The Village of Round and Square Houses (Excerpts)

By Ann Grifalconi

It was not until I was full-grown; Suddenly, the black night

And Left my village Was split open like a coconut!
That I found our village was like no other. And a great white burst of light
For the men live in square houses, Rose like the sun!
And the women, in round ones! Then the voice of Mother Naka
To me, this seemed the natural order of things. Thundered out over all:
“But what is it like?” You ask. BOOM! BA-BOOM! BA-BOOM!
I will tell you how it was---and is—for me.
And the people cried to Naka,
I grew up in my grandmother’s farm and prayed where they were ,lying down,
In the village of Tos that lies Hands pressing the earth, asking
At the foot of Mother Naka “What have we done to so anger you?”
In the Bameni hills of West Africa. All through the night
We planted yams and corn and tobacco Old Naka spoke to them
And the finest coffee grown in the Cameroons. Shouting her anger to the skies
Our village was always happy and peaceful— As red rivers of lava flowed down her sides.
A good place for boys and girls to grow up.
When the sun rose
Then one peaceful night The people lifted their heads and looked about!
Before anyone alive remembers, Everything was covered with ashes—
Old Naka began to groan and rumble Even themselves!
And awoke from a long sleep! Everyone looked like a gray ghost—
The villagers were frightened Trembling with fear
and ran out of their houses But grateful to be alive:
and hid in the bushes Naka had spared them!
at the foot of the mountain.

The Village of Round and Square Houses (Excerpts)

By Ann Grifalconi

It was not until I was full-grown; Suddenly, the black night

And Left my village Was split open like a coconut!
That I found our village was like no other. And a great white burst of light
For the men live in square houses, Rose like the sun!
And the women, in round ones! Then the voice of Mother Naka
To me, this seemed the natural order of things. Thundered out over all:
“But what is it like?” You ask. BOOM! BA-BOOM! BA-BOOM!
I will tell you how it was---and is—for me.
And the people cried to Naka,
I grew up in my grandmother’s farm and prayed where they were ,lying down,
In the village of Tos that lies Hands pressing the earth, asking
At the foot of Mother Naka “What have we done to so anger you?”
In the Bameni hills of West Africa. All through the night
We planted yams and corn and tobacco Old Naka spoke to them
And the finest coffee grown in the Cameroons. Shouting her anger to the skies
Our village was always happy and peaceful— As red rivers of lava flowed down her sides.
A good place for boys and girls to grow up.
When the sun rose
Then one peaceful night The people lifted their heads and looked about!
Before anyone alive remembers, Everything was covered with ashes—
Old Naka began to groan and rumble Even themselves!
And awoke from a long sleep! Everyone looked like a gray ghost—
The villagers were frightened Trembling with fear
and ran out of their houses But grateful to be alive:
and hid in the bushes Naka had spared them!
at the foot of the mountain.
Still covered with ashes— And told each other tall stories
The men, women and children And planted yams and corn
Faced the mountain together, Each day, in the new, rich soil.
Went back to claim their homes. And the children made a game
But when they came to the burned-out village Out of clearing the field of small gray stones
Only two houses were left standing: And went swimming and fishing in the long
One square—and one round afternoons…
And so it was done. And no one forgot to thank Naka
For sparing their lives
“What? And giving them back their lives
Where? And giving them back such fine crops
Why? from her good earth.
How are we…?”
But the village chief “And we still play and swim in the afternonn
Had no time for such questions— But we bring home the fish we catch for supper
And he called them together: And we all get together then!”
“We must begin to rebuild our village now!” “”So you see, Osa,
We live together peacefully here
He pointed to the ash-covered people: Because each one has a place to be apart
You! Tall gray things! And a time to be together…”
You go live in the square house!
And you! Round gray things— She took me by the hand
Go live in the round house! And turned back to the round house.
And now that is
And you small gray stones How our way came about
Go out to the fields And will continue—
So we can plant our crops again. ‘Till Naka speaks again!

The women lived in the round house with the children
And the women talked and laughed—
Preparing food for everyone.
The men stayed in the square houses
___
Still covered with ashes—
The men, women and children
Faced the mountain together,
Went back to claim their homes.
But when they came to the burned-out village
Only two houses were left standing:
One square—and one round
And so it was done.
“What?
Where?
Why?
How are we…?”
But the village chief
Had no time for such questions—
And he called them together:
“We must begin to rebuild our village now!”
He pointed to the ash-covered people:
You! Tall gray things!
You go live in the square house!
And you! Round gray things—
Go live in the round house!
And you small gray stones
Go out to the fields
So we can plant our crops again.
The women lived in the round house with the children
And the women talked and laughed—
Preparing food for everyone.
The men stayed in the square houses
Source: The Village of Round and Square Houses by Grifalconi, A.
1986. Little Brown Books for Young Readers: Little Brown and
Company
And told each other tall stories
And planted yams and corn
Each day, in the new, rich soil.
And the children made a game
Out of clearing the field of small gray stones
And went swimming and fishing in the long
afternoons…
And no one forgot to thank Naka
For sparing their lives
And giving them back their lives
And giving them back such fine crops
from her good earth.
“And we still play and swim in the afternonn
But we bring home the fish we catch for supper
And we all get together then!”
“”So you see, Osa,
We live together peacefully here
Because each one has a place to be apart
And a time to be together…”
She took me by the hand
And turned back to the round house.
And now that is
How our way came about
And will continue—
‘Till Naka speaks again!
Source: The Village of Round and Square Houses by Grifalconi, A.
1986. Little Brown Books for Young Readers: Little Brown and
Company