XP by Prof. Eswaran Narsimhan

Any which way you looked at it, it was unfair

In a remote part of Arizona, across the vast expanse of desert and semi desert habitat, amongst the 300,000 strong Navajo tribes there lived a man with his wife and a single son. Bidziil, the father, was married to the beautiful Ajei. Bidziil not unlike his name was strong, broad shouldered and handsome. He married Ajei, the beautiful girl his parents had approved of. Bidziil loved Ajei and no wonder, Ajei meant ‘my heart’ in Diné language.

Their marriage was conducted in the most traditional manner and all who attended blessed the couple. After two years, the most important event of their life took place. Ajei was pregnant. Soon a baby was born. Bidziil was happier than the proverbial cow that jumped over the moon. Ahiga was a baby boy! His family would continue! They named him Ahiga. Ahiga took after his father in looks and looked ready to fight for his place in the community.

Bidziil celebrated Ahiga’s birth with all in the community. He was the happiest man is his tribe. Soon the baby boy grew and then one day it was his tenth birthday. It was a memorable day, but not in a way one would expect a ten-year-old to remember. Ahiga was not feeling well. The Shaman had to be called.

Outside his house during the day under the rocks lay Naashoii, a nocturnal lizard lay immobile with scant respect to the buzzing of flies. The business of flies buzzed on him and moved to a neighbouring carcass of an animal. He slept during the day and would venture out only at night.

It was after sunset that day, and Naashoii lifted his head. He did some neck stretching and push-ups to get his blood moving. He looked around and flicked his tongue in an attempt to catch the twilight insects. This was the right time to wake up. Just after sunset when the insects would be confused with the sunset and a sudden loss of heat.

Naashoii had his fill of insects. As he looked around, he could see the door of the hooghan open, and someone come out. Naashoii usually never saw a human being for most would retire after sunset to their respective hooghans.

This was something new.

That night he decided to sleep late to meet his friend Bishoii the house lizard. Bishoii had a good eye for colours and was a great storyteller. Bishoii was usually up and about by 7.00 am.

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Bishoii was surprised to meet Naashoii. It had been a long time since he had met his nocturnal cousin. Naashoii was curious about the family in the hooghan. Bishoii told him how the family shaman had come to the house and told the family about Ahiga. Ahiga cannot tolerate the sun and hence can only venture out in the night. Naashoii understood. He too did not like the sun.

The next evening Naashoii decided to perch himself near the hedge where Ahiga would stand and watch the post sunset horizon. Naashoii soon saw Ahiga come out of the hooghan, walk near the rocky fence, and stare out at the empty space.

He gathered his courage and decided to talk to Ahiga. Ahiga could not believe his eyes and for that matter his ears. He never knew the garden lizard talked and that too in Diné.

“You are like me. You come out only after the sun set? By the way, I am Naashoii.”

“Yes, I cannot come out during the day. Something is wrong with me.”

“I sleep during the day. I wake at sunset to catch all the twilight insects.”

“I do not eat insects. All my friends only come out during the day. I am all alone in the night.”

“What is wrong with you?” asked Naashoii with curiosity.

“Bidziil and Ajei tell me this story often.”

“Go on…”

“Well about 150 years back the white men made my forefathers and all his tribe to take a long walk. It lasted 18 days and over 300 miles. The sun scorched. The heat was hot. Old men and pregnant women died, water was scarce and brackish. Most of them were ill prepared.”

“What happened after …?” asked Naashoii expectantly. He could not complete his question. A large moth flew by, and he immediately stuck his tongue out to catch it.

“After four long years they walked back.”

“So why you cannot be in the sun?” Naashoii had to know, and he was most curious now.

“In the long walk, the sun was so hot, and my forefathers were so unprotected that some of them had a terrible case of skin getting damaged. After they returned, many children born then were not able to be in the sun. Something was wrong.”

“Hmm?”

“Occasionally some children are born that way. I am one of them.”

“I am very sad to hear that” With that Naashoii spied a beetle that was laboriously moving about, and he set off to catch it. “See you tomorrow…”

Ahiga was tired. He had no friends now, twilight, and the stars were his only companions. He was happy he found Naashoii.

Splotches of red had started appearing on face, and arms. He probably had five more years to go

Bidziil was so upset that he no longer spent time with Ahiga. The family of Bidziil and Ajei would soon end. Ahiga would not get his Ajei. Ahiga felt imprisoned in his own hooghan.

Ajei had no sisters. Bidzill was unhappy. Very unhappy. His community allowed sororal marriages. He could marry Ajei’s sisters. But, Ajei had no sisters and the shaman in the morning had informed him that Ajei could not bear healthy children longer. They would share the same end as Ahiga.

Any which way you looked at it, it was unfair.

I dedicate this to my friend P, who as per my last information is no more. His only crime was to have an aberration or two in his DNA.I like Naashoii briefly interacted with P. I went on to find my insects. P went on. I could trace his family nearly 15 years ago and made a call to them asking for P. “He is no more” was the reply.

If you are interested in the Navajo Connection here , it is.

 

By:

Prof. Eswaran Narsimhan

Professor

NIIT University