[Meeting…] Laghu

Prehistory has always been a recurring theme when setting some fictional stories, but it is approached differently from one to another. We already saw in the article dedicated to Hug the troglodyte how you can create a cluster of clichés whose result may be entertaining, but totally far from reality. Fortunately, other much more reliable works have been emerging without losing a bit of their interest.

This is due, in part, to new discoveries. As for the Nenaderthals (a species of the genus Homo that inhabited Europe and part of southwest Asia from 230 thousand years ago until just 28 thousand years ago in the southernmost tip of Europe), recent findings have shown that they were not stupid at all. On the contrary, they had both the capacity and the means to develop a complex communication code: a cranial capacity even greater than ours, a hyoid bone for articulate language, and a “speech gene” found in the Neanderthal genome. It has also been shown that they worshiped their fallen relatives (burials with offerings) and that they were capable of developing strategies to hunt difficult prey (for example, knocking off large groups of mammoths by leading them towards a gorge), among many other things.

Over time, some comic authors became interested in the advances in the scientific understanding of human evolution and decided to capture them as faithfully as possible in their works. A clear example is Neanderthal, of Roudier. It will be its protagonist, Laghu, the character to analyze this week.

The most skilled craftsman of the clan

Born in the bosom of clan of the Red Torsos, Laghu does not differ physically from the rest of Neanderthals. Like all of them, it lacks a forehead, and has a narrow and elongated face, as well as large nostrils. His hair is dark brown and long, and he has blue eyes (this is not the author's license, in fact many had light hair, and probably also eyes, at least those who lived in the northernmost and coldest areas). Maybe it is little corpulent for a Neanderthal, for reasons I will mention below.

Indeed, the greatest peculiarity lies in a physical defect that determines their condition within the clan. Due to a defect in one of his legs, is unable to go hunting with the rest of the men in the group. Of course, following the saying "everything comes for better", that moment of apparent idleness that passes during hunting tasks has been invested in perfecting the arts of manufacturing stone tools, thus becoming the most skilled craftsman of the clan. This puts him in an ambiguous situation. On the one hand, it is appreciated by some of its members, especially by women and children. The latter look enthralled at the enormous skill during the carving process (by the way, at that time the author will show off his excellent documentation on the so-called Mousterian industry and its system of obtaining pieces with edges designed in advance before their extraction from the rock). For our protagonist, the stone is like a living organism. Each flake “wants to be born” from his bowels, and he would limit himself to helping them complete this process.

But at the same time, its particularity makes it a kind of black sheep of the clan lacking prestige. Since hunting plays a key role in the subsistence of Neanderthals, their entire society is structured around it. A skilled hunter enjoys greater prestige within the group and greater chances of marrying women from other clans. Laghu is well aware of this, and will complain bitterly about his lot. Likewise, you must deal with teasing and dismissive attitude of his cruelest brothers.

Initiatory journey in the paleolithic style

Little did the unfortunate Neanderthal know that his life was about to turn upside down. One day, he received dire news. Mulghar, his father and clan leader, was mortally wounded. when, in a display of folly, he decided to confront Longbeard (Olog-Hamra), a bison of enormous size with bloodshot eyes, hated and feared by all the clans of those lands. On his deathbed, the patriarch He forced his children to avenge him. Otherwise, he threatened that his spirit would not find rest and he would unleash a terrible curse on the group as punishment for their cowardice. All his offspring accepted the request (rather the extortion), including Laghu. But when he took a step forward, Some of his brothers laughed at him, and objected to his accompanying them..

This was not enough to deter him. The master carver followed them as soon as he measured a safe distance between them and, crouching, he observed the execution of the plan that the group had drawn up. That's how watched with horror a betrayal. your brother Kozamh, con el que siempre había estado muy unido, cayó abatido por el mismo sanguinario bisonte cuando varios de sus hermanos decidieron traicionarle al no acudir en su ayuda. También mataron directamente a aquellos que no formaban parte del complot.

Obviamente, era imposible permanecer en su hogar mucho tiempo, después de lo que había visto. No, sin un medio para enfrentarse a sus hermanos, comandados por el mezquino Feydda, y cumplir el deseo de su padre de acabar con Barbalarga y así obtener un prestigio y un honor que ellos jamás tendrán. Por suerte para él, el Gohibu, el hombre más anciano de la tribu, también fue testigo de esta infamia, y le dijo el medio para poder lograr su objetivo, que no era otro que obtener un arma legendaria. Se trata del cristal de caza, hecha a partir del cristal de roca, un material más duro que el más férreo sílex. Si logra hacerse con el arma y a recabar aliados de otros clanes, esta empresa suicida podrá tener alguna posibilidad de éxito. Así, Laghu comenzará un viaje iniciático, aquellos que se narraron durante buena parte de la historia de la humanidad y de las culturas, alegoría del paso a la madurez, que les hace convertirse en héroes o consolidarse como tales. Eso sí, todo ello envuelto en un ambiente muy paleolítico.

Conclusion and recommendations

Laghu es el mejor tallador del clan de los Torsos Rojos, pero su incapacidad de cazar hace que su prestigio dentro del mismo se encuentre bastante bajo. La tragedia que presenció no puede ser subsanada en ese estado. Si quiere que las aguas vuelvan a su cauce, deberá obtener el poder que le permita vengar a su padre y derrotar a sus malvados hermanos, para lo cual deberá obtener un arma legendaria, recabar apoyos y, en definitiva, convertir sus debilidades en virtudes. ¿Lo conseguirá?

the saga Neandertal es una novela gráfica que conforma una trilogía en la edición original francesa. Los volúmenes que la componen son El cristal de caza (2007), El elixir de la vida (2009) y El jefe de la manada (2012). En España se publicó una edición integral de la mano de Norma Editorial, publicado en el año 2012. Que yo sepa, a día de hoy no es difícil de encontrar.