NOSTALGIA!

Let’s take a walk down memory lane to the good old days, savor the richness of smells when the rains hit the thirsty soils, the aura of fragrances when green clothes the fields up to the horizons, the tranquility of the hills and plains in the backdrop, where my friends and I would slide down on my father’s wooden Coca-Cola crate. Take a trip down memory lane on the many ‘mtungis’ we took from mama’s store and cut the top off and tow each other along the forest paths, lets have a dip in the cool springs and crystal clear rivers next to my grandfather’s arrow root farm. Welcome down this exciting life where herding tauguht us greater lessons than books will ever do, not that education is lesser, but life’s teachings are incomparable. Let’s play hide and seek in grandpa’s farm and race each other up trees like young monkeys, not that am getting racist, but in that race, the last at the tail had to be called the monkey face.

Welcome all and sit round the night fire and join grandpa in his tales of the Mau Mau war, how our war heroes outwitted the white man, join in his tales of his fight in Burma, the betrayals and sell outs and learn the greatest lesson arithmetic will never teach you, that blood is thicker than water. The tales of giants and ogres who ate disobedient children, idle boys and girls and the old witch who tricked lazy and naughty children and learn the greatest lessons  that early schooling never taught you; bonds, limits and hard work were the cord that held society together.

Not that early schooling is bad but who will teach our kids how to set bird traps, how to catch grasshoppers, skip the ropes, know the meaning of all work with no play, makes Jack a dull boy. Not that early schooling is bad, but who wouldn’t die to re- live these memories that our kids are missing and only hear in stories. Who will tell them tales of the greedy hyena and the clever hare, of the great blacksmith who went into far lands to cast his ore leaving behind his heavily pregnant young wife to the delight of one ugly one- eyed ogre, who will show the young girls how to make flower necklaces and chase after butterflies in the fields.

Who will teach the young boys to handle themselves like the courageous great men they are, harden them to fall, rise up and dust themselves and put on a big smile of bravery? Not that early schooling is bad, but other things matter the most when their time comes knocking. Let kids be kids. Nostalgia!

by Githinji Kiiru.