This one guy, we'll call him Marcus, got this girl pregnant, we'll call her Jane. Now Marcus and Jane have liked each other for a while but there was a hevi (pronounced heavy, think feud) between their families that had just gotten settled and their families didn't want to dig that up again so forbade their marriage. Jane was supposed to marry someone in another village, her going there in order to balance another marriage where the girl would come to this village in marriage. But she didn't want to go to the other village, so when she was offered betelnut (think.... chewing tobacco, but red and with lime, like lime you scrub the tub with) that came from Marcus (betelnut from a man? Probably has a spell on it. Think daterape.) So then she got pregnant. Now Marcus needs to buck up and take responsibility but he won't there's going to be a meeting of the families.
So:
Martha wants to know whats going to happen there but can't be there herself without changing the tone. So she sends me. Because "I'm a stupid waitmeri (white woman) who doesn't know what's going on anyway." Turns out... they were right.
It was supposed to be on my side of the village so Jacob and I went to take a nap thinking we would hear it. Well, it was on the other side of the village so when I wake and hear a distant commotion I go to check it out. It was at Fibi's house and there was a mess of people hollering and pushing and going on. Before I get too close I see Martha walking her dog back to her house. I ask her if this was the fight. (I know, stupid question) But she was so hot about the events she said nothing and kept walking. I, following my previous instructions, go and sit under the roof where I'm normally welcome at Fibi's hourse, trying to figure out what's going on. When Marcus, in a bloodlust, begins to strike the low roof, behind which I am sitting, with a machete and begins to work himself down the length of the roof, toward where I entered striking it all the way. It was now too late for me to remove myself from the setting. I try to decide if I was safer alone or mixed in with the crowd. And quickly made my way toward Fibi, who I thought would instruct me. In retrospect, everyone was so consumed by the happenings I don't think anyone noticed I was there. Beside me was a ladder up to the house. But I didn't think I was allowed up there. A cultural faux pas. In the future, I promise, I will chance a cultural faux pas before chancing physical harm. Marcus turns around the roof, coming in where I had, swinging his machete back and forth in blind rage. He got to where was I and try as I might to sink into the background I was smack solidly with the flat of the machete across my inner thigh. He kept walking. I was shocked! I mean, I was a white woman. Which is kind of a deal. Furthermore, I was a guest to their village and if I had bled! Shame upon shame! But he was so blind with rage he didn't care about anything. And neither should have I. I should have climbed the ladder.
When he had passed and the thundering of blood and adrenaline had cleared my ears, I began to hear Martha screaming. Doubled over at the waist, screaming my name. I rush to her and she was belhat (think enraged, a fire in her belly was burning hot with a fury).
"Couldn't you hear me!" she demanded.
"No ma'am! I couldn't hear anything!" Luckily we're both from Georgia and she didn't take my ma'am-ing as an insult but rather submission and obedience like I meant it.
We walked her dog for a while more as she calmed herself. And I told her I got hit. She was ... displeased.
Walking back, we past Marcus, stalking back to his house.
"Is God in your heart or Satan?!" Martha scolded him.
"Satan!" he spit back, without breaking stride.
Later Jacob woke from his nap and walked into Martha's house where I was wokim bilum (making a bag).
"Hi, honey! I got hit with a machete!"
"... what?"
Jacob looked at Martha who glared at the situation.
He groaned as he sat to listen to the story as I have told it here.
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