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A Game of Musawo Anyone?

Jacqueline Masaba Mukite

Updated: May 2, 2024

My sisters and I were like the Holy Trinity albeit a strange one. My older sister Joanna was like God the Father. She was in charge of coming up with all the games we'd play. I was responsible for working out the details of it and my little sister, Jennnifer...well she was the guinea pig on whom we tried any new tricks.


One of my sister's favourite games was Musawo. She was always the doctor of course, I was the designated nurse/helper and little Jennifer was always the patient.

When once she asked why she couldn't play anything else, Joanna told her rightly so that she didn't know enough to be a doctor (in retrospect neither did Joanna but who was to know...big sisters know everything)


One incident of Musawo stands out in my mind. We'd been playing at the same thing for a week with no new tricks and I guess the doctor was getting restless. She wanted to have more power and save more lives. No doubt because of this she came up with a new line of action. She said nothing to me because I was the coward as well. I always had good reason as to why something should not be done.


Our treatment room was situated in my Aunt's spacious bedroom. She was often outdoors so we played there to our hearts content as long as we put things back in their place.


The patient sat by the bed but she didn't look too happy today. A small fight had ensued earlier between her and the doctor and Mommy had been informed. Things had not ended well for the doctor so she was put for payback.


The doctor walked in with one of those paper pouches often used for medicine. Unknown to us she had rolled up little pellets of paper that she intended to use as tabs for her patient.


She walked in speaking her normal doctor gibberish and directed me to take the patient's temperature. I did and moved away so that I could write the results down and deliver them.


When the doctor got the temperature results, she made a very ominous 'hmmm' and pronounced that the patient had a very rare disease of the name (and the doctor proceeded to use a word I had never before heard in my life. She was good at that sort of thing...coming up with new languages. She still does so to this day with her son and they both have so much fun.)


I must admit little Jennifer often took these games seriously and she almost began to cry because the word sounded so big and the doctor looked so believable. I however was not fooled (I think).


The doctor on seeing her face encouraged her that she had just the right antidote for it and that all would be healed soon. All she had to do was take one tab from the ones the doctor had and all would be made right. The patient without further thought took one of the pellets and swallowed it down with some water which I offered.


I was a little disappointed thinking that our game of Musawo had wound down so fast. But I was wrong...things were just about to get crazy.


'You child you have swallowed a paper and you're going to die,' (Mwana gwe omize akapapula era ogenda kuffa)I turned to look at Joanna and she was wearing a very earnest expression.I looked at Jennifer but she seemed okay. Joanna repeated the words in Luganda and the second time it looked for sure like little Jennifer had taken them in.


Her face contorted very slowly and she let out a small wail,'you're the one who gave me the paper to eat' (siyegwe akambadde). The crying got louder and Joanna got louder too.I was in shock wondering just what was going on. I loved eating paper and I figured if anyone was dying I would have to go first. I tried to say so but I was shut down pretty quickly.


It was at this point when I thought things couldn't get worse that Joanna brought her little game to a head.

'If you don't want to die you have to do what I say since I have control over the paper. If you report me to Mommy or even think about it I will sing this song and you will die.(Bwo nodamu okundoopa ewa Mama ngyakuyimba luno oluyimba akapapula kakoole)

Ina aninda ayinde Kapapula!'Little Jennifer was wailing still and now asking to be forgiven in Luganda.


Joanna, having realised that her ploy had worked changed tones and started using her soothing voice, 'Tofaayo...nkusonyiye. Naye tobidamu...tobidamu' (Don't worry, I forgive you but don't do it again)


My little sister was glad to be forgiven and even gladder that there would be no dying today. They hugged a little and all was forgiven. Joanna then pronounced that we could go play hide and seek or something like that.


From those little games I learned the power of our minds. Our ability to make false things appear real with just the right nudge. That song worked for Joanna for a while until Jennifer, not so little, realised that she had pooped the deadly paper out.

Often when I'm tempted to be afraid of the unknown or to borrow terrors and fears that are yet to occur I remember that story and I relax. I realize that I have the power over what I do and do not believe.


For those things where I feel powerless, I have learnt to trust God and remind myself that what looks like the worst disaster of all time might be just a little paper pellet being used to goad me.


And that song... it's still popular with the three of us to this day. We just agreed that we won't use it on our children.


(Oh and Joanna incase you get to read this...I think I'm super creative and good at telling stories because I got to grow up with you! Thanks!)

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