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Mwaso wa Sakima Sakima's song

Written by Ursula Nafula

Illustrated by Peris Wachuka

Translated by Kaloza Masho

Language Luvale

Level Level 3

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Sakima atwaminenga navisemi jenyi nandumbwenyi waphwevo wamyaka yakusemuka iwana. Vatwaminenga halimbo lyalunga umwe wakupita. Zuvo yavo yakwambila namwila yapwile kusongo yamukana wamitondo.

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.


Omu Sakima apwile namyaka itatu yakusemuka, avijile nakufwa meso. Sakima apwilenga mwana wakuthachikiza vyuma.

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


Sakima alingile vyuma vyavivulu vize vakwavo vamyaka yakusemuka itanu naumwe kavalingilengako. Chitalilo, atwaminenga navakulwane mwimbo nakuhanjika vyuma vyavilemu.

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.


Visemi ja Sakima vazachilenga kuzuvo yauze lihando. Vafuminenga hembo chimenemene nakukinduluka kuchingoloshi. Sakima vamuselenga nasongo yenyi waphwevo.

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 azangile kwimba myaso. Likumbi limwe naye amuhulishile, “Sakima, nyi eyi myaso weji kulinangwilayo kulihi?”

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


Sakima akumbulwile, “Yeji kulijila kaha, mama. Ngweji kuyivwila mumutwe wami kaha hinanguyimba.”

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


Sakima azangile kwimbila songo yenyi, chikumanyi, nge nevu zala. Songo yenyi mwamwivwilila omu mwemba mwaso wenyi azangile chikuma. Mwanyengesa mutwe kukava uze mwaso.

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.


Ndumbwenyi mwamulambilila, “Wimbe nakuhilwisaho maphapa amavulu.” Sakima etavile nakwimba cheka nacheka.

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


Likumbi limwe nachingoloshi omu visemi jenyi vahilukile hembo, vaholele kulu. Sakima ejivile ngwenyi vyuma kavyapwile kanawako.

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


Sakima ahulishile ngwenyi, “Ika inapihiko, mama, tata?” Sakima vamulwezele ngwavo mwana uze lihando ajimbalile. Shikaho uze lunga alinyengele nakwivwa uli.

“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 alwezele visemi jenyi ngwenyi, “Ngunahase kumwimbila. Kwiji phamo mwawahilila cheka.” Oloze visemi jenyi vamukanyishile, ngwavo. “Apwa wakupita chikuma. Ukapuputa kamwanalunga. Unashinganyeka ngwove mwaso wove naumukafwa?”

“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?”


Oloze, Sakima kecheleko, Songo yenyi nayikhiye amuhakwilile ngwenyi, “Myaso ya Sakima yeji kungwivwisa kuwaha nge ngunevu zala. Shikaho inahase kwivwisa kuwaha uze pichi nawa.”

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.”


Likumbi lyakavako, Sakima alwezele songo yenyi kumutetekeza kuzuvo yauze pichi.

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


Emanyine mwishi yanjanena imwe yayinene nakuputuka kwimba mwaso wenyi azangilenga kuhambakana. Kakandende kaha, uze pichi aputukile kunonoka muze munjanena.

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.


Vakakuzata vechele vize vapwilenga nakulinga. Vevwililile kumwaso wa Sakima wamwaza ngachize. Oloze lunga umwe ahanjikile ngwenyi, “Wauchi nahase kumuvendejeka ou pichi. Kaha ou kanyike wakapuputa ali nakushinganyeka ngwenyi ikhiye nahase kumuvendejeka?”

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 amanyishile kwimba mwaso wenyi kaha alumukile mangana ayenga. Oloze uze pichi alwasumukile nakuhanjika ngwenyi, “Ngunakusakwilako imba cheka.”

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


Luze vene lwola, malunga vavali vejile oho ngocho vanambate muthu muchipoya. Vawanyine uze mwana pichi vanamuvete nakumuseza kujila.

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.


Uze pichi awahililile chikuma hakumona mwanenyi cheka. Amufwetele Sakima hakumuvendejeka. Atwalile mwanenyi na Sakima kuchipatela mangana Sakima ahase kumona cheka.

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: Kaloza Masho
Language: Luvale
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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