THOSE WHO DIE AT SEA ARE NOT BURIED ON LAND

 

Adeladius Makwega – MBAGALA

 

The sailors were traveling across the sea aboard their vessel. While they were in the middle of their journey, the ship was suddenly caught in a violent storm. Huge waves forced the vessel off course, making navigation extremely difficult, while the northern and southern winds continued to push it from one direction to another.

 

The situation on board became disastrous. What was expected to be a one-night journey turned into a journey lasting many days.

 

On the first day, the sun rose and set. The second day passed in the same way. The third day came and went without any change. By the fourth day, the sun continued to rise and set while the sailors still had no idea where they were or when they would reach their destination.

 

Their food supplies began to run out. By then, they had only one remaining container of water, which was kept beside their experienced captain, Uzi Bini Ksaveli.

 

The vessel was sailing through salty seawater. For the sailors, having fresh water was extremely important. The amount of water they carried depended on the length of their journey and the number of sailors aboard.

 

The water was used for drinking and cooking, while the sea surrounding them was filled with salt water.

 

On the fourth day, the water in the captain's container also ran out. However, Captain Uzi Bini Ksaveli did not tell his fellow sailors that he still had one remaining container of water.

 

With no fresh water available, the sailors began drinking seawater, which contained a great deal of salt.

 

Uzi Bini Ksaveli said to them:

“Gentlemen, now we are becoming camels. When a camel begins a long journey, it is given plenty of salt so that it can drink large amounts of water without salt. This helps it travel long distances while carrying the water it has consumed in its body. Today, we have become camels ourselves.”

 

The sailors continued drinking seawater for six consecutive days after their fresh water had run out. Their condition gradually deteriorated. Their bodies became increasingly dehydrated, while their kidneys struggled to deal with the large amount of salt they had consumed.

On the fifth day of drinking seawater, the sailors began to become mentally confused, and their awareness gradually declined. By the sixth day, some of them began to die.

 

It is important to remember that the sailors had been aboard the vessel for a total of ten days: four days after losing their way and six days after running out of fresh water and beginning to drink seawater.

 

At eleven o'clock in the morning on the tenth day, they saw another vessel approaching from a distance. By ten o'clock that evening, the vessel had come close to them. The sailors signaled for help, and the other vessel moved toward them.

 

Captain Uzi Bini Ksaveli, who spoke five international languages as well as five indigenous languages, stood up and spoke to the sailors aboard the second vessel.

 

The captain of the second vessel, known as Kuandika Bini Msaliboko, said:

“First, accept our condolences for the loss of your four fellow sailors who were aboard your vessel. I can smell the bodies of those who died after drinking so much salty water. But perhaps what happened was simply a matter of not knowing. Where you are now, if you lower your buckets into the sea, you will find cool, fresh water. There is a freshwater current flowing from the mainland into the sea.”

 

Captain Uzi Bini Ksaveli and the surviving sailors were stunned. Uzi immediately lowered a bucket into the sea to confirm whether the words of the other captain were true.

 

To his amazement, he found fresh water.

He was the first to drink it himself.

 

After that, Captain Kuandika Bini Msaliboko, who was in charge of the rescue vessel, said:

 

“Now, I ask that we first bury your four fellow sailors who have died.”

 

They removed the bodies of the four sailors and placed them together. While searching for mats to wrap and preserve the bodies, they discovered a fifth body—that of a woman who had been staying in Captain Uzi Bini Ksaveli's cabin.

 

Captain Uzi Bini Ksaveli immediately let out a loud cry and began to weep.

 

“My beloved, Kitukuka, daughter of Amaniya, you are dead! Why have you left me alone? What am I going to tell your family when I was the one who secretly took you away?”

The remaining sailors aboard the vessel were shocked and began asking themselves:

 

“Why did Captain Uzi not cry over the deaths of his four fellow sailors, yet now he is grieving so deeply over the death of this woman?”

 

The burials were conducted according to the beliefs and traditions of those involved. The bodies were committed to the sea because their tradition held that:

 

“Those who die at sea are not buried on land.”

 

After the burials, Captain Kuandika Bini Msaliboko brought out a map and explained their location. He showed them that they had lost their way and were approximately 500 miles from their intended destination.

The two vessels remained in the area for another four days so that the surviving sailors and the captain of the first vessel could receive medical treatment.

 

On the fifth day, they resumed their journey together.

Their journey lasted another five days until they finally reached their destination.

 

When they arrived at the shore, the cargo was not unloaded immediately. First, they went to the homes of the families of the five people who had died. The families then began mourning ceremonies that lasted three days.

 

The greatest tragedy was felt by Mzee Amaniya, the father of Kitukuka.

 

The matter was discussed at length. The elders eventually decided to consult traditional divination to determine what had caused the death of Kitukuka Binti Amaniya.

The answer was:

 

“Kitukuka Binti Amaniya drank salty water. The salt in the water caused harm to her.”

Eventually, Uzi Bini Ksaveli was married to the deceased Kitukuka. It was a marriage between a living man and a dead woman.

 

The family continued mourning their daughter for four days. On the fifth day, the first vessel finally unloaded its cargo.

 

Afterward, rumors began to spread that the vessel had gone missing because Captain Uzi Bini Ksaveli had secretly traveled with the woman aboard the ship.

Others claimed that their expected safety had been compromised because Kitukuka Binti Amaniya had been secretly kept aboard the vessel.

The deaths of the four sailors, together with the death of Kitukuka, became part of a great mystery surrounding the sailors who survived.

But one question remained:

 

What was Captain Uzi Bini Ksaveli hiding about Kitukuka Binti Amaniya?

Captain Uzi Bini Ksaveli had hidden the water he still possessed, and he had also hidden his relationship with Kitukuka. When these secrets eventually came to light, they raised questions and suspicion among the sailors and the family.

This teaches us that openness, honesty, and accountability are the foundations of trust, especially in times of difficulty.

LESSONS FROM THE STORY

The sailors faced serious difficulties after losing their way and running out of fresh water. This teaches us that in every journey of life, it is important to prepare properly, assess possible risks, and ensure that essential supplies are sufficient.

 

Captain Kuandika Bini Msaliboko knew about the existence of a freshwater current in the sea. This knowledge helped the desperate sailors when they had almost lost hope.

The lesson is that knowledge has great value. Something we know today may become the solution to a serious problem tomorrow.

A QUESTION FOR THE READER

Mwanakwetu, are you there?

What name should this story be given?

“The Death of Kitukuka Binti Amaniya”

or

“Those Who Die at Sea Are Not Buried on Land.”

The title chosen for this story is:

THOSE WHO DIE AT SEA ARE NOT BURIED ON LAND

I wish you a wonderful day.

Email: makwadeladius@gmail.com

Phone: 0717649257