By
Obododimma Oha
There is one Igbo myth that gives a reason why kites eat chicken. That myth is, of course, a means of saying that silence could be strategic and better than noise-making as a response, that silence may suggest a dangerous reaction and needs to be treated with caution, while noise may be an empty ploy to mislead. In a country like Nigeria, noisy response is often called "garagara," which suggests falsehood. Let us call it " chicken noise" and strategic silence " duck silence" alternatively.
OK, the myth. One day, some adventurous young kites learnifng to forage went and carried the young ones of duck. The duck just looked up and kept quiet. When the young kites got to their nest, their mother looked at what they were carrying and asked: "What? What did its mother say when you were leaving with them?" They answered : "She said nothing. Only looked up and surrendered to fate." She said sternly : "That is ominous. Take them back! Your feeding should be no occasion for trouble." So, they obeyed and carried back the ducklings to their mother.
But they later saw some chicks feeding with their mother. They carried the chicks instead. The mother hen raved, charging this way and that way. When the kites reached their nest, their mother asked : "What did their mother say this time around?" They answered: "She was mad at us and said we were stupid aviators asking for her trouble." "Tear them up and eat. They are food. When their mother comes, that is days after learning to fly, she could pick their bones," she told them. So they killed the chicks and ate them. Since that day, kites have been picking domestic fowls and have been eating them, the narrative goes.
Strategic silence walks on padded feet and appears not to bother, while chicken noise boils over and burns out. Duck or strategic silence would appear unreasonable, even cowardly. But it reflects deeply and plans. Duck silence puzzles with unreadable attitude. Is that the same with chicken noise? No. Chicken Noise is pointing to where its hope is or reveals the source of its power. It tells its weakness without knowing it.
Duck silence is dangerous. It calculates and will hit back when nobody knows or is expecting it. It is better to leave uncertain trouble out. Better to take back those waddlers and to sleep in peace. Oh, their mother may be saying something without saying something. She may be saying that the waddlers do not need to be defended, that they are already safe. That is obviously dangerous, very.
Wabblers are not just sitting there for you to shoot. Ask commercial driver in Nigeria for instance. They have seen a bit. Wabblers that do not seem to be fighting back with their tongues are actually on it. Beware and carry back those young ones. They are not good food, if food at all.
This is not all about the duck and the chicken. What about the mother kite and the young kites learning to feed? What about their food? Mother kite is a good teacher : this good teacher stands aside and her pupils do it, let them teach themselves. This good teacher only supervises. And why is this necessary? Mainly this: they would soon be on their own, with no mother-teacher around. Mother-kite does what many animals do very well : teach them how to be on their own.
Now, the young kites and their food. The young kites are learners and we could see that they obey and trust their teacher. They are learning about what is food for kites and what is not. It is not everything we see that is our food. It is not every food we eat that can be digested. Some easily bring trouble. Such is not good food. Young ones of ducks that keep quiet are not good food for kites. They may bring troubles and prevent sleep.
Duck silence is more than golden. Chicken Noise upsets but that is just for a while. Duck Silence and chicken noise are a great lesson.
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