Is Not Our Culture: The Inkwell Prompt #77
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Hospitality is inevitable when it comes to taking care of visitors. Expatriates can find themselves where there are no relatives, friends, or associates but they will expect good gestures from the people who live in the area for better treatment.
This reminds me of a town in a part of Africa where they are still practising the traditional rite by allowing their wife to spend a night with visitors as the best way to show that he/she is welcome into their home.
Bobby was a friend of Joshua who lives in this area and he spent his entire life in the aforementioned areas where the norms of offering their wives as a way of entertaining prominent visitors.
Bobby and Joshua met each other in the tertiary institutions and after the completion of their program, Joshua returned to the city where his family resides.
Meanwhile, when they were still in tertiary institutions Joshua met Joan, his wife, on campus and they did courtship throughout their program and ended up marrying each other after graduation from the University.
But Bobby Joshua's friend did not witness their wedding program and promised to give them a surprise visit.
One day, Bobby picked up his cell phone and called Joshua that he was coming to visit them in the city and he should prepare for him.
Joshua was excited to hear from him, and he said that is good my friend. Even my wife Joan was expecting the day you will visit us since you didn't come to our wedding program. We would be expecting you soon! They hung the calls.
The following month, Joshua was at work and he received a call from Bobby that he was at the motor park in the city where Joshua resides.
Oh! Friend, you at the park. Don't worry, I will come and pick you up from there. Give me some minutes and I showed up. Said Joshua.
Just in mere minutes, Joshua drove there and Bobby was surprised to see him on time.
Bobby said friend, you keep to your words and I didn't expect to see you quickly like this. Wow! You surprised me.
When they got home, Joan was happy to see Bobby. She went straight to the kitchen and prepared delicious food and drink. After the food, Joshua started a gist with Bobby about life generally.
Later, Bobby jokingly said to Joshua, you have taken care of our wives.
Which are our wives? Who are you referring to? Joshua reacted.
Bobby said Joan of course. You don't know that whatever belongs to you belongs to me as well.
Both of them laughed and changed the topic. When it was time to go to bed.
Joshua took Bobby to the guest room and gave him a blanket that he will use to cover his body. Whereas, Joan disinfected the room against mosquitoes to make him much more comfortable.
Later, while in the room he was expecting Joan to come and spend the night with him till midnight but she didn't show up at all. He woke up and went straight to Joshua's room and knocked on the door.
Who is that person? Bobby, are you the one? Please let us suspend everything until tomorrow. Said Joshua.
Bobby was furious. Hey, friend, I can't wait till tomorrow before discussing this thing with you because It is very important.
Bobby remained at the doorstep and Joshua opened the door.
Hehe, Bobby? What is it? I was telling you that I and my wife had slept all already and you should postpone it till tomorrow. After all, I was with you before and you didn't remember to discuss it with me. Okay, I am hearing you. Said Joshua.
Bobby said anyway, you know our culture now and I was expecting Joan our wife to come to my room but when I didn't see her and I was wondering if you might have forgotten that you have a visitor.
Joshua's eyes had changed to brown. To come and do what in your room? It is late already. Mind you, Joan is not our wife but she is my wife. Get that one correct in your head. It may be your culture to offer a wife for a visitor but not our culture. I will advise you to desist from the act because is not good when you have your wife that you left at home before coming here and you are still craving for my wife to sleep with. It is capital NO. You don't fear diseases! Good night!
The End
That is an odd tradition indeed, @raymondpeter, and it's no wonder that Joshua was alarmed when Bobby expected to take his wife for the night. But every culture has its own peculiarities.
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I have not heard of this tradition, so I looked it up and found an interesting article about it. Evidently, in the Ovahimba and Ovazemba tribes of Northern Namibia, this is still common. And in fact, if a visitor comes with his wife, the two men may trade wives for a night. The article says that the women do not have a problem with it! Wow. Interesting topic for a short story, @raymonpeter.
Thank you for your efforts @jayna to find out that, but not only in Northern Namibia because they used to practise it in some parts of Northern Nigeria, Tiffy tribes in Benue State.
I've heard of this tradition once before but found it hard to believe, I guess it really does happen 😳 what a tradition!
And what a story to go with it, I enjoyed reading through.
Thank you for reading my piece!