Talking Tales

By Femrite Publications

In Talking Tales a variety of women tell their stories in prose and poetry. They cast their nets wide, hauling in themes that celebrate as much as they castigate and mourn. There is the delight of discovering oneself on the cusp of womanhood, and of hearing about success in the fight for women's emancipation. There is also the wonder at the restorative power of love. However, the murkier side of human life is explored too: the failed search for love, unwanted advances, misunderstood affinities, incest, betrayal, disillusionment, unfruitful enterprise, domestic violence, corruption, brutality, injustice, the capriciousness of fortune...The realistic, the near-fantastic and the bizarre all find their place here. The themes are handled with forthrightness and humour as the writers take full advantage of the possibilities inherent in the different ways of telling tales: poetic, epistolary, expository, and straightforward narrative.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Femrite Publications
• Release date: Dec 29, 2009
• ISBN: 9789970480029

Book preview

Talking Tales

Edited by

Violet Barungi

FEMRITE PUBLICATIONS LIMITED

KAMPALA

FEMRITE PUBLICATIONS LIMITED

P.O. Box 705, Kampala

Tel: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]

www.femriteug.org

Copyright © FEMRITE Uganda Women Writers Association 2009

First Published 2009

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior permission of FEMRITE.

ISBN 978-9970-700-21-9

Printed by:

Good News Printing Press Ltd.

Plot 11/13 Nasser Lane Opp. Railways Goodshed

P.O. Box 21228 Kampala, Uganda

Tel: [phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]

Contents

A Brush with Death

Goretti Bukombi

Paddling

Beverley Nambozo Nsengiyunva

Tales from Mombasa

Constance Obonyo

Just a Note

Lillian Tindyebwa

Bloody Victory

Sylvia Kankunda

Fate’s Unpleasant Ride

Laura Byaruhanga

Monica the Rebel Nun

Winnie Munyarugyerero

Making Ends Meet

Hilda Twongyeirwe

Singing for the Queen

Patricia Olwoch

Deadly Slumber

Bananuka Jocelyn Ekochu

1000hrs

Patricia Olwoch

Afraid of My Love

Violet Barungi

It is Never Just a Name

Jennifer Okech

Search for Kato

Barbara Oketta

Kekeyu

Philo Nabweru

My World yet Not My Own

Pricilla Rwandarugali

Warped Justice

Edna Namara

Yesterday’s Heroes

Rose Rwakasisi

Village Queen

Beatrice Lamwaka

My First Kiss

Grace Atuhaire

Poetry

Introduction

Before you is Talking Tales, a collection of works fom the FEMRITE workshops held in Kampala, Uganda in January 2009. I had the honor of working with the women of this important organization as they crafted many of the fine pieces you have before you. The women whose work appears in this anthology represent the diversity and richness of modern-day Ugandan experience. Their creative work is diverse and individual as their faces.

One of the most remarkable aspects of FEMRITE is the emphasis on inter-generational communication and collaboration. The senior women of FEMRITE preserve on paper their memories of life before, during, and after the battle for independence, while the younger members—heirs to this struggle—document their reality. The result is a kaleidoscopic, panoramic view of a vital and rich culture as seen through the eyes of a remarkable coalition of women.

Here you will find works on subjects that are deeply personal as the workings of the body to poems that engage the ideas of major philosophers and leaders. Here, the personal is political and the political is human. This is art for the sake of art and for the sake of humanity.

I invite you to open this collection and enter a world within these women’s worlds. Invite your senses and your mind to engage with the beauty of imagination and the searing ideas contained within. With the three genres of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, the women of FEMRITE let the world know that the future has arrived.

Tayari Jones

Assistant Professor

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

Rutgers-Newark University

A Brush with Death

By Gorretti Bukombi

I don’t know how I had tiptoed into this magnificent palace. I felt like Alice in Wonderland, not knowing exactly where I was, and yet enjoying a glimpse of the splendour of the heavenly endowments. Everywhere I turned, I was scorched by the sparkling and glittering of the diamonds which had been lavishly splashed all over the place. Some of the diamonds formed canopies like plants and trees in the forest. The dazzling light made me dizzy, resulting in my feeling like I was going crazy. It also blinded my vision to all other things.

Suddenly, all knowledge from the Sovereign and Majestic Throne streamed through me like water. Though I could not see this Seat of Honour because it had been obscured by the blast of light which looked like an endless garment, it was clear to me as Gospel truth that the Seat of Power indeed existed here. It was the source and the centre of everything that happened, and the focal point of every soul that existed in the palace.

Intense light and wave-like radiations kept on whacking me like water, as if it were some kind of ritual to elevate me to the required standard. Before I could understand what was going on, to my great amazement, I saw my whole life displayed on a screen; nothing was hidden and nothing was left out. It was like a movie, scene after scene they came and went. I felt as transparent as glass and yet at the same time, I was feeling like a feather hanging in space.

Fortunately, I did not need the Professor of Geography or Ecology to give me any lecture about my location because the knowledge of the Ultimate Reality of the Presence of God automatically flowed through my veins like blood. I uttered no word for my lips had been glued together by the glamour and splendour of what was in my midst, and the consequent revelation of who I truly was. I had never imagined, not even once, that I was a child of such a mighty King nor that I belonged to such a great Kingdom. Nor had I ever correctly estimated my value to the One who made me. It was a day of surprises for me to know how much I was loved and treasured, to know how much I owned, and where I truly belonged.

The Father’s love was so abundant that it engulfed me like an amoeba. There was a lot of joy and excitement in the air. A sweet but faint classical kind of music kept on blowing in like an evening breeze. I knew without any doubt that I was home. I comfortably settled in a seat that had been reserved for me, and fitted in it perfectly. I heaved a sigh of relief like a traveller who had finally reached his destination and was finding rest at last after a very long journey. Righteousness was the most outstanding impression of this place, and peace; the peace that surpasses all human understanding was governing every activity. Like a dove arriving in a new nest, I fidgeted with myself in finding my balance on the new planet. Positioning myself like a senior citizen who had just received his retirement benefits, I calmed myself, and started to partake of the splendour and glory, which was just the beginning of more pleasurable things to come in this land that flowed with milk and honey.

I had just never seen anything like it in my whole life! It was so much beyond imagination that it felt like fiction. It was shining so brilliantly, so sparklingly and so dazzlingly that I got totally overwhelmed. The deep overpowering impression the light left on me made me feel as if I was drunk. In addition to the light, there was a kind of magical grip on things in the entire palace; there was unmistakable power that magnetically kept everything in place. I also noticed a unique system that ensured everything was orderly and perfect to the highest standard. I marvelled at the tight scrutiny and the strong control systems that were in operation.

I felt like a bird, as I realised that I was actually soaring around in space. I got puzzled at first, but it quickly dawned on me that the burden of my body had been eliminated from me. I neither saw nor felt my body anywhere near me. I was operating in a completely new and strange dimension. Although I was aware of what was happening in the palace, I realised that the information and the knowledge I got did not come to me through any of my senses. I do not recall that I saw anything, using my eyes, let alone hearing by my ears. It was quite amazing, but I was aware of everything I needed to know! This amazing place was dominated by the Light, and the loving effect emanating from it. Surprisingly, the place was homely, interesting and endowed with heavenly angelic activities.

Lots of ‘people’, who appeared to have many similarities with one another, filled the huge hall to capacity. In fact it appeared crowded but no one looked uncomfortable or unhappy. I did not recognise anyone I knew, but we all seemed to be mysteriously connected with each other. In oneness, we were all focused on the Light, and the major activity we were all engaged in was worship and praise. We were excited to be there, enjoying the love, peace and the wonder that we found ourselves immersed in. There was no doubt that this was the place of perfect peace and rest. I personally felt an extreme sense of relief from some huge burden that had been pressing me down, though it was not immediately clear what that burden was. There were no troubles here, no worries and no pressures. I do not remember wanting or needing anything while I was in this strange place. I just felt free, whole and fulfilled. I cannot remember how I had got to this place in the first place, how long I stayed there, or how I left it, but for sure, I knew that I missed it after I had left.

The next adventurous episode I remember was when I was flying in the ceiling of a building, and then I peeped at my body below me, lying motionless on a bed! I even recognised the clothes I had put on that day. However, I did not feel bothered by what I saw. As I kept on flying around in that boundless space, as that seemed to be my only preoccupation at the time, I kept seeing this body, but I was like a spectator, just looking at it from above. As far as I was concerned, I had no problem with myself at all. The real me was up there, in perfect health and, in fact, feeling just so great! I had never felt finer than I did at that time. I was so overjoyed, so energetic and felt so empowered that I just continued to enjoy myself, zooming around in space like a sparrow.

Suddenly, something seemed to have crashed! There was a thunderous noise. Then distant chapping noises filled the atmosphere, punctuated by intervals of loud ghostly sounds, screams of people perishing and faint voices of lamentation. It seemed as though the noise was moving nearer and nearer towards me because it became progressively louder and louder. As I struggled to understand what was going on, my eyes opened slowly and timidly. Gradually I could see something, but at first could not make anything of what I saw. The surroundings were very strange to me, and I was sure I had never been in this place before. It was a misty place with very poor lighting. I could not tell whether it was dawn or dusk. With my diminishing sight, I noticed a row of beds with figures perched on them. I bluntly stared on as a figure pushing things on a trolley strolled slowly but carefully away.

It was at this point that very strong smells of medicines and all sorts of foul odours – of urine, septic wounds, dirty linen etc. – assaulted my nose. The air had become very stuffy and I felt as if I was running short of breath and almost suffocating. On the other hand, I felt like I was getting choked, so I tried to clear my throat. Then I got startled by someone around me who was telling another, ‘She is conscious’. A kind male voice asked with authority, for my name, where I worked and where I lived. To my surprise, two of my colleagues suddenly appeared, as if in a movie, and in a rather sombre mood, said something I could not hear. But what struck me most was the unusual distance they kept from me and their sorrowful faces, as though they were attending a funeral. My cousin and his wife also appeared in the same style, soon after my colleagues had left, but they, too, did not look any better. I almost gave up on all of them because none of them had shown the usual interest or enthusiasm in seeing me. I was left wondering why they had behaved in such a strange manner.

As my eyes reluctantly rolled from one corner of the room to another, it suddenly struck me that this was a hospital. ‘And what am I doing here?’ was the question that immediately ran through my mind. Straightaway I knew the answer because I could see myself lying on my back helpless. I also immediately became aware of a strange heaviness in my right hand, which I could not explain. It must have been an accident, I told myself. I was quick to remember that I was on my way to the burial of some relative upcountry. Yes, I could remember that I was travelling in a taxi, and I was even able to recall how far we had gone on the road.

That particular day, I recalled, I had woken up to a very bright and beautiful morning, and since it was a Saturday, I was in a relaxed mood, after a long and busy week at work. I had no intention of going anywhere. I was not even willing to attend a wedding party to which we had been invited in our community. However, as I lazily turned in bed while listening to news, the announcements were read and I learnt of the death of a relative. Immediately, without much thought or discussion with my spouse, I decided I was going to attend the burial which was on the following day, Sunday. So I jumped out of bed and started to make some quick preparations to travel. When I went to the children’s room to inform my family about my abrupt decision to go away, it was all very clear that they were not amused. The eldest, who was about nine years old, was very quick to ask whether I really had to go. Little did I know then, that probably that could have been the last time I ever would see my children in this life.

Although I continued with my preparations to travel, I felt as though something was not right, but I could not tell what