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A boy singing in front of a woman.

Eimbilo laSakima Sakima's song

Written by Ursula Nafula

Illustrated by Peris Wachuka

Translated by Fritz David

Language Oshikwanyama

Level Level 3

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A man, a woman, a boy and a girl standing outside a hut and some trees.

Sakima okwa kala novakulunhu vaye osho yo okamwainakadona ka li ke na omido nhee. Ova kala monhele yomukengeli umwe. Onduda yavo ya uvilikwa nomwiidi oya li kexulilo lomukweyo womiti.

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.


A boy thinking about when he was ill in bed.

Pefimbo Sakima a li e na omido nhatu, okwa kwatelwe kouvela ndele ta kanifa omesho. Sakima okwa li okamati ke na omaano.

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


A boy talking to three women.

Sakima eshi a wanifa omido hamano,okwa ninga oinima ihapu oyo ihai dulu okuningwa koumati vakwao vepupi laye. Oshihopaenenwa, Okwa li ha dulu okukala omutumba novakulunhu momukunda ndele tava kundufana oinima ya fimana.

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.


A boy and girl waving to a man and woman leaving.

Ovakulunhu vaSakima okwa li hava longo meumbo lomulumenhu woshipuna. Ohava penduka mo ongula inene vo tava aluka konguloshi kwa toka lela. Sakima okwa li ha fyaala po nokamwainakadona.

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.


A boy singing to a woman.

Sakima okwa li e hole okwiimba omaimbilo. Efiku limwe ina okwe mu pula, “Omaimbilo oo owe e lihonga peni, Sakima?”

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


A boy talking with a woman.

“Oha e lieta ashike meme. Ohandi a udu ashike momutwe wange ame handi hovele oku a imba.”Sakima ta nyamukula,

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


A boy singing to a girl smiling.

Sakima okwa li e hole okwiimbila po okamwainakadona, unene tuu ngeenge ka fya ondjala. Okamwainakadona ohaka kala ke mu pwilikina eshi ta imbi omaimbilo oo a li e hole. Oha ke linyenge mo taka shikula omutono weimbilo.

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.


A boy sitting and a girl standing next to him.

“Imba po vali natango imba po vali, Sakima,” Okamwainakadona osho haka kala noku mu indila. Sakima oha dimine ye ta imbi ta endulula mo oikando noikando.

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


A sad-looking man and woman sitting with their heads in their hands and a boy and girl next them.

Onguloshi imwe manga ovakulunhu vali mondjila yokushuna keumbo, ova li va mwena. Sakima okwa li a dididlika kutya pe na sha shimwe sha puka.

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


A boy talking to a man and woman and a girl standing next to them.

“Oshike shapuka meme, tate?” Sakima osho a pula. Sakima okwa kundana kutya okamonamati koshipuna oka kana. Omushamane okwa li a ponga nokwa nyika oluhodi neenghono.

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


A boy talking to a woman with her arms crossed and a man.

“Ohandi dulu oku ke mu imbila po. Ota dulu okukala a hafa natango,” Sakima osho a lombwela ovakulunhu vaye. Ashike ovakulunhu vaye inave shi tambula ko. “Winya omukengeli. Ove okamenhu kongaho okanaulema komesho. Oto diladila kutya eimbilo loye otali ke mu kwafa sha?”

“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?”


A girl with her hand on her tummy talking to a man, a woman and a boy.

Nonande ongaho, Sakima ina fya ounye. Okamwainakadona oke mu twa omukumo taka ti, “Omaimbilo aSakima ohaa talaleke nokuudifa nge nawa ngeenge nda fya ondjala. Otaa ka pupaleka nokuxunga omwenyo omulumenhu woshipuna.”

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.”


A girl leading a blind boy with a stick through a forest.

Efiku la shikula ko, Sakima okwa pula okandenge kaye ke mu findikile keumbo loshipuna.

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


A boy standing outside a building singing to a man looking out of the window, and a girl standing next to him.

Okwa fikama pekende lakula ndele ta tameke ta imbi eimbilo laye olo kwa li e hole. Kanini nakanini oshipuna osha pitifa mo omutwe mekende linene.

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.


A boy singing outside a building singing to a man looking out of the window, and a girl and some workers standing next to him.

Ovanailonga ova efa oilonga aishe oyo kwa li tava i longo. Ova li tava pwilikine keimbilo liwa laSakima. Omulumenhu umwe okwa ti, “Kape na nande omunhu a pondola okuhekeleka omunghona. Okamati aka kokanaulema womesho otaka diladila kutya otaka dulu oku mu hekeleke?”

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?”


A man standing outside a building calling a boy and girl walking away.

Sakima eshi a xulifa eimbilo laye okwa tengunuka a ye. Ashike oshipuna osha endelela shi uye pondje ndele tashi ti, “Alikana imba po vali.”

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


Two men carrying a boy on a stretcher towards a man standing next to a boy and girl.

Pefimbo tuu opo, ovalumenhu vavali ove uya va humbata omunhu kolutala. Omonamati woshipuna ove mu hanga a dengwa ndele ta fiwa pomukunghulo wondjila.

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.


A man standing between two boys in hospital beds and a girl standing in front of him.

Omulumenhu woshipuna okwa li a nyakukwa okumona omonamati. Okwa pandula Sakima eshi e mu hekeleka. Okwa twala omonamati naSakima koshipangelo, Sakima a hakulwa omesho ndele ta kala vali ha mona ko.

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: Fritz David
Language: Oshikwanyama
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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