Sharpening a spear before battle
Spira Tlhankane | Friday September 1, 2017 14:12
It is a three-year-old durable masterpiece made from a gourd plant. Originally it is brown, light in weight but can be heavier during action once the enemy has been captured. It is not intended for throwing like other spears, but it is a trusted spear designed for a close combat.
Although it is bound to suffer a few damages over time, I do not need a craftsperson to maintain it because it is easy to service. All this time I had to keep it in a dry place after washing and normally it should not be kept in water for a very long time.
This weapon can only be wielded with either one hand or two therefore with both hands in good health I am ready for one on one combat with my bittersweet enemy. My spear is the most valuable piece in my collection and it is none other than the African calabash also known as phafana in Setswana language.
It has stood the test of time and the last time it was in action was earlier this year during Son Of The Soil cultural festival. The same way any warrior sharpens his spear before any battle, I now have to soak the phafana in hot water and use chewing gum to fill the holes and cracks.
Craftspeople made the phafana by removing the juices and seeds inside the gourd fruits. From there they would place them in the sun to dry up. After some time when they have dried up, the green colour will slowly fade as the hardness sets in. That is exactly what makes the calabash durable and I am certain of victory against my enemy this coming Saturday.
Speaking of my enemy, he is unlike any other opponent and history has shown that an army is needed to defeat just one pot of bojalwa jwa Setswana. Usually men would sit around the Kgotla during Dikgafela ceremony with one mission, to conquer what is in front of them. I have had an encounter with bojalwa jwa Setswana or traditional beer before and it has made me the warrior I am today.
The liquid of magic or maswe a dinala, as some would love to call it, has always played an integral part in our culture. I had once heard an old man passionately describing the beer as ‘kgarebe e tshetlha se ledisa bannabagolo’. Bojalwa jwa Setswana is made from sorghum or mabele and it is regarded as the biggest harvest hence the Setswana saying ‘mabele mabelega batho’. With Dikgafela ceremony on the menu, I know that drinking bojalwa jwa Setswana has become a sanctified occasion.
In addition, it is only at Dikgafela where I could be afforded such an opportunity to share a beer with Dikgosi and the grey heads. A brave warrior gets excited when he arrives in the battle arena and I am perfectly sure that my anticipation will grow when I set my eyes on bojalwa jwa Setswana container sparkling with beer head or the frothy foam that forms on top of beer.
My phafana is ready like a polished diamond and as my enemy approaches on Saturday, I know I have to put it to good use. Despite modernisation’s advent of firearms like plastic bottles and disposable cups, I will stick to my spear.