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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 atwamine navisemi jenyi na yaya yenyi wapwevo wamyaka ya yiwana. Vatwamine ha livu lya lunga wakupita. Zuvo yavo ya Mwila yapwile kwakumina mitondo.

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 apwilenga namyaka yitatu yakusemuka, avijile nakufwa meso. Sakima apwilenga mwana walikoji wakukiswila.

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 vyovimwe ya kusemuka ya yitanu nawumwe kavalingilengako. Chinjikijilo, 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 sakami vazachilenga hazuvo ya lunga wuze waluheto. Vafuminenga hembo chimenemene nakukinduluka kuchingoloshi. Sakima vamuselenga na songo yenyi wapwevo.

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 mama yenyi amuhulishile, “wechi kutangila kulihi eyi myaso sakima?”

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


Sakima akumbulwile, “vyechi kwiza kaha, mama. Ngwechi kuyivwila mumutwe kaha nangwimba.”

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


Sakima azangile kwimbila songo yenyi wapwevo, chikuma omu evwile Zala. Yayenyi apwilenga nakumwivwilila kwimba mwaso wenyi azangile chikuma. Apwilenga nakwivwa Lizu lize lyamwaza.

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 nakuhilukilamo kapapa,” yaya yenyi wapwevo apwilenga nakumulambilila. Sakima etavile nakwimbamo kapapa nakapapa.

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


Chingoloshi chimwe nge omu visemi jenyi vahilukilenga hembo, vapwilenga vakuhola. Sakima ejivile ngwenyi vyuma kavyapwile kanawako.

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


“Yika vyapihi, mama, tata?” Sakima ahulishile. Sakima ejivile ngwenyi mwana wa wuze mutu wakupita kapwilehoko. Lunga alinyengele kaha cheka asalile wukawenyi.

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


“Ngunahase kumwimbila. Mwapwa wakuzangama cheka,” Sakima alwekele visemi jenyi. Wunonyi visemi jenyi kavamwanukileko. “Apwa wakupita chikuma. Wuli kaha kapuputa wamwana walunga. Washinganyeka ngove mwaso wove nawumukafwa?”

“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?”


Wunonyi, Sakima kecheleko, songo yenyi wapwevo apwilenga nayikiye. Ahanjikile, “Myaso ya sakami vyechi kunguvwisa kuwaha nge ngunevu zala. Navivwisa kuwaha 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 lya kavanga, sakima ahulishile songo yenyi wapwevo kumutetekela kuzuvo ya lihando.

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


Emanyine mwishi ya windo yimwe nakuputuka kwimba mwaso wenyi azangile chikuma. Chakuhona kwenyeka lola, mutwe wa lihando ndo waputukile kusoloka ha windo.

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. Vevwilile ku mwaso wa mwaza wa sakami. Unonyi lunga wumwe ahanjikile ngwenyi, “Wawuchi nakwanyisa kumukokweza owu lihando do, Wunonyi owu kapuputa wa mwana walunga nakushinganyeka ngwenyi nahase kumukokweza?”

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 shikaho alumukile nakuya. Wunonyi lihando ndo atuchile lumbushi nakuhanjika ngwenyi, “Ngwasakwilako imba cheka.”

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


Luze Vene lola, malunga vavali vejile ninshi vanambate mutu ha mbwechi. Vawanyine mwana lihando 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.


Lihando awahililile chikuma hakumona mwanenyi cheka. Amufwetele sakima hakumu kokweza. Atwalile mwanenyi na sakami kuchipatela mangana sakami aputuke 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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