Project Umbrella Translation
NO. 07 NDIPAYA TRIBE
They constructed the uniquely styled wooden structures in the marshlands and reside there.
Their advanced architectural skills are widely known and play an active role in the restoration of damaged ruins around the world.
That's the Ndipaya Tribe's popular image in society.
But they had a secret they never spoke of to anyone other than their fellow tribesmen.
The existence of a vast complex of ruins sprawling underground.
Long ago, the Ndipaya Tribe ruled this region and founded a giant monarchical political state.
Legends indicate the megalithic archaeological site was where the king resided at the time.
What's particularly noteworthy is their method for electing their rulers.
While this state was a monarchy, it was no hereditary system.
Rather than the certainty of their birth, those who wished to become king are said to have needed to undergo a certain ritual to demonstrate their capabilities and innate attributes to all the people.
The ritual involved using a certain plant that grew only in the "Sun Garden", supposedly located within the royal capital's depths.
In the local language, the plant was called "Stairway to the Sun."
The Stairway to the Sun was extremely virulent and most who consumed it died.
But rarely, a man of valor would appear, capable of overcoming its virulence.
It's said that someone able to triumph over its virulence would acquire the people's acclaim, the king's throne, and powers far surpassing man.
(Traces of this ritual can still be seen today in a festival the Ndipaya Tribe holds once a year to comfort the spirits of their ancestors)
Legend has it that a single king ruled the kingdom for several hundred years since no other such men of valor emerged, as none had the exceedingly rare ability to resist its virulence.
At present there's no way of knowing for sure whether this is mere legend brought about by inaccurate oral tradition, or proof the king lived hundreds of years after acquiring new powers.
It's a clear fact however that this once prosperous kingdom fell into decline and perished.
Why did the Ndipaya Tribe abandon their royal capital and move their homes to the swamps?
Only some uncertain folklore remains, so the reasons for this aren't well-established.
Even after leaving the royal capital though, the Ndipaya Tribe regarded the land as sacred and didn't reveal its existence to anyone outside the tribe.
Furthermore, Ndipaya tribesman safeguarded this land by making a custom of dispatching thirteen to twenty-five-year-olds as soldiers to guard the royal capital for two years.
These enormous underground ruins, which if publicized stand to rewrite not only Africa's history but all of global civilization, have continued to lie undiscovered until the present day thanks to their efforts.
But a certain company uncovered the secret of these ruins. That was in the 1960s.
They entered the area by force of arms hoping to obtain the plant used in the previously mentioned ritual.
Naturally the Ndipaya put up a desperate resistance.
In times of peace they were astounding engineers, but in times of war would transform into valiant soldiers. That was who the Ndipaya Tribe were.
They fought bravely, armed with their own weapons and superior physical abilities.
But they were overwhelmingly outnumbered.
(This is said to be due to many young people eating the Stairway to the Sun to gain superhuman abilities)
As a result, they were forced to cede the area behind the Sun Garden to the company.
But they haven't given up yet.
They eagerly await the day a new king will appear and take back the entire royal capital.
They constructed the uniquely styled wooden structures in the marshlands and reside there.
Their advanced architectural skills are widely known and play an active role in the restoration of damaged ruins around the world.
That's the Ndipaya Tribe's popular image in society.
But they had a secret they never spoke of to anyone other than their fellow tribesmen.
The existence of a vast complex of ruins sprawling underground.
Long ago, the Ndipaya Tribe ruled this region and founded a giant monarchical political state.
Legends indicate the megalithic archaeological site was where the king resided at the time.
What's particularly noteworthy is their method for electing their rulers.
While this state was a monarchy, it was no hereditary system.
Rather than the certainty of their birth, those who wished to become king are said to have needed to undergo a certain ritual to demonstrate their capabilities and innate attributes to all the people.
The ritual involved using a certain plant that grew only in the "Sun Garden", supposedly located within the royal capital's depths.
In the local language, the plant was called "Stairway to the Sun."
The Stairway to the Sun was extremely virulent and most who consumed it died.
But rarely, a man of valor would appear, capable of overcoming its virulence.
It's said that someone able to triumph over its virulence would acquire the people's acclaim, the king's throne, and powers far surpassing man.
(Traces of this ritual can still be seen today in a festival the Ndipaya Tribe holds once a year to comfort the spirits of their ancestors)
Legend has it that a single king ruled the kingdom for several hundred years since no other such men of valor emerged, as none had the exceedingly rare ability to resist its virulence.
At present there's no way of knowing for sure whether this is mere legend brought about by inaccurate oral tradition, or proof the king lived hundreds of years after acquiring new powers.
It's a clear fact however that this once prosperous kingdom fell into decline and perished.
Why did the Ndipaya Tribe abandon their royal capital and move their homes to the swamps?
Only some uncertain folklore remains, so the reasons for this aren't well-established.
Even after leaving the royal capital though, the Ndipaya Tribe regarded the land as sacred and didn't reveal its existence to anyone outside the tribe.
Furthermore, Ndipaya tribesman safeguarded this land by making a custom of dispatching thirteen to twenty-five-year-olds as soldiers to guard the royal capital for two years.
These enormous underground ruins, which if publicized stand to rewrite not only Africa's history but all of global civilization, have continued to lie undiscovered until the present day thanks to their efforts.
But a certain company uncovered the secret of these ruins. That was in the 1960s.
They entered the area by force of arms hoping to obtain the plant used in the previously mentioned ritual.
Naturally the Ndipaya put up a desperate resistance.
In times of peace they were astounding engineers, but in times of war would transform into valiant soldiers. That was who the Ndipaya Tribe were.
They fought bravely, armed with their own weapons and superior physical abilities.
But they were overwhelmingly outnumbered.
(This is said to be due to many young people eating the Stairway to the Sun to gain superhuman abilities)
As a result, they were forced to cede the area behind the Sun Garden to the company.
But they haven't given up yet.
They eagerly await the day a new king will appear and take back the entire royal capital.