Back to stories list

Amaulukho nende kukhu Holidays with grandmother

Violet Otieno

Catherine Groenewald

Margaret Amateshe

Oluwanga

Level 4

The audio for this story is currently not available.

Odongo nende Apiyo bali bamenya mwitokho nende sabwe. Bekhoyera amaulukho. Shiili khubera lisomera liali lifunjire ta, ilali no khubera batsitsanga okhuchendera kukhu wabwe. Yali yamenya mulukongo lwo khuluba hambi nende inyanza ingali.

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 nende Apiyo bali no busangafu khubera bali batsia okhuchendera khukhu wabwe. Mushiro, bakasia etsiloloti tsiabo balinda oluchendo lwo khutsia mulukongo. Shibakona tawe ne bakhupa imbakha ya amaulukho eshiro shiosi.

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.

Istuli mutsuli, barula nende sabwe mumutoka okhutsia mulukongo. Berusia okhubira efikulu, tsisolo tsimbi nende emikunda chia amachani. Babala emitoka nende okhwimba tsinyimbo.

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.

Mufise fitutu, abaana bachonya ne bakona.

After a while, the children were tired and fell asleep.

Samwana Odongo nende Opiyo yabenyosia lwo boola mulukongo. Banyoola Nyar-Kanyada, kukhu wabwe, naulukhanga khu liyambo hasi wo musala. Nyar-Kanyada mulunyolo, ne ‘omukhana wa abandu ba Kanyada’. Yali omukhaye wa amani khandi we eshifwani.

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-Kanyada yabasangalira nende okhubenjisia munzu niyemba ne obusangafu. Abestukhulu baye basangala okhumuha efihanwa fiabali bachinjire okhurula mwitokho. “Bolola eshihanwa shianje mberi,” Odongo naboola. “Tawe, eshianje mberi,” Apiyo naboola.

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.

Namalire okhubolola efihanwa, Nyar-Kanyada yaana tsikhabi khu betsukhulu baye okhulondana ne milukha chiabo.

After she opened the presents, Nyar-Kanyada blessed her grandchildren in a traditional way.

Odongo nende Apiyo barula erwanyi. Balonda amapurupru nende amanyonyi.

Then Odongo and Apiyo went outside. They chased butterflies and birds.

Baniina khumisala khandi besoka mumatsi ke inyanza.

They climbed trees and splashed in the water of the lake.

Angolobe bwirire bakalukha nango okhulia shiokhulia shia angolobe. Bashilia, baanza okhukona!

When it was dark they returned to the house for dinner. Before they could finish eating, they were falling asleep!

Mutsuli, sabwe yakalukaha mwitokho nabalekha wa kukhu wabwe Nyar-Kanyada.

The next day, the children’s father drove back to the city leaving them with Nyar-Kanyada.

Odongo nende Apiyo bakhonya kukhu wabwe emirimo chio munzu. Basomba amatsi no okhurenya tsikhwi. Batola amabuyu ke efitakho nende okhwaya tsifwa mushirundu.

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 yechesia abetsukhulu baye okhufuka obususma obutorotoro bwo okhulira eshinulu. Yabamanyia nga okhutekha omuchele kwe inasi khulwa okhulira inyeni isambe.

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.

Inyanga ndala itsuli, Odongo yatsia okhwaya tsing’ombe tsia kukhu waye. Tsienjira mumukunda kwo omumenyanwa. Omulimi yasinyishira Odongo. Yenya okhubukula tsing’ombe tsie khulwa tsialia efiamu fiaye. Okhuchaka nyanga eyo, Odongo yaya tsing’ombe obulayi tsilenjira mumaraba ta.

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.

Inyanga yindi, abaana batsia khushiro nende Nyar-Kanyada. Yali ne shitalataliro shio khukusiriao eliani, esukari nende esabuni. Apiyo yekhoera okhubolera abakuli obukusi bwe ebindu.

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.

Angolobe, banywa ichai halala. Bakhonya kukhu wabwe okhubala amapesa kayali nanyolere.

At the end of the day they drank chai tea together. They helped grandmother to count the money she earned.

Mufise fitutu, amaulukho kawa ne abaana baba bakalukhe mwitokho. Nyar-Kanyada ymanusia Odongo ikofia ne Apiyo omuchosi.

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.

Lwo sabwe yetsa okhubeenda, shibasangalira okhutsia tawe. Abaana baomba kukhu wabwe okhutsia ninabo mwitokho. Yamwenya ne naboola, “Ndakofula oulatsia mwitokho ta. Ndalalinda hano lwo mukalukha mulukongo khandi.”

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 nende Apiyo bamufumberera hambi no okhumusebula.

Odongo and Apiyo both hugged her tightly and said goodbye.

Olwa Odongo nende Apiyo bakalukha mwisomero, bakanira abetsa babo obumenyi mulukongo. Balala baboola obumenyi bwo mwitokho nobulayi. Abandi baboola obumenyi bwo mulukongo bushira. Ilali, boosi beyama mbu Odongo nende Apiyo basangalira amaulukho nende kukhu wabwe!

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!

Written by: Violet Otieno

Illustrated by: Catherine Groenewald

Translated by: Margaret Amateshe

Language: Oluwanga

Level: Level 4

Source: Holidays with grandmother from African Storybook

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Read more level 4 stories:

Amaremwa ka Kukhu

Options

Back to stories list Download PDF