Odongo and Apiyo lived in the city with their father.
They looked forward to the holidays. Not just because school was closed, but because they went to visit their grandmother. She lived in a fishing village near a large lake.
ئۆدۆنگو و ئاپیۆ خۆشحاڵ بوون لەبەر ئەوەی كاتی ئەوە بوو که دوبارە سه‌ردانی نه‌نکیان بکه‌نه‌وه. شه‌وی پێشتر که‌ل و په‌له‌کانیان له جانتای هاویشتن و خۆیان ئامادە کرد بۆ گەشتێكی دورودرێژ بۆ گوندەكەی نه‌نکیان. ئەوان خەویان لێ نەكەوت وبە درێژای شەو سەبارەت بە پشوەكە قسەیان كرد.
Odongo and Apiyo were excited because it was time to visit their grandmother again.
The night before, they packed their bags and got ready for the long journey to her village. They could not sleep and talked the whole night about the holiday.
بەرەبەیانی زووی رۆژی داهاتو ئەوان بە ئوتۆمبیلی باوكیان بەرەو گوندەكە بەڕێكەوتن. ئەوان به لای چیاكان و ئاژەڵە كێویەكان و كێڵگە چاییه‌کاندا لێیانخوڕی. ئەوان ئوتۆمبیله‌کانیان دەژمارد و گۆرانیان دەگوت.
Early the next morning, they left for the village in their father’s car.
They drove past mountains, wild animals and tea plantations. They counted cars and sang songs.
دوای ماوەیەك منداڵەكان ماندوو بوون و خەویان لێکه‌وت.
After a while, the children were tired and fell asleep.
باوكیان، ئۆدۆنگۆ و ئاپیۆی کاتێک گه‌یشتنه گوندەكە لە خەو هەستاند. ئەوان چاویان به “نیارـ کانیادا”، نه‌نکیان که‌وت كە لەسەر حەسیرێك لەبن دارێك پشووی دهدا. نیار-كانیادا به زمانی “لو” بە مانای “كچی گه‌لی كانیادا” دێت. ئەو ژنێكی بە توانا و جوان بوو.
Father woke up Odongo and Apiyo as they arrived in the village.
They found Nyar-Kanyada, their grandmother, resting on a mat under a tree.
Nyar-Kanyada in Luo, means ‘daughter of the people of Kanyada’. She was a strong and beautiful woman.
نیار-كانیادا بە خێرهاتنی كردن و لە خۆشحاڵیان له ژوورەوە دەستی به سەما كردن و گۆرانی گوتن کرد. نەوەكانی زۆر به خۆشحاڵیه‌وه چاوه‌ڕێی ئه‌وه بوون هه‌تا هه‌رچی زووه ئەو دیاریانەی بدەنێ كە لەشارەو لەگەڵ خۆیان هێنابوو. ئۆدۆنگۆ گوتی: “لە پێشدا دیاریەكەی من بكەوە.” ئاپیۆش گوتی: نا، دیاریەكەی من لە پێشدا بكەوە!”
Nyar-Kanyada welcomed them into the house and danced around the room singing with joy.
Her grandchildren were excited to give her the presents they brought from the city.
“First open my gift,” said Odongo.
“No, my gift first!” said Apiyo.
پاش ئەوەی كە ئەو دیاریەكانی كردەوە، نیار-كانیادا بە پێی داب و نەریتەكانی خۆیان سوپاس و پێزانینی ئاراستە كردن.
After she opened the presents, Nyar-Kanyada blessed her grandchildren in a traditional way.
The next day, the children’s father drove back to the city leaving them with Nyar-Kanyada.
ئۆدۆنگۆ و ئاپیۆ لە كاروبارەكانی ماڵەوە یارمەتی نه‌نکیان دا. ئەوان ئاو و داریان ده‌هێنا. ئەوان لە کۆخی مریشكەكان هێلكەكانیان كۆكردەوە و سەوزیەكانیشیان لە باخچەكە لێده‌کرده‌وه.
Odongo and Apiyo helped their grandmother with household chores. They fetched water and firewood. They collected eggs from the chickens and picked greens from the garden.
One morning, Odongo took his grandmother’s cows to graze. They ran onto a neighbour’s farm.
The farmer was angry with Odongo. He threatened to keep the cows for eating his crops. After that day, the boy made sure that the cows did not get into trouble again.
On another day, the children went to the marketplace with Nyar-Kanyada. She had a stall selling vegetables, sugar and soap.
Apiyo liked to tell customers the price of items. Odongo would pack the items that customers bought.
But too soon the holidays were over and the children had to go back to the city.
Nyar-Kanyada gave Odongo a cap and Apiyo a sweater. She packed food for their journey.
When their father came to fetch them, they did not want to leave. The children begged Nyar-Kanyada to go with them to the city.
She smiled and said, “I am too old for the city. I will be waiting for you to come to my village again.”
ئۆدۆنگۆ و ئاپیۆ زۆر بەگەرمی هەردووكیان لە ئامێزیان گرت و ماڵئاویان لێکرد.
Odongo and Apiyo both hugged her tightly and said goodbye.
كاتێ ئۆدۆنگۆ و ئاپیۆ بۆ قوتابخانە گەڕانەوە، ژیانی گوندەكەیان بۆ هاوڕێكانیان باس كرد. هەندێك لە منداڵەكان پێیان وابوو كە ژیان لە شار خۆشه. هێندێکیشیان پێیان وابوو گوند خۆشتره. بەڵام له هه‌مووی گرینگتر ئه‌وه بوو که گشتیان پێیان وابوو که ئۆدۆنگۆ و ئایپۆنه‌نکێکی زۆر باشیان هه‌یه.
When Odongo and Apiyo went back to school they told their friends about life in the village. Some children felt that life in the city was good. Others felt that the village was better.
But most of all, everyone agreed that Odongo and Apiyo had a wonderful grandmother!
Violet Otieno
Catherine Groenewald
Agri Afshin
Kurdish (Sorani)
Level 4
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