In a beautiful village in Africa, close to Kalenda Bay Way, where butterflies and birds fly freely towards the rising sun, lived a group of hunters. They were proud of their activity, which was the main activity of the community. Indeed, it was they who fed the whole village in such harmony and unity that it was beautiful to see the sharing that took place around the fire. Altogether, a joyful group enjoyed both a good meal and a beautiful friendship: mothers and fathers sitting side by side, with their children on their laps.
This is why the hunters were always welcomed by the community with songs and dances. But it was true that in recent times they were almost always arguing and even fighting over the possession of their prey. This disunity grew to the point where the group was unable to accomplish its mission of bringing food to the people of the village.
– “Your hearts are all prisoners of your pride, your vanity and above all your immense egoism!”, the wise counselor of the community warned them, in a firm and powerful voice.
Then he invited them, before the hunt, to make a ritual confession around the tree of purification and union of the hunters, the Tshinkunku sanga bilebi, which was in the centre of the forest. Thus they walked until nightfall. Gathered around the sacred tree, after a heavy silence, the counsellor began to pronounce some words of encouragement:
– “Brave hunters of our tribe! You who handle your bows with such precision and shoot light arrows into the air, imagine now a bow of Light and arrows so precise of self-knowledge and aim at your wounded heart! Kill there, within you, the wild beasts of self-centredness! That is why there are sometimes accidents, dangerous surprises, like the sudden appearance of snakes. I must tell you that this hunt requires great courage: your broken hearts will be emptied to the last drop! Now I want to hear what disunites you, to help you unite your hearts!”
In a weak, shame-filled voice, Mukadi begins to speak:
– I lied to my wife.
Musas’s, his eyes full of tears, confesses:
– I stole from my neighbor!
Ilunga, shrunken in his smallness, voice choked, says:
– I did not respect my ancestors!
Mutomb’, in his turn, almost shouted in repentance:
– I have disunited my family!
One after the other, they all saw the dark night coming.
But this time it is a silence both deep and light that takes hold of their hearts.
At last the wise counsellor said:
– Now that your hearts have been emptied of all the evil beasts of the ego, I want to hear the qualities of each one: the hidden treasures that are within you and that can be offered to the community.
It is then that joy comes to all.
As a truly united group, they present all the magical gifts of their souls.
– But who will be our Mwene ditu, our Mukaleng, the Chief of the Forest? – asks Kamuz’, full of emotion and enthusiasm.
– The Chief of the Forest is your humble and sincere hearts, united in one heart! A heart that is far above good and evil, above all our limitations. A heart open to the Light that transforms us into true human beings: the human beings we once were, when we lived in the heart of God. – answers the counsellor.
At that moment, they carry in their hearts a great love and a huge hope, with the certainty that their mission will be successful.
Then everyone fell silent. A silence that hovered like a heart full of light, floating high above the dark forest.
