Empty Hand Revolution

Hawai Mangan on Christmas Eve

“Here, give this one to your brother.” Cosmo’s mother ushered him out of the bamboo hut with two delicately wrapped bundles. Cosmo stood quietly for several seconds, staring at the packages, one in each hand.

His mother’s version of hawai mangan wasn’t a perfect replica of the treat his friends were already buying at the fair. Instead of newspaper, the snacks were packaged in sheets of used notebook paper and bound with fine strands of bamboo. Still, they were wonderful.

Cosmo held a package up to his nose. The garlic, ghost chili and beans fried in oil made his eyes and mouth water. His mother had done an amazing job. These homemade hawai mangan would outdo any from the vendors.

After tucking the precious cargo into his hand-me-down jacket, Cosmo ran to catch up with his older brother, Ramrei. The nearest to him in age, Ramrei was most often Cosmo’s cohort in crime. Today, the two of them were on their way to the village fair held every year on Christmas Eve.

His sisters, Aton, Vasty and Atip, together with his oldest brother, Aring, had been dismissed early to attend. Cosmo and Ramrei had been asked to stay back and finish chores.

The extra work had been a small ransom in exchange for not attending the fair empty handed. Ramrei had more than grumbled until Cosmo had volunteered to finish all of the female chores, leaving his older brother with nothing but chopping wood.

To Cosmo work was work, whether it was cleaning, carrying water or tilling the earth. Why so much fuss? He actually enjoyed the opportunity to lighten his mother’s burden.

The thought of his mother constantly slaving to keep the family fed panged him with guilt—some of which he deserved. While carrying water had saved his mother from a portion of her backbreaking labor, his whining had resulted in her spending much of the morning preparing hawai mangan.

Cosmo’s step hitched as his flip-flop came undone. Stooping, he threaded the plastic toe divider back through the rubber sole. The fit was getting loose. He’d have to be more conscious of gripping the bottom with his toes. The thought depressed him enough to need another whiff of the hawai mangan. Sneaking a bundle from his jacket, he held it beneath his nose. Heavenly.

Tucking the prize safely away, Cosmo doubled his pace. On this most important day of the year, many of the village children would indulge in more than fried bean treats. Hawai mangan was the required minimum. Without it, the fair could hardly be considered complete.

For everyone else, the spicy snacks would be purchased from vendors for the cost of a single rupee. Unfortunately, that was a rupee more than Cosmo’s parents could afford. No one will ever know the difference. Cosmo reassured himself as he hurried toward the football field in the center of town.

Families increasing clogged the main road. Children emerged from their homes. Some were already returning, perhaps to escort younger siblings.

The popular music had been blaring from the center of the village loud enough for Cosmo to hear traces of it even inside his home. Now he recognized an American pop song by the Bee Gees, one of the musical groups his brother had exposed him to.

Cosmo hoped he hadn’t missed his favorite game of kabaddi. Usually the early hours of the fair were spent alternating between tug of war and pole climbing—neither of which Cosmo excelled at. Kabaddi was different.

While the bigger kids were stronger than Cosmo, he could attack with quick bursts of power and agility. His ability to escape back to his team’s side of the field without being caught made him an ideal raider. He was never the first chosen for a match. More importantly, he was never the last.