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Lwimbo wakwa 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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Sakima waikalanga na bansemi yanji ne nyenga yanji wamyaka yakusemwa ina. Baikalanga mumpunzha ya munonshi. Nzubo yabo yansono yajinga 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 Sakima kyoajinga namyaka ya kusemwa isatu, wabeleele kabiji walekele ne kumona. Sakima wajinga nsongwalume wajinga na kyabupe.

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


Sakima waubanga bintu byavula byakankalwanga kuuba bakwabo banyike bamyaka yakusemwa yonka yoajinga nayo itanu nakimo. Nobe kyakumwenako, wakonshanga kwikala nabakulumpe bamumuzhi ne kwisamba nabo pamitwe yanema.

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 yanji Sakima basebezanga kunzubo ya munonshi. Bafumanga pa nzubo lukeelo-keelo kabiji babwelangatu mabanga ene. Sakima washalanga ne nyenga yanji wamwanyike.

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 nyimbo yowimba wiifunjila kwepi?”

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


Sakima wakumbwile amba, “Iyatu ine maama. Patanshi neyumvwa mumutwe apa bino kañimbe.”

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


Sakima watemenwe kwimbila nyenga yanji wamwanyike, kikatakata inge waumvwa nzala. Nyenga yanji watelekanga saka bamwimbila lwimbo wanji yeatemwisha. Waimbangako 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.


Nyenga yanji wamupopwelanga amba,” bwezhapo ne jikwabo ne jikwabo. Sakima waswanga ne kwimba 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 byobabwelele kunzubo, bazhindamine bingi. Sakima wayukile amba pajinga lukatazho.

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


“Maama, taata, kika kyakatazha?” Sakima waipwizhe. Sakima ba mubujile amba mwana wa munonshi waeleka. Munonshi wajinga bingi na bulanda ne bunke.

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


Sakima waambile amba, “Nakonsha kumwimbila. Kampepo wakonsha kwikala kusangalala jikwabo,” Sakima wabujile bansemi yanji. Bino bansemi yanji bamukanyishile amba, “Awa munonshi bingi. Obewa wimwayiketu kabiji wimputa. Nanchi walanguluka amba lwimbo obe wakonsha kumukwashanyi?”

“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 byonkabyo, Sakima kechi wikilekelene. Nyenga yanji mwanyike wamutundaikile. Waambile amba, “Nyimbo yakwa Sakima indelezha inge naumvwa nzala. Yakonsha kumutekeneshako munonshi.”

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 jalondejileepo, Sakima walombele nyenga yanji mwanyike kumutwala kunzubo yauno shetu munonshi.

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


Waimene munshi yawindo ikatampe kabiji watendekele kwimba lwimbo yeatemenwe. Pachepache, mutwe wauno shetu munonshi watendekele kuseela 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 kulwimbo lwakwa Sakima wawama bingi. Shetu umo waambile amba, “Kafwako nangwa umo wakonsheshe kutekenesha bantangi betu ne. Nanchi awe mwanyike mputa walanguluka amba wakonsha kwiba tekenesha nyi?”

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. Bino uno shetu munonshi walupukile lubilo ne kumwambila Sakima amba, “Nasansapo, imbako ne 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 mwananji uno munonshi 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 munonshi wasangalele bingi pakumona mwananji jikwabo. Wamulambwile Sakima pakumutekenesha na lwimbo. Watwajile mwananji ne Sakima kukipatela pakuuba amba Sakima atambule lubuko lwa menso.

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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