Back in the day, my granny narrated a story to me about some brave hunters. I liked the story, even though I didn’t have brains to think about any inner meaning. My mind drama was all about the hunters setting traps and getting some home.

I later saw it and decided to share.

 

Two friends set out on a hunting expedition deep in the forest. They were seasoned hunters and knew their way around the forest. They knew where to find which game and at what time of the day. They could track any animal they were keen to pursue right into its haven and slay it. No animal was too big or too cunning or ferocious for this pair. But this particular day, luck seemed to evade them. For hours on end, they crisscrossed the deep jungle tracking, chasing and chancing, all to no avail. It was getting late. They were getting weary, thirsty and hungry. But giving up was never an option to the duo. It is at this point of desperation that they decided to take an unfamiliar route leading into a section of the forest known to harbour little or no game at all. Hardly had they done 100 metres when they bumped onto a large lone male hyena. Unfortunately, it was taboo and abominable to eat hyenas in their community. One of the two hunters said to his partner: "I know it is taboo to eat hyena meat, but is it taboo to kill one?" His friend replied: "No, it is not." So the two agreed to shoot the hyena, which they did. This done, they also were in agreement that it is not taboo to skin or even roast a hyena. Once roasted, the aroma of the juicy hyena meat was too much to resist. It is here that one of them again asked his friend: "As far as I can recall, it is not abominable to taste hyena meat, or is it?" His friend quickly replied: "Of Course not! It is perfectly ok to taste!" The two hungry hunters tasted the hyena meat to their fill. What remained, they took back to the village without disclosing what animal it was. The whole village gathered to feast. They had never tasted such sweet meat like this before! The chief demanded to know which animal that was. The two hunters, left with no other option had to reveal to the chief what had happened. The chief after a brief consultation wth the elders immediately revoked the taboo on hyena meat, but announced that hyenas can only be hunted with the direct authority of the village chief.

 

It took the bravery of two hungry hunters to change an age old taboo.

It took the bravery of two desperate hunters for a whole village to discover that there is no harm whatsoever in eating hyena meat

It might take your desperate act of bravery to liberate humanity from some self imposed rules, regulations, taboos, name it.

 

Our limitations are self imposed! We continue to lack in a world of plenty.

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