It’s been a while since I had a cup of Five Roses tea ee bokhukhu ntata, the last time I had it was probably when mama was still around. We used to seat by the porch over a cup of Five Roses with the recap of our day happenings at school and work. Nnyaa! I swear it wasn’t tshele ya Setswana. We would also chill there together and watch the sun say good night to the trees and horizon. Mama, sweet one!
My relationship with Mma-Mosie dates back from the days of once upon a time at Sebele. That was when our tight relationship began. Kana my relationship with her was like that of man and God. We would penetrate through the thick mophane bushes on our way to Shashe as if it was a… penetrating through… nyaa! Gake ise ke rialo. Now it is all gone. Our cattle post is all grey and drab because she is no longer there. Her interesting stories that she used to tell are also forever gone.
She was very good at story telling. At times, I would ask myself where she got all the interesting stories that were enjoyed by many including badisa ko morakeng. They would all marshal around her okare molelo wa mariga as she told these interesting stories. I would also listen with pride and excitement of mama entertaining her badisa and other badisa from neighbouring cattle posts. Ee, she was so good that whenever they heard she was around, they would visit, but it all directed from her good relations with them. They also liked her a lot because she was down to earth, brutally humble. That was Mmago Charle, mama.
She was also good with kids, Molete can vouch and indeed confirm on this one. I still fail to understand where their mother-son relationship came from because there was never an umbilical cord relationship between them at all. But they were so close that nna ebile I was jealous. At times I would tell myself gore maybe he was my brother who was given away to his parents yet my brother of mama le papa… Eish, this relationship really confused me a lot. I reckon you are also getting confused too my dear reader. If I’m getting confused you are obviously getting confused and if you are getting confused it means I am not communicating, if I am not communicating it means this article is totally aimless, janong a re e tlogele before we get confused more. I hope you get the gist though.
Jah-man, that was mama. Her demise crippled every fantasy I had wished to turn into reality. I always fantasized about buying a car and we would Mercedes Benz around the city together. Fa ele Bobonong gone… we were gon fly at ground level. It won’t ever happen though. This is probably why it seems as I no longer have penitence anymore. It’s like I don’t have mama to feel proud of me, so why appease and feel pity for other people? Not that I’m a bad person comrade, kgotsa o democrat? but it seems worthless.
Though our relationship was like of siblings, she was always there for me as mama, come thunderstorm we were together. Like I said, fa ke tlhabiwa ke mitlwa, mama o ne are ishi! She loved life and she lived life. In short, that was Ausi Jane Mosienyane. The legacy will continue… and memories will live on… especially phrase ya gore “o tshameketse ruri okare o Santa Barbra”. Of importance, I still miss that cup of Five Roses tea by the verandah kena le mama.
Abiod Oarabile Mosienyane
Dedicated to Mama on
Mother’s Day
