The audio for this story is currently not available.
Odongo naApiyo ova kala moshilando naxe. Ova li va hala nokuhalela efudo li fike. Hamolwaashi, ashike ofikola oya pata. Ashike unene omolwaashi ohava kala va hala okuya va ka talele po inakulu. Inakulu okwa li momukunda hamu kwatwa eeshi wa li u li popepi netale.
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 naApiyo okwa li va hafa unene shaashi osha li efimbo loku ka talela po Meekulu wavo vali. Onguloshi ya tetekela efiku lokuya ova longela eendjato davo, ndele tava kala ve lilongekidila olweendo lile lokuya komukunda oko ku na inakulu. Okwa li va londokwa keemhofi ndele ova kala ashike tava popi kombinga yefudo lavo oufiku aushe.
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.
Ongula inene yefiku la shikula, ova londa moshihauto shaxe va ye komukunda. Ovashinga va pita peendudu, poifitukuti nomomapya otee. Ova li tava imbi vo tava valula omatuwa.
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.
Konima yefimbo ounona okwa li ova loloka ndele tava kofa.
After a while, the children were tired and fell asleep.
Odongo naApiya ova pendulwa kuxe eshi va fika komukunda. Ova hanga inakulu Nyar-Kanyada a fuwa po poshiinda koshi yomuti. Nyar-Kanyada melaka lOshiluo, otashi ti “okakadona kovanhu vaKanyada” Okwa li omukainhu muwa ye oku na eenghono.
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 okwe va tambula nawa meumbo ta imbi nehafo ye ta danisha neumbo alishe. Ovatekulu okwa li va hafa unene oku mu pa omaano oo kwa li ve mu etela okudja koshilando. “Tete natu patulule omaano ange,” Odongo ta ti. “Ahawe ange oo tete!” Apiyo ta ti.
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.
After she opened the presents, Nyar-Kanyada blessed her grandchildren in a traditional way.
Konima Odongo na Apiyo ova ya pondje. Ova ka taataa oupuka veenghanga noudila.
Then Odongo and Apiyo went outside. They chased butterflies and birds.
Ova kala nokulonda komiti vo tave lishamine omeva ometale.
They climbed trees and splashed in the water of the lake.
Eshi kwa toka ova shuna keumbo va ka lye ouvalelo. Manga ina va mana okulya vo ova wa onhundulu keemhofi!
When it was dark they returned to the house for dinner. Before they could finish eating, they were falling asleep!
Efiku la shikula ko, xe okwa shinga a shune koshilando e va fiya po naNyar-Kanyada.
The next day, the children’s father drove back to the city leaving them with Nyar-Kanyada.
Odongo naApiyo ova kala nokukwafela inakulu noilonga yomeumbo. Okwa li hava ka tyava noku ka teka omeva. Okwa li yo hava ka ongela omai eexuxwa noku likola oihape moshikunino.
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 okwa honga outekulu okuteleka oshifima noku shi lya nomunghoka. Okwe va ulikila yo nhumbi olwishi lomaxuku eendunga dokokonata noku li lya neeshi da yofwa.
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.
Ongula yefiku limwe, Odongo okwa ka lifa eengobe dainakulu. Oda tondokela mepya lamushiinda. Omunafaalama okwa li a handukila Odongo neenghono. Okwa mu tilifa kutya ota diinine eengobe ote di idilile shaashi oda lya po oikunwa yaye. Okudja efiku olo, omumati okwa kala ha fi oshisho eengobe diha ye vali moupyakadi.
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.
Efiku limwe, ounona ova ya nainakulu Nyar-Kanyada komalandifilo. Okwa li e na po okatala kaye ta landifa oihape, ofyuuka neefewa. Apiyo oku hole okulombwela ovalandi eendado doilandomwa. Odongo ye oha longele oinima oyo oya landwa kovalandi.
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.
Pexulilo lefiku ngeenge va dimbuka ova nwa pamwe otee yoludi lwochai. Ounona ova kwafela inakulu okuvalula oimaliwa oyo a landifa fiku olo.
At the end of the day they drank chai tea together. They helped grandmother to count the money she earned.
Divadiva efudo ola pwa ko nounona ova li ve na okushuna koshilando. Nyar-Kanyada okwa pa Odongo ekopi ye Apiyo te mu pe ombidja youtalala. Okwe va longelela oikulya yavo yomolweendo.
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.
Eshi xe e va ila, kakwa li va hala okuya. Ounona ova indila Nyar-Kanyada a ye pamwe navo koshilando. Inakulu okwe limemesha ndee ta ti, “Ame onda kulupa nokukala moshilando. Ohandi kala nde mu teelele mu alukile vali komukunda.”
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 naApiyo aveshe ova papatela inakulu ndele tave mu lekele.
Odongo and Apiyo both hugged her tightly and said goodbye.
Eshi Odongo na Apiyo va alukila kofikola ova hepaulila ookaume kavo onghalamwenyo yokomukunda. Ounona vamwe okwa li ve udite kutya onghalamwenyo yokoshilando oi li nawa. Omanga vamwe va li ve wete yokomukunda oi li xwepo. Ashike ounona aveshe, ova dimina kutya Odongo naApiyo ove na inakulu muwa.
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!
Violet Otieno
Catherine Groenewald
Fritz David
Oshikwanyama
Level 4
The audio for this story is currently not available.
