AFRICAN CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED

The Collector of Treasures

BESSIE HEAD’S

South African Women Writers

DikeleDi Mokopi lived in the small village of puleng. everyone called her the woman-whose-

thatch-does-not-leak. She was a loving mother to her three sons, and a caring friend to her neighbours. But then, one night, something terrible happened. Now Dikeledi is in jail for life. What could have happened to make a woman like Dikeledi commit such a crime?

The Collector of Treasures is a tragic story. like many of Bessie Head’s stories it explores the suffering and emotional abuse experienced by many women in rural societies. But it is also a story about love, and friendship, and generosity.

Before writing this story, and the other stories in the book of the same name, Bessie Head interviewed women in the rural village of Serowe, in Botswana, where she lived in exile. Many years later, during an interview

with students, she said, “i have known women to offer generosities ... to do things and not accept money. i have known magnificences in women here. The magnificences in women i drew on and i put them into Dikeledi Mokopi”.

The Collector of Treasures is a story about the ‘magnificences’ of women, and about their pain.

Bessie Head is one of South Africa’s best known writers - a national treasure in her own right.

Permission to adapt this story was kindly granted by Heinemann International.

The Collector of Treasures

BESSIE HEAD’S

The long-term central state prison in Gaborone is a whole day’s journey away from the village of Puleng.

Early one morning in the village of Puleng in Northern Botswana.

1

As the van approached Gaborone, the orange glow of the city lights appeared suddenly out of the darkness. Inside the van Ma Banebothe was sleeping.

Wake up now!We have arrived.

So, who do we have here?

The policeman writes the details in his book.

Comewith me.

Here is yourblanket.

2

You women in there, lightthe candle.

The next morning at breakfast.

Where do you come from,

mma?

I am fromthe village of

Puleng.

Take care! The tea has no sugar in it. We usually scoop sugar off the porridge

and put it in the tea.

My name is Kebonye.What is your name?

I amDikeledi Mokopi.

You have such a tragic name. Why

did your parentscall you ‘Tears’?

My father passed away at the time I was born. It is my mother’s tears that I am named after. She passed

away six years later and I was brought up by my uncle.

After breakfast the women prepare for an inspection.

You must be carefulwhen the chief comes

to inspect us.

3

YOU THERE! Stand up straight!Hands at your sides!

He is crazy about one thing - standingat attention. If it isn’t done you should

see how he swears!

The prison is arehabilitation centre. Here the prisonersmake clothes of cloth and wool to sell in the prison shop.

Dikeledi has soft, caressing hands of strange power.

You are agifted person.

All my friends say so.I am the woman whose thatch

does not leak.

It was with thesehands that I brought

up my children.

How many childrendo you have?

I have three sons,

mma.

Are theyin good care?

Y...yes.

4

That night.

What was yourcrime, Dikeledi?

Mycrime?

Dikeledi thinks back to her wedding day.

There were really only two kinds of menin Batswana culture. The first kind used to live

by the traditions and taboos of the tribe in the old days.

Then, after the Whites came,he became the ‘boy’ of thewhite man.

When Independence freed him, this kind of man could not cope. He was a broken man with no inner strength at all.

One such man was Dikeledi’s husband, Garesego Mokopi.

Now that Independence has come,these government clerks are earning

far too much money for their own good.

Garesego, why aren’tyou at home with

your wife?

I’ve left her. I’m tiredof traditional women.

Independence produced many surprises indeed.

5

Soon after Garesego left home, a new family arrived in the village.

How peaceful our new neighbour looks.

There was another kindof man in Batswanaculture. He had thepower to make himself grow. He put everythinginto his family life, andwent on and on with a quiet rhythm, like a river. He was a poem oftenderness.

One such man was Paul Thebolo.

Dumela, rra. My name

is DikelediMokopi.

Dumela, mma. I am Paul Thebolo.

I have come from Bobonongto take charge of the

primary school.

My wife andchildren will be joining me as soon as I have built two huts.

I would liketo offer my

help.

All my friends knowthat I am the woman

whose thatch does not

leak.

Thank you, mma. I will tell

Kenalepe, my wife.

I hope youand Kenalepewill be friends.

I hope so too.I have been

lonely without true friends.

6

True to her word, Dikeledi helped her new neighbours.

Dikeledi and Kenalepe soon had one of those deep, affectionate, sharing kind offriendships thatonly women know how to have.

Dikeledi, you help us thatchour huts and you make meso many dresses. Why won’t

you accept payment?

Because there areso many benefits inbeing your friend,

Kenalepe.

Well, then,can’t we provideyou with all yourhousehold goods?

Will you accept?

I will accept your offer. Thank you, my friend.

7

A completely new world opened up for Dikeledi.

You are a luckysomebody, Kenalepe. Not everyone has ahusband like Paul.

Oh yes. He isan honest man.

Why did you marry a manlike Garesego? It’s clearthat he is a butterfly.

I wanted to get outof my uncle’s yard.

I never liked my uncle. He was ahard man and he treated me like a servant.

Garesego wasthe only manwho asked to

marry me.

Garesego said he’d rather be married to a woman

like me than the stubborn, educated kind.

Really, I didn’t even say anything when he started

running around.

I am satisfied tohave children.

Well, I think you must find another man.

No. I have my eldestson at school and I can

manage to pay hisschool fees. That is all

I really care about.

8

We are also here on earth to make love and enjoy it.

Oh, I never caredfor that!

Ooh, if you knew what it was likeyou would long

for it, I cantell you.

I’ll lend you Paul if you

like.

AU!Kenalepe!

I sometimesthink I enjoy

that side of life too much.

Kenalepe!

Paul alwayssurprises me withsome new trick.

He has a certain way of smiling when he has thought up

something new.

And I shiver a little andsay to myself: What is Paul

going to do tonight?

I would lend you Paul because I’ve never had a friend that I trust

as much as you.

Also, we used tomake love long beforewe were married andI never got pregnant.

Paul takes careof that side too.

Kenalepe! Stop that!

9

Besides, I amexpecting a child

and don’t feel very well these days.

I cannot accept Paul as a gift from you. But if you are ill, I will wash and cook

for you and your family.

That night. Dikeledi has neverexperienced the joysof a loving partner.

Today I offered to lend you to her.

Why are you laughing so

much?

I don’t wantto tell you allmy secrets.

Soon after this Kenalepe had a miscarriage and had to be admitted to hospital. Dikeledi kept her promise to wash and cook for her friend’s family. One night Paul arrived home late from the hospital.

What are you doing now,

Mma Banebothe?

I know verywell what Iam doing...

You are a verygood woman.

It was the truthand the gift was offered like a nugget of gold.She took it and stored anothertreasure in her heart.

10

Eight years passed ina quiet rhythm ofwork and friendship.

It is late now, my child.You have studied

long enough.

I’m so proud of you, Banebothe.I know you will do well in yourprimary school-leaving exam.

Later that year. Ma, I passedwith a Grade A!

Banebothe A1!

I am worried aboutBanebothe’s school fees.

I am short of twenty pula.

I am going to have to remind

Garesego...

...that he is the father of his

children.

11

Dikeledi had notspoken to Garesegoin eight years.

What do you want? Women like you have

no place here.

Come. We’ll goto theback ofthe office.

HURRY UP! My lunch

hour is short.

Garesego, I wantyou to help me pay

for Banebothe’sschool fees.

He has passed with a Grade A.

He mustpay the fees on the

first day of the term.

I need twenty pula.

Why don’t you ask Paul Thebolo for

the money?

Everyone knows he iskeeping two houses, and

that you are his sugarbaby.

Why can’t Paulpay the schoolfees as well?

Dikeledi repeatedGaresego’s wordsto Kenalepe.

The filthy pig!He thinks that every man islike himself.

I shall reportthe matter toPaul. Thenhe’ll see...

12

The next day Paul went to where Garasego lived with his girlfriend.

Garesego. Come out!

You bastard! Your wife isn’t my girlfriend, you hear!

Then why are you buying her food? Men don’t do that

for nothing.

You defile life, Garesego!

Mma Banebothe makes clothes for my wife and

children.

She will never accept money from me. How else can I

repay her?

As I say - women don’t do that

for nothing.

Garesego, it is your fault if your wife takes another man. You have

left her alone all these years.

13

Garesego’s dirty thoughts were his downfall. He really believed that Dikeledi was Paul’s mistress. He decided to put a stop to it.

Ma, father told me to bring this

to you.

What does he want?

He is an evil man. He just wants sex.

Where can we hide from him?

Banebothe, will you play nearby? I am going to my hut for a while.

It is useless to confront him.

He’ll just ignore me.

My life has become holy to me. He will defile it.

Banebothe! Take this to your father.

14

All afternoon Dikeledi busied herself.

What are you doing?

I am making some preparations.

Garesego is coming home

tonight.

Garesego came home at sunset and found everything ready as he had asked.

Come and eat, children. Then

go to bed.

Garesego kept glancing at Paul Thebolo’s yard.

He was satisfied when Paul did not appear.

He decided to visit every day.

He believed that this would make Paul very angry.

Garesego, will you help pay Banebothe’s

school fees?

Mmm, I’ll think about it.

15

That night.

Your bath is ready. I am going to say goodnight to the children.

Meanwhile, Paul and Kanelepe sat uneasily in their hut.

Later on Dikeledi returned to her own hut.

Mother, was that father’s cry?

Don’t worry, I will look after your children, Mma

Banebothe.

16

I will look after your children...

Dikeledi’s thoughts return to the present.

And what was your crime, Dikeledi?

I killed my husband.

Do you feel any sorrow for what you have done?

Not really, Kebonye.

Later. How did you kill him?

I cut off his special parts with a knife.

I used a razor. We have had troubled lives.

We must help each other. This is a terrible world.

And so Dikeledi begins part three of a life that has been ashen in its loneliness and unhappiness. And yet she has always found gold in

the middle of the ash: deep loves that have joined her

heart to the hearts of others. In Kebonye she

has found another such love. She is the

collector of such treasures.

We are all here for the same crime.

17

AFRICAN CLASSICS ILLUSTRATEDA Storyteller Group Project

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