Odongo ni Apiyo nebapila hamoho ni bondataa bona mwa tolopo. Kabaka la kuziba kuli nebaswanela kuyopumula ni kukwabona, balibelela nako yapumulo kuli ifite. Bokukwaa bona nebapila mwamunzi oli kwatuko a lisa lelituna mone kuyambiwa litapi.
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.
Odongo ni Apiyo nebatabile haifita nako yakupumula kakuli nebaswanela kuya kubo kukwaa bona hape. Lizazi lisikafita kale, baitukiseza musipili omutelele ka kulonga libyana zabona mwamikotana. Bapalelwa kulobala kapa kunopa buloko busihu bo mi baambola kaza musipili wabona wa kwa pumulo.
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.
Kakusasani lizazi lelitama bakala musipili wabona ka kuitusisa mota yabo ndatabona. Bafita mwa malundu, mwahalaa lifolofolo ni mwa masimu mokucezwi licalo za tii. Nebasweli kubala limota zenelibafitelela nikushelana nibona mwa mukwakwa ni kuopela lipina inge baliba kubo kukwaa bona.
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.
Hasekufitile nakonyana, banana bakatala mi balobala.
After a while, the children were tired and fell asleep.
Bo ndataa bona babazusa boOdongo ni Apiyo hasebafitile mwahae yabo kukwaa bona. Nebafumani bokukwaa bona boNyar-Kanyada inge baipumulisa fa museme mwatasa kota. Libizo le la Nyar-Kanyada mwamushobo wa siLuo litalusa kuli, “mwana wa musali wabatu bakwa Kanyada”. Neli mucembele yanasa ikutwa nikutiya hape nibunde.
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 a amuhelala baeñii bahae nikukala kulumelisana ni kubina inge apotoloha mwa ndu ni kuopela katabo. Baikulu bahae Nyar-Kanyada bataba hahulu nikumutambeka limpo zahae zezwelela kwa tolopo inze banyakalile. “Kakukala amukwaulule mpo yezwa kuna,” abulela Odongo. “Batili, amukale yaka pili,” abulela 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.
Bo kukwaa bona hasebafelize kukwaulula limpo zabona, bafuyola baikulyabo ka sizo.
After she opened the presents, Nyar-Kanyada blessed her grandchildren in a traditional way.
Habafeza zeo Odongo ni Apiyo bazwela fande nikukala kumatisa lipulumuki ni linyunywani.
Then Odongo and Apiyo went outside. They chased butterflies and birds.
Bapahama kwa likota hape nikuhasanya mezi mwa lisa.
They climbed trees and splashed in the water of the lake.
Haselilikezi lizazi bakutela kwa hae kuli bayoca mulalelo. Basikafeza kale kuca bakala kuozela!
When it was dark they returned to the house for dinner. Before they could finish eating, they were falling asleep!
Lizazi lelitatama, bondataa bona basiya banana kubo kukwaa bona boNyar-Kanyada.
The next day, the children’s father drove back to the city leaving them with Nyar-Kanyada.
Odongo ni Apiyo batusa bokukwaa bona kwamisebezi yamwandu. Babakela mezi nikulwalela likota. Neba nopanga mai alikuhu nikuyonga muloho wamwa simu.
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-Kanyada aluta baikulu bahae mwakusokela buhobe bwakucisa ni mulo. Nimwakutatehela buloto bwakucisa nilitapi za kubesa.
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.
Lizazi leliñwi, Odongo aisa likomu zabo kukwaa hae kwa kufula. Zakena mwasimu ya muuna yabapani nibo kukwaa bona. Mulimi yo anyemela Odongo. Amusabisa kuli likomu ze ukalikwalela mwamulaka wahae kabakala kuli licile licalo zahae. Kuzwa lizazi leo, Odongo akala kumamelanga likomu haya kwakulisa.
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.
Lizazi leliñwi banana baya kwa musika hamoho ni Nyar-Kanyada. Bokukwaa bona nebanani sintolo monebalekiseza muloho, swikili ni milola. Apiyo natabela kubulelela batu liteko zalika zemwasintolo. Odongo yena nalongelanga batu benabaleka lika.
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.
At the end of the day they drank chai tea together. They helped grandmother to count the money she earned.
Kono kanakonyana mazazi apumulo afeela mi nebanani nikukutela kwa tolopo. BoNyar-Kanyada bafa mpo ya komoki ku Odongo, Apiyo yena bamufa sweta. Kukwaa bona abalongela niza kucela mwa nzila.
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.
Bo ndataa bona habatobanga, banana nebasalati kukutela kwa tolopo. Bakupa bokukwaa bona kuli bafunduke nibona kuya kwa tolopo. Bamenya ni kuli, “Nihulile hahulu kupila mwabukuwa hanikoni. Nikana ni milibelela kufitela mukatopota hape mwapumulo yetaha.”
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 ni Apiyo bakumatela bokukwaa bona niku batubeta nikubalaeza.
Odongo and Apiyo both hugged her tightly and said goodbye.
Hanebafitile kwasikolo, Odongo ni Apiyo bakandekela balikani babona za bupilo bwa kwahae. Babañwi banana banahana kuli bupilo bwamwa tolopo kibobunde kufita bwa mwahae. Babañwi banahana kuli bupilo bwamwa hae bwafita bwa mwa tolopo. Kono zetabisa kikuli kaufela bona balumela kuli Odongo ni Apiyo nebanani bokukwabona babamakaza.
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
Limbali Muyendekwa
SiLozi (Namibia)
Level 4
