Odonggo an Apiyo did liv a toun wid dem faada. Dem luk faawod tu di alidie dem. No jos chuu skuul lak, bot bikaaz dem go vizit dem granmada. Shi did liv inna wahn fishn vilij nier wahn big liek.
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.
Odonggo an Apiyo dem di eksaitid kaaz a did taim fi go vizit dem granmada agen. Di nait bifuor, dem pak op dem bag dem an get redi fi di lang jorni go a konchri. Dem kudn sliip an taak di uol nait bout di alidie.
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.
Orli di neks maanin, dem lef fi go konchri inna dem faada kyar. Dem jraiv paas di mountn dem, di wail animal dem an tii plantieshan. Dem kount di kyar dem an sing sang.
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.
Afta a wail, di pikni dem did taiyad an jrap asliip.
After a while, the children were tired and fell asleep.
Dadi wiek op Odonggo an Apiyo az dem riich inna di vilij. Dem si Nyar-Kanyaada, dem granmada, a res pan wahn mat anda wahn chrii. Nyar-Kanyaada in Luo, miin se ‘daata a di piipl a Kanyaada’. Shi a did wahn schrang an priti uman.
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-Kanyaada welkom dem inna di ous an a daans an sing aal bout di ruum kaaz shi glad. Ar granpikni dem did wel glad fi gi ar di prezent dem we dem kyar fram Toun. “Uopm fimi prezent fos,” Odonggo se. “Nuo, fimi prezent fos!” Apiyo se.
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.
Aafta shi uopm di prezent dem, Nyar-Kanyaada bles ar granpikni dem inna di uol-fashan wie.
After she opened the presents, Nyar-Kanyada blessed her grandchildren in a traditional way.
Den Odonggo an Apiyo go outta duor. Dem ron dong di botaflai dem an di bod dem.
Then Odongo and Apiyo went outside. They chased butterflies and birds.
Dem klaim di chrii dem an splash op inna di waata a di liek.
They climbed trees and splashed in the water of the lake.
Wen it get daak dem go bak a di ous fi dina. Bifuor dem kuda don nyam, dem did a jrap asliip.
When it was dark they returned to the house for dinner. Before they could finish eating, they were falling asleep!
Di neks die, di pikni dem faada jraiv bak go a Toun an lef dem wid Nyar-Kanyaada.
The next day, the children’s father drove back to the city leaving them with Nyar-Kanyada.
Odonggo an Apiyo did elp dem granmada wid di ous wok dem. Dem go kech waata an go luk faiyastik. Dem kalek di eg dem fram di chikin an pik vejitebl fram di gyaadn.
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-Kanyaada tiich ar granpikni dem fi mek saaf ugaali fi nyam wid schuu. Shi shuo dem ou fi mek kuoknat rais fi nyam wid ruos fish.
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.
Wan maanin, Odonggo kyar im granmada kou dem fi nyam graas. Dem ron go pan di nieba faam. Di faama di beks wid Odonggo. Im chretn fi tek we di kou dem kaaz dem nyam im krap dem. Aafta da die de, di bwaai pikni mek shuor se dat di kou dem no get inna no chobl agen.
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.
Pan wahn neks die, di pikni dem go maakit wid Nyar-Kanyaada. Shi did av wahn staal a sel vejitebl, shuga an suop. Apiyo did laik fi tel di kostama dem di prais a di gudz. Odonggo wuda pak op di gudz dem we di kostama dem bai.
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.
A di en a di die dem jrink chai tii tugeda. Dem elp granmada fi kount aaf di moni we shi mek.
At the end of the day they drank chai tea together. They helped grandmother to count the money she earned.
Bot di alidie don tuu kwik an di pikni dem did afi go bak a Toun. Nyar-Kanyaada gi Odonggo wahn at an Apiyo wahn sweta. Shi pak op som fuud gi dem fi di jorni.
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.
Wen dem faada kom bak fi dem, dem neva waahn lef. Di pikni dem beg Nyar-Kanyaada fi go wid dem bak a Toun. Shi smail an se, “Mi tu uol fi Toun. Mi a go wiet fi unu kom bak a mi vilij agen.”
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.”
Odonggo an Apiyo, di tuu a dem og ar op tait-tait an se bai-bai.
Odongo and Apiyo both hugged her tightly and said goodbye.
Wen Odonggo an Apiyo go bak a skuul dem tel dem fren dem bout konchri laif. Som a di pikni dem did fiil se laif inna Toun did gud. Di res a dem did fiil se konchri laif beta. Bot muos af aal, evribadi agrii se Odonggo an Apiyo did av di bes granmada.
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
Georgette McGlashen
Jamaican Creole
Level 4
The audio for this story is currently not available.
