The Door of No Return

Kofi has a dream about turning into a spider and his cousin appears. They’re in the river and a crocodile is chasing them. The crocodile turns into a leopard and the river shifts into the jungle. They try to outrun the leopard. Kofi turns back into a spider and hides in a tree, but the leopard attacks his cousin, who cries for his help. His mother’s voice screams for him to help his cousin.

Kofi’s mother says many different specific things to him. She tells him to eat, wash, brush his teeth, and to stop sleeping in and dreaming.

Nana Mosi says, “Dreams are today’s answers for tomorrow’s questions” (93). Kofi wonders why adults talk in riddles.

After fetching firewood for Maame, Kofi swims in the river, his favorite pastime. While swimming, he gets an idea of how his dream gave him a solution to his biggest problem.

Kofi thinks his cousin is stronger, faster, and a better wrestler, but he has an idea of how to beat him. He can’t wait to tell Kwasi and Ebo his idea at the festival later.

Esi, Kofi’s youngest sister, braids their great-grandmother’s hair. As the others wait, Nana Mosi beats many opponents in the game of Oware.

The game is played with six holes in the ground called huts. Each player has six huts and four stones on their side. The goal is to capture the most stones by moving them one at a time on one’s turn into the huts.

Nana Mosi and Kofi walk behind their clan, mostly silent. His grandfather Mosi chews a twig and plucks herbs as they go. He finally speaks, as if they’re in the middle of a conversation.

Nana Mosi asks what Kofi has learned from the Oware matches. He’s noticed Mosi always moves to the third hut first, but he doesn’t know why. Mosi tells him to keep watching. When he asks about the feud with his cousin, Kofi explains he taunts him and punches him. Mosi’s brother used to do the same; he tells him to deal with it because family is like the river: It can bend but never break.

Kofi shares that Mr. Phillip thinks his cousin is a barbarian who doesn’t use his mind. Mosi believes Phillip is a poor instructor attempting to take away their culture and language, which saddens him. He wants Kofi to uphold the Asante ways.

Kofi asks many questions, including about the river, but Mosi laughs that he’s a curious boy and too young. Kofi argues he will have the ceremony to become a man soon, to which Mosi agrees then he can learn more, marry, hunt, etc., and maybe even become a storyteller like Mosi. Kofi likes that idea.

Kofi tells Mosi about his dream, especially his cousin's terror at the leopard. Mosi believes dreams heal memories or help to face unimaginable truths. Dreams can be hints or warnings, he says.

Under the shade of a coconut tree, Kofi watches Kwasi standing like a king, charming his fellow wrestlers, laughing and joking. He wishes one day to be as bold and captivating as his brother.

Ebo calls Kofi over, since he hates being under coconut trees—ever since one coconut fell on his head and left a huge welt. Kofi hurries to his friend, eager to tell him his idea.

The boys snicker about the people in attendance, including a man with no teeth. Everyone is in a festive mood and dressed up, including Mr. Phillip. Kofi asks what Ebo thinks of his plan, and his friend replies it’s the best he’s ever had.

The band of drummers starts playing to kick-off the festival. Many people perform dances. One man dances like a spider so impressively, that no one else follows. The drums go silent.

The announcer calls everyone to attention. The women fights go first, wrestling each other with jumps, kicks, and choking.

One fierce woman with long legs wraps another woman, reverses the hold with her leg grappling, and knocks the other girl out cold. Everyone cheers. She wins gold bangles and other gifts, accepting their praise on her victory march.

Waiting for the horns to start the next wrestling match, Ebo tells a joke. Before the punch line, someone taps Kofi on the shoulder.

Kofi sees that Ama tapped him. Kofi thinks loving metaphors about Ama, such as if she vanished, he would find her, or if she was a secret, he would keep her between his lips forever. With his stomach in knots, he doesn’t say any of his feelings of affection out loud. Instead, he offers her some nuts.

Ama teases Kofi that he doesn’t have to be afraid to speak Twi with her, since she doesn’t have cane like Mr. Phillip. They chat for a bit, and Ebo pushes Kofi toward her. Kofi says it was nice to see her, and she feels the same about him.

His cousin comes over, talking about the winning long-legged wrestler woman from Upper with pride. Ama hopes the other woman who passed out is okay, but Kofi’s cousin doesn’t care. Ama says goodbye to Kofi, but his cousin says he is the real Kofi. They have the same name. Kofi Offin is the protagonist, and his older cousin is Kofi Katari. Others chant cousin Kofi’s name, calling the main character Offin instead.

Kofi explains how all of his family was named. For instance, Kwasi means born on a Sunday. Ama means Saturday-born. They are each given two names, one for the day they come into the world, and one for the spirit they bring with them. Kofi Offin has the name of the river, his spirit. Kofi Katari has the name of the future king, since his dad is the mayor and his mother the queen mother of the tribe.

Before cousin Kofi walks away, Ebo yells that Kofi challenges him to swim off to the big rock and back. Kofi Katari laughs, stating that he’s the future king and will easily win. He smacks the nuts out of Kofi’s hands, stomping them with his feet. Kofi Katari says they’ll race in seven days.

Kofi is furious that Ebo dared his cousin to the water race. He wanted to wait for the right time, but Ebo argues that time is lost too easily and he’s trying to get Kofi to stand up for himself. He wants Kofi to be more confident. They’ll train every day, Ebo says, to ensure Kofi swims faster. Kofi is still frustrated.

Twelve men, six from each side of Upper and Lower, stand in a circle. They rub oil on themselves and pander to the crowd; people drink and jeer at them. The drums sound as the men begin circling each other like hunters.

Bonsu, the famous fighter from Lower Kwanta, has defeated everyone who has challenged him. He is a giant who has maimed and harmed every opponent in the past. Today is no different since he defeats his opponent easily.

Prince Yaw Boateng gallops around his opponent until he is dizzy. With his enemy dizzy, he grapples him around the neck until he faints.

Kwasi is a skilled, patient fighter who wrestles strategically, like he plays Oware. His opponents get tired chasing him, giving him the advantage to attack. Kwasi wins his first three fights.

Kofi’s parents are so proud of Kwasi. Maame can’t stop hugging him. Kofi worries though that Kwasi has made it to the final match, as he will likely have to fight the giant Bonsu.

In the semi-final match, Prince Yaw gets in a few quick jabs and good moves. When Bonsu grows impatient, he grabs Yaw and slams him to the ground. Normally, he’d squeeze him, but Yaw taps out. Bonsu can’t seriously harm the king-to-be, or he’d be in major trouble.

Kwasi isn’t scared of Bonsu, who he figures is just like everyone else, sleeping, eating, dressing, etc. Kofi tells him to be careful.

Bonsu hops around wildly during the match with Kofi. He lands wrong on his ankle in one jump, breaking it with surprise and howls of pain.

Since Bonsu can’t walk, Lower Kwanta must replace him or forfeit the match.

Prince Yaw is spry, and Kwasi finds it hard to grab him. Yaw throws his head into Kwasi’s, causing Kwasi to drop to the ground. The crowd cheers.

Kofi remembers Kwasi teaching him a lesson about humility when they played Oware once. Kofi had a bowl of plantains near him. Every time Kwasi won a match, he would dance and jeer with stones in his hand. Kofi did the same, but Kwasi snuck the plantains from him, warning him not be cocky.

Now, in the wrestling match, though Kwasi is on the ground, Yaw is boasting and doing backflips. Kwasi winks at Kofi from the ground.

Kwasi gets up and chants the war song. The drums increase. He dodges Yaw’s attacks. Yaw gets annoyed, but Kwasi takes his chance and grapples with him. They punch each other’s ribs. Kwasi flips Yaw over his shoulder onto the ground with a giant smash.

Yaw lays motionless. The King is stunned, and Yaw’s mother cries out. Kwasi looks around in shock.