Back to stories list

Mwasu wa Sakima Sakima's song

Ursula Nafula

Peris Wachuka

Oscar Zangata

Lunda

Level 3

The audio for this story is currently not available.

Sakima wadin’ga nakushakama nawavwali zhindi na muhelindi wayaka yiwana. Ashakaminan’ga helun’ga deyala waheta. Chinsambu chawu chadin’ga kunkumina ya nyikanka ya nyitondu.

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.

Chashikiliyu yaaka yisatu, Sakima wakatili nakufwa mensu. Sakima wadin’ga kansi weyala wukweti wana.

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

Sakima welilen’ga yuma yina akwawu ayaaka yitanu niwumu hiyatwesheliku. Chakutalilaku, wadin’ga nakushakama nakuhanjeka nawakulumpi yuma yaswezha Kulema.

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.

Anvwali zha sakima adin’ga nakuzata kwitala deyala waheta. Adin’ga nakufuma kwitala muna bwididi nakufunta kumelela. Sakima wadin’ga nakushala namuhelindi wa Kansi.

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 waken’gelen’ga kwimba tumina. Ifuku dimu, Mama yindi wamwehwili. “Kudi watan’gilan’ga tuminitu sakima?”

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

Sakima wakwili, “Twenzan’ga hohu mama. Natutiyan’ga mumutu wami kaha hinukutwimba.”

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

Sakima waken’gelen’ga kwimbila muhelindi, swezhe neyi muhelindi udi nanzala. Muhelindi wukumutiyilila neyi nakwimba kamina kaken’gayi. Wukutachika kutiya kamina Kauunda.

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.

“Imbaku chen’gi nakufuntila-funtilahu Sakima,” muhelindi wukumushinjila. Sakima wukwitezha nafuntila-funtilahu.

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

Melela amu chiyafuntiliwu anvwali zhindi kwitala, adin’ga amwena. Sakima welukili nindi kunatami yuma yimu.

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

“Kukalanyi chidiku mama, Tata?” Sakima wehweli. Sakima welukili nindi mwana ka iyala waheta wazhimbeli. Ona iyala wadin’ga kankayindi.

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

“Natweshi kumwimbila. Wukwikala wamuzan’galu chen’gi,” Sakima walezheli anvwali zhindi. Ilan’ga anvwali zhindi hiyetezheliku. “Wukweti maheta nankashi. Eyi ukapuputa hohu. Wunamoni neyi mwasu weyi wukumukwasha?”

“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?”

Hela chochu, Sakima halekeliku. Muhelindi wamukwashiliku. Hakuhosha nindi, “Nyasu ya Sakima yawundishan’ga neyi nidi nanzala. Yikuundisha ona iyala waheta niyena.”

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.”

Ifuku dasinsilimu, Sakima walezheli muhelindi kumutwala kwitala danona iyala waheta.

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

Wemeni mwishina da injanena yayineni nakutachika kwimba kamina kindi kaken’gayi. Chanti-chanti, mutu wanona iyala watachikili kumwekana ha injanena.

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.

Ankon’gi alekeli kwila yuma yadin’ga nakwilawu. Atiyililili mwasu wa sakima wawuwahi, ilan’ga wumu wawu nindi, “Ninowu natweshi dehi kukokwezha bosi kosi. Iwu Kansi weyala Wa kapuputa namoni neyi yena wukutwesha?”

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 wamanishili kwimba kamina kindi nindi atachikan’ga kufunta. Ilan’ga ona iyala waheta wedikili hanzhi nakuhosha nindi, “Nalembi Imbaku chen’gi.”

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

Hampinji kana iyi, kwadin’ga amayala ayedi enzili anyamuna muntu hachitamba. Aweni mwana kanona Iyala da maheta anamweti nakumushiya kumbadi 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.

Iyala da maheta watiyili kuwaha hakumona mwanindi weyala chen’gi. Wafweteli Sakima hakumukundezha. Watweli Sakima na mwanindi ku chipatela kulonda Sakima atweshi kumona chen’gi.

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: Oscar Zangata

Language: Lunda

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.

Read more level 3 stories:

Kambuntu kakanyanya: insan’gu ya Wangari Maathai. Nozibele na nansuki zhisatu Kasumbi na munzhon’olu Mwana wa Donki Anansi na Kashinshi Ifuku inafumini kumukala nakuya kumbaka Kasumbi na Kambembi

Options

Back to stories list