Oganihu Village

We have waited for a century for them to bless our village. Every year we feed the three wisdoms, and in return they protect our village. They bring us protection, peace and wealth to our land. They used to visit us all the time. My Grandmother told me the story of when she was a little girl and she saw the wisdoms. Once My people realized we would no longer see the wisdoms, Priestess Reyna held a challenge to fulfill the task to get them back. For a decade we have went to the mountains to get to our old village Ihunanya is where we started, the love village. Where the statue of our Great Mother Oyo sits between the rivers, her statue and a wall split the waters so we could live with flowing water. One day when it stormed, it shook the mountains. When the storm slowed down they seen them in the sky the tyto, the horned and mountain owl was in a circle above Oyo and flew in circles. Father Esteban watched the three wisdoms with weary and listening eyes. He called our people and said that we needed to go, to carry as much as we can and grab our animals and go. When night fell we headed down the mountains. It was a long night our people were tired, Mothers carrying children, Fathers pulling their horses. When our people finally made it to bottom they heard a loud boom and water flooded down the mountains. My people were at the bottom and satisfied we did not endure the damage. My people started a new village, they made a barn for the animals and homes for our families. Father Esteban named our new home Oganihu Village. The wisdoms came and visited our village and many years went by until they no longer visited. This year unbeknownst to my Father, I will go and do the trial. When the morning rose I got up and got dressed. I ran to the and listened to Priestess Reyna

“Welcome Family, today is the day we bring our savior the wisdoms to nourish them as we have done before, to praise them, to thank them for saving our lineage many years ago. Let us give thanks and food to place at the feet of the Great Mother Oyo for sending the wisdoms. Let us show our love and appreciation!! LET US BEGIN!!”

Everyone cheered, the crowd dispersed and the select few that Priestess Reyna selected to go on the journey with baskets of food and water to take up to the mountain. Nahir, Brisk, Anairis and Leila were lined up getting the instructions. I pulled my cloak over my head and tried to scurry past the crowd.

“Yaola Where might you be going?” Priestess Reyna called after me I whipped around to see Priestess Reyna looking down at me

“Priestess Reyna! It is great to see you this morning I wasn’t going anywhere just to congratulate your chosen few and bring my father fruit and bread” I said to her

“Mhm Yaola I know you I have known you since you were no taller than a baby calf, You have always wanted to join the wisdom journey but you are too small and too young and you are all your father has left he would never forgive if I chose you” Reyna said

“but Priestess I am older I can make it!” I exclaimed

“No Jedidiah take Yaola back to her home please” Priestess Reyna said

Jedidiah nodded and yanked me away, guiding me with his hand behind my back to my father's home, we got up to the door. Jedidiah knocked. My father slowly opened the door with a knowing smile.

“Jedidiah what brings you here?” My father said

“Uncle Otonga, your daughter enthusiastically wants to join the journey, Priestess Reyna told me to bring her back” Jedidiah said

“Ah Yaola come inside Thank You for being her here! Let Great Mother Oyo Bless You! Good Day!” My father said

My father shut the door behind him as he waved to Jedidiah and watched him walk away. My father turned around and looked at me

“Yaola you can’t keep doing this, You have to be chosen you cannot just pop and go, Okay my love?”

I nodded. My father smiled and sighed; you could see the look of worry on his face.

“Come on my beautiful daughter. We will go and watch them off together.” We grabbed our stuff, headed out the door and went to the center of the village. We watched as Priestess Reyna gave the prayer

“This is for years to come for Mother Oyo for sending the wisdoms to watch over us I send off our strongest and willful to bring the wisdoms nourishments we look out for them as they have looked out for us. Go on your journey, Let Oyo be with you and protect you on this journey.” Priestess Reyna said

Everyone lit there lanterns and watched as the four headed out into the mountains. Everyone dispersed. Two nights went by and they came back, everyone cheered and was happy they made it back safely. Another night went by and we waited for the wisdoms to return, as everyone went back to their homes, I packed a bag and grabbed as much food and water I could carry. I snuck downstairs went out of the door and headed up to the mountains. It was a long night, I walked until I got tired I laid upon a tree, I drank a little water and drifted off to sleep.

“Hello?” It was just darkness a light lit up behind me I turned around and walked towards it, I reached for the little green ball of light, the light moved bouncing up and down playing and dancing with me. The entire area lit up, trees manifested that looked entirely made of gold. “Welcome” When I turned around it was a beautiful tall woman behind me, she had cloth that was gold and orange wrapped around her body.

“My name is Aja, you are out here against your peoples wishes, Yes?” Aja said

“Yes I feel I am ready” I said to her

She smirked peering down at my face “So willful, you brought little food and water then the ones before you.”

“I …. I know I brought what I could carry.” I said to her sheepishly

“Look between the grass of my sister, where the water flows and rocks fell, follow the hidden path” Aja said

“Excuse me?” I woke up startled by a leaf that fell down on my face I looked up at the sky the stars were shifting it was almost daylight. I got up and started walking up the mountains. It was daylight and I finally made to our old village. I walked around admiring the homes we left behind, I walked in front of the statue of Great Mother Oyo, I stood there admiring the details of her face. I seen the food and water placed at her feet, I walked around looking for the path that Aja was talking about I followed the wall of the dam and touched the broken pieces of the dam. All morning I could not find anything. I sat down and took a break, I got back and decided to look again next to her statue, my foot fell into the water I stepped onto a broken piece of the dam next to Oyo’s statue. I sat back down next to the statue, I screamed “WHY AM I EVEN HERE!!” tears falling down my face, I picked up the rock and threw at the back of the statue. I heard a scraping noise and when I looked a door opened. I walked down the stairs, step by step the further I got down the room lit up and I got the bottom of the stair it was a vast room, the walls had intricate designs symbols and people the Great Mothers were all There Oyo and Aja, there was an altar in the center of the room. I looked at the altar it was made of many colors; red, orange and green. I dropped to my knees and cried again “I really don’t know why I am here there is a abundance of food and water, they were stronger and more capable. I love my people, my home, my village, and my family. I just want to do more.” I placed the food I brought onto the altar. I sat next to the altar and fell asleep. When I woke up it was nightfall, I got up and walked back up the stairs. When I got out the door closed behind me, I turned around and headed back down the mountain this time determined not to stop. I looked up at the stars and it was four hours to morning, I looked down and I could see the barn. I picked up the pace, I headed home. When I opened the door my father was sitting there in the darkness.

“YAOLA! Where were I was concerned!!” He embraced me in a hug and studied me head to toe, he noticed the dirt and mud on my feet. “You went up the mountain! You could have gotten sick!! You could have died!!” My father dropped his face and sighed. “I am more than ecstatic that you are in good health. Now go get some sleep!”

I left my father in our living room, I headed up the stairs and went for my room and laid in my bed. I didn’t sleep for long, the sun was peering down in my face and the roosters woke me up, I got up and went downstairs. I watched my father in the kitchen making breakfast I sat down and ate.

“Are you okay?” My father said and I nodded

“Please do not do that again I was worried after you. You are all that is left of us, this family, of me, of your Mother” He kissed my forehead, I put my plate in the basin and left out the door. I walked to the head of the village, everyone was talking.

“There you are! Your father was worried and thought you got yourself killed, You have been gone for days” Priestess Reyna said

“Yes I did not mean to worry him.” I said “

“I know you went up the mountain and it is good you are safe now but there is a reason we do not send everyone up there.” Priestess Reyna said anxiously I nodded.

Everyone got ready for the big feast, we sat and ate; the elders drank and danced. Once everyone’s bellies were full we headed home. I got to the door opened it went upstairs, headed for my room, I walked over to my bed and laid, I pulled the blankets over my body.

HOOT HOOT

My eyes lit up, I ran downstairs everyone turned on their lanterns. Everyone was running out of their homes and towards the barn. The wisdoms were on the barn peering down at us. I pushed my way through the crowd, I stood in front of everyone.

HOOT HOOT

The horned owl flew down to me and then the other two followed behind it. I stuck my hand out and it let me pet them, everyone was amazed and shocked. The wisdoms flew back into the sky flying above our heads and went back onto the barn. My people laughed and cried tears of joy, they danced and rejoiced. That the wisdoms came and blessed our village again.