The story of Ndondondume a'mbenga'a maliwa (The monster/creature from down the sea)

[There are several versions of this story. This is the version told by the elders in Zhopho Mokongo (Great Soppo), Buea]

Narrated by Mola Lyombe Eko

There was a very pretty girl, Molonga. Her skin was like burnished ebony, her eyes, long neck, and walk reminded everyone of a graceful antelope. The news of her stunning beauty was spread far and wide by the birds. Suitors came from all the Mokpe villages from Mwangai to Mokunda, from Wonadikombo to Wonakanda. She had one defect, she was proud. She refused to marry any of the men who wanted her hand in marriage. No one was good enough for her.

The story soon reached the sea. Ndondondume, the sea monster, was ugly, had tentacles, and a very rough skin. He decided to woo Molonga and eat her for his dinner. He borrowed the smooth, beautiful skin of a fish called "mwau." He also borrowed some beautiful feathers from birds.

One day, out of the blue, he landed in the center of the village, he dazzled everyone with his appearance, and his tales of wealth and beauty in his "home." The village maiden fell for him. After the wedding, he did not consumate the marriage. He would quickly undress in the dark, hop in bed and say he was not feeling well. He did not want to be touched. Everytime his wife asked him why he was so secretive, and didn't want the light on in the bedroom, he had one excuse or another. The fact is that he was planning to swallow the girl after he had finished digesting his last prey.

After a few days, Mwau, whose skin had been borrowed by Ndondondume, sent some birds to ask Ndondondume to return his skin. Ndondondume ignored them. They shouted:

ndondondume o'sza wea
Mwau ah mo'mongbe 'ekowo yeni
(Ndondondume, don't you hear, Mwau says you should return his skin).

When the girl heard this demand over and over from the birds sitting on the tree near her house, she sensed trouble. On the night Ndondondume had planned to swallow her, she quickly lit an "etulukangi" (bush lamp) and rushed into the room. She saw that Ndondondume was a huge, ugly monster with many tentacles. She ran out of the house singing:

Koti, koti, na mo whangi'eh aye'e"
Ndondondum'a Mbenga maliwa' eh aye'e
(I completely disown him, Ndondondume, monster of the sea).

Na mekpeva!!!
(There were claps of thunder as Ndondondume escaped back into the sea).

The village came out and chased Ndondondume back to the sea.

Notes:
• There are several versions of this story. This is the version told by the elders in Zhopho Mokongo (Great Soppo).
• Mekeva is the plural of Mokeva (thunder). You may recognize this word as the same as the anglicized "Mokeba" (thunder). In Mokpe when there is thunder, we say, we say, Lowa li kewa or keva. Literally, God is belching. Li keva (to belch).

Fakonet 2001

Comments

[Peter Ashu]

Guys,

Well done. A most impressive effort. Keep up the good work.

[Dibussi Tande]

It is worth pointing out that the goal of this story in Bakweri folklore was to explain/justify why parents/elders selected spouses for their children rather than let the children make that choice themselves.

[Emil Mondoa]

An alternative explanation has been offered for the purpose of this story:

a cautionary tale about the danger of thoughtlessly embracing strange, new flashy things and abandoning the old and familiar. Inside that all that flash, a monster could be lurking!

This is a classical Bakweri male story, if we follow Ardener's thinking ( http://www.bakweri.org/2004/03/man_mouse_ape_a.html ). It is conservative and protects the known from the unknown.

[namondo]

i like this story.my mum told me this one while i was growning up.itz fatastic.

[Ethel Mojoko]

It is refreshing to find this site. To know that Mokpwe people are making a conscious effort to keep our traditions alive brings me great joy. As a bakweri child, I have spent a good portion of my life in the US but I was fortunate enough to have grown up in Buea and Limbe. I unfortunately fear that Mokpe culture is slowly dying. I would LOVE to share mokpwe traditions with my children in the future as my grandparents, the late Emmanuel Mbonde Njie and Chistina Ewenye Molua, did with me. My family still makes a conscious effort to remind us young ones of where we came from but I fear, others not as fortunate as myself may be deprived of such a rich culture. More and more of our folklores and cultural practicesare lost from generation to generation partially due to assimilation and grossly to the failure of our elders to share some of what their parents and grandparents instilled in them. Written documentation of these folklores are very important for Bakweri youth, especially those removed from Fako. For example ( I may not remember this correctly) the story behind the name Liengu of beautiful Bakweri women..., told to me by the current Mayor of Buea, Mr. Mbella Moki Charles. Or stories relating to the meaning of our names that may sometimes be lost in translation. The name Mojoko (which I proudly carry), to my understanding, means "the protected one." Unfortunately uncovering this meaning took a great deal of research and diligence, and even so I'm not quite sure if this is the true meaning. To keep this short (joke :-)), there are many youth who would LOVE to learn more about the Bakweri culture, both Fako and non-Fako natives, but the avenues to nourish these interests are limited. Personally I wouldn't mind sharing the little I know of the rich and intriguing mokpwe culture, If provided the opportunity. Accidentally stumbling on this website has been very refreshing and I thank the founders, Editors, and Upkeepers of this website...I look forward to its continued growth.

Sincerely,
Ethel Mojoko
A proud Daughter of Fako