The Bush Knives

By Tau Vagi

Daniel and I were among all the Malmaluan students sent to the United Church circuits in the Gazelle Area, to observe village life. The two of us were sent to spend our one week’s holiday at Vunamami Circuit. Daniel and I lived in a village called Maku rapau in that same circuit.

This is an incident in which 1 had one of the most uncomfortable ex periences of my life. It was when I found myself walking among a party of three strangers one night.

Like a helpless slave I was led through the coconut plantation by a party of four men. I, with the rest of the party, was just returning from a day out gathering shell-fish from the beaches nearby. I was really frightened when I noticed that it was getting dark. Now entering the thickly vegetated area, mostly of cocoa and coconut trees, 1 began to be haunted by the evil thoughts and imaginations of manslaughter.

Creating the atmosphere with ghostly and evil thoughts, I could

clearly imagine two of the men hold ing me with their strong hands, whil the third slashed me with his shar bush knife. All of these men wer carrying long, thin bush knives whic made me feel scared. I was also we: aware of the problems that lead t fights in these areas, and that at an} time we too might be ambushed b others hiding among the dar bushes. I found myself trapped i between the party and the suspecte enemies. I was new to this area an didn’t know where all the uncountabl little paths led to, how far we ha walked so far, or how much longe it was going to take us to get hom< I kept walking like a blind man onl following the instructions of other not knowing what was happening a the time. , , , The place got darker and dark* as those fearful and evil thoughts an imagination began to get brighter an clearer. There was one more bi problem that I also faced. The me were talking in their own language I wasn’t too happy about this becam

I didn’t understand a thing that they I spoke about. The only times they I could share with me was when I I asked questions in Pidgin. Although I my Pidgin was not too good, I found Jit worthwhile and very precious in j that situation.

I could hardly breathe when I suddenly the party came to a halt!

I The men decided that we would get I home much quicker if we took the path leading up the hill. I was deeply I troubled to hear sighs and words I didn’t understand. This is where I thought the men were going to put an end to me. My thumping heart now began beating twice as fast, as we began to climb the hill. I was prepared to meet them at anytime, whenever they decided to grab at me.

I thought of running away but had no idea where I'd end up. To run away would be useless, for they would still catch me. One of the men reached into his bag and pulled out a torch for it had now grown so dark.

We went down to the other side of the hill and had walked about a mile when a man said to me that we were getting close. i I grew weak and sweated because I didn’t believe him. I thought the hour has now come for them to reach for me. By then, I could even feel their cruel hands squeezing my neck, and choking the precious life out of me.

The thought of those bush knives had grabbed my imagination so much that they began to pop into life and start their cruel action. Knives! Working like the propeller of an aeroplane all over my body until I ended up in the pool of my own blood. I was still lost with my savage imagination when a man said we had now arrived. At first my eyes couldn’t believe the good things I saw. It hadn’t really dawned on me until I could see and remember the path where we began in the morning. The same houses and the church building showing its silver roof, and the house where Daniel and I were staying. To my surprise it was true that I was free from all the evil things I expected to happen to me. Free at last from the bush knives! I felt life and hope rushing back to me quickly when I saw Daniel. I had never felt so free, so happy and refreshed when I saw everyone smiling. I was given a word of greeting by the mother of the family we lived with. Everyone in the family including the father was happy to welcome me back home. We all thanked and said goodnight to those men who then went to their own houses. I was sorry in my heart to have misjudged those good men. I was truly sorry. I asked God to forgive me, and thanked Him for guiding me safely home.