My Grandmother’s Kitchen

There’s no electricity
a darkroom like historic
my grandmother’s kitchen.
Now, Mesa Verde reminds me of it.
In the middle of the floor
was a wood fireplace--cooking stove
built by three stones’ combination.

A belief says that our
ancestors’ dead spirits live in fireplaces,
where the priest prays, worships
and bestows the gifts to make happy to them.
My grandmother’s kitchen is story
and glory of mine. It tells me history of mine.

Sacred fireplace is conducted by the divine power,
which was included in my grandmother’s kitchen.
My grandmother could keep it pure,
and she made it respectful all of her life.

Fireplace--Daabya, it was fearful for me.
My infant time passed staying far from it.
It was prohibited for me to be familiar with it;
if I unnecessarily teased with fireplace, my activity
would not be tolerable for the god--Saamkha.
He could become angry, and he would punish me.

All around my grandmother’s kitchen
was full with rakes and baskets those were filled
with various food and kitchen tools.
There’re iron, steel, brass, rubber, wood, stone
and clay’s instruments; they’re few modern—
pots, pans, clefts, spoons and tongs,
but they’re seemed unique and antique.

The wall was painted by clay’s red and white colors.
The ceiling and wood mainstays were tinted by black smoke.
My grandmother’s kitchen was natural and original.
I could get my real origin and identity in my grandmother’s kitchen.

It’s a marvelous panorama that is painted in my sightedness.
My grandmother’s wrinkled face, fresh ash like white hair
shone in the flames of fire. Her sweat fell like a waterfall.
My grandmother’s robust arms, faster hands,
expert fingers showed the magic in cooking.

She shared her love and affection with majestic feasts.
My grandmother’s liberal heart
made that kitchen as a common dinning room
for the alien and known. She received
many people’s appreciations for her kindness,
they still sing the song of her greatness.

She’s gone.
She left so many recollections in my mind.
No longer she will not possess it.
The era is changing so fast.
If my grandmother’s kitchen is not destroyed,
a hundred years later it becomes
a museum as a heritage of my village.

* Daabya: n. The word Daabye calls in Kirat-Rai, Koyu/Bantawa language—fireplace or cooking stove.
* Saamkha: n. Saamkha is a type of God who spiritually rules in fireplace.
* Fireplace is a very powerful and sensitive place according to the Kirat religion. ...

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