Kuzogana moZambezi Swimming in the Zambezi
Imelda Lyamine, Albius Chunga Mulisa, Maria Simasiku, Florence Habayemi Shitaa
Kleopas Jambeinge
Valentin Mpasi
Rukwangali
Level 4
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Nohonga dezuva kwa vetere unene moSondaha kositenguko. Vakadonagona wopoLusese kwa ya pongere monda zositji soUkuzu wounene moCaprivi.
It was a bright sunny Sunday afternoon. The young girls in Lusese were gathering under the branches of the biggest Musikili tree in Caprivi.
Ezogerero lyomazwi gawo goruha kwazuvhikire momukunda nagunye. Awo kwa zigidire vakwawo zawo. “Nakumwu, Ame kuna kukundindira.” “Genderera ko, Chaze.” “Silume! Wiza mukwetu!”
The excited buzz of their voices was heard all over the village. They called their friends. “Nakamwu, I’m waiting for you.” “Hurry up, Chaze.” “Silume! Come on!”
Maria ta vema-vema apapare Ntwala. Ntwala yige ava twara va ka zogane nkenye Sondaha. “Ntwala! Ntwalee! Ntwalaaa! Ntwaloo!” yimo ga zigilire.
Maria looked around for Ntwala. Ntwala took them swimming every Sunday. “Ntwala! Ntwalee! Ntwalaaa! Ntwaloo!” she called.
Ntwala yipo ga zigilire kesinyakwina lyomukunda, “Nyame ogu, nyone nina kundindira.” Vakadona navenye tava mudukire va ka mugwane.
Ntwala shouted from the other side of the village, “I’m here! I’m waiting for you.” All the girls ran to find her.
“Namuvenye muna liwayilire mo ka zoga neina?” Yimo ga va pulire Ntwala. “Nhi,” yimo va gogomokere kulimburura noruhafo oku tava vatauka.
“Are you ready to go swimming today?” Ntwala asked them. “Yes,” they shouted happily as they hopped and jumped with excitement.
Monzira zawo zokuza komukuro Ntwala kwa va simwitilire masanseko. “Tu simwitira ko apa rwa kere ruhanzo pomukunda gwetu,” Yimo va pulire. “Tu simwitira ko kuhamena Mbanze neNgwanza.”
As they walked to the river Ntwala told them stories. “Tell us about when our village was flooded,” they called. “Tell us about the Jackal and the Baboon.”
Konontere domukuro kwa kere ko emukurutji lyoUwongo. Vakadona kwa kwa kwa horowerere Ntwala ewongo lyenene.
Beside the river there was an enormous Marula tree. The girls looked for the biggest marula fruit for Ntwala.
“Ame nina gwana lyenene po,” yimo ga zigilire Joy. Yipo ga geve ewongo kwaNtwala.
“I’ve got the biggest,” shouted Joy. She gave her marula fruit to Ntwala.
“Namuvenye gwireni mo mu ka zogane,” yimo ga tanterere vakadona Ntwala. Navenye yipo va vataukilire mo, awo kwalikumwidire mo ku zuvha utenda womema gomomukuro gwaZambezi.
“Off you go and swim,” said Ntwala to the girls. They all ran into the water, shrieking and giggling as they felt the cold water of the Zambezi River.
Ntwala kwa sikeme kononkenkera domukuro. Age kwa tere nokunomena vangandu. Age kwa tere vakadona wovakondi mo tava rumbasana mokuzoga ntani mo ku divira. Age kwa mwene hena vakadonagona tava lirafagwire mema ntani kulironga kuzoga.
Ntwala stood on the bank. She watched for crocodiles. She watched the older girls racing and diving. She watched the younger girls splashing and learning to swim.
“Siruwo somarumbasano,” yimo ga zigilire sikando sokuhulilira. “Sikameni momukweyo.” Yipo ga gusire ewongo lyenene po a lizugumine ure unene momema.
“Competition time,” she shouted at last. “Stand in a line.” She picked up the biggest marula fruit. She threw it as far as she could into the water.
“Zimwe, mbali, ntatu. ZENDENI. Yimo ga zigilire. Vanona tava dukire momema nokuzoga va yuke oku lyakarere ewongo. Ntwala age kwa va tarerere tupu.
“One, two, three. GO!” she called. The children ran into the water and swam to the marula fruit. Ntwala watched them.
“Nyame gokuhova!” yimo vazigilire oMaria naChaze posiruwo simwe tupu. “Namuvenye wokuhova,” yige Ntwala
“I’m first!” shouted Maria and Chaze at the same time. “You are both first,” called Ntwala.
“Nina hara tu tengwire po hena,” yimo ga uyungire Maria. “Nawa tupu!” Yige Chaze. “Kuvhura tupu, Ntwala?” Yimo va pulire vakadona vamwe.
“I want to race again,” said Maria. “OK!” said Chaze. “Can we, Ntwala?” asked the other girls.
“Sikameni hena momukweyo,” Yimo ga va tanterere Ntwala. Ta damuna ewongo nokulizugumina hena koure.
“Stand in line again,” Ntwala told them. She picked up a marula fruit and threw it as far as she could.
“Zimwe, mbali, ntatu. ZENDENI!” Yimo ga zigilire. Vanona yipo dukilire momema no ku zoga va yuke oku lyakarerere ewongo. Ntwala age kwa va tarerere tupu.
“One, two, three. GO!” she called. The children ran into the water and swam to the marula fruit. Ntwala watched them.
“Nyame gokuhova!” Yimo ga zigilire Chaze. Maria yipo ga hagekere kuzoga. “Chaze nyove mufundi,” yige Ntwala. “Ono rugana nawa, Chaze. Tu zeni ko nye kembo ngesi.”
“I’m first!” shouted Chaze. Maria stopped swimming. “Chaze is the winner,” said Ntwala. “Well done, Chaze. Let’s go home now.”
Vanona kwa gendere naNtwala va ze kembo. “Tu simwitira ko esanseko, Ntwala,” yimo va pulire. Awo kwa haferere kupurakena komasanseko gendi.
The children walked home with Ntwala. “Tell us a story, Ntwala,” they asked. They loved to listen to her stories.
Maria yipo ga yombere Chaze kumwe nokumuzundwira pevhu. Chaze yipo ga tamekere kulira. “Onane vaChaze tava ka kutoona,” yimo ga tanterere Joy, Maria.
Maria crept up behind Chaze and pushed her to the ground. Chaze started to cry. “Chaze’s mother will beat you,” said Joy to Maria.
“Maria morwa sinke on toonene Chaze?” Yimo ga pulire Ntwala. “Morwa yeeyi ana fundu marumbasano gokuzoga. Eyi kapi ta yi vhuru kukara ngoso,” yige Maria.
“Maria! Why did you hit Chaze?” asked Ntwala. “She won at swimming. It’s not fair,” Maria said.
Ntwala yipo ga tanterere vakadona navenye vayingire kulikundurukida. “Mukuronasure yisinke ka tu tanterere?” Yimo ga pulire. “Yidona kurwanangana. Vantu ava ava rwana ka hepa kuva pa matengekero,” yimo ga uyungire Nakumwu.
Ntwala asked all the girls to sit in a circle. “What did the principal tell us?” she asked. “It’s bad to fight. People who fight must be punished,” said Nakamwu.
“Maria gava mbili,” yimo ga uyungire Namasiku. “Chaze nage amu zuvhise kukora,” yimo gauyungire Joy. “Hawe, epuko lyenene mokulizuvhisa nyamweni nanyamweni,” yige Ntwala.
“Maria must say sorry,” said Namasiku. “Chaze must hit her back,” said Joy. “No, it is wrong to hit each other,” said Ntwala.
Ntwala kwa uyungire asi, “Ame kuna kugazara asi Maria kapisi nga wize ko kokuzogana Sondaha ozo zina ku kwama ko.” Maria kwalilire sili mahodi gomanzi. “Ame… Ame… Gusirange po Chaze. Gusirange po kweyi nina kutoona. Kapi ngani toona hena muntu nkenye,” yimo ga geve mbili.
Ntwala said, “I think Maria should miss swimming next Sunday.” Maria cried a flood of tears. “I… I… I’m sorry Chaze. I’m sorry I hit you. I’ll never hit anyone again,” she apologised.
“Nina ku gusire po,” yige Chaze kumwe nokulidingira mawoko gendi Maria. “Name naMaria ta tu zi kumwe kembo,” yimo ga ga uyungire Ntwala a tantere Chaze. “Maria ga hepa ku ka gava mbili konane woge nako.”
“I forgive you,” said Chaze and put her arm around Maria. “Maria and I will come home with you,” said Ntwala to Chaze. “Maria will apologise to your mother too.”
Maria kwa ka tanterere onane vaChaze, “Ame kuna toona Chaze morwa yeeyi ana fundu marumbasano gokuzoga. Gusireninge po. Chaze mugoli zange, yidona unene kumutoona.”
Maria told Chaze’s mother, “I hit Chaze because she won the race. I’m sorry. Chaze is my friend, it was bad to hit her.”
Mugolikadi Sibungo kwapurakenene Maria. “Olyo epuko Maria, yidona unene kutoona vantu. Mpandu unene kweyi ono gava mbili kwange. Nina kugusire po.” Mugolikadi Sibungo yipo ga tanterere Ntwala asi, “Ove mpitisili gomuwa.”
Mrs. Sibungo listened to Maria. “That was wrong Maria, it is bad to hit people. Thank you for apologising to me. I forgive you.” Mrs. Sibungo told Ntwala, “You are a good leader.”
Mugolikadi Sibungo kwa uyungisire vanona navenye. “Ntwala yipo ga gazarere sitengekeso sosiwa saMaria. Age kwa toonene Chaze morwa kwazumbanesere marumbasano. Ngesi kapi ngalihamesera mo hena.
Mrs. Sibungo spoke to all the children. “Ntwala thought of a good punishment for Maria. She hit Chaze because she lost the swimming race. Now she will not be able to race.”
“Nye nane,” Chaze ta menyuna, “Kapi nina hara Maria nga kare kembo Sondaha ozo zina kuwiza. Nina hara hena ngani ya rumbasane nendi kuzoga sivike oso sina kuwiza.
“But Mum,” Chaze smiled, “I don’t want Maria to stay at home next Sunday. I want to race her at the swimming next week too!”
Written by: Imelda Lyamine, Albius Chunga Mulisa, Maria Simasiku, Florence Habayemi Shitaa
Illustrated by: Kleopas Jambeinge
Translated by: Valentin Mpasi
Language: Rukwangali
Level: Level 4
Source: Swimming in the Zambezi from African Storybook
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.