She King

By Mooba Mweemba

Long ago deep in the heart of an African society, there was a place which was divided in kingdoms and kings men. Among these Kingdoms, there was this one particular kingdom which was known by the name ‘Mulwani’ (warrier).

The  name ‘Mulwani’ was named after their greatest king of their kingdom was involved in a battle which was a pool blood-bathed battle during the time of war, hence it led to the death of that king when one of his enemies stabbed him from the back and left him unconscious for quiet a very long time as He called for help from among his soldiers but unfortunately there was no one who came through to his rescue on time and that’s how He gave up on His ghost just like that. That King died a fighting soldier and King with a sword and spear in his arms, all for the sake of fighting for one of his invaded boarders which was rich in Ivory ornaments. Hence, the name ‘Mulwani’ (warrier) was adopted as the name of that Kingdom in honour of their king and soldier.

It was this particular kingdom’s custom for every after the death of such a high profiled individual as the Mulwani that there was a very serious but sorrowful mourning period which was later followed by an eventful ceremony of joy for the celebrations in preparation for the crowning of their new king who would take up and carry on the responsibilities of the diseased Mulwani. The succeeding Mulwani according to their custom and tradition, would always be the first born son to the prior King and no women were to ever step closer to the throne of the Mulwani, not even the eldest or first born daughters to the Mulwani. The first born son to every Mulwani was always taught about the affairs of the Kingdom such as the defensive and protective techniques to use in battle against enemies, and a lot more other things. This was always the Kings men’s responsibility.

Meanwhile, the mourning period of the Mulwani according to their tradition, it would last for a total period of 5 days.

Two days passed by after the mourning period that there followed in suit an interesting and most beautiful time for everyone in the kingdom. That period of time brought back all the hope, strength and joy in the Kingdom which must had been lost from the anguish of the loss of their dead and senior Mulwani. 

The eventful ceremony of crowning the new Mulwani was to last for one solid week. It would start in style as such as early in the hours of the first day for the crowning preparations, and just before day break, able boded women would pop out from their thatched huts at the first craw of the rooster, one of them would pull out a sweet melodious voice of freedom, tranquillity and joy for all in the kingdom to hear and all in unison, the women would join in in tune at once. That was followed later in the song by the joining in of able boded men who would beat the drums to the core of their hearts and the whole kingdom would all otherwise join in for jubilation, truly resistible for anyone to stay away from such a scene and that was an absolute sign of restoration of Mulwani Kingdom. By dawn, the whole lot of the kingdom was altogether in a frenzy of smiles and laughter and shingling of the glasses of wine. 

On the other hand, the old men and women of the Kingdom of ‘Mulwani’ were all gathered at the kings’ castle or palace as they were known then. Their gathering at the King’s quarters was to see to it that the new King had his best robs well sewn, decorated and tried before He was finally revealed on the final day to the whole kingdom.

During that week, there were prepared different dishes especially that of their traditional food. The hunters of the kingdom on the other hand would come back home with the finest game and bush meat. The meat was to be well prepared in a traditional manner by the old women close to the king. Errors and mistakes were to be avoided during such a week as they would destroy the atmosphere in the Kingdom, the atmosphere of hope and tranquillity. Everything was to be done to perfection no matter the cost.

Finally when the final and 7^th day would come, that was the day which called together each and every villager of ‘Mulwani’ kingdom to be gathered by the king’s palace to witness the crowning ceremony of their new King to be. It was not just that but the crowning also symbolised authority to be vested in the new king. 

The ceremony was also accompanied with the beating of drums and the beautiful vocals of the women who sang melodiously on high pitches. On some other events, there were seen also pots of different kinds of traditional food which were being passed from one hand to the other as everyone dipped in their fingers for a taste of a variety of them all. 

Finally at the sun’s happiest hour, that is to say exactly at around 12:00pm, one of the elders of the kingdom would come out of the king’s palace with his back giving it to the audience, he would come out only to give an announcement that all any other activity around the kingdom be suspended. Drums would cease to beat, women would halt their ululations, movements to and fro would cease, the movements of pots from one hand to the other would also be at halt and finally even just mere chewing of food would be at pause in preparation to receive the king. Everyone was to be at stand still.

A few moments later, the king to be soon crowned was seen to be coming out while being escorted by an entourage of village elders. They would step out of the palace heading the way to where the king’s crowning place was to take place. No sooner the King took his seat, than the eldest of the elders reached for a crown which according to them was a symbol of power and while laying it on the king’s head, the village elder would be heard on the other hand blessing the King and wishing him all good luck during His reign. Later the ‘Induna’ (elder) would reach for a new staff which symbolised the authority vested in the king and it was given and placed in the hands of the king. Immediately that was done, the whole village audience would go down to bow on their knees as a sign of obedience and submission as the declaration was given by the elder, a new king was born in the kingdom.

The ceremony would come to a close with everyone going up on their feet with beautiful smiles and chanting for the new king as He was now being carried shoulder high by his able men even as the women’s waists shook from right to left in jubilation. Quiet a beautiful scene and ceremony to behold was it.

As years went by, it so came to happen that the Kingdom was under the ruler ship of a ‘Mulwani’ who got so old in age to the point of neglecting his duties such as leading the army in war. In fact, it was at that same particular period that one of his boarders (the boarder with much Ivory deposits) was invaded by one of the notorious gang from their neighbouring kingdom now even worsening the situation.

On the other hand, the old aged ‘Mulwani’ had a very beautiful but tough only child and daughter. Skilled and ready to serve in in war thanks to her compliance to her trainee and mentor to the King who saw to it that the King’s daughter was well trained just as He (the King) had been trained before His ascension to the throne regardless of the traditional laws and customs which disallowed them to be under the ruler ship of a woman or female.

Days went on by, the people in the kingdom knew about their King’s illness but the question still remained, who was going to take over the ruler ship of the kingdom if at all the King succumbed to His illness while considering that the current King only had a daughter whom he knew that the gods were not going to accept it.

It so then came to happen that a report reached the king that the neighbouring gang was almost taking over everything at their boarder even including the minerals and their operations. This news also came to be available to His daughter’s ears as she overheard the conversation. Immediately that very night, the Princess went to sort out for the King’s man were they came to conclude that they would attempt to overthrow the notorious gang on their own without the knowledge of anyone, even the King’s all by themselves.

It was a punishable offence, a degree to the point of being banished from the kingdom for anyone who took the law into their own hands but do did the princes and the kings man do so as they were left with no option.

There was no time left to wait for a perfect time when they would execute the plan which the couple had come up with. On the other hand, the King’s illness was getting worse day by day. It was 2 nights later that at the middle of the night, the Princes accompanied with her kings man, they headed towards the encroached boarder to clear out the garrison.

It was at the time that the garrison thought they were having a good time among themselves, jeering for their success, shingling their glasses of wine for a successful invasion. But soon tables were just about to turn upside down as quietly and unnoticed, the Princes with her Kings ma at their arrival on the scene, they succeeded in firstly taking down two of the garrison’s men by silently getting closer from the back of the men and had their mouths covered firmly to prevent the men from screaming and quickly drawing swords to cut off the heads of the two men from among the garrison. And so was that first ever kill for the princes herself.

Among all the students who had passed through the hands of that well skilled Kings man, the princes was His favourite among his students as she showed the character of a warrier to prove her eligibility to look after the Kingdom of Mulwani and that was for the reason why the kings man accepted to accompany the princes on the trail to save their kingdom.

The couple had to act so quickly lest they were to be noticed by the garrison. Hence, no sooner had they slaughtered the two men than they immediately spotted the pots of wine just at the hinder part of the tents. They used that advantage to intoxicate the wine with a dose which would make them all fall asleep in just a short space of time.

In silence and in darkness were the duo to execute their plans, soon the dose was added to the wine and the jubilations went on as though nothing had happened. It was just a matter of a few seconds that the pair noticed from a distance, the garrison began to fall asleep in an unconscious manner then it was confirmed, the whole garrison was intoxicated and weak.

There was no more time to be wasted, it was just the matter of doing whatever that which seemed to please them on the intoxicated garrison. The act was quick but effective to the pair as they drew their swords each to ensure the heads of their enemies were chopped off completely and the couple did just that in the shortest period of time and the victory was all theirs.

By day break and as the sun rose from the then invaded eastern boarder, the Princess and the Kings man were seen standing tall on a hill while in their hands they beheld the beheaded head of the leader of the garrison.

It was all jubilation for the Mulwani Kingdom as the pair brought tranquillity once more in their Kingdom. But the question still remained, who would succeed the ill and old aged Mulwani who then seemed more than ever before to have been giving up on His ghost.

With such joy in the Kingdom, except for their ill King, it did not take long when the council of elders from the King’s palace had to sit down and discuss who would succeed the present ill Mulwani of then. It was not a matter of questioning at all as the village elders found themselves abolishing the law which prevented the Kingdom from being under the ruler ship of a woman.

For the Princess’ gesture she portrayed and for her courageous acts, it was the hearts of the people of Mulwani that she had won to see her ascend to the Kingly throne as the first ever Woman King of Mulwani Kingdom just as the elders had put it to be in their council of Indunas meeting.

Finally, the Queen’s father from whom she took over later gave up on his ghost but truly, He died a smiling Mulwani down to his grave as He was buried knowing that His Kingdom was left in the hands of a Queen and a warrier.

Since then, the Kingdom of Mulwani had several more other Queens who reigned in the Kingdom as it had become a new custom of theirs.

Mooba Mweemba is an African and Zambian new young writer. A graduate with a Diploma whose life is fully occupied with reading, video gaming, working out and found most spreading laughter among his peers.