In defence of the Okapi in Parley
Tefo Pheage | Friday July 29, 2016 15:26
While many utensils lie innocently in a tool drawer, the Okapi enjoys a rather rare and intriguing reputation on township streets, rural passages and social gatherings, a feat that has seen it earning the status of some sort of a badge or rank for a well-earned street cred, and as the proud mark of an elder conversant with tradition and the conundrum that life is.
Make no mistake, the Okapi is no ordinary knife or hazardous object as claimed by Parley authorities. Since arrival in 1902, it culturally carved itself a niche becoming the envy of every elderly man, toothless or equipped, for its unique mastery to assist in eating meat at traditional feasts and gatherings.
While carrying an Okapi may be unlawful, it is equally important to note that customarily, carrying an Okapi has some cultural gravity in men over the age of 40 or even less. Our forefathers taught us that a real man does not travel without a knife, for a knife is the gateway to many closed doors. They are mainly used by working-class people due to being very affordable and, while crude in appearance, are robust knives. They are very popular in Southern Africa according to literature, but have a rather nefarious reputation as they are associated with criminals and street gangs. Traditionally they are used for harvesting crops, self-defense, hunting, fishing, or general knife duty among many other uses you can think of. Culturally it is held that a man who walks or travels without a knife is a risky and happy-go-lucky type.
This deeply seated view is held primarily and dearly in rural areas where an old-timer can even go to an extent of refusing to lend you his Okapi for not ‘carrying your own’. For a nation known for assembling together in social gatherings to ease the affected family’s burden, Batswana men have always carried Okapi in a sheath on the waist as some form of rural swagger and security. Out of 100% of the troubles they encounter, Okapi can perform 60% of those including in cases of having a car puncture, tearing something apart, scratching something, even piecing through an object or even threatening an opponent among many other confrontations.
One of the unwritten laws of social gatherings is that every man uses his knife and while this may not bother many as it excuses one from engaging, it matters most when it comes to eating bones and remains from pounded meat popularly known as ‘masufu’, which can only be afforded by those who have an Okapi. For this reason among many others, carrying an Okapi in our society has always been an innocent thing and remains thus although outlawed by our British-inspired laws foreign to our cultural norms and rural swagger.
This week we heard to many’s shock and dismay that Okapi has now subjected our legislators to routine searching, a development which some of them say is a serious violation to their dignity as it is carried in full view of passers-by and onlookers. Detector machines are naturally irritating to us nobodies - what now of ministers and Members of Parliament everyday?
An Okapi we hear was intercepted in Parliament buildings although the identity of the owner remains to date a mystery. The shocking Okapi discovery has now led to change in parliamentary security procedures, expensive metal detectors and security personnel have now been assembled to probe MPs seeking access to Parley.
Subsequent to this diamond-like discovery, security has been beefed and ordered to tighten the noose on every member thanks to the free spirited, non-conformist and rebellious Kgatleng East MP, Isaac Davids who like Arnold Schwarzenegger walked past the machines and Parley-engaged Rambos to the amusement of his counterparts. “Let me pass through, I am not here for games, I have been sent not by you but my electorates…,” he said in his usual comically hyperbolic Setswana terms as he shot straight into Parley. Other opposition MPs later followed suit defying the rules.
Needless to say, Botswana just like any country guards jealously against its lawmakers - a good thing if you ask any reasonable being including Donald Trump. Free our legislators, free our Parley - for ours is a peaceful country with respect for human life built on the principles of ‘Ntwa kgolo ke ya molomo’ (its better to discuss issues than fight over them).
Authorities must consequently return the controversial Okapi to the Vice President, Minister, MP or the undisclosed owner with immediate effect and apologise and stop this “an Okapi in Parley dangerous” justification - what danger? Monna ga a tsamae a sa tshola thipa (a real man does not walk around without a knife).