Following six months of tedious, less-productive labor, a few lazy or overeating villagers left their villages to work in the gold mines. But after several months, few among them foolishly separated from the main group and headed to large cities and towns in search of manual labor. In the temporary camps, however, the hardworking ones kept digging for gold in the soil, rock, and sand. Eventually, their efforts paid off when they came across large gold deposits. After securing the area with armed men, they retrieved all the gold and left the area for Jima Abjiffar to sell. When they had the money, they rented the entire second floor of a hotel for a reasonable price. In their country, finding romantic companions wasn't complicated, only money talked. They were happy, refreshed, they had money, food, and drinks, even if they didn't have the women who had been their companions years ago. It is only when one has money that one cannot create their own statement, isn't it? They sat on the balcony in the evening, began to party, and soon news about rich fortune-carrying gold diggers spread quickly. Family members and village residents sought them out in order to share their happiness with them. They were visited by many people from all over the city, including those not related to them, and from villages other than where they had come from. In fact, some of those visiting them were not strangers, but village boys. These boys recently split up with the group in the minefields, leaving the camps and badmouthing their remaining friends. The fact that their friends were now wealthy made them want to get their hands into the honey without thinking about making amends for past wrongdoing. One of among stood tall and withstood the approaching mob, pointed at the crowd, and rebuked the wrong ones. He threw down a bundle of money, telling them to look elsewhere. There is a local bar. Across the street from that tall building, you'll find a local drinking franchise. Go have fun and we'll see you later. The others asked him why he was chasing the boys away, he replied with a heavy suppressed voice that they would join us later. The other man was curious. I hope you are not angry with them for tracking us? They're kids, aren't they? I just wanted what was appropriate for them. In any case, those were nasty kids who insulted our intelligence before leaving the camps. If they had left peacefully, there would not have been any controversy among us, but regardless, we will discuss this with them tomorrow. For now, they don't belong here. The life of so many young men in the Anyuawaland wasn't as tough as it is today. Apart from the farming lifestyle, many people know they have no other options to make a living that will improve their lives. There is, however, one place that many villages' youths flock to in order to earn money, and after hard time spent hunting gold at a place called Dembella, they are relieved of their financial misery. For many who have not been accustomed to currencies, who have come from bartering economies into currencies, they are confronted with new social developments they have not experienced before. In the old country, there are plenty of resources, but knowledge of exploitation is lacking. Gambella is really the home of milk and honey. Back then gold treasure hunting was limited to only one place, that was Dembella. There were many people from the Anyuawa country who went to Dembella, from different social economic backgrounds, but sharing one thing in common, that’s to dig for gold and make money to improve their living standards. Those days, Dembella was feared, its name have been associated with a lot of illegal activities, it was a place of crime, so everyone who went there must have been a murderer, thief, debtor, child snatcher, rapist, or a dowry runaway but it was a false narrative spreads by those have been in power to prevent their subjects out abject poverty and improve their living conditions. All Gambella’s intellectuals of all pedigrees are not fond of it. But there are many people who loved Dembella for many good reasons, people think of this golden country as a place where dreams were fulfilled. In those gold redden territories west of Gambella, the abundance of minerals and precious metals is everywhere like birds' seeds. Basically, it's a land free from government control and reach. It was feared that it was run by every type of outlaw, fugitive, or runaway element, or by village law breakers who belonged to some chiefdoms or kingdoms. Even so, Dembella has a law-based government, aided by its own men and commanded by headmen selected simply because of their wealth and power. The last strong headman called Okuku was a brilliant leader. Under him, law and order were strictly observed, the bourgeoning crime attempts to degrade the inhabitants' spirits were nipped in the buds. Okuku, feared like ancient Asoka the India king, had a positive effect on Dembella's development. Okuku passed laws that seemingly looked like draconian laws but was positive in nature. For instant, Okuku, objected to women working in the goldfields like the men because he said women should rear their children in the villages, not in the mines. Women were forbidden to live or visit friends or relatives in Dembella. His view of Dembella is that it is not a good place for cultural growth or to raise a family due to its uncivilized counterculture lifestyle. The golden state of Dembella, today known as Dima, was misunderstood long time ago by some morons. However, I preferred the old name better than the new one. I am a traditionalist conservative at heart. There's a reason, though; historically, this area has been referred to as hell by many, who have not even seen it with their wider eyes. They used pejorative and scornful words to describe it. Those who went there were decent Anyuawa people, like anyone else they went there to hunt for gold treasures, to alleviate their broken conditions. They were not criminals, if there were any, they were few compared to the majority who lived there. But the historical background for Dembella is of great significance. Just like the rise of the old down-under-appreciated California to the emergence of a new California of high-tech industries and technology, Dembella now has the highest capital per income with a population greater than that of the other provinces in Gambella. Dembella, government, its social relief organization have been in the forefront of assisting areas affected by floods in the Akobo, Gilo, and Jor areas. This writing teaches us to not look down on other people because they are down, you never know they might be the one who in time of needs would be the one helping you tomorrow.
Have a good weekend!!
አበቃው የሣምንቱ ሠው ይበለን
The author of the article is Namphili Otho Gilo. He can be reached at amhare14@gmail.com.
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