ELL: If you must go, my friends the Akha

[Matthew McDaniel]

If You Must Go, My Friends The Akha


It seemed they were all there

The remnant of a people

the sun and toil weathered deep in their strong faces

now covered with the dust of fear

the beams held the roof up

but the place still swayed

not so much the wind

as the force against their lives

what would happen if this?

and what will they do to us if that?

the talk went on late into the night

the children concerned not to sleep

but to watch

the trees planted near by

they were the advance troops

not friends

the old trees behind

they guarded the back road

canyons of jungle and banana

full of life and moisture

they shook my hand

I felt ashamed

each an art

that would get no thankyou

if the army comes

what do we do?

they say they will come

the hut holding firmly its posts in the spaces between the rocks

the horse, tiny horse, cribbed next to the steps

every board fitted and worn

the feet of so many children over the years

free and safe

from hut to hut

full of fat rice

wind and work

the rains to dust the heat,

the storms to lay the soul to rest

sour greens

tasty pig

thick rice whiskey

the lisaw the akha

all speaking

laying their voices for mercy in the stones

the pine, from foreign land, stomping their dark stubbly feet

at the edge of the village

death the dust of their shoes

rice terraces ten times the height

answering back to accuse them

from accross the way

the arena seats of ten thousand souls

come and gone to the rice

from the years before

do you know these lands?

do you know these children?

do you know these stones

which you slight

and all the weary mothers,

carrying child,

who have polished them with bare feet,

walking over them the years

do you know that star there

or the wind my friend on this left ridge

the akha children

laughter from the village over

can you soothe more than one hurt

with the pitch from your soul

that leaks out and runs

down your stomping legs

can you bend the rice

yet not to break it

can you dry it

yet not to drop it

before you make it to the hut

can you send the water

from under the rocks

to the valley bottom

without troubling the grasses

or frightening the chickens

can you give the shade

to the brown cow's back

but still put the sunlight

on the ears

can the akha dance

in joyous circles

in your dark

and desolate halls

once for the rice

a dance in the singing

planting each seed

some growth to give

once for the swing

the drum throbbing

the maidens so cheerful

warming the souls

of their elders of age

once for the rice

gone into the chambers

wooden tops and black seeds hopping

singing voices,

all till dawn

the babies sleeping

cradled on mothers back

silver all around

our ancient terraces

can you better us now?

When the lightning comes

it will eat your soul

if the Akha be gone

the silent spirits will dance

forever to cheer

the saddened memories

of all that was lost here

the wind still tumbling

down the mountain

with great leaping sobs

the bamboo wailing

to honor them

when others were too great

to ever understand.

                                    Matthew McDaniel

--



Matthew McDaniel
The Akha Heritage Foundation
386/3 Sailom Joi Rd
Maesai, Chiangrai, 57130
Thailand
Mobile Phone Number:  Sometimes hard to reach while in Mountains.
66-01-881-9288

US Address:

Donations by check or money order may be sent to:

The Akha Heritage Foundation
PO BOX 6073
Salem OR 97304
USA

By Visa Card Secure Site:

https://www.givetocharity.com/cgi-bin/give.pl?CODE=10956

Donations by direct banking can be transferred to:
(Preferred)

Wells Fargo Bank
Akha Heritage Foundation
Acc. # 0081-889693
Keizer Branch # 1842  04
4990 N. River Road.
Keizer, Oregon,  97303 USA
ABA # 121000248

Or In Thailand:

Matthew  Duncan McDaniel
Acc. # 3980240778
Bangkok Bank Ltd.
Maesai Branch
Thailand

Web Site:

http://www.akha.com
mailto:akha at loxinfo.co.th

Discussion Groups:
akha at onelist.com
indigenousworld at onelist.com


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