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Fadzayi Maposah Correspondent
I have been away in the countryside, kumusha, ekhaya.
There is something about the rural areas.
In the serene environment there is this calming peace. It is especially beautiful now with the trees adorned with new leaves. When it is windy, the fresh leaves dance and swing from side to side.
Occasionally one gets to hear a hooter. When such a sound is heard, most of the residents know whose vehicle it is.
I was in Chikomba district, one of the biggest districts in Mashonaland East. It is beautiful at this time of the year. For a long time, I used to think that Jacaranda trees belong only to the tarred roads of the urban areas. So it is always a pleasant surprise when I get to see a Jacaranda tree being itself as it were, being very purple among the indigenous trees. It is a beautiful sight, worth to be photographed.
Taking walks in the forest, I really appreciated that our country is truly blessed with magnificent flora and fauna.
Children and even adults who stay in the desert have no idea what they are missing out. But then it is unfortunate that those who live in the rural areas do not appreciate the environment that they live in.
One is questioned when they want to take a nature walk.
People want to know what exactly it is that you want to see, that can be seen in the forest. While on a mountain top, gazing downwards, one is captivated by how the trees are carefully layered in the different shades. From above, the dusty road looks like one drawn by a primary school pupil and vehicles are just like toys. The only difference is that these toys cause ” dust storms” as they speed along the road.
One can opt to sit and enjoy the calming environment on the rocks of various sizes. As one walks in the forest, the dry leaves crack and become broken under the feet. Call me a nature fan or one addicted to environment, there is nothing as good as stepping on a dry Musasa pod and breaking it! Maybe that is the child in me, enjoying the small things in life.
Sitting on a rock, totally absorbed in nature, I do not know whether that is meditation or there is another word for it. Whatever it is, I enjoy it. During my fortnight in the rural areas, I had many moments just to sit on rocks and take in nature around me. I sat on the rocks, early morning as I watched the sun rise, until it was a bright orange colour; a new day, the renewal of hope.
I sat on the rocks during the day, as I hid from the sun that I had watched rise gently but had increased its heat. I sat on rocks at dusk, watching the sun set.
Then early evening, I sat on a chair in the dark while all my senses came alive to what surrounded me.
I could see the frames of gigantic trees full bodied with leaves I could see too the sky which at night was grey graced by the presence of a beaming full moon.
When the full moon was present in the sky, the stars would gently slide into oblivion. When the moon was less than full, the stars would be dotted across the sky.
One of the things I learnt from one of the ladies that I camped with is that a full moon and stars do not shine at the same time.
The stars will be there but they do not shine brighter than the moon, the moon is the brighter light.
I could hear pods falling on the grounds, different nocturnal insects communicating in their languages to one another. I could smell the dust all around me and feel the cool breeze on my face and chubby cheeks. I probably have made you want to be out in nature, have I not?
On one of the days, where I sat on the rocks during the day, I saw two women one of them carrying a hoe. After exchange of greetings during which they looked at me with questioning looks, they were about to go past me when they suddenly stopped.
One of them asked if all was well with me. I assured them that I was just enjoying nature but still they did not seem satisfied. I then asked what they were doing in the forest with a hoe. The answer that I got was enough to rouse my curiosity.
They said they were in the forest to look for medicines to cure many ailments.
What type of ailments I asked? All ailments have a tree that can provide relief was the answer that I got was that there is a tree for every ailment.
On this particular day, the women said they were on a mission to get remedies for adolescent girls who were experiencing period pain. I was amazed and my big eyes became a lot bigger. From my high school days, I learnt that women since time immemorial are determined to make their ” it ” experience comfortable. Some girls kicked soil heaps so as to reduce the number of days when one has a menstrual period.
As the women walked looked for a tree, I watched from a distance. When they found it, they began to work on it.
One of them began digging for a root piece while the other scrapped some bark off. They talked about how the girls missed school each time they had their menstrual period.
It was unfair they told one another. Then I thought, have they passed their knowledge to the other women or they are the only ones who know.
What about our tertiary institutions, can they not research and package these remedies appropriately for many to benefit?
Online Reporter