Story from Jennifer Mitchell – 8/11/24 – Jennifer Nginyaka Mitchell

A family—a father, mother, son, and daughter—sat together. One day, the father decided to go out and look for “cooka” (food). He searched far and wide but found nothing. Eventually, he stumbled upon another group’s camp, where he found a mother with her baby. Driven by desperation or anger, he attacked them both, killing them. Later, the other men from that group discovered what he had done and sought revenge, killing him in return.

Back at their own camp, the mother, son, and daughter waited for the father’s return. They waited so long that night came, and still, he did not return. By the next morning, the mother sensed that something had happened to him. Fearful for the safety of her children and herself, she decided to flee to her own mother’s country in the APY lands.

Despite her warnings, the son and daughter felt compelled to find out what had happened to their father. Following their instincts, they eventually came across another camp. Quietly, they approached one of the huts, peering through a window. Inside, they saw his lifeless body lying alongside the mother and her unborn child whom he had killed. Horrified but determined, they took his weapons and fled.

As they looked back, they saw a massive storm building, seemingly chasing them. Filled with fear, they ran north, not stopping. Along the way, they found worms and cooka sent by their mother’s spirit to sustain them.

After many trials, they finally reached Mantamaru. This story is one that Jennifer’s mother often shared with her.