Today, we shall take a look at the profile of a great mind, leader and very wealthy tarok son of his time, NDONG OGA LAKA. The birth records of this wonderful man is a subject of oral traditions. Ndong was from Laka sub clan in present day Bwarat District. Tarok Oral narrations provided that Ndong oga Laka gave himself name. And the child, Ndong started to speak while he was less than six months of age. He was born with complete dentition in his buccal cavity. This mysterious child will pick the animal skin used as his cradle, tie it and around his waist and dance, singing, "mami dong, dong, dong, dong oga Laka" meaning Iam dong from Laka. The mother was the first to discover this mysterious development. She reported it to her husband who dismissed it as mere women phobia. As the child advances in age, this development became notorious, therefore, the community set up men squad to establish the veracity of the mothers claim. Therefore, the young Ndong was left along in the room while men squad was in hiding to prove this claim.
Low and behold, the child was caught in the act. On noticing the vigil men squad he went back to status ante as a baby laying on the animal skin. As a result, Laka community was thrown into pandemonium. Onigbak ga Laka (Elders) decided that Ndong was a spirit child and not human, therefore, he should be banished into the river. But his father argued that he should be allow to grow so that Laka can see who he will be. On the strength of this the child life was spared with the community monitoring every stage of his development.
Fortunately for the father, Ndong grew up to be a very famous, wealthy and great personality. He had large herds of different livestock and indeed was a prominent father figure of his time. Oral history has it that before his demise, Ndong stepped his foot prints and that of his dog on a stop where he usually sat whenever he goes out to shepherd his flock. Those footprints remains on the rock till date in Kudong village, Laka in Bwarat Distict of Langtang North LGA.
The tomb of this great icon is said to be in the very rock he left his footprints.
Ironically, this tourist exploits with enormous potentials has remain neglected till date. In preserving tarok culture, history must be placed in proper perspective.
With this little contributions, I invite contributions, criticisms, ideas that will assist in documenting the life and times of this wonderful father of tarok, Ndong oga Laka.
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