The Song of Atuga (After J.R.R. Tolkien)

      

The earth was full, the valleys green
The plains stretched on from east to west
The skies were clear and full of bird song
When Atuga rose and walked the land.
He loved the plains most rich and fair
Bathed by light of sun, moon, and stars.
He named the nameless hills and vales
He drank from yet unsullied streams
He beheld the remnants of the land
And perceived them most fair and bold

Read: Village Boy Impressions - FEOK - The Hallowed Festival of the Builsa
    
The world was fair and less callous
In those days before the coming
Of mounted raiders and plunderers
From the North, the East, and West
And from far South over many seas.
No stain yet on the land was seen;
No axe was laid to the verdant shrub
No raging fires to the brown sward
No plough had broken the loamy fields
All was fair and good in Atuga’s day.

Then said he, ‘this shall be my home’
And among the remnant, he abode
From them chose he a maiden to wife
Dark and beautiful as lustrous obsidian
When she smiled, her teeth shone like stars
And made the sun and moon red with envy
Her laughter, the sound of many waters;
Made the birds sing and the hills echo
The trees clapped and danced in delight
And all the land simmered with joy.

Read: Village Boy Impressions - Morning After Feok



A king he was on horseback
His folk happy and free and fair
As the sun, the moon and the stars.
Skilled were their hands in labour;
The smithies’ fires sizzled and flared
Hot hammers on molten iron smote
And forged were hoes and ploughshares.
Plains and vales were dug and tilled
And food and drink were laid in hoard
The gods drank thereof and were sated

Unwearied in works were Atuga’s folk.
Here millet, sorghum, and groundnuts thrived
As the wokta, tuita and buura flourished.
There the sycomore and shea trees bloomed
And baobab and nĂ©rĂ© drooped with fruits
The masons built and the tillers tilled
The hunter and his dog chased the hare
The carvers cleaved and the weavers knitted
The diviner swung his rattle and chanted
And there was no death save by age and years.

Read: Village Boy Impressions - The Baobab Tree

The maiden fair was full with child
And bore him sons one to four
And at last, music was awakened!
The drums throbbed, and horns sounded,
The whistles called, and musicians sang
And the earth shook with dancing feet.
Then to name them, slew he a cow
And called them in their order:
Akaadem, Awiak, Asandem and Asiniensa
But the mightiest of them was Asandem.

From him sprang Abil, whose line unbroken still
Upon Atuga’s skin sits in great majesty.
And Abil begat Anambasi and his brothers
He begat Anaguna, who begat Apoteba,
Who begat Anankum and Ayieta
Mighty men of valour in their day
A bewilderment to Babatu and his hosts
Stuttering muskets and booming cannons
They overthrew with fortune and skill
None could endure their wrath.

Read: Village Boy Impressions - The Seasons at Home


       
To Ayieta came the other sons of Atuga
And nalima from the south lands
To pledge allegiance and friendship forever.
He begat Afoko, Agaasa and Azantilow
Who all sat upon the sacred skin in turn
But the greatest of them was Azantilow
On whom was bestowed great wisdom,
And honour he received of God and men
His gallantry is sung in foreign lands
Immortalized and revered to this day.

The world is grey, the fields are bare
Atuga sleeps deep in the earth unmarked
As the valiant Ayieta and Azantilow
Yet their wisdom, honour, and glory
Stand majestic like the mighty baobab,
Shedding incense upon mother Buluk
Shining bright and fair like moonlight
Undimmed by age or shade of night.
In their mighty company, we shall go
When all our duty here is done at last.

Read: Village Boy Impressions - The Mighty Abelikpien


* wokta - Guinea sorrel, kenaf (leaves used as vegetables for soup)
* tuita - cowpea leaves (used as vegetables for soup)
*buura - species of pumpkin. Called Neri (Hausa), Egusi (Twi). The seeds are used as ingredients for soup
* Akaadem, Awiak, Asandem, and Asiniensa - Founders of four key Bulsa communities often referred to as "Atugabisa" (Atuga's children)
* nalima, (sing. nab)  - chiefs/kings 



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