Chief Wong-heer and the villagers.
It was long time ago, about 1600 years before the White Men and Arabs found their way to Africa.
In a small village of Rumbek, amongst the Dinka in the Ancient Sudan ,legends and myths abound, lived a great chief called Wong-heer. He was greatly respected and well feared in all the neighboring villages. Wong-heer was a great warrior and a hunter before he took over from his father, Great King Malaul Thon. When the time came for him to marry, his aged mother brought a girl, Yar from one of the neighboring villages, Yirol, and Wong-heer got married to her.
One year passed and no sign of pregnancy, Yar hasn't taken in. "My son, is it not time for you to choose another wife since the one with you has not taken in?" Queen mother Aluel asked her son.
"No mama, my marriage with Yar is still early and besides, we are still waiting for the favor of 'Mayual', I know that he will remember us one day; we just need to be patient" Wong-heer told her mother.
"So I should be patient with your wife?" Queen mother Aluel asked.
"Yes mama, the gods of our land haven't forgotten us" Chief Wong-heer said.
"I will be patient just like you have said my son" The Queen mother told him.
Ten years later...
YIROL VILLAGE:
Yar was seen seated with a middle aged woman who happens to be her mother in front of a hut.
"Mama, take a good look at me, ten years, ten good years of marriage and yet I haven't taken in. there is no sort of insult my mother inlaw has not given me mama. Thank the gods of our land for my husband who is an understanding type if not, he would have listened to his mother and got married to another wife." Yar told her mother in tears.
"Do not cry again my daughter, wipe your tears. You will have a child." Her mother, Amou said trying to console her.
"When will that be mama? I want to carry my own child with my own hands. Is it when another woman comes into the palace the gods will then remember me? I don't want that to happen to me mama, I have tried all the herbs but none of them worked for me" Yar her mother.
"I will take you somewhere, but you have to tell your husband you will be staying with me for three days"
"Where are you going to take me mama?" Yar asked.
"Don't you want a child anymore?" Amou asked staring at her daughter.
"I want mama. I will do anything to carry my own child" She answered her mother.
"Then do not asked me any further questions, I will take you somewhere, to someone who can make you carry your own child" Amou told her daughter. "Trust me my daughter", she added after a while.
"Thank you mama. I know coming here will bring a solution to my problem" Yar said smiling a little bit.
"Indeed, if you had come earlier, I would have given you a solution. But ever since you got married to your husband, the great chief of Rumbek, this is your first time visiting me. you forgot that you once grew and lived in this old hut" Amou told her daughter.
"Mama I am sorry, it won't happen again" Yar pleaded.
"I have heard you, go and tell your husband that you will be coming to spend some days with me" Amou said.
"Okay, I will do just that mama" Yar told her mother smiling broadly.
One moon later.....
Yar became pregnant and chief Wong-heer and his mother became happy. The whole villagers came and congratulated her. it was a thing of joy. Nine months later, Yar gave birth to twins, a girl and a boy. Chief Wong-heer became the happiest man on earth on the day he was told that his wife gave birth to a set of twins.
"I told you mama, Mayual never forgets his people, the gods of our land have granted me my heart's desire. The paid my tears with gold" The chief told his mother.
On the day he named his children, many chiefs from various villages and across the country of Rumbek attended the ceremony. His in-law, chief Kot from Yirol village attended, his friend Chief Aleu from Warrap country attended, Priestess Nyannyok from Padang and so many other prominent figures. It was a colorful ceremony that needed a attention. On that day, he named his son Mayual and his daughter Nyanachiek in appreciation of what the gods have done for him.
Few days after the naming ceremony of his twins, a stranger visitor came. He was with his elders in his throne room and they were discussing when a young maiden of five years old walked into their presence. She was carrying a little bag on her shoulder. Seeing her stopped their discussion as they stared at her. She greeted them and they nodded their heads to her greetings.
"Did the guards allow you to come inside the palace compound?" Majok, one of the elders asked.
"Yes they did Majok" The little girl responded, surprising the elders and the chief.
"How did you know my name?" Majok asked in shock.
"Who doesn't know the names of all the chiefs in this great village?" the little girl answered.
"So who are you? What is your name?" Chief Wong-heer asked.
"My name is Nyanachiek and I am your daughter. "What? Can you repeat what you just said now? Chief Wong-heer said after he was recovered from his shock.
"Is it the part which I said my name or the part which I said that you are my father?" Nyanachiek asked the chief.
"The last line" Wong-heer replied.
"Indeed you are my father" Nyanachiek confidently said.
"Biet (shut up your mouth)" one of the elders, Majak said. "How can you say that the chief is your father?" "ca cor? (are you blind?)
"I am not blind, neither am I drunk" Nyanachiek told the elder who became surprised just like Majok. "Chief is my father" she added.
"How did I become your father?" Chief Wong-heer asked her.
"Six years ago, you came to meet Akuer, the great Priestess of the old underworld, secretly. Then you told her about your predicament of not having a child. She brought out a white calabash and gave it to you. You know what you did with that white calabash?" Nyanachiek stopped there staring at her father.
Chief Wong-heer nodded his head. He was told by the great Priestess Akuer to pour his seeds (sperms) into the white calabash and go home. He had done as ordered and went back home hoping on the gods.
"Your Highness, she just said you went to see Akuer, is that true?" Majok asked.
"Yes, that was some years ago when I went to seek a solution to my wife's barrenness" He answered then faced Nyanachiek. I remember" Chief answered ignoring the looks he was receiving from his elders.
"I am the product of that which you did on that fateful day father" Nyanchiek told the Chief.
Chief Wong-heer was speechless and starred at the little girl in front of him who spoke with boldness. He noticed how she was a replica of him. She was very fair in complexion unlike him who is dark in complexion. Akuer was also dark in complexion so how come she is fair? Except she inherited it from his mother who is also fair in complexion.
"So is Akuer your mother?" Chief Wong-heer asked.
"No, she is not my mother. I came out from the white calabash" Nyanachiek replied.
"But how is that possible?" Wong-heer asked.
"Cueet yom jok ku pal ke bik puot ka achieek.(throw the bones out to the dogs and leave it to fight with the spirits)" Nyanachiek told him. "The ways of the gods are different from the ways of man" She added.
"Mathiang!" Chief Wong-heer called out and one of his guards entered the throne room and bowed before him. "Yes your Highness". "Please take my daughter to one of the empty huts in this compound and tell the maids to give her whatever she wants." Chief Wong-heer told Mathiang and returned his gaze to Nyanachiek. "Follow him to the hut, find a good one that will be yours from now onwards.
"Thank you father" Nyanachiek thanked and followed Mathiang out of the throne room.
"What White calabash is she talking about Your Highness?" Marol who is the Alam col (Deputy chief) asked.
"Don't worry. You won't understand; you heard her yourself. "The ways of the gods are different" Chief Wong-heer answered Marol.
Towards evening, Nyanchiek came out of her hut and at the same time, Yar came out of her hut with her mother. They were very surprised to see her.
"Greetings to you Mama" Nyanachiek greeted.
"And who are you?" Yar demanded. "How did you find your way into this hut?" She asked again.
"My name is Nyanachiek and my father gave me this hut to use: She answered.
"Your father? Who is your father?" Yar asked.
"Chief Wong-heer is my father" Nyanachiek replied.
"No way, you are lying. He has no other child apart from the Twins my daughter has" Amou told her" "you are lying" she added eyeing the little girl badly in front of them.
"How can Chief be the father of tis wretched girl?" Yar said angrily.
Nyanachiek said smiling, "Raan yith akan nhom ace ke riech eben ci ting nhial luel" (a palm tree climber is not expected to tell everything he sees up there).