home.
"Adaeze" I stop and look over my shoulder to her.
"I did not accept this" was all I said and walk out of the hut to find my Father.
**History, Culture & Language lesson **
The Asante (Ashanti) is a tribe that uses to live in present-day Ghana, Africa. They were a power that ruled from the late 1600s to the late 1800s. The tribe was a matrilineal community and spoke the language of Twi. To learn more visit some of these websites to learn more about their history. >ashanti.com.au, www.africancraftsmarket.com/Ashanti_people.htm
*Puberty Rites ritual- "Hmmm...I kinda told you what all there is to know in the story...yet if you would like to know more >www.ghanaweb.com.
Language.
*Maaha- Good day/afternoon
εtε sεn?- What's up?
Agoo- Call to attention
Onyame- Universal God
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