The Fisherman is Angry

Is it really true that every soul has an enemy? Then the fisherman has the worst enemy ever. The agrarian farmer will welcome the rains as a real cordial friend, though the downpour will destroy some crops in the farmland. But the rains are significantly still the enemy of the fisherman. In this poetic story, I will show you how without any doubt.

Contents:

1. Fishers are not afraid of rainfalls.
2. The elements of weather.
3. Eclipse of the sun and the moon.
4. Marine temperature.
5. Predicting the natural phenomena.
6. The poem, Inji kombo toru beleke: the fisherman is angry.
7. Conclusions.
8. References.

As the rains pour down heavily, schools of fish disappear from the creeks, rivers, and seas, and buried themselves at the bottom of the sea bed. But for the crop farmer, the earth generously opens its mouth and received the rains for the seeds, and propagated stems to germinate. The crops grow and yield flowers, seeds, crops, and fruits for mankind.

A good wind blowing calmly with a high cooling intensity will likewise scatter shoal of fish. In the same manner, a stormy wind will make the waters very warm, and fishes are cold blood animals, making the environment unfavorable to them. The fisherman then looks for a coastline where the wind is calm and favorable, and the water tepid or lukewarm.

Seriously, the thing is that if the rainfall is calm, fish will be teaming. So it's to be on the sea and harvest them. I have during peaceful weather go fishing and returned with a very good catch of sardines and mullets. I also fish for Tilapia.

The elements of wind, storm, hot and cold air, very hot or cold weather, and heavy rainfall; and the rising and falling of the tidal waves, all contribute significantly to the woes of the fisherman. He has no control over such elements or acts of nature. Such a phenomenon is usually attributed locally to the mermaids or gods. I will be addressing these phenomena in poetic form.

The sun has an influence on the moon. Likewise, the moon influences the rising and falling of the tidal waves. All these physical processes drastically affect the fish in the rivers, seas, and creeks. Fishes are cold-blooded animals that depend on dissolved oxygen in the water for life. By the process of diffusion, dissolved air in the water passes through the gills into the bloodstream.

If the water in creeks and rivers is constantly disturbed by these natural conditions, it's inevitable that it affects the life of fish. The only opinion for the animal is to take shelter under the sea-bed, or in the cavities of rocks at the bottom of the sea.

Too hot or too cool a river or sea means there is not sufficient dissolved oxygen in the water. During a thunderstorm and heavy downpour, this usually happens. Therefore, the fishes in the rivers, seas, creeks, and promontories, and lakes will go underground to hibernate until conditions become normal again.

All these are serious factors a local fisherman will take into consideration before venturing into the open seas for a fishing trip.

Nevertheless, these can happen as an unforeseen circumstance during fair weather. And, the fisherman will return without a single or poor catch, making life difficult. Thus, he or she may be angry as there's no fish food to eat.

The accurate prediction of the rising and falling of the tidal waves is common among the Wakirike (Okrika) fishermen. Also, the favorable times' fishes appear in the rivers and creeks. And despite this, not in spite of it, poor catches of fish or no catch at all results on certain occasions. The fisherman becomes angry, dejected, long-faced, and sullen. This is expressed in a catchy phrase: inji Kombo, Toru beleke. Inji means fish, and Kombo is a fisher. Toru beleke, a long frown face.

As in the English language, specifics exist in the Wakirike Ijaw tongue. Okolo Kombo and inji kombo are two examples. Okolo Kombo refers to a man fishing only in a certain creek and is usually masculine. Inji Kombo refers to any person male or female fishing in any creek or river.

A man fishing in a creek does not always reach the end in certain circumstances. So a man mating with a lady does not reach the end of the female reproductive organs. The male reproductive organ can only go as far as the bottom line.

Inji Kombo Toru beleke: the fisherman friend is angry.

Because there's no catch of fishes

Due to turbulent weather.

The mermaids are angry.

The gods are angry.

The weather is furious with fierce winds,

Blowing crazily against the waters

The shoal of fishes appears, disappearing for shelter.

Gbum! Gbum! Gbum! It thunders.

The mermaids are angry.

The fishes are afraid.

Fish is our food.

It is the main meal for our well-being.

The fisherman friend is angry

Because there is no catch of fishes.

Local dried fishes and frozen foreign fishes abound in the markets.

But we cherish fresh fish in our rivers and creeks,

Sardines, mullets, catfish,

tilapia, mudskippers, shrimps,

and eel skippers, and crabs.

March onward to June is a new season.

Fish is our food

We cherish fresh sardines

Iwo piagba iwo songu siki la sam:

It's the season of fresh sardines and fresh corn.

We cherish eating fresh corn with fresh sardines in spices palm oil sources,

Not the Yesterday's stale sardines in the market,

Nor Yesterday's frozen sardines for three days in the market.

But fresh sardines catch today from the rivers, seas, and creeks

With fresh corn in spices palm oil sources.

Inji Kombo: stubborn fisherman

Where are the fishes?

Gbum! Gbum! Gbum!

Lighting flashes across the night sky

light rains falling on the sea.

Becomes heavy, boisterous, furiously, and thunderous.

Gbum! Gbum! Gbum!

The sky is mad,

the god of thunder is mad and angry.

The mermaids are angry, and the gods are angry.

The dim sky stealth into darkness,

golden rains piercing the darkness

the fisherman friend is angry.

because he can not help the matter.

Alone in his canoe, he puts on his raincoat.

Silence.

Then prays:

Iya na bo tamuno ye, Iya na bo tamunoye: O Lord, my God! O Lord, my God!

The majestic boa constrictor stirs

and the ocean waves surge,

The sea, rivers, and tidal waves began to rise,

pulling the canoe and fishing net with some fish home.

Inji kombo toru beleke!: the fisherman friend is angry!

We'll eat these few with fresh corn as a staple diet.

And wash this down with fresh palm wine from the Ogoni Country.

So far, so good. Fish is a delicious nutritious meal. It provides the body with the best essential amino acids needed for building a strong healthy body. Fish is satiating food.

The Okrika or Wakirike people will do everything necessary to scoop even a handful from the river for food. But it's our mindset to harvest a bountiful for sale and food.

1. The Cultural Heritages of the Wakirikes (The Okrika ) Peoples, by E.D.W. Opuogulaya, CSS Press, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
2. Okrika in Search of an Ancestry, by J.A. Fiberesima, Evans Bros. Nigeria, Ltd.

3. Tide, moon, and sun.

4. The role of the Central and western Delta Ijos in the Atlantic Trade, by MiebakaGH Fiberesima, a terms paper, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria.