Shot 4 – Children of Africa
They call him Paki; he lives in a small village in one of the hottest parts of Africa. His clothes are worn and their colours long since faded from the original bright hues, he walks miles to get water and he knows his mother is scared that she may die and leave her two sons and three daughters alone. He has a brother called Latif whose calm touches lured many a bird to their dinner plates, and three sisters: Yakini, who people easily confided in, a wise problem solver and honest soul, Uzima, who always found the best vegetables and took over her mother's garden when she was 9 and made it flourish and Binah, who danced in the towns and brought in more money than they had seen before once, she was the oldest and had such grace she looked like one of the leopards they saw sometimes. Beautiful. He can see the future whenever he closes his eyes.
When it is dark and they still have extra candle to burn or the batteries for their torch have not run out Binah makes her hands dance into shadows of beasts on the walls, telling stories that enrapture their hearts and minds. And once Latif lured an elephant away from their hut with only himself and had it on its knees for affection by the end. He knows his family is special, every one of them, aand he knows they inherit this gift from their mother.
People had called his mother – who had two names, Efuru and Imena, one was given by her father, a wise man who people said saw the future and the other by her mother a mysterious woman who many said was a whore, but mama said was a loving woman who just had to move like the clouds, untied to the land – a witch and a prophet. She saw the future too. Their father could speak any language – even the ones of animals, but the children never know this, they can only remember his dark warm eyes and his rough large hands lifting them up to the blue, blue sky even when it's so hot and he's so tired he wishes he could sleep instead of playing with five children.
She lived quietly until she died, eyes wide but ghostly white and mouth curved into a smile. He died of a stab wound from somebody who refused to speak, he was African and spoke the first language Nanji ever learned.
Paki, the oldest boy, and second oldest child considered staying his family in their house but in a dream told him to go to America. A man comes not soon after and tells them that they can have a place, a job and a life in this foreign country if they wish. Yakina tells him it is an honest offer and they leave.
They have a place in America and they learn the words for burger, satellite and riches, but they keep their words for family, soul and love.
Nanji – Safe
Efuru – Daughter of Heaven
Imena – Dream
Binah – Dancer
Paki – Witness
Uzima – Vitality
Yakina – Truth
Latif - Gentle