“The provision of the Eternal Comforter is peace, understanding, trusting in the one who provides, and joy for being alive,” Morrim Goinz stated in his latest teaching session at the Kahall Azur.
The Festival of Josette began the next day and I still had a lot to work through with Delia. She had called regularly for the past two days and I refused to talk to her. Latisha tried to get me to understand that the silent treatment would not work in the long term. However, I was not ready to talk to my birth mother. I visited my father and Constance’s gravesite that morning before practice and shared everything that had happened in the last thirty days of my life. I wished they were both here because I needed them. But I wondered if Delia would have ever told the truth about being my birth mother if my parents were alive?
“I want to focus on the word understanding for today’s session,” Morrim Goinz continued. “Understanding is a word that we use a lot in my birth city, Issabella. It is spoken of regularly in terms like we must have an understanding of a particular topic. I’m always leery when a word like this one is used too much. It begins to take away from the actual meaning. Words have power and that power can be diluted when it is spoken way too much.”
“Doesn’t understanding mean the ability to comprehend? Or having insight?” I replied. Latisha and I sat in our usual spot in the Kahall. There were about thirty parishioners at the Kahall with us.
Morrim Goinz smiled. “You are correct, Brother Ciscoe. Having insight are the main words in your answer. Insight is a key quality in any type of human connection. It seems when people come from different places or have different beliefs that insight into another’s perspective can create understanding. Insight like that is in short supply these days.”
“Are we capable of having insight?” Latisha asked.
“We are, Sister Latisha. But we must get out of our own way. That’s a hard thing to do without having something guiding you from a larger perspective than your own.”
“The belief in Kammbi is that larger perspective,” I added.
Morrim Goinz laughed gently. “Of course it is, from my perspective, Brother Ciscoe. Why would I be here in this city? Why would I teach in a place that does not have the same belief system? Why would I try to explain that the teachings in The Book of Kammbi can benefit all of us? Understanding can lead to real connection. As believers and followers of Kammbi, we must be understanding towards others that don’t share our belief in the one who guides us.”
Morrim Goinz closed the teaching session as everyone in the Kahall stood for dismissal. It was interesting how a teaching session could bring up exactly what we were going through. For him to teach on what understanding truly meant could have a greater effect on the city in the days to come. Understanding would not have led Darcie to do everything she could to keep Latisha and I from dancing at The Festival of Josette. Understanding would have made Raphael Reynolds and those Nerdann tribe members appreciate our city’s history. Understanding would not have caused Delia to create an arrangement for another woman to pretend she was my actual birth mother. Understanding would be needed if I were going to accept Delia as she claimed. Understanding would be needed more than ever.
***
“Katrina St. Claire presented the cassette tapes to the other Civita members today,” Delia said over the phone. She called an hour after we got back from our final practice with the Lavanny musicians and dancers. I placed the phone call on the speaker so Latisha could hear it. “The other Civita members were shocked at hearing Haines Fonseca’s voice on the cassette.”
“Are they going to play the cassettes for the Regnator?” Latisha asked.
Delia sighed. “Not yet. The Civita Members were divided on bringing that kind of information to the Regnator. Haines Fonseca did acknowledge that was his voice on those cassette tapes. But he will tell the Regnator that he was recorded without his knowledge. And he can use that point in his favor with the Regnator.”
“So are they going to let him get away with blackmail?” I shot back. Those were the first words I had said to my birth mother in the past few days.
“They won’t, Ciscoe,” Delia replied. “This is politics and Katrina has to be in the most advantageous position to bring a charge like that against another Civita Member.”
“His voice is on those cassette tapes! What more does she need?”
“My love, Delia is correct. We have to let Katrina handle this correctly. I don’t like the politics of it any more than you do. But accusing a Civita Member of blackmail is not so easy, despite the evidence we have presented,” Latisha added.
I looked at my wife as she sat next to me. She was taking Delia’s side on this one? Latisha placed her hand on my left thigh and began patting it. I could not stay mad with her for long. She knew it. “We should not have to tip toe around with Haines Fonseca. He committed blackmail and that evidence should be used to reverse their decision to accept Raphael’s petition!”
“Gustavoe taught you well,” Delia started. “The Festival of Josette was just as important as dancing in the Roxie and Penelope District. He wanted to make sure that he danced at our biggest festival every year. And he has made sure you feel the same way. I remember him saying after the first cry when you were born that you were his clone.”
I was silent. Latisha had nuzzled against me and kissed my right cheek. Her body was still warm from our lovemaking prior to Delia’s phone call. I felt the blue light racing through my body.
I sighed. “Why did you agree to that arrangement with Constance and my father?”
Delia went silent momentarily. “Constance was a good woman and wanted to have children. She had that maternal instinct and your father wanted to have another child with her. But she could not and saw the arrangement as her only chance to become a mother. Your father loved Constance despite their differences. She was not a dancer but accepted that would be the number one thing in his life. Gustavoe knew Constance would take care of you like she had given birth to you. He stayed in a relationship with her for that reason. He wanted to make sure you had stability in your life. I made sure that you never had to worry about anything financially. I almost ended my marriage to Manrique as you started to get older because he wanted to end financial support. That was never going to happen. I made a selfish decision and the least I could do was to make sure you never wanted for anything.”
“I called you Aunt Delia as a child,” I said softly. “Why tell me now?”
Delia sighed as I heard her choke back tears on the other end of the phone. “Truth hurts but also heals. There were so many times over the years I wanted to tell you, but felt ashamed of my decision to let Constance raise you. I finally had to face up to my selfish decision and tell you.”
I did not know what to feel at that moment. Should I be angry? Should I be happy? Delia had made sure I had everything I ever needed growing up. My father would tell me that Aunt Delia had gotten these new clothes for me. Or got me this item for my birthday and so on. I would spend time at her house when Manrique was alive. She had always been a part of my life. I found out from Antonio Henderson that she vouched for me to dance at the Mango. I thought my father helped me with that. Antonio explained that Delia believed I could be just as good as my father. Did she do all these things for me just because of the arrangement?
“You have every right to be angry with me, Ciscoe. But I wanted to tell you the truth and let you know that I love you.”
“I love you too, mother,” I said, and ended the call.
***
The morning of The Festival of Josette, the front page of our newspaper, Walter’s Grove Ledger, had the story of Antonio Henderson and Percy Braxton being blackmailed by Civita Member Haines Fonseca. I found out Katrina St. Claire provided the newspaper with the cassettes and the details of those conversations in the story. Our phone rang all morning and we had to turn off the ringer to practice.
Delia came to our home later in the day. I could not stop thinking about her admission as my mother. As much as I wanted to be angry with her for that arrangement, I kept hearing the Morrim Goinz’s words from his last teaching session in my mind. Understanding would be needed if we were going to connect as mother and son.
“I still can’t believe a Civita Member would stoop this low to blackmail two nightclub owners,” Delia stated, as she sat across from us in the living room. “What did he have to gain by getting himself in a situation like this?”
“It is always easier to believe a lie than truth,” I said. “Raphael has done a great job in convincing most of the city about Piccanta music. And Haines Fonseca is his long time friend.”
My mother nodded and rose from the couch. She walked over to me and extended her arms. I rose from the couch and embraced her.
“I’m sorry, my son. I thought I would not be a good mother for you. And knowing that Constance wanted to be a mother made me accept that arrangement. I wanted to help my husband build the biggest liquor business in the city. We achieved that and it did not take away the decision I had made with you. I’m so sorry.”
My mother was sobbing on my shoulder. I was trying to think of the right words to say. “As you said earlier, the truth hurts and heals. Let’s start there, mother.”
She released me from our embrace and placed her hands on my face. “We can start there, son.”
Latisha joined in and embraced both of us. Our family was whole and nothing would break it apart ever again.
“Haines could sidestep one claim of blackmail, but not two of them. And now the newspaper has the story,” Delia said after our embrace and returned to her seat on the sofa. “I talked to Katrina before I came here. She was going to implore the members to take the accusations to the Regnator.”
“Can the Regnator remove a Civita member?” I asked.
“Even though the Regnator is the symbolic leader in our city’s government, he can vote to remove a Civita member from their position,” my mother continued. “But that’s unlikely, my son. Haines has a good relationship with the Regnator. And the Regnator will not vote to remove him.”
“Nothing happens to him?” I replied.
“He will get ridiculed publicly and lose his ability to receive the pension for his time as a Civita member. Also, he will agree to reverse their decision to accept Raphael’s petition and beginning next year, Guanamamma music and dancing will return to The Festival of Josette.”
“He will stay on as Civita Member.”
“Yes.”
I sighed. Even though we finally had the upper hand, I didn't like that we had to make a compromise to get it. Wrong was wrong. Haines Fonseca needed to be removed from his position.
“Don’t think like your father,” Delia said. “Everything in life does not always come out black and white. There is always a shade of grey. And to get something you want, you have to give up something.”
“I don’t like that. Haines Fonseca needs to be removed from the Civita. Blackmailing regular citizens of this city is wrong. Power cannot be used like that.”
“I agree with you,” my mother replied. “But his career as a Civita Member will never be the same. His reputation has been ruined and he will be voted out when the next election comes. We will have to accept this as punishment for his actions.”
***
The first five days of The Festival of Josette had various events around the city. Every district in the city had a celebration of some kind to acknowledge how Walter Leonardo Fuente founded the city. Replicas of the Wall of Walter’s Declaration were on every street corner and food stands were in the center of each district. All the nightclubs in the Roxie and Penelope District opened at sunrise for the entire time of the festival. People went from one district to another district to see which one had the biggest celebrations.
The last day culminated in the Guanamamma Extravaganza. It began with the morning procession in the Fork District called the March of Walter. March of Walter reenacted Walter Fuente’s journey from his birth city of Terrance to our part of the region, South of the Great Forest. The Regnator gave a brief oral history of how our city was founded by the musician. March of Walter started on West 1st Street and continued until it met Ave Roxie. Then, the march turned left and continued west until East 1st Street. The march turned right onto East 1st Street and travelled north where it rejoined West 1st Street. Raphael Reynolds tried to get this part of The Festival of Josette removed when his petition got accepted. But the Civita members refused that part of the petition and let him know firmly this part of our city’s history could never be removed from The Festival of Josette.
Latisha and I attended the March of Walter procession briefly before we had to get to the Mango Nightclub parking lot to get ready for our performance. Even though it did not get removed because of Raphael’s petition, I wanted to make sure I heard the Regnator’s reading of the oral history of how our city was founded. However, I was surprised to see Civita Member Haines Fonseca read the city’s oral history instead of the Regnator. He had the look of a defeated man as he read the history to everyone. The Regnator and the other Civita members stood next to him with faint smiles on their faces. The crowd booed Haines Fonseca as he read and I realized that my mother was right. He was going to get punished far worse than just being removed from his position as a Civita member.
After the March of Walter procession was The Festival of Josette parade at the marperia. The marperia was just south of the Fork District and north of the Roxie and Penelope District. It was the best people watching area in Walter’s Grove. Each district in the city would have various residents create floats reflecting our history. The Civita members would judge which district had the best float and the winning float got the silver key to the city for the year. The people filled the marperia and watch the floats pass by.
However for this year, the parade was removed because of Raphael’s petitions and renamed the Piccanta Pageant. The pageant would showcase Piccanta music and dancing while Raphael Reynolds would declare it as the city’s true music. Delia explained over the phone last night how Raphael wanted to make sure he got the Piccanta Pageant in the festival to offset the March of Walter. I was glad that I was not there to see that falsehood shared with our people. However, I believed that our citizens would not so easily accept Raphael’s version of our city’s history and knowing the Piccanta Pageant would only be for this year’s festival made me feel at ease. He could have his moment in the sun but the truth of our city’s history could never be so easily removed.
Latisha and I were dressed in our customary black and silver dannza outfits. We were standing behind the makeshift stage in the Mango nightclub parking lot. Across the street at the Josette Arena, people were waiting to enter it once the Piccanta Pageant ended. Instead of the Guanamamma Extravaganza that was usually held in the Josette Arena on the last day of the festival, Raphael Reynolds was going to have a huge concert with the best Piccanta musicians in the city. The concert would declare Piccanta music’s rightful place in our city’s history and culture. I hoped our performance would draw enough people to the nightclub’s parking lot to see the music and dancing that actually helped create Walter’s Grove.
The Lavanny dancers were dressed in their traditional orange costumes with silver accessories. There were six dancers: three men and three women. Latisha spent the last hour with them going over the routine. She was much better than me at going over the same steps repeatedly. I did not have that kind of patience. I had to get myself ready for our performance and clear my mind of all other thoughts besides the dancing. However, I thought about my father and his teachings about staying in the moment. The man must always lead his partner with tight, crisp steps. Then my thoughts turned to my mother. We had talked more about her relationship with my father. She shared how she met him dancing in the Roxie and Penelope District and how he proposed marriage the second night after meeting her. She rejected his proposal and they were companions for about a year. My mother loved dancing with my father, but he did not have any other ambition or interests. She wanted to be in a relationship with someone who had a future. My mother thought at that time being a dancer was not stable as a career or ambitious enough for her. I realized I was the same way. My life had been about Guanamamma music and dancing. Nothing else besides Latisha interested me. I wondered if I had created a life too narrow for Latisha. She had never mentioned that as a negative in our life together. But after hearing my mother’s comment about my father and that I was his clone, I wondered if I had I repeated the same pattern with my wife.
I followed Latisha to a section behind the stage where I could see the Lavanny dancers and musicians perform. I was looking forward to seeing them perform traditional Viddhana music for the entire city.
“What are you doing here? “Latisha said.
I turned and saw Darcie standing across from us. She looked crestfallen. I had no idea why she was here.
“You have caused enough damage,” my wife continued. “You should not have come here. We have nothing to say to you.”
Darcie’s eyes watered. “I would like to talk to Ciscoe for just a moment,” she said in a soft voice that I had never heard from her before.
“We are getting ready to perform. You had your chance to speak about what you tried to do for a long time. You should leave.”
“Please Latisha. I would like to speak to Ciscoe.”
I placed my hand on Latisha’s right shoulder. My wife turned towards me and I nodded.
“We have a couple of minutes before we perform,” I replied. “But you have to say it to both of us.”
My wife nodded and Darcie sighed.
“Okay. I wanted to apologize for my actions,” Darcie started. “I let my hatred of my upbringing in Santa Teresa guide how I acted. I hate The Book of Kammbi and what it represents. I did give you that book as a gift and blamed you for showing Diondray that you had it. I loved him and wanted him to stay here in Walter’s Grove. I knew he was going to leave and try to fulfill that stupid prophecy. I blamed you for that, Ciscoe, and I was determined to get revenge. The only way to get revenge was to take away the one thing you love the most besides Latisha. I apologize.”
Darcie’s comment seemed genuine and I had to give her credit for coming to apologize. But I had no comforting words for her.
“Thank you for your apology,” I replied. “I wanted to show Diondray that we had a copy of The Book of Kammbi to let him know there were people south of the Great Forest who honor its teachings. He was going to do his part in attempting to fulfill Oscar’s Prophecy. You should have known that. “
“Those teachings are backwards, Ciscoe. They want all women to be married and pregnant by the age of twenty-one. Only men get to be whatever they want and have it blessed by that God, Kammbi.”
“What about Teresa? Or Alicia? Both of those women appear prominently in The Book of Kammbi.”
Darcie straightened up and she seemed to get her spirit back. “Those are exceptions to the rule. Yes, I know my birth city Santa Teresa is named after one of the women in The Book of Kammbi and she was considered a great woman of that religion. But the people of my birth city have used that rule to create the concept that the only option for a woman is to be a man’s wife and mother to his children.”
“There is nothing wrong with being a wife and mother,” Latisha added.
“I agree with that, Latisha. Especially in this city where marriage is a rarity, but it should be done on an equal footing—not just about what the man wants.”
“This is not the time to argue about the teachings from The Book of Kammbi. You wanted to take away something that means the most to me outside my marriage to Latisha. Your actions went too far and I thank you for coming here to apologize. I believe you should leave now.”
I found out from Delia that the Civita took away her liquor license for a year as punishment in her role with Haines Fonseca. She protested their decision but had to accept it or lose her nightclub, Darcie’s for good. Darcie had no chance but to accept the Civita’s punishment for what she had done. I watched her wipe the tears from her eyes and leave.
***
Viddhana!
I heard that word bellow throughout the entire parking lot as the Lavanny dancers and musicians went onto the stage. I looked around and saw some people leaving the line to get into the arena to come see us. I took some deep breaths and clasped my wife’s hand. She smiled and I felt reassured.
The first Lavanny musician began playing the altophone horn in a low muted sound. She covered the horn with her hand to get that sound. The three women dancers started moving from left to right in front of the horn player. The musician kept playing the same sound as the dancers began their first step with the left foot forward and alternated with the right foot. They did those steps several times as the women grabbed the loose fabric from their pant legs and waved it like a flag. The Lavanny dancers had big smiles and I could tell they were enjoying this opportunity to perform.
A second musician began playing the timbau drum. The timbau drum was strapped to his chest instead being held between the legs. The musician hit the instrument lightly and the drum sound synchronized with the horn sound. The female dancers rose off their right feet and twirled in place. They were still waving the loose fabric from their pant legs.
“They are moving beautifully,” Latisha said softly.
I nodded and kissed her on the cheek.
A third musician started playing the guitar and synchronized his sound with the other musicians. Then the three male Lavanny dancers joined their female partners and began moving in the same formation. The crowd had gotten bigger and erupted with applause.
I placed my arm around Latisha and squeezed her close to me. “They love it.”
“I knew they would. People of this city love a performance.”
“That’s true,” I replied, while the crowd’s applause started to fade.
The altophone horn player changed her sound to a long wail as the other musicians stopped playing. The Lavanny dancers faced each other and moved in a circle to the horn solo. The male dancers reached out their left hands to their female partners. The female dancers moved closer to their partners and grabbed their hands. The horn player finished the solo with another long wail as the other musicians joined in. The dancers interlocked their fingers and moved left to right. Ravi had explained to me during one of the practices this introductory dance was called the nimmi or the invitation. The Lavanny dancers began each performance with a nimmi. It signified to the audience their invitation to the dance. The nimmi was the first section of the three-part traditional Viddhana dance. The other two sections: maddhi or “the middle” and sammi or “closing” completed the dance. Latisha and I were going to dance after the sammi section.
The guitar player started the maddhi section of the dance. He played fast as the dancers formed a single-file line and did a twirl in sync with the music. Seeing the orange and silver from the dancers’ clothes was beautiful. The altophone horn played a soft, whisper-like sound as the dancers broke away from the single-file line and continued twirling in their own section of the stage. I glanced at Latisha and noticed that she was totally absorbed in the performance.
The timbau drum player joined in with the guitarist. The dancers returned to face each other and moved in a back-and-forth Guanamamma step with the men leading. The timbau drum sound was heavy and rhythmic. My left foot tapped the ground and I was ready to dance. The male Lavanny dancers grabbed hold of their partners and began leading each one into a side-step movement. They were incorporating Guanamamma dance steps into this section of their traditional Viddhana dance. Latisha faced me and we kissed. I could feel her excitement, as I knew she practiced this part of the dance with them a lot over the last few days. The Lavanny dancers executed it perfectly.
The Lavanny musicians ended the music as the dancers exited the stage to the right. I took a deep breath and Latisha grabbed my right hand. There was a moment of silence as the musicians finished with their music.
Viddhana!
The timbau player ended his portion with their rallying cry. The crowd erupted with applause. I knew they would nail their performance. The city needed to see the Viddhana people share some of their heritage at The Festival of Josette. The stage lights came on. Zakiyah and the band were on the right side of the stage. The band started playing a Guanamamma song.
Why do people believe in a lie?
Than the truth
That has been with us all the time
Every person knows
What is wrong
And what is right
We are all connected
In this city
And there was a man
Who saw the vision
And acted on it
The truth of it that
Will set us free…
Zakiyah sang that first verse so elegantly that I almost got lost in the song. Latisha tugged on my shirt to snap me out of that musical trance. I led Latisha with the back-and-forth step three times during the first verse. I sang that verse under my breath as we danced. The Truth Will Set Us Free by Natalia Havana was Constance’s favorite song. She played it in the house all the time during my childhood. Constance would sing the lyrics every time my father left the house to go dance at the nightclubs in the Roxie and Penelope District. Even though she did not give birth to me, I appreciated her raising me as her own and being in my life. I wished she were here to see us dance to her favorite song.
Why do we push away the past
And where we came from
For the sake of wanting something new?
Don’t we know
Without what happened before us
Or the one who laid the path
There can never be real progress
The past is not something
To be burdened with
Or carry around like dead weight
It is a reminder
That the truth
Will set us free
I twirled Latisha three times after we reached the second point of the dance. I loved the way her dress flared out at the bottom while twirling. It made her look magnificent.
Why don’t we embrace
What really happened before us
To accept the history and tradition
Doesn’t have to live in a book
Or be recited from memory
But it is a living and active part
Of who we are
And citizens of this great city
Must share it from generations
To come
So that truth
Will set us free
I pulled Latisha towards me and placed my hands on her hips as we reached the third point of the dance. She began moving her hips to the rhythm of the song. My wife grinned. She knew this was a big step for me to add this part to our dance. We moved back and forth with our bodies close together during the rest of it. The crowd erupted in applause as the music faded. I kissed my wife and wrapped my arms around her.
We continued to dance as the band moved the song into Piccanta music. I did not expect that from Zakiyah and the band. But when she started dancing, the crowd followed her. Latisha and I added some of those dance steps during the last couple of practices. I was not ready to become a Piccanta dancer but holding my wife close felt right. The crowd cheered as we danced. The crooked had not only become straight. It had created a new line.
I looked at the crowd and saw people packed together. I could feel the energy of the crowd and the blue light started racing through my body. I knew I had to brace before I only saw a vision of blue.
My Love…
I knew that was Latisha calling me and then I heard these words.
I’ve heard there is a new style of music that has been created recently. It has come to replace what I created when I first arrived here 170 years ago.
There is an accusation from a musician that I stole my musical style from the native people of this area. People of this city should want the truth. People of this city should demand the truth. People of this city will get the truth.
I could feel Walter Fuente’s voice throughout my entire body while I could only see blue light. His voice faded and I heard music. Music that was familiar. Music that my parents played during childhood. I knew Walter was showing everyone in the parking lot how he created Guanamamma music.
After receiving the vision from the Goddess Marrimba, I knew I had to leave my birth city of Terrance. When I arrived here, the Nerdann tribe was the first greet to me, my wives, and our small group of fifty. I heard the sound of the timbau drum and knew I must have it in my music. I played for the tribe for seven days straight and asked them if I could incorporate the timbau drum into my music.
Walter’s voice faded again and I heard a new voice throughout my entire body.
The tribe elders have listened to your music for the past seven days, Walter Fuente. We have elected to share our music with your music to create something new. The cycle of life has told us it’s time for something new to be brought here. This new music will stand the test of time because of how you asked us instead of taking from us. And you honor our ways by playing for us as we asked you to. We will share our music gladly.
“Walter Fuente did not steal his music from the Nerdann tribe!” a voice from the crowd said.
The blue light swirled in my vision and I knew what people were going to see next. I could feel my body go limp and absorb the energy from the blue light until everything went black.
“My love, you’re back!” Latisha said as she held me in her arms.
Delia, Zakiyah, and Ravi were all standing over me. All of them had looks of amazement on their faces.
“My son, I did not know you were that connected to the Nerdann tribe,” my mother said softly. “People saw Walter give his declaration and he said the tribe were co-creators of Guanamamma music. I did not know that part of his declaration.”
“We were not taught of his declaration in school. I always grew up believing that Walter was the sole creator of Guanamamma music,” Zakiyah added.
“Walter Fuente had a member of my people in his band and they were at his declaration,” Ravi remarked. “Viddhana people have been a part of this city since the beginning. Walter Fuente accepted my people when we arrived in this city. I never knew this part of our history.”
I nodded. “I did not know about this part of the history until our visit at the designated area for the tribe. Latisha and I saw the same thing everybody here just witnessed. I don’t know why this was omitted from our history. But the truth will set you free.”