The narrator visits a community in Nigeria known as the "Hyena Men," who have a long history of catching, breeding, and taming hyenas. The Hyena Men use the hyenas for entertainment, making clothing from their skins, and as trophies. They claim to have acquired magical powers through black magic rituals, which allow them to tame the hyenas and make them invisible to the animals' eyes. The narrator witnesses a performance by the Hyena Men, where they demonstrate their ability to tame the hyenas and perform seemingly impossible feats, such as putting a knife through a child's tongue and ear without harming them. The narrator also visits a family of Hyena Men who live in the city and keep a hyena as a pet, despite the risks and challenges involved. The narrator is both fascinated and intimidated by the Hyena Men and their abilities.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The narrator visits a community of Hyena Men in Nigeria.
2. The Hyena Men are a tribe that has been dedicated to catching and breeding hyenas for decades.
3. The community is located in the Kano area of Nigeria.
4. The narrator lives with the Hyena Men for a period of time to learn about their culture.
5. The Hyena Men use hyenas for various purposes, including as pets, for their skins, and for entertainment.
6. The community has several hyenas chained up with thick muzzles.
7. The narrator witnesses a demonstration of how the Hyena Men can tame hyenas and make them appear to be harmless.
8. The community claims that their ability to tame hyenas is due to their knowledge of black magic.
9. The narrator also witnesses a demonstration of how the Hyena Men can withstand the edge of a knife.
10. The community has a tradition of teaching their children how to tame hyenas from a young age.
11. The narrator learns that one of the most common reasons why children are stolen in Nigeria is for black magic rituals.
12. The Hyena Men believe that they can catch hyenas because they become invisible to the hyenas' eyes due to spells and rituals.
13. The community has a practice of sacrificing animals, or even humans, to perform these rituals.
14. The narrator visits a family of Hyena Men who live in the city and raises hyenas for the same purpose as the rural community.
15. The family has a hyena that is not muzzled and appears to be calm around the narrator.
16. The narrator is told that the hyena's name is La Hiena, which means "lucky" in the local language.
17. The narrator learns that the Hyena Men must have a special permit to possess and hunt hyenas.
18. The law requires that the Hyena Men notify the authorities when taking a hyena out of its den and ensure that it does not cause public disturbance.