with Lawrence The Penpusher Moyo
Zikomo munkomboni. Our bush recreation facilities will always be etched at the back of our minds.
We still remember Madwala, Mapoki, Kwajolo, Kambuwisa, Damu Orange, Kapanza, to name but a
few.
These facilities kept us busy in the bush oblivious of the dangers of the facilities. God protected us
from the dangers. Imagine sliding down the Kampanza hill on our buttocks without sharp objects
prickling our behinds or fronts.
The sliding game was really adventurous. Those at No2 would slide down a coal pile which was
kuMatroko. By the end of the game the shorts were filthy black hence inviting the full wrath of our
parents. Kambuwisa was the place where we flexed our muscles by engaging in fights to settle our
scores.
The fighters were eventually tainted with white soils hence the name Kambuwisa. In the same vein
those who swam in Damu Orange turned out orange after assuming the colour of the water in the
dam. We still enjoyed the change of colour despite the dangers associated with that.
We lived our lives to the fullest. Death was common among the elderly but happened once in a blue
moon. The death of a person in the community was emotionally devastating and brought most
activities to a standstill. A dark cloud hovered above the compound which was emotionally laden
with the devastating news.
All children were evacuated from the house where the funeral wake was. No radio was played in the
vicinity. Boys and girls sat down at the sight of a funeral procession .Indeed a funeral was accorded
the utmost respect that it deserved.
Most if not all of us went out to these bush expeditions wearing shorts that had patches at the back
(magamba). Nobody laughed at those wearing magamba. I don’t know if we were poverty stricken
or not, but we were all at the same level. We were not even ashamed to show our headlights to
girls. By the way magamba at the back of shorts were dubbed malayiti or headlights.
Life in the bush was very enjoyable. We spent the greater part of the day in the bush than
munkomboni. We were the opposite of contemporary children who spend more time indoors than
outdoors. I wonder how many children can swim today. Once a Mubhoni always a Mubhoni. Zikomo
musale bwino.
