Odongo naApiyo kwa tungire munkurumbara kumwe nashavo. Ava taterere shankondonkondo kuyenda mulipwiyumuko. Kapishi walye mbyovyo vyakalire tupushi shure yina pata, nani ngoli vavo kwa yendire vaka dingure nyakulyavo wamukamali. Ghuye kwa tungire pamukunda wakuhuga ntjwi wapepi nalidiva lyalinene.
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.
Ondongo naApiyo kwa hafire shiri ngudu mukondashi ntjo shirugho nka shakadingura mamakadi wavo. Matiku ghakuuto waliyuva lyakuyenda, ava rongere ndjato davo nakukuwapayikira ruyendo rwavo rwarure rwa kutamba kumukunda wavo. Kapi va vhulire kurara makura ava ghambaura matiku naghantje vya kuhamena lipwiyumuko.
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.
Makyatiku gha liyuva lyakukwamako, ava yendi kumukunda wavo mushihaghuto shashavo. Ava shingi vapite ndundu, vikorama vyamuwiya ntani navikunino vyakofi. Ava vara vihaghuto nakuyimba ntjumo.
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.
Munyima yaruvede rwangandi, vanuke ava roroka kumwe nakurara turo.
After a while, the children were tired and fell asleep.
Shavo arambwita Odongo and Apiyo pakuya tika pamukunda wavo. Ava wana Nyar- Kanyada, mamakadi wavo, kuna kupwiyumuka po palitjaro munda yashitondo. Nyar-Kanyada muruLuo ndi ruKenya ne, kutanta ‘monakadona waliro lya vaKanyada’. Ghuye kwa kalire mukamali wankondo ntani wamuwa mushipa.
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.
Nyar-Kanyanda ava tambura vangene mumundi makura a vareke kudana akunduruke ndjugho okuno kuna kuyimba naruhafo. Vatekuru vendi kwa hafire shiri makura ava tapa ushwi ogho va mupitwilire utunde kunkurumbara. “Pamuhovo paturura tanko ushwi wande,” aghamba Odongo. “Hawe, ushwi wande tanko!” a ghamba Apiyo.
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.
Pakumana kufikura maushwi naghantje, Nyar-Kanyada a fiyiri vatekuru vendi kutwara pashinaumpo.
After she opened the presents, Nyar-Kanyada blessed her grandchildren in a traditional way.
Makura Odongo naApiyo ava yendi pandje. Ava katjidatjida mambimbidi navidira.
Then Odongo and Apiyo went outside. They chased butterflies and birds.
Vavo ava karondaura kuvitondo ntani nakutjavaratjavara mumema ghamushidiva.
They climbed trees and splashed in the water of the lake.
Opo lyatokire liyuva wagho mundema ava vyuka kumundi wavo vaka lye murarero. Kughuto wakumana kulya, vavo kare kuna kukumauka!
When it was dark they returned to the house for dinner. Before they could finish eating, they were falling asleep!
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.
Nyar-Kayanda a shongo ntekuru dendi mwatereka vitima vyakudira kukwata unene va lye nanyama yakuvhonga nalividi. Ava negheda nka mwatereka ruvishi rwakuvhonga nandongo vyakulita nantjwi dakuyota.
Nyar-Kanyada taught her grandchildren to make soft ugali to eat with stew. She showed them how to make coconut rice to eat with roast fish.
Ngurangura yimwe, Odongo atwara ngombe davanyakulyendi dika lye. A di ka ngena mulifarama yavakamaparambo ghavo. Munafarama unya agarapere Odongo. A mu rondora akukunge nawa ngombe kapishi dika lye mbuto yendi. Kutunda liyuva linya, mumati uno avi tikitamo vyakukeverera nawa mposhi ngombe di dire kukara nka muudito.
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.
Muliyuva limwe, vanuke ava yendi kushitanda nanyakulyavo Nyar-Kanyada. Nyakulyavo kwa kalire nalivango opo aghulitilire vikwalividi, shuka ntani namurora. Apiyo uye kwa holire shiri kutantera vaghuli mukosho waviulitwa vyavo. Odongo uye kurongera vininke ovyo vana uru vauli.
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.
Kuuhura waliyuva vavo ava nu kumwe tiye yachai. Ava vatere mamakadi wavo mukuvara maliva ogho a wanine mo.
At the end of the day they drank chai tea together. They helped grandmother to count the money she earned.
Ngoli kare lipwiyumuko lina pu makura vanuke vana hepa nka kuvyuka ko kukurumbara. Nyar-Kanyada apa Odongo likoli lya kapi ntani Apiya a mupa mbindja. Mamakadi ava rongerere nka ndya yamuruyendo rwavo.
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.
Opo a yire shavo aya va shimbe, kapi va shanine kuvyuka. Vanuke ava shungida nyakulyavo Nyar-Kanyada ashi ayende navo kunkurumbara. A shepe nakughamba weno ashi,”Ame ne nakurupa unene mukukara mushitata. Ngani mutaterera nga muye nka kuno kumukunda.”
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.”
Odongo naApiyo navantje ava mamatere unene nyakulyavo nakughamba ashi mba yenu.
Odongo and Apiyo both hugged her tightly and said goodbye.
Opo vakayendire va Odongo naApiyo kushure yavo ava katantera vaholi vavo vyakuhamena kuliparu lyakumukunda. Vanuke vamwe ava kuyuvhu ashi liparu lyamunkurumbara liwa ngudu. Ano vamwe ava kara nalikuyuvho ashi liparu lyakudimukunda ne liwa. Ngoli mwanavintje, kehe uno aya vi pura ashi Odongo naApiyo kwa kalire mamakadi wavo wamuwa!
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!
