A woman lived quietly with her two daughters, caring for them as best as she could. One day, a strange and unsettling figure appeared before them: the Skull of a man’s head, who declared his wish to marry the younger daughter. The elder sister, wary of such a suitor, took the skull, smeared its hollow openings with ashes, and hurled it into a lagoon. In that instant, the skull was no more, it had transformed into a Kianda, the spirit of the waters.
The next morning, the Kianda emerged from the depths and approached the mother. He demanded her younger daughter in marriage. Though the request was unusual and frightening, the mother agreed. Without delay, the Kianda swept the young woman away into his watery realm.
Beneath the surface, the Kianda adorned his new wife with fine ornaments, strings around her neck and arms, and soon after, he brought her back to her mother’s home. As a gift, he presented a barrel of wine and a bale of cloth, before returning with his bride to his underwater house.
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The Kianda possessed a magical object called the kalubungu. When he struck it against the ground, slaves appeared in great numbers, and houses for them rose instantly from the earth. Thus, the young woman lived in abundance at her husband’s side. In time, she became pregnant, but her first child soon died.
During the funeral, the Kianda warned his wife that her mother must not come. Yet the grieving mother disobeyed and arrived. As the Kianda danced in mourning, he turned and saw her. Angered by the broken command, he stormed back to his house and scolded his wife: “Did I not say your mother should not come to the funeral?”
Furious, he took the kalubungu once more and struck the ground. At once, the houses and slaves vanished into it, and the thriving village was replaced by nothing but sprouting grass. Then, without farewell, the Kianda abandoned the place and wandered away.
His wife followed desperately, singing as she went:
“Husband mine of love! Husband mine of love!”
Those who dwelled in heaven replied with warnings:
“O run, ye, O run! Soon is gone the dry season.”
At last, the Kianda reached a vast rock with a hidden door. He slipped inside, and she never saw him again. Broken-hearted, the woman returned to her mother’s home. But sorrow weighed heavily on her. She died soon after, and her mother followed. One by one, all the people of that place perished, save one.
A single woman survived. Alone in her house, she was eventually taken by a Di-kishi, a spirit of the wilds. He carried her away and made her his wife. She conceived and bore a child, who was born with one head. Later, she conceived again. The Di-kishi warned her: “If you bear another child with only one head, I shall call my people to devour you.”
The second birth came, and the child had two heads. Fearing for her life, the woman fled with her one-headed child, seeking refuge in nearby houses. But a Di-kishi, passing by, caught the scent of human flesh. He entered the house, found the woman asleep, and devoured her together with her child.
From that moment, the house itself was transformed into a dwelling of the Ma-kishi, the spirits of the dead and the forest.
Moral Lesson
This tale reminds us that choices carry consequences, and disobedience to warnings can invite danger. The story also shows how love and longing, when pursued blindly, may lead to sorrow. Above all, it warns of vigilance: in a world filled with hidden powers and spirits, only caution and wisdom can guard life’s fragile balance.
Knowledge Check
Q1: Who was the first strange suitor that approached the woman’s family?
A1: The Skull of a man’s head, who desired the younger daughter in marriage.
Q2: What transformation did the Skull undergo when thrown into the lagoon?
A2: It became a Kianda, a powerful water spirit.
Q3: What magical object did the Kianda possess, and what did it create?
A3: The kalubungu, which produced slaves and houses when struck on the ground.
Q4: Why did the Kianda grow angry during the funeral of his child?
A4: Because the wife’s mother attended, disobeying his strict command.
Q5: What happened to the lone surviving woman after the deaths of all others?
A5: She was taken by a Di-kishi, lived with him, bore children, and was later devoured.
Q6: What does the transformation of the house into a dwelling of Ma-kishi symbolize?
A6: It reflects the enduring presence of spirits in human spaces, marking the power of the supernatural in Kimbundu tradition.
Source: Traditional folktale of the Kimbundu people, Angola.
