Ngalo is a powerful fetish-charm. Sitting in a visitor’s lap for a few moments, is a mode of welcome.
“Njambu” is one of their forms of spelling the name of the Creator; very commonly used also for human beings. The account of the wrestling-match is suggestive of the surroundings of a modern athletic field.
Njambu built a Town. He continued there a long time. After he had finished the town, he married very many wives. After a short time they all of them bore children. Those births were of many sons. He gave them names: Among them were, Upuma-mwa-penda (Year-of-doubt), and Njâ (Leopard).
And again, his wives, after a short time, all of them became mothers. This time, they gave birth to a large number of daughters. He gave them also names.
His town was full with men and women; they were crowded. And all busy. They that worked at stakes, went to cut saplings; those that made rattan-ropes, went to cut the rattan-vine; they that shaped the bamboo for building, went to cut the bamboo-palms; they that made thatch went to gather the palm-leaves; they that set up the stakes of the house-frame went to thrust them into the ground; they who fastened the walls, fastened them; they who tied thatch on the roof, tied it; they who split the rattan vines for tying, split them.
The town was full of noise. The children of Njambu kept their father’s town in motion. They rejoiced in the abundance of people and their force. They took dowries also for their sisters, and gave them in marriage to young men of other towns.
Arguments were discussed; stories about White Men were told; amusements were played; food was eaten; and the sons of Njambu married wives.
One of Njambu’s sons, Upuma-mwa-penda, said to his mother, “Make me mekima,” (mashed plantain). His mother asked him, “Where are you going with the mekima?” He answered, “I’m going to seek a marriage.” And she said “Good!”
In the morning, he took his rolls of mashed plantains, and started to go on his journey. He said to his mother, “You must keep my house.” She replied, “It is well.”