The Feast of the New Yam was approaching. I could see that everyone in Umoufia was busy preparing for the upcoming celebration. My father Okonkwo wasn’t in that mood as everyone in the village. He never was enthusiastic with celebrations.
It was nearly noon on the second day of the New Yam Festival which was also a wrestling match took place. Ekwefi and I sat near the fireplace waiting for a pot of water to boil. After it boiled, Ekwefi picked up the hot pan with her bare hands. I totally surprised with her action. I asked Ekwefi if older people didn’t feel burns. She answered me when people are grown up, fire does not burn them. Suddenly, I felt twitching in my eyelid. Then, I told her is my top eyelid. Ekwefi answered, “That means you will see something.” I will see something. Maybe the wrestling match will show me something important. I guess.
As Nwoye;s mother asked for live coals, Ekwefi grabbed a few live coals in a pot and handed them to me. I brought to her and helped her to build a fire. I was blowing the fire trying to start but Nwoye’s mother had me grab the fan instead saying I will blow my eyes out.
At dinner, my father asked me to sit like a woman. He also refused to accept offer when I wanted to bring chair for him. The dinner went on normally after that. The drums continued to beat for the start of wrestling match.
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