Lonkundo Traps a Wife

Lonkundo was the founder and cultural hero of the Mongo Nkundu people of the Congo basin in Africa.

The first people of the forests didn’t know how to hunt animals and it was Lonkundo who taught them. One night, the spirit of his father came to him in a dream.

‘You must observe the earth very carefully, my son,’ he told Lonkundo. ‘Look for the paw prints of the animals and follow them. They will take you right up to the home of the creature. You will learn its ways and then, you can set a trap to catch it.’

‘A trap, Father? What is that?’ asked Lonkundo in wonder. It was never easy to catch an animal, he knew.

‘I will tell you how to make one. For that, you have to get some twigs and some raffia fibres,’ said the spirit of his father, and proceeded to guide him on how to make an animal trap.

When he woke up, Lonkundo collected some raffia fibres and twigs and made the trap, following his father’s instructions. Then he set it on the path of a creature that he’d tracked to its den. The mission was successful and the animal was trapped. Delighted, Lonkundo wandered wide and far, tracking animals and setting traps. Thus, he was able to feed his people. He also taught them how to set their own traps and they were never without meat again.

One night, Lonkundo dreamt that he had caught the sun in one of his traps, and awoke with a start. Dawn was just breaking but Lonkundo went to inspect the traps he had set the night before. As he went deeper into the forest, he could see a brilliant light burn bright from one of the traps he had set.

As he approached the trap, he found a beautiful woman, radiant and shining like the sun, hanging from the raffia noose of the trap! Lonkundo couldn’t help but wonder—was she the sun princess?

‘I’m so sorry, beautiful one! Here, let me get you out,’ he apologized and gently released her. The woman shone like polished gold and Lonkundo was entranced by her breathtaking beauty. He immediately asked her to become his wife.

‘My name is Illankaka,’ said the woman. ‘I will marry you on one condition; you must never tell anyone that you caught me in a trap.’

‘Agreed!’ said Lonkundo happily and took her home.

Now, in those times, a man’s prosperity was measured, not only by his wealth but also by the number of wives he took. Soon, Lonkundo acquired many more wives. Over time, other families became jealous of Lonkundo’s increasing wealth and he decided that he would move away, deeper into the forest to live.

As they travelled into the jungle, they heard the screeching of parrots. ‘That’s a very good omen, Lonkundo,’ said Illankaka. ‘Let us stop and make our home here.’

They cut down trees and built their huts. Lonkundo gave his many wives a hut each. But one of the wives, Nsombe, was not at all pleased with the hut given to her.

‘No, no,’ she said, shaking her head angrily. ‘This is too small for me, Lonkundo, and ugly too! Build me another one.’

Lonkundo was very angry. He had been building hut after hut for all his wives and here was this ungrateful woman, now wanting another! ‘No way!’ he shouted. ‘This is what you will get, take it or leave it!’

Nsome had a son, Yonjwa, who was now a strapping young fellow. Seeing his parents fighting, he called his mother aside and said, ‘Mother, don’t you worry, I will build you a bigger and better hut. Come, let’s leave Father and all these women and go away to the far side of the forest. We’ll have no more to do with them.’ Nsome and Yonjwa left the family and went away.

Illankaka was pleased. She thought that Lonkundo loved her most of all. She planted a magic nut that grew into a palm tree. On it grew large nuts, which she plucked and gave her husband to eat. Lonkundo ate them. They were delicious!

‘Come, let’s share it with the others too,’ said he, but that made Illankaka very angry.

‘No!’ she said. ‘They are only for you and me!’

Lonkundo became annoyed. How could she be so selfish?

‘Now, now, Illankaka, don’t be so proud! Have you forgotten how I caught you in a trap?’ he asked her.

As soon as he uttered these words, Illankaka vanished as magically as she had appeared one dawn all those years ago. Lonkundo realized that he had broken his promise. He knew that Illankaka, the sun bride, would never, ever return to him.