Tomu ushimbanga mukeke wa makonde abuzwize.
Tom carries a tray of ripe bananas.
Tomu uyanga kwa musika kuyolekisa makonde.
Tom goes to the market to sell bananas.
Batu kwa musika baleka miselo.
People at the market are buying fruit.
Kono hakuna yaleka makonde a Tomu. Balata kuleka miselo kwa basali.
But no one is buying
Tom’s bananas.
They prefer to buy fruit from women.
“Mwa sibaka saluna, ki basali feela baba lekisanga miselo,” batu babulela. “Ki muuna ya cwañi yo?” batu babuza.
“In our community, only women sell fruit,” people say. “What kind of a man is this?” people ask.
Kono Tomu hazwafi. Wa huweleza, “hamuleke makonde aka! Amuleke makonde aka abuzwize mi amunati!”
But Tom does not give up.
He calls, “Buy my bananas!
Buy my sweet ripe bananas!”
Musali yomuñwi ashimba makonde amañata mwa mukeke. Atalimisisa makonde katokomelo.
One woman picks up a bunch of bananas from the tray.
She looks at the bananas carefully.
Musali yo aleka makonde.
The woman buys the bananas.
Batu babañata bataha fa sintolo. Baleka makonde a Tomu ni kuaca.
More people come to the stall.
They buy Tom’s bananas and eat them.
Onafo, fa mukeke kele kufela. Tomu ubala masheleñi a fumani.
Soon, the tray is empty.
Tom counts the money he earned.
Cwale Tomu waleka mulola, swikili, ni sinkwa. Lika ze alibeya mwa mukeke wahae.
Then Tom buys soap, sugar, and bread.
He puts the things in his tray.
Tomu watengenya mukeke wahae fa toho anze aya kwandu.
Tom balances the tray on his head and goes home.
Humphreys Odunga
Zablon Alex Nguku
Christabel Songiso, Akombelwa Muyangana
SiLozi (Namibia)
Level 2
