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Lwiimbo lwa kwa Sakima Sakima's song

Written by Ursula Nafula

Illustrated by Peris Wachuka

Translated by Ruth Kapamba, Mwitila Ntabo

Language Kaonde

Level Level 3

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Sikima waikalanga na bansemi yaanji ne nyenga yaanji wamyaka ina. Baikalaanga mu ntaanda yaabanooshi.Nzubo yaabo yansono yaji kunsa kwapela bichi.

Sakima lived with his parents and his four year old sister. They lived on a rich man’s land. Their grass-thatched hut was at the end of a row of trees.


Kimye Sikima waaji na myaka ya kusemwa isatu, wabeleele kabiji walekele ne kumona. Sakina wajinga mwana wamulume wapeshiwa mu mingilo.

When Sakima was three years old, he fell sick and lost his sight. Sakima was a talented boy.


Sakina waubanga bintu byavula abyo banyike bakwabo bamyaka yanji yakusemwa byo babujile ku konsha kuuba. Nobe kimwesho, wakonshanga kwikala naba kulumpe ba mumuzhi ne kwisamba nabo pamitwe yaneema.

Sakima did many things that other six year old boys did not do. For example, he could sit with older members of the village and discuss important matters.


Bansemi bakwa Sakima basebezanga kunzubo ya munoonshi. Bafumanga pa nzubo lukelo-kelo ne kubwela mabanga ene. Sakima washalanga ne nyenga yanji mwanyike.

The parents of Sakima worked at the rich man’s house. They left home early in the morning and returned late in the evening. Sakima was left with his little sister.


Sakima watemenwe kwimba nyimbo. Juuba jimo bainanji bamwipwizhe amba, “Nanchi ufumya kwepi nyimbo , Sakima?”

Sakima loved to sing songs. One day his mother asked him, “Where do you learn these songs from, Sakima?”


Sakima wakumbwile amba, “Iyaatu, maama. Neyumvwa mumutwe apa mino naimba.”

Sakima answered, “They just come, mother. I hear them in my head and then I sing.”


Sakima watemenwe kwimbila nyenga yanji mwanyike, kikatakata inge waumvwa nzala. Nyenga yanji watelekanga saka bamwimbila nyimbo yanji yeatemwisha. Wazhanga ku lwimbo wa kumulelezha.

Sakima liked to sing for his little sister, especially, if she felt hungry. His sister would listen to him singing his favourite song. She would sway to the soothing tune.


“Imba jikwabo ne jikwabo, Sakima,” nyenga yanji wa mulombanga. Sakima waswanga ne kwimba jikwabo ne jikwabo.

“Can you sing it again and again, Sakima,” his sister would beg him. Sakima would accept and sing it over and over again.


Juuba jimo mabanga bansemi yanji byo babwelele ku nzubo, bazhindamine biingi. Sakima wayukile amba pajiko lukatazho.

One evening when his parents returned home, they were very quiet. Sakima knew that there was something wrong.


“Kika kya katazha maama, taata?” Sakima waipwizhe. Sakima ba mubujile amba mwaana wa munoonshi waeleka. Munoonshi uji biingi na bulanda.

“What is wrong, mother, father?” Sakima asked. Sakima learned that the rich man’s son was missing. The man was very sad and lonely.


“Nakoonsha kumwimbila. Wakoonsha kwikala wasangalala jikwabo,” Sakima wabujile bansemi yaanji. Mino bansemi yaanji bamulengulwiile. “Wanoonka biingi. Obewa wimwayiketu mputa. Walanguluka amba lwiimbo obe wakoonsha kumu kwashanyi?”

“I can sing for him. He might be happy again,” Sakima told his parents. But his parents dismissed him. “He is very rich. You are only a blind boy. Do you think your song will help him?”


Nangwa byonka byo, Sakima kechi wikilekelene. Nyenga yanji mwanyike wamu tundailikele. Wa ambile amba, “Nyimbo yakwa Sakima indelezha inge naumvwa nzala. Yakoonsha kulelezha neuno shetu munoonshi.”

However, Sakima did not give up. His little sister supported him. She said, “Sakima’s songs soothe me when I am hungry. They will soothe the rich man too.”


Juuba ja londejileepo, Sakima walombele nyengayanji mwanyike kumu twala ku nzubo wauno shetu munoonshi.

The following day, Sakima asked his little sister to lead him to the rich man’s house.


Waimene muunshi ya windo umo mukatampe nekutendeka kwiimba lwiimbo yeatemenwe. Pachepache, mutwe wauno shetu munoonshi watendekele kumwekana pa windo ikatampe.

He stood below one big window and began to sing his favourite song. Slowly, the head of the rich man began to show through the big window.


Bamingilo balekele byo baubilenga. batelekele ku lwiimbo lwakwa Sakima wawaama biingi. Pano shetu umo waambile amba, “Kafwako nangwa umo wakonsheshe kutekenesha ba bosi. Nanchi awe mwanyike mputa walanguluka amba wakoonsha kwiba tekeneshanyi?”

The workers stopped what they were doing. They listened to Sakima’s beautiful song. But one man said, “Nobody has been able to console the boss. Does this blind boy think he will console him?”


Sakima wapwishishe kwimba kabiji wa alukile amba ayenga. Kabiji uno shetu munoonshi walupukile lubilo ne kwamba amb, “Nasansapo, imba jikwabo.”

Sakima finished singing his song and turned to leave. But the rich man rushed out and said, “Please sing again.”


Pakyonkakya kimye, bashetu babiji baishile saka basenda muntu pamakila. Bataine mwana wauno munoonshi bamupuma kabiji bamusha ne kunsa ya mukwakwa.

At that very moment, two men came carrying someone on a stretcher. They had found the rich man’s son beaten up and left on the side of the road.


Uno shetu munoonshi wasangalele biingi pakumona mwanaji jikwabo. Wamulambwile Sakima pakumutekenesha. Watwajile mwananji ne Sakima ku kipatela pakubamba Sakima atambule lubuko lwa meeso.

The rich man was so happy to see his son again. He rewarded Sakima for consoling him. He took his son and Sakima to hospital so Sakima could regain his sight.


Written by: Ursula Nafula
Illustrated by: Peris Wachuka
Translated by: Ruth Kapamba, Mwitila Ntabo
Language: Kaonde
Level: Level 3
Source: Sakima's song from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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