You are currently browsing the category archive for the 'Journey to Mudjimba' category.
Tuiren motioned me to sit on the bench. I looked around the weaving shed – there were canvases and looms with tapestries both stitched and woven in various states of progress. Also hanging on the many hooks which lined the walls were large hessian bags with initials on each one. I looked at the tapestry which was directly in front of me, the one I had seen on entering. Tuiren smiled and shook her head, “This is not yours”, she said. She wandered over to the bags and selected one which had a J inscribed on it. She also picked up a canvas which had some indication of stitching upon it but with loose threads hanging. She brought both over to me and sat down beside me. She laid out the canvas on the table before us, looked at me and said,
“Well, what do you think?”
I sighed deeply already getting the significance of what she was showing me. I had come here expecting a completed piece of work but, of course, I am a work in progress so the tapestry would naturally reflect that. I looked to her and smiled saying,
“I understand. These stitches are the steps I have taken already…..the threads hanging are those steps I have yet to complete, the stories I have yet to finish, the words I have yet to speak.”
Tuiren handed me the hessian bag. I looked inside to find spools and hanks of different coloured yarns and threads.
“You are to take the canvas and the threads with you and as you continue through your life, record the steps, the words, the pictures. Are you disappointed?”
Surprisingly I was not and said so, “Actually no…after the experience of my first night here and how you explained that to me, I have a greater understanding of what the message of this particular journey is and it is basically this: I am in charge of my own destiny, hence there is no completed tapestry, no final picture or story, how could there be, I am still living my life and in that I continue to journey. I also am acutely aware that there are stories I want to tell to complete my own healing. The reticence I have felt in doing so is lifting. You are showing me, both with the adventure last night and this weaving shed that the connection/s I thought I had lost are still alive, they are where I left them when I stopped ‘stitching’ and all I have to do is to pick up those loose ends and continue where I left off. I have everything I need.”
Tuiren packed the canvas into the thread bag and handed them both to me. She then embraced me in a way that felt totally complete.
“Time for food”, she whispered as she let me go. We walked back to the cabin, the smells of cooking wafting down reminded me how hungry I was. I was feeling very calm and at peace with myself for the first time in a long while. It felt good. Katha dished up plates of herb rice with beautifully spiced vegetables whilst Danu poured the tea.
“There are many places for you to visit within Lemuria – do not be in a hurry to leave, tread the path that many before you have travelled, along the Soul Food Silk Road. I would recommend you visit White Owl Island first, followed perhaps by Ithika - you will find much to your liking I am certain.”
“Oh I will, thank you,” I replied. There was indeed so much within this domain that I wanted to explore and experience.
I remembered that at some point I was supposed to join with the other travellers to continue our journey up the Kerith. I had no idea where anyone else was or what they were up to but it felt like it wasn’t anything to worry about.
I awoke feeling disoriented and with a mouth that felt as though it were full of sand. As I came to I realised it was full of sand. I had been sleeping with my mouth wide open and part of the beach had drifted into it whilst I was oblivious. I stirred my body and stood up, shaking myself free of all the sand that had invaded every crease and crevice . Oh how I ached, my legs were so sore and the rest of me was faring little better. Hang on a minute, I am still on the beach! How come? I was led up a mountain last night, well a large tor at least. I saw the village. I saw the waterfall. I danced all night with the women and drank a fair amount of something deliciously and seemingly innocently fruity yet lethal! My head had the distinct feeling of not being securely attached to my shoulders. What a night that was. I am definitely in the midst of a hangover here and what’s more I have no recollection of returning to the beach. I slumped back down onto the sand. Everything was as I had arranged it before napping yesterday. Ti was fast asleep still, not that she was capable of telling me anything anyway. Oh my feet…they are so sore and blistered – I did not do that dreaming! I looked around me with great care, any swift turn of head could be disastrous resulting in my losing consciousness or so it felt. Nothing. Well no-one in sight. The beach was as it was, surrounded by lush green vegetation, lots of sand stretching some three miles or so before curving away from sight. Turning gingerly to look behind me I could see large hills in the not so far distance. This is all very peculiar. Memories from the day before were coming back. I was sure I had been told that I would sleep in the house of Katha and Danu today and when night came I would be taken by Tuiren to her weaving shed to see my tapestry. Perhaps it had all been a dream, I may have been sleep walking hence the blisters, but it was all so real.
I sat, there being nothing more I could do for the moment. I reached for my bag to get some water and fruit out. My mouth felt truly disgusting and I was very dehydrated. I drank most of the contents of the water bottle before thinking better of quaffing the lot. I ate an apple and a handful of berries. That would do for the time-being, I had no idea how long I would be on this island and had only bought sparse supplies. I wandered down to the sea to rinse myself before proceeding. I figured I had better start exploring as I was not going to work out what had or had not happened by just sitting here pondering. The sea water was wonderfully refreshing for my feet and legs, hopefully I would discover fresh water further inland where I could clean myself properly.
I gathered up my belongings, putting Ti back into my breast pocket and started on up the beach. Which way to go? I could see several openings in the vegetation and decided to pick a path at random. I had gone no more than a few feet when I could have sworn I heard whistling. I stopped. I listened. Nothing, save for birdsong and the sound of the sea. Sighing I started off again…there it was again! Oh for **********! I was not in the best of moods it has to be said.
I shouted hello. Nothing. I shouted again…..a whistle came in response. Honestly I could have cried with sheer frustration, why the games? Probably a “lesson” in there somewhere for me eh? Humph! I was not at all best pleased I can tell you. In fact I could feel my temper rising rather rapidly. I stopped. I looked all around me. I could see nothing but the vegetation which was very dense so it would have been unlikely that I would see anyone anyway. I sighed to myself. Might as well go on I guess. There was the whistling again. Right that was it! I screamed at whoever it was to show themselves or shut up. Honestly, yes, there were a few expletives in there. I am not proud. I could hear laughter, chuckling . Oh yes very funny. Here I am on an island with no means of getting off as far as I know, feeling like the wrong end of a donkey, lost, tired, frustrated and aching all over and all they can do is giggle at me. Very sisterly I don’t think. Ok, I say to myself, calm down now, breathe. I tried to calm myself as best I could, breathing deeply to try and relax. Underneath my anger there was fear. I had thought this island would be a gentle place with wise elder women on it who would teach me about my future, not a place of teasing wenches getting their laughs at my expense, that wasn’t the deal at all – I moped. Oh good grief I was actually moping, pet lip included! I had to groan at myself.
“Okay”, I yelled, “I get the message”.
Wolf whistles hit the air. First one, then another showed themselves. I knew I hadn’t been dreaming. There were Katha, Danu and Tuiren. They came up and hugged me hard. I had questions but now probably wasn’t the time.
They led me back to the beach and we walked along it towards the east. Nearing the point where it curved sharply around we veered off into the greenery again. There was a very definite path. It opened out into a clearing with huts, ordinary every-day huts. Nothing fancy just nice little wooden cabins. My brow furrowed, I was very confused.
“All will be explained”, remarked Tuiren. “Let’s get some food first”.
We headed towards one of the cabins. They really looked like the cabins you get in those quasi-rural holiday parks, sort of wooden prefabs with wooden window ledges and the sort of windows that children always draw, complete with tied-back curtains. We entered and the inside was a bit of a shock. The door opened into the main room which was very plush in the way it was furnished. Beautiful stone flooring with tapestry rugs in bright, bright colours. Two large deep blue sofas which looked like they would swallow you whole – of modern design but obviously built with comfort first and foremost in mind. These were set around a large fireplace that housed a cast-iron woodstove. The walls were covered in all sorts of artworks, large and small and there were massive bookshelves either side of the fireplace which must have housed hundreds of books. What a fabulous room. It was very warm and inviting, but was not at all what I had expected. We went through into the kitchen which had a fabulous butchers block table in its centre around which were four ladder-back chairs. Katha motioned for me to sit down in one of them. Tuiren sat opposite me whilst Katha and Danu made tea and some food.
“I can see by your face that you are a little perplexed”, smiled Tuiren.
“To say the least”, I replied, “I don’t understand”.
I was given a large mug of tea . “You drink that and I shall explain”, said Tuiren. “When women come here, it is often because they want to know what their future holds, or what lesson it is they need to learn, or what they need to do in order to proceed along their chosen path, or even to find out what that path is.”
“Indeed”, I nodded.
“In a way that is exactly what the tapestries are about, but before we take each one to see their tapestry we have to clear their heads of the romantic, idealised notions that they often carry with them. Is it not the case that what you encountered last night was exactly what you expected, or would have anticipated? That is a rhetorical question, it needs no answer. You expected to meet a community of women living an idealised life, in your case, one born out of romantic notions of the past. That is not to say that what you know and what you would like to see are not true but more that they are one dimensional. Everyone living in harmony, with communities of women who are the spiritual leaders and who guard the gateways. A world far removed from the reality of your modern day one.”
I was beginning to feel a little saddened.
“We took you on a journey last night to that very place. The one in your imagination, complete with the waterfall which we know you are aware was one of the gateways to the otherworld. We wanted you to experience your own imagination, your own connection to the distant past. Don’t misunderstand what I am saying. I am not telling you that what you see is not true, for it is, very much so, but it does not exist in your world any longer. Do you understand what it is that I am telling you.”
“I think so”, I said, “You are telling me to let go of the past?”
Tuiren smiled such a warm smile at me. “I am telling you that you cannot find that specific place in your world any longer, but that does not mean it does not exist. I know this is confusing for you, but you are in danger of spending many years exploring paths of which you already hold a great deal of knowledge, even though you may not be consciously aware of that fact. In time I think you will indeed be telling the stories of these places and these times, but there are other things you have to do first, that is all.”
I was beginning to understand what it was that she was telling me.
“I think what you are telling me is that what I am wanting to do is to start at the end, to start with the pure rather than getting my feet well and truly dirty by starting at the beginning with this life I am in. I need to do the groundwork.”
Again that smile. “Come with me”.
I follow her out of the kitchen door and into the garden at the rear of her cabin. We follow the path through the vegetable garden, the herb garden and the flowers to the shed at the end. She stops at the door and turns to me.
“I believe you have something for me?”
I grin and rifle through my bag. My hand alights on the coral gifted to me by the little boy. I hand it to Tuiren who literally glows with pleasure at the sight of it.
“Thank you. Come in.”
She leads me into the weaving shed and there before me is the tapestry.
“This is your tapestry”, she says. “Sit down and we shall discuss it”.
I walked up onto the beach, glancing over my shoulder for one last look at Gruff as he became a mere dot on the horizon. I sat down on the warm sand, Ti climbing out of my pocket to go sun herself.
So much had happened since I first arrived through the portal onto Rainbow Beach merely by taking one step after another and now here I was on Mudjimba. Even though I was so excited to be here I decided to take a nap as I was dog-tired and there was no-one around. I wanted to be refreshed before I set off to explore the island.
The next thing I knew I was surrounded by women chanting, their voices rich and sonorous, resonating deep within the earth. We were walking uphill – I looked up and saw that the incline we were on was almost vertical, I wasn’t sure my legs would hold up but as we were taking a circulatory route I hoped the climb would be gentler than it looked. We were surrounded by lush and verdant undergrowth, plants I had never seen before with the most wonderful brightly coloured leaves, some with spikes, some with flowers and others with what I assumed were fruits. It was as if each one were trying to outdo the other in their splendour. I was amazed they could grow so well from what appeared to be rock underfoot. It was difficult to take it all in, the women, the scents, at once earthy, yet spicy and fruity, the sounds of their singing, the bird calls, the insect noises and so much colour – a total assault on the senses. The women themselves were like the plant life in that they were many and varied in size, shape and hue although in terms of age they seemed to all be elderwomen. No-one was speaking, not to me, not to each other…there was only the singing and the sounds of nature all around us. In the distance I could hear the sea but closer to there was a roaring and whooshing that was clearly water and probably heralded a waterfall. I wondered if that was where we were heading.
On and on we went, round and round, up and up…the roaring getting louder and louder. To be perfectly honest I was getting a bit hacked off what with all the singing and no-one speaking to me but thought I had better keep my own counsel for the time-being, after all I had no idea what was in store for me. I didn’t have long to wait. We rounded a corner and came upon a large outcropping which overhung the path we were on almost obliterating the view ahead. I watched as the women in front of me slipped into single file and had to flatten themselves to the ground to get through the small gap left by the rock…I followed suit as did those now behind me, we were like a string of snakes sliding through, although I suspect nowhere near as graceful. No easy escape then should the need arise!
The waterfall was now before me, rising hundreds of feet into the sky – a magnificent sight. At the base of the fall was a large lake from which, in turn, flowed a stream that I could see now meandered down the hill we had just climbed. How odd that I had not noticed it on the way up, perhaps the plant life hid it. The lake itself was surrounded by steps of land reaching up into the rock face either side of the waterfall. Clearly these were cultivated in part, crops were visible on the far side of the lake. On this side were what I assumed were dwellings, their homes. There were many of them scattered over the meadow in front of me and on the steps behind. They were all of them round, somewhat like traditional hogans although nowhere near as big and looked to be woven from reeds or plants of some description, although I would have to get closer to be sure. They would each accommodate two people at most I would think and those closest to the falls were sheltered from the spray by shrubs which had obviously been planted deliberately for the purpose, the leaves of which were enormous and acted as natural umbrellas.
Everyone was now through the natural gateway, or slither-way as seemed a more apt description and we wound our way into the village. Still no-one spoke…this was becoming tedious, my impatience poking through my skin again – even in the midst of such an adventure I was still capable of being a pedant! I chuckled, raising my eyebrows at myself. As we approached a cluster of houses I could see there was a small group of half a dozen or so women sat together on small stool-like affairs, the welcoming committee perhaps? The singing gradually slowed to silence as we came close to these women, those around me receding leaving me standing alone in front of them. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do, bow, curtsey, genuflect…I had no idea, so I simply smiled. The women before me were older than those that had accompanied me who were nearer my own age I guessed, although it is never easy to tell and at this precise moment I felt to be a child of about seven, a little anxious and shuffling of feet! I wondered if these were perhaps the elders of the village, the old women from whom the island gets its name. They smiled back at me, standing now, peering into my eyes as just about everyone I had met so far had done so before them. They were certainly a mixed bunch, but it was obvious that theirs had been lives of hard work and learning, that much was clearly etched into their fabulous faces.
“You are mine”, so said the third one from the left. “My name is Tuiren, I am your weaver and tomorrow I will take you to your tapestry. Now it is time to welcome you. All is prepared, tonight we shall feast and make merry until the moon disappears and the sun returns. You will then rest, waking once the moon rises again into the sky when I shall take you to the weaving sheds. All here are friends so go and enjoy yourself. “
The women seated themselves again and a couple from the group that accompanied me on the climb took me by the hand, “We will show you where you are to stay”. I bowed my head to the elders, thanked them and turned to go with these women. “I am Kathla and this is Danu. You will share our home for this part of your stay – we will have great fun tonight.”
I clambered aboard with Gruff’s help – what a change had taken place in him, that which I had sensed underneath his stern exterior was now shining through and I do mean shining – he had a completeness to him that was not apparent before.
In my absence he had erected a makeshift screen for me to change behind – it seems he is a man who required proof of intent before affording any respect. I gratefully slipped behind the screen, peeled off the wetsuit which was as difficult, if not more so, as getting the thing on in the first place! This is not something I ever intended doing again. Whilst separating rubber from skin something fell out and dropped to the floor, I continued my struggle to peel, whatever it was could wait. Once clothed and comfortable again I stooped to pick up, well, what I thought at first look was a shell – Gruff appeared at my side:
“You are indeed honoured”.
I jumped – it was the first sound he had made and what a beautifully sonorous voice he had, such a shame he used it so sparingly. I turned the shell over and over in my hands, it had the iridescence of abolone but not the texture, this was pliable with an almost leathery quality.
“It is a scale – a gift from Triton”.
I looked to Gruff questioningly.
“A scale………..from his tail”.
I didn’t know what to say so remained quiet. I was hoping that once on the island I would have the time and space to meditate upon the gifts I had been given. For the moment though I had no ideas let alone answers – I was, after all, at the beginning of my journey.
Gruff set to and made for the island. I, for once in my life, was feeling relaxed and at peace, content to allow what was to be, be and not try to control or second guess events.
I put the scale in my bag. In doing so my hand fell upon the stone which the vendor women had given me. A voice in my head told me this was meant for Gruff, unsure why this was so I decided to go with my instinct and removed it from my bag.
It took no time at all to reach the island.
“I will be leaving you here”, that delicious voice again.
I felt a true pang of sadness on hearing this – I was quite sure this was an extraordinary man and I would have liked to get to know him better. With such mixed emotions, excitement and curiosity for the oncoming venture, disappointment at leaving this man behind, I picked up my bag and slung it over my shoulder. With the stone in my hand I approached Gruff. He clasped my hand in his conveying such warmth and such gentle strength I almost cried. There was that look again – all the people I had met so far had this way of looking right into me, or so it seemed, but with no discomfort on my part, in fact if felt perfectly natural. I held out my other hand to him, the stone laying in the palm, offering it to him. He looked at the stone and then up to my eyes again – I thought I saw tears in his eyes now – a huge smile spread across his face as he took the stone and held it firstly to his chest and then to his brow. I felt an inkling of understanding pass through me……..connection!
Time to go. I looked at him, smiled and stepped out of his boat into the shallow waters. I stopped once to look over my shoulder and wave to him then continued to walk slowly up to the empty beach.
As I was about to leave the boat memories surfaced of being about eleven years old and going often to our local outdoor swimming pool. I used to love to climb to the top diving board – walk out to the very edge and launch myself – jumping not diving – hitting the water at goodness knows what speed, only to surface, climb out and repeat the procedure over and over again. No fear whatever!
Encouraged by the smile those memories brought me I took a leap from the boat entering the water with a thundering crash, no slow, elegant descent for this child/woman – oh no!
I flailed around at first, trying to acclimatise myself, my breathing somewhat staccato – aqualungs take a bit of getting used to. The waters enveloped me and I began to be calmed by them, a rather pleasant sensation creeping thoughout my body as if coming back to life. I floated, splashed a little, playing in the water, allowing myself to totally enjoy the experience.
Coming out of my self- absorbtion I began to see all the glorious colours of the life around me, the various fish, the corals, things I had no name for – so beautiful. I swam gently on taking in the sights surrounding me and counting my blessings, wondering how many folk were given the opportunity of an experience such as this.
What had been a flatish surface below me began to change as I swam on, undulating and become very rocky, more and more so giving out onto an opening to further depths. My intuition told me I was to follow the rocks, using them to feel my way down. The water became much cooler and murky, the fish and other creatures were still present but not quite as visible. A moment of fear struck me, I clung to the rocks. Something was at my hand, winding itself around my wrist and pulling – what on earth!!! I tried to stop it, tugging away, but it was too strong and this environment so alien to me, I had no purchase so as this thing pulled I went with it. Down we went, deeper and deeper. I started to worry about air – did I have enough? Our direction changed, we were moving forward, I could see ahead what appeared to be an opening, a much darker chunk of dark! We entered. Twisting and turning it seemed to be a tunnel and although I was scared I was also aware of enjoying the sensation of floating along, feeling like a fish, my body rhythmically bending and flowing through the water by the pull of this creature.
We rounded a corner and the tunnel opened out into a much lighter area. I could now see that it was some kind of eel which had hold of my wrist. It dragged me forwards through a mini-forest of seaweed-type growth – again that delicious flowing/floating sensation. We cleared the dense growth coming into a clearing and there, ahead of me, was – well – a creature. This creature:
I assumed he was the Triton of whom Gruff had spoken. I must admit I was more than a little in awe at the sight of him. He signalled me to come closer. I felt like Little Red Riding Hood approaching the wolf – “what big teeth you have”; “what RED (?) eyes you have” – I was terrified, certain this was it, my last day.
As I approached he held out his hands to me. I wasn’t sure what he wanted but raised mine to meet his. He took my hands in his and looked into me as if reading me. My fear dissipated. I actually felt safe. He drew me closer……closer still. He hugged me!!
“You are ready”. These words I heard distinctly yet he had not spoken.
“You are ready, go now on to Mudjimba, you have all that you need”.
He released me, whilst still looking at me with such intensity he seemed to just dissolve into the waters. He was gone.
The eel returned, circling me then veering off towards the surface. I guessed I was to follow. I swam up and up, the eel leaving once the sunlight could be seen through the waters.
I surfaced, right beside the boat – how odd, and there was Gruff waiting for me, hand outstretched to help me aboard – with a big smile on his face!
The sound of the water lapping at the boats soothed the anxiety that was threatening. It had been a very long time since I had ventured so far from home. I gazed at the many and varied crafts, some shabby, some beautifully maintained, others somewhere in-between. How would I know which one to choose? Perhaps it would choose me. I decided to simply walk, one foot in front of the other and let my senses direct me to my allotted craft and captain.
Breathing in the wonderfully salty air cleansed me and bought a feeling of immediate tranquility and being centred. A face appeared before me – old and incredibly weathered – trustworthy . The critic in me whispered “and clichéd” into my mind. Pah!. I looked up. Nobody there. I continued on. I felt Ti stir in my pocket, the movement a comforting reminder that I was not alone.
OH! I tripped clumsily on a hank of rope – my fall was halted by the grip of a strong arm. The arm belonged to the captain – there was that face!
I began to introduce myself but he cut me off telling me it was not necessary as he knew who I was.
“Follow me” he said.
His manner was such that it was obvious he would brook no argument so I trudged along behind him – all lightness and serenity having disappeared in an instant. Back to grounded reality then! Ti was now awake, her head poking out of my pocket catching food from the air. I usually trust her instinct so if she were relaxed enough to be feeding then this man was probably ok. I will admit to feeling somewhat intimidated.
Good grief – he had stopped at the most run-down, un-seaworthy-looking boat in the harbour. His eyes shot me a look that forbade any comment whatsoever. My heart sank – I prayed the boat would not. Clambering aboard, I went and sat where he pointed. Great – no chat here either. ‘Was my whole journey to be conducted in silence?’ I wondered. Oh well, so be it. I did feel rather uncomfortable, without the usual social niceties I wasn’t sure how to behave – it feels a little like being naked in an inappropriate situation. I shuddered, my skin prickled, I was deeply self-conscious. My mind wandered …..it is odd how one becomes self-conscious when being ignored – I suppose it is that we can’t leak into another and share ourselves …..
“Triton”, he suddenly said – well shouted – interrupting my meandering train of thought.
“Um, s’cuse me?” I stammered.
The look on his face could not have been plainer, the rolling eyes gave clear expression to his exasperation.
“For me to take you to Mudjimba you have to visit with Triton”, he explained, “We are nearing the chasm, you need this.”
He threw a wetsuit at me.
“Oh lord – I have to swim?”
“You have to dive!” he retorted and pointed to an aqualung which I had managed not to notice.
‘What the hell am I doing?’ I thought, quickly followed by ‘well no choice, I think even if I wanted to, this man would not turn back’.
“Where do I change?” I feebly asked. He just stared at me, it was plain to see there was no-where but right where I was – no nice little private cabin – this craft was little more than a rowboat. I groaned. Oh well nowt else for it…..I started to undress bit by bit trying to climb into the wetsuit as I went so only the smallest amount of flesh was on view at any given time. Excruciating! ‘When did we humans begin to be so uncomfortable in our own skins……..’, my mind was wandering off again.
“Oh blast”, I muttered or something close to that. I threw caution to the wind and disrobed. Wetsuits are not easy – I struggled and contorted but managed to get it on, hurrah.
Gruff – this is what I named the captain in my head, helped me on with the aqualung and showed me how to use it. For someone so stern of face and manner there was a true gentility within him.
Ok, so this is it. I am equipped. It is time to enter the water……….
Making my way to the docks I came across another vendor on the quayside – completely separated from the main markets of the town. She did not raise her head nor utter a sound yet I felt undeniably drawn to her. I trusted my sensing and approached her stall.
There was a very definite aura to this woman and her stall – almost tangible. As I drew closer I could feel myself surrounded by it – a truly divine sensation. She looked up and held me with her gaze for what felt like an age yet was, in fact, a matter of moments. On her stall was a display of stones – some of the earth, some of the sea, some rough, some smooth, some plain, some run through with colour or quartz. How I knew I do not understand for she said nothing, but I was aware that she wanted the stone in my pocket – the one I had brought from home. I had no hesitation whatever in giving it to her, so I held it out in the palm of my hand. She gently reached out and took it from me barely brushing my skin as she did so, yet as she did I experienced myself filled with the most exquisite sense of joy and peace. She placed the stone in a pouch which hung at her neck. Spreading her hands out over the stones on her stall she invited me to choose one in return.
Looking at them, I had no idea which one to pick. I closed my eyes. In my mind’s eye I could quite clearly see one of the sea stones glowing – this most definitely was the stone meant for me.
I thanked her with a bow of my head and a smile – not a word had passed between us. I felt the aura lift as I turned to proceed to the docks. As I approached the boats the vendor’s eyes appeared in my mind.
“How strange,” I thought to myself, “her eyes have the same intensity and feel of those of the young boy I met on the beach path”. I let the thought pass through my mind and go – I wanted to press on.
Ahead I could see a group of boats all colours, shapes and sizes……how would I know which one was ‘mine’?
I made my way through the open door, following the twisting corridor that led quite suddenly into open land. Before me lay the most fantastic array of people and goods – the sellers all had blankets on the ground upon which their produce was arranged.
This sketch is an approximation, I could not possible have included all the traders and the buyers as there would be nothing to see except backs and heads! It was incredibly busy. I edged my way through stopping to buy some fresh water, fruit and bread. I hoped the supplies I had would last me until I reached Mudjimba.
In the distance I could see a gathering, intuition told me these people were my fellow travellers…which meant that I would now have to join the Pageant that L’Enchanteur had organised and give my presentation. I gulped hard. Another personal hurdle. As I made my way to them I could feel myself becoming more and more excited. How lovely, I had anticipated being nervous but this was not that…this was, well, delight!
As I approached, several women turned and greeted me warmly as you would a long lost friend. I felt immediately at home with them and knew everything was more than fine.
I watched many of them perform, dancing, reciting, showing a film or two, then it was my turn. I had brought with me a piece of poetry that I love and which really speaks to me. It was this I wished to share plus a small sketch to go with my reading..I offer them both to you.
This is an excerpt from The Black Book of Carmarthen:
I am the wind that breathes upon the sea,
I am the wave on the ocean,
I am the murmur of leaves rustling,
I am the rays of the sun,
I am the beam of the moon and stars,
I am the power of trees growing,
I am the bud breaking into blossom,
I am the movement of the salmon swimming,
I am the courage of the wild boar fighting,
I am the speed of the stag running,
I am the strength of the ox pulling the plow,
I am the size of the mighty oak,
And I am the thoughts of all people,
Who praise my beauty and grace.
Thank you.
I took out some cloth I had in my bag and wrapped the coral carefully, padding it for safety. I packed it gently into my bag – time to move on.
On leaving the Beach and those strange children behind me, I wandered up the tree-lined avenue to my right. It was a very long walk but eventually I could see before me what looked like a doorway.
There wasn’t a sound, save for the rustling of the trees and the waves in the distance. I carried on and came into a circular entrance-way.
I assumed the small doorway would lead to the Market Square. I could now hear many sounds – talking, laughing, shouting, even someone singing, but took time to look at the walls which were now faded, but still visible were remnants of much symbolic decoration. However the light from the doorway beckoned me on.
I walked through entering into the Market Square. Wow, colours assailed my eyes, there was colour everywhere – stunning! Many doorways lined what I assumed was the main square in this covered part of the market. I could hear much bartering going on within those walls.
I wasn’t sure at this point whether to explore each and every door. Ti whispered that I had spent an awfully long time at Rainbow Beach already and perhaps it would be a good idea to go to the open part of the market, buy the supplies I needed and proceed to the Pageant and although my curiosity was biting me, I agreed.
On the pathway up from the beach I come upon some children at play. One child stops and looks at me with an intensity which takes me by surprise, he is so very young.
“Where are you going?”, he asks.
“I am on my way to begin a voyage”, I reply.
“Where are you going?”, he repeats.
“I am going to the market for supplies and then I am to find a boat”, I respond.
“It will be an interesting journey”, he says.
“Indeed”, say I smiling broadly.
He is staring hard at me. Looking straight into my eyes…I feel a little uncomfortable.
“What have you lost?”, he asks.
I am taken aback.
“Um, nothing as far as I am aware”, say I.
“Okay”, says he and turns back to his playmates.
“How odd”, I think to myself as I walk on. I have gone only a few feet when he calls, “Hold on”…….he comes running up to me.
“You may need this” he says grinning and hands me a piece of the most delicate red coral.
“Have fun” he laughs as he runs off returning to play.
Recent Comments