Our Period Is Not A Taboo

Our Period Is Not A Taboo

Chapter 1

BALO VILLAGE

Deceased chicken, dead goat, dead crops, an indication of catastrophe for the people of balo, chimed happiness has been plucked, you can only hear the shriek, everyone inside their hut is like an isolation cemetery, fusses and oppression inside the minds of the women in balo.

The town crier odu, going up and down in the village with his handbell making his proclamation, people of balo, people of balo the king is asking for all his subordinate to gather in the palace. Villagers leaving their hut with their worried faces muttering among each as to why this urgent Summoned families from different curves going to the palace. As soon as the king arrived, they genuflect as a figure to acknowledge the presence of the king, "King, people of balo I greet you all, 'obiiii people of balo replied, you are all familiar with our customs and traditions of our land, any women that percolate must have offended the gods and she must be sent to the evil forest for one full moon(thirty days) and if she withstands the gods must have tamper justice with mercy, and she must be wash in the river for purifying before returning to her family, but she must never sleep in the same bed or eat in the same pot as her husband.

This was the harsh reality of the life of the women in balo they had to face this tribulation every full moon, some die, some survived. While the king was discerning their superstitious belief, the complexion of his voice is like a tyrant on the loose, yet his concern for his people is astonishing, one can only guess as to why this Summoned, they turned to each other gaping with their curiosity eyes hand moving roundly when suddenly the king's guard holding the right hand of a bleeding woman whose name is Yani and her husband had just departed, yanking her to the palace as if she had committed murder, but what she has done seem more than a murder according to the customs and traditions of balo, she was holding her abdomen with her left hand while they were yanking her, the awful smell that was coming from her was the only thing the villagers had notice, they couldn't sense or feel the unimaginable pain she was going through.

"King, people of balo, this women have being bleeding secretlyy in her hut for the past two days, she kept mute invoking the wrath of the gods allowing our crops to die ,our chicken ,our goat , she has not only bring calamity to our land, but also infringe the customs and traditions of our land, so therefore she must be banished from our land and her daughter must be offer as casualty to the gods for the cleanse of our land, She wail boisterous upon hearing predictment, the leaves start to fall down , that was a sign of the agony life lies ahead of her , while she was sulking the anguish she was feeling, not my daughter, not my daughter , she said , offer me instead, her head proneness and her hands on the king's feet beseeching, he scorn and spit on her as if she was dirt and then she move her hands with her head still proneness to the Chief priest feet beseeching, all the villager just glanced at her and turned their faces away, her 1 year old daughter standing nearby her with no clue of what was going on, her daughter was grabed by one of the guard and two of the guards grabed her mother , one clasping her right hand other holding her left hand, yanking her out of the palace toward the village boundaries , villagers behind holding palm leaf and chanting their despise, they finally reached the boundaries she was left there to her doom and her daughter was taken to the shrine to be offer as sacrifice, unexpected downpour was a whiff to the people of balo, that the gods are please and everything was back to normal, but that was the beginning of the end.

A light skin, brown eyes, beads around her waist and her ankle,15 years old Baidu, dancing to the rhythm of the flute her father was fiddling for her, she is love and adores by her parents "Palo and Musu", she is the kind of daughter one will wish for, hard-working, compliant and most of all brave, she is the only child of her parents.`Her mother interrupts their fatherrrrr and daughter thing ` Baindu come and help me in the kitchen to prepared food for your father, "Baindu; okay mother.

In the kitchen Baindu plucking the Stick from the pepper and her mother pondering the rice. Baindu finished with the pepper and asked her mother if she could take the orange fruit from the basket that she bought from the farm and her mother responded " yes dear I bought it for you from the farm because I notice it's your favourite fruit, thank you, mother I love you so much, as Baindu was goring the orange fruit, the spark in her face while sulking it, you can see it was undoubtedly her favourite.

'Baidu", mother.. can I ask you a question, 'yes, what it is? Why are you cooking your food from a different pot? and why are you sleeping with me instead of a father? Baidu mother face got pale with the questions, she always knew this day will come, but she was not sure whether she was inclined to tell their anecdote of the curse, she tried to change the topic but Baindu was persistent, she sat down tears rolling down her eyes and she started to explained.

My daughter long ago, when the deceased king Ade was reigning, his wife the Queen was pregnant and was about to give birth king Ade was aspiring to have a male child, but to his dissatisfaction, it was a female child, so he decided to consult the gods as to why they refused to give him a male child when he consulted the gods, the mouthpiece of the gods 'The Chief priest' told him that his wife was curse by the gods that why she bleeds every 1 full moon, king Ade asked, is there any remedy to this ill fate? , Then the chief priest told him that his wife must be sent to the evil forest for 1full moon if she survives then the gods must have forgiven her, and she must be washed in the river for cleansing, but she must never sleep in the same bed or eat in the same pot as her husband. The king was heartbroken upon learning this, so he asked if there's no other solution,' The Chief priest' replied the gods have spoken and their words must be hail.

The king went home and told his wife about what the chief priest had said, I will do it my king the queen replied, 'no never ' the king differ, my king, you need a successor to the throne and I want to be the one to give you that. She managed to confuse the king because of the love she had for him and went through the trials. Since then the Chief priest told the king that any woman that bleeds must have offended the gods and she must be sent to the evil forest for 1 full moon if we survive, we are been forgiven by the gods, and we must be washed in the river for cleansing, but must never sleep in the same bed and eat From the same pot as our husband. Tears were rolling down Baindu's eyes upon hearing the sympathetic life of women in balo.

'Baindu, is that why when you gave birth to me you gave me a way to my grandparents who lives in the next Village, But mother why? You don't deserve this kind of tribulation, 'My daughter this has to be our tradition for ages, mother, what if the chief priest was wrong? What if the gods are wrong?

'Hashhhhh, her mother hum to her for saying such against the chief priest and the gods, she looks around to see if anyone was close, and said, ' My daughter never say such words again, I don't know what I will do if anything happens to you.

'Baindu, the mother is this going to happen to me too? May the gods forbid her mother replied, you’re pure in heart and you will never do anything to offend the gods, mother you're also pure in heart, and besides what was your crime? and other women also what was their crime?

It was not a rhetorical question, it was rather incoherent for both of them, she didn't have an answer to the question she doesn't have any answers to a lot of questions. 'My daughter, the trial is for those that bleed, 'mother, can you tell me any women that have not yet bleed in this village? And how am I going to be exceptional? What if I bleed too?

The discussion and questions were becoming too heavy for her mother to assimilate, lucky her Baindu best friend "Yasanka" Came, Yasanka is the best friend of baindu

'Yasanka in her native tough, aunty buwa ( good afternoon), ' how the afternoon my child, "fine, yasanka replied

Baindu took the water pot because she knew why Yasanka was there by this time of the day, so the both of them can go to stream and fetch water, Baindu tell goodbye to her mother and they left at once.

On their way going, they saw a woman crying, Baindu became uneasy for her, she was about to go and met the woman to asked what was the matter, when Yasanka stopped her, 'where are you going to? I want to go and asked her why she's crying, ' are you blind can't you see she's bleeding, she knows what foresees her, that why she's crying, don't you know the retribution for any woman that bleeds, ' I know, but it wrong, 'what is wrong, this has been our customs and traditions before you and I were born, ' I know all that, but what kind of traditions is that? And what do you want to do about it? I want to stop it,

Hahahahaha, Yasanka laughing in a jesting tone and said, okay mama stop it, let go and fetch water afterwards you can stop it, she laughed again, ' you want to stop it, hahahahaha. Still on their way going, they met kola the son of the richest landowner in balo, for some reason, Baindu doesn't like kola and she always got irritated by his presence.

'Kola, hello My beloved "Baindu, what? I'm not your Baindu the tone in which she replied was obvious that she detests his presence , kola had to just make her more furious by adding smoke to the fire, when I grow up, I'm going to marry you,

Yasanka was just standing there and smiling silently waiting for the conversation to come to an end so she can make a jest of Baindu.

'Baindu, àaaaaaaaaa people of balo come and see my bad omen, who do you want to marry? do you even look like my type? look at your big head, like that of our gods, look the way you talk as if your tough has been cut out from your mouth, you want to marry me twwwwwwwwwwwww

Kola was just standing there feeling embarrassed, while Baindu brush off and Yasanka follows her.

'Yasanka, why do you always embarrassed him like that, maybe he's your future husband, please don't add salt to my injured please let just hurry up and to the Stream and fetch water.

She is walking rapidly leaving Yasanka behind, 'Yasanka, come on don't be malicious, I was just joking, Baindu, Baindu calling her while chasing after her.

Night, moon shining so bright, anxiously how the children in Palo stare at the moon, how they wish balo was in the time of balo when they will amass and make a circle to play their favourite game Kuku, church, norti, and pulling stories among each other, their chuckle, harmony has been snatched by customs and traditions myth they are illiterate about, now everyone is in their hut forcing their joy while agony is eating them inside and waiting for the next victim.

"Mama Musu, lying next to Baindu , tossing in the bed, could not sleep, still brooding about afternoon discussion with her daughter, she can't seem to put her finger around it, but she knew in her heart that the questions Baindu had asked needs answers, she couldn't help it , she went to her husband's room, My husband , my husband, she called him while waking him up , "what are you doing in my room by this time of the night, " I want to talk to you about something,"what" mmmmmmmm , mmmm "what, she doesn't know how to get the words out, coz she fear, what she wants to talked about might accelerate her husband angry mood, instead she's just distinct the topic, I'm having a light headache , I was wondering if you could give me some of your tin bush , something they drink for headache, " is that why you woke me up, you know where it's , bother me, are you sure that's the reason for your presence in my room or is there something else, "No my husband, you could sense the terror in her tone while taking to her husband.., "okay now go to your room, she was about to go when her husband stop her, "wait" lock that door and flatten the mat on the floor, she instantly knew her husband is horny , her face become pale , and she was not in the mood for intimacy , but who is she to object , she just bid and they got intimate...

Baindu, Yansaka, and other girls in the stream fetching water, when suddenly the topic of their commencement of female circumcision was brought up, "yasanka, Baindu, how far is your mother preparing for our ceremony, mine has bought me some cotton and beads, I can't wait to put them on, "My mother head seems to be somewhere else recently, but I'm sure she's on the preparation, the others girls encroach in their conversation, Are you, girls, talking about our upcoming ceremony in the next market days.

"Baindu and Yasanka" Yes we are they both answer, they spent hours amusing about their Commencement day, funny they're unaware of the protocol and how fatal it's, they're just excited that they get to wear new cloth put on some pearl beads and look incredible, finally they got separated, everyone went their way, Baindu and Yasanka" take the same routine.

"Mama Musu, her right hand on her right cheek seem to be daydreaming again she didn't even notice her daughter's presence, she had to tap her fingers to get her mother's attention, "Baindu, is everything, okay mother? It seems like only your body I have, but your mind is somewhere else, " I'm okay my daughter, have you fetch water? " Yes, mother I'm just coming from the stream, " okay " go and fetch the firewood from the farm your father must have gathered it, "okay mother. Baindu on her way to the farm playing along the way, kola’s father coming toward her end good afternoon uncle Tamba, yes my daughter how the afternoon he said, fine Baidu replied, where are you going to my dear, I am going to the farm to help my father fetch some firewood, okay I see, and your mother, she is at home, okay keep going dear you father must be waiting for you, bye uncle, as Baidu turns her back uncle Tamba start to talk in their native tough, hard-working girl she will make a fine wife for my son, he shakes his head and smiles while saying those.

Baindu, "father" is everything alright with mother her mind seem to be occupied lately, she hardly notices me, I am sure your mother is fine, maybe she is thinking about your commencement day, you know she has a lot of work to do, " so father what are you going to get me, "baindu with a smile on her face asking her father, oh my beloved daughter you and gifts, so what do you want me to buy for you, I want more pearl beads, but you already have so many beads, I still want more, okay fine, let hurry up, your mother must be waiting for us, okay father, "Baindu, picks up the firewood and her father pick up the farm tools with some yams he already harvested and they leave at once.

Yasanka house

"Yasanka, mother, yes dear, can you explain to me, how are we going to be initiated, what are we going to do, what are the rules, because I can't wait anymore, Yasanka with an exciting face asking her mother, my dear it is a hidden society you will have to wait to experience it yourself, meanwhile, go inside and get me some water to drink, okay mother.

At dawn, "Yasanka mother, in the room screaming and sobbing so loud, she even wakeup her entire neighbourhood with her scream, mother, mother, mother, what is the wrong? Yasanka asked, before her mother could speak up she notice that her mother is bleeding she also start to cry, then her father came, why are you screaming? "Yasanka points her finger, towards her mother bleeding, and her father saw that his wife was bleeding looks up, and shake his head and went out of the hut, people start to gather in their compound, to show their sympathy to Yasanka and her mother. The palace guards show up and took Yasanka mother, Yasanka was crying so hard and pleading, please don’t take my mother, please, she tries to go after them but her father stopped her, everyone scatters in their compound and goes to their various huts with sad faces.

"Kola, ran to Baindu’s house to parcel the sad new, kola breathing so fast and trying to catch his breathe after he ran a mile, Baindu, Baindu, this time around he didn’t called her his wife to be, Baindu is gliding their compound when he notices kola, "kola what are you doing in my house? this early morning, don’t you have anything else to do other than chasing me, I have told you several times to stay away from me, Baindu could not let kola speak, she was busy making the wrong assumption as to why he was there, are you finished? "kola, asked in a angry tone, Yasanka mother was taken to the evil forest, Baindu was shocked, why, she asked , you know for the same reason every woman is taken to the evil forest she is bleeding, o my , when is this going to stop? when are the women of balo going to be finally free?, from his so called curse with a sad tone while talking, she instantly drop the broom, let hurried, she leave at once for, "Yasanka house, Yasanka was still crying and she got more emotional when she sees Baindu, "Baindu rushes to her and try to comfort her with warmly words, don’t worry she is going to be okay, he will return safely, she is innocent she has not done any evil or harm to anyone, please stop crying Yasanka everything is going to be okay, I am here for you, Baindu stays there until it was noon, when she finally decides to go home, I need to go home my mother must be looking for me, I will be back soon, okay "Yasanka, replied.

Mama musu, worried sick, in a confuse state winery were baindu must be, this girl will kill me one day, where has she gone, up till now she is not here, mama musu talking to herself, when Baindu shows up , ‘"mama musu, where are you coming from?, "Baindu’’ Yasanka house, her mother was taken to the evil forest, she is bleeding, with a sympathize face, "‘mama musu, asked how is Yasanka doing? that poor girl she must be worried sick I know how much she is close to her mother, she is devastated, when I left, mother for how long the women of balo is going to endure this so called curse, Baindu in her rebellious tone, what kind of king do we have, who send his subject to their doom, my bestfriend is all alone crying, I cant even imagined the kind of pain she is going through right now, I am going to the palace now , to ask the king, were did the woman of balo go wrong, what was their crime, what kind of barbaric tradition is this, Baindu was about to go to the palace to vast her anger on the king, unknowingly to her, her father was standing in a corner listening to what they were saying, he step out , and start to get angry at Baindu for showing so much disrespect to their culture, ‘’palo, what is wrong with you, how can speak this ill of our culture, "Baindu,’’ but father, keep quiet, and you woman, he tranfers his anger to his wife, how can you encourage such conversation from your daughter, you better teach your daughter some manners before she get herself and this family into trouble, he left angrily. "Mama musu, see what you have done, you have got your father angry now, I have told you to drop this topic and forget about it, brand’’, mother, keep quiet and listen to me, this has been our tradition before you were born and there is nothing you can do about it, so forget it. Baindu get angry and went inside, take the water pot and went to the stream.

Baindu at her favorite spot in the bush, singing, ‘’oh o’ must I live, must I die, what must I do, cause each day seem like the monster is eating us, and there is nothing I can do, what must I do, my hands are tie, my mouth is mute, oh o must I live, must I die, what must I do, kola was nearby when he heard Baindu malicious voice and he follow the sound, he reaches baindu’s spot, oh my beloved you are not only beautiful, but your voice light up my world, I could listen to it, till my dying breathe, it pierces through my soul, it made me feel like I am on top of the world, baindu was just standing there feeling stun, but my beloved what is wrong , you seem sad, and lost, I don’t want you to be sad, you know when you are sad, I am sad, Baindu’’ kola, aaa kola, you are looking for my trouble, how can I be looking for your trouble when I want to make you my wife someday and soon I mean, kikikikikiki Baindu laugh out loud and say, see this village boy, you want to make me your wife, you think because your father is one of the richest man in the village every girl will be dancing to you tune, kola, kola, kola , how many times did I called you, Baindu hand on her ear shaking it while talking, stay away from me, stay away from me , am I the only girl in this village, kola’’ but you are the only one I want, I don’t want you, is love by force, please leave me alone, leave me alone, kola’’ mission accomplish, "Baindu, and what is that supposed to mean, I manage to take you mind from what was bordering you, baindu,, wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww foolish boy , she brush 0ff and leave, kola’’ bye my beloved with smile on his face after been insulted by baindu.

At Yasanka house

Baindu’’, my friend how are you doing, "Yasanka’’ I am managing, have you eaten, I don’t feel like eating, no you need to eat something let me make you some foofoo, I know how much you love it, where is you father, Yasanka’’, he went to his friend house, guess who I saw earlier, Yasanka’’ you and this you guess, guess you know I don’t like it, just tell me, ’ kola, your kola, he is not my kola, okay, your future husband, stop it, it because you are feeling sad that why I am letting this one slide, Baindu’’ I missed my mother, I wonder how she must be doing in that awful place, Baindu’’ don’t worry she will be okay, she is all alone in that place with no food and water, yasanka crying while thinking of her mother, Baindu consoling her, stop crying she will be fine...