In the Shadow of the Bush

A landscape photograph showing the Kwa River. The scene captures dense tropical foliage and trees on the riverbanks that lean over the water. The river's surface is perfectly still, creating a mirror-like reflection of the trees and the bright sky, which gives the image a symmetrical appearance.

The creature has six to eight black rings around its tail. As if it knew it was perfectly safe, it lay quite still until we were almost level with it, and then it slid out of sight.

Sometimes a monitor lizard slips from a fallen tree trunk as a traveler draws near. Or, a large snake might ripple the water's surface as it swims across with a bird it has just caught in its mouth. Huge butterflies with brilliant colors flutter here and there. Occasionally, a flash of turquoise hangs over the water for a moment as a kingfisher swoops down, only to rise again with a tiny fish.

These fish, called Tatabonko A small fish species common in West African rivers. by the Efik An ethnic group from the Cross River region of Nigeria. and Ekoi Also known as the Ejagham people of Nigeria and Cameroon., hold an important place in song and folklore. A short Efik poem about them begins:

"You are the lords of the water. You walk near the banks. O tiny Tatabonko."
original: "Enyenne nmonn asanga nben Tatabonko."

Every few minutes, a gray heron rises. Over a small island near a rice farm belonging to a Sierra Leonean During this period, people from Sierra Leone often migrated across West Africa to work as traders, clerks, or farmers., flocks of dark gray birds with bright rose-colored breasts circle in the air.

Now and then, we pass an area where the coarse grass has been eaten short by that strange creature, the manatee A large, herbivorous aquatic mammal often called a sea cow.. Other than an elephant, the manatee is the most valuable prize an Ekoi hunter can obtain. The Egbo Societies Powerful secret male societies, also known as Ekpe, that performed judicial and political functions before the colonial era. are known to pay as much as £10 to £15 for a large one. In 1912, £15 was a very large sum, roughly equivalent to over £1,500 today. These associations ruled the land before the arrival of Europeans. They value the manatee not only because its meat is considered a delicacy, but because they believe eating it grants magical powers.

Magic is the central theme that guides the lives of the Ekoi. The river itself is considered magical. Only a very bold man or woman would dare to break an oath sworn in its name. For...