Kuzogana moMukuro gwaZambezi Swimming in the Zambezi
Imelda Lyamine, Albius Chunga Mulisa, Maria Simasiku, Florence Habayemi Shitaa
Kleopas Jambeinge
Rukwangali
Level 4
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Kwa kere ezuva tali moneka unene Sondaha kositenguko. Vakadona wovanona moLusese kwa kere tava pongo monda zonomutayi dositji sosinene Musikili 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.
Mukumo goruhafo romazwi gawo kwa gu zuvhire mondandango nazinye. Awo kwa zigidire vakwaawo. “Nakamwu, ame kuna kukundindira.” “Genderera, Chaze.” “Silume! Wiza!”
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 kwa tara-tarere Ntwala. Ntwala ngava twara nkenye Sondaha va ka zogane. “Ntwala! Ntwalee! Ntwalaa! Ntwaloo!” yimo ga zigidire.
Maria looked around for Ntwala. Ntwala took them swimming every Sunday. “Ntwala! Ntwalee! Ntwalaaa! Ntwaloo!” she called.
Ntwala kwa zigilire kesinya kwina lyondandango, “Nyame ogu! Ame nyone nina kundindira.” Vakadona navenye kwa dukire va ka mu gwane.
Ntwala shouted from the other side of the village, “I’m here! I’m waiting for you.” All the girls ran to find her.
“Muna liwapaikire mu ze mu ka zogane neina?” Ntwala ga va pulire ngoso. “Yimo,” awo kwa zigilire noruhafo apa va ndjakaikire nokuvatauka kumwe nehafo.
“Are you ready to go swimming today?” Ntwala asked them. “Yes,” they shouted happily as they hopped and jumped with excitement.
Apa va gendere va ze komukuro Ntwala kwa va simwitilire masanseko. “Tu tantera apa ndandango zetu za hanzerere mema,” yimo va zigilire. “Tu tantera yokuhamena 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.”
Pepi nomukuro kwa kere po sitji sosinene soUwongo. Vakadona kwa paparerere Ntwala ewongo lyenene unene.
Beside the river there was an enormous Marula tree. The girls looked for the biggest marula fruit for Ntwala.
“Ame nina gwana lyenene unene,” yimo ga zigilire Joy. Age kwa pere Ntwala ewongo lyendi.
“I’ve got the biggest,” shouted Joy. She gave her marula fruit to Ntwala.
“Zendeni makura mu ka zogane,” yimo ga tanterere Ntwala vakadona. Navenye kwa dukilire momema, tava litakumine nokuzoragana apa va zuvhire mema gomatenda goMukuro 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 konontere domukuro. Age kwa tere vangandu. Age kwa tere vakadona wovakurona awo tava lirombere nokudivira. Age kwa tere vakadona wovanona vana kurafagura mema nokulironga 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.
“Ruveze romarumbasano,” moruhura yipo ga zigilire. “Sikameni momukweyo.” Age kwa damwine ewongo lyenene po unene. Age kwa lizuguminine ure momema moomu tupu ga vhulilire.
“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 kwa dukilire momema nokuzoga va vyuke kewongo. Ntwala kwa va tere.
“One, two, three. GO!” she called. The children ran into the water and swam to the marula fruit. Ntwala watched them.
“Ame gokuhova!” yimo va zigilire kumwe oMaria naChaze. “Namuvenye kuna kara wokuhova,” yimo ga zigilire Ntwala.
“I’m first!” shouted Maria and Chaze at the same time. “You are both first,” called Ntwala.
“Ame nina hara kuhamena hena momarumbasano,” yimo ga uyungire Maria. “Yimo!” yimo ga uyungire Chaze. “Kuvhura tu hamene mo, Ntwala?” yimo va pulire vakadona wopeke.
“I want to race again,” said Maria. “OK!” said Chaze. “Can we, Ntwala?” asked the other girls.
“Sikameni hena momukweyo,” Ntwala yimo ga va tanterere. Age kwa damwine ewongo nokulizugumina koure moomu ga vhulire.
“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 kwa dukilire momema nokuzogana va vyuke kewongo. Ntwala kwa va tere.
“One, two, three. GO!” she called. The children ran into the water and swam to the marula fruit. Ntwala watched them.
“Ame gokuhova!” yimo ga zigilire Chaze. Maria kwa hagekere kuzoga. “Chaze yige mufundi,” yimo ga uyungire Ntwala. “Ono rugana nawa Chaze. Ngesi tu zeni nye kembo.”
“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. “Ntwala, tu sansekera esanseko,” yimo va mu hundilire. Awo kwa hara kupurakena komasanseko gendi.
The children walked home with Ntwala. “Tell us a story, Ntwala,” they asked. They loved to listen to her stories.
Maria kwa kokavere konyima zaChaze noku mu zundura a gwire pevhu. Chaze yipo ga tamekere kulira. “Ozina vaChaze nava ka ku toona,” 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! Morwasinke ono toonene Chaze?” yimo ga pulire Ntwala. “Age kuna fundu marumbasano gokuzoga. Kapi yina hungama,” yimo ga uyungire Maria.
“Maria! Why did you hit Chaze?” asked Ntwala. “She won at swimming. It’s not fair,” Maria said.
Ntwala kwa ninkire vakadona navenye va hingire mosikwamusere. “Yisinke ga tu tantera mukuronasure?” yimo ga pulire. “Kulitoona sininke sosidona. Vantu wokurwana va hepa kuvatengeka,” yimo ga uyungire Nakamwu.
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 ga hepa kugava mbili,” yimo ga uyungire Namasiku. “Chaze ga hepa nage kumutoona,” yimo ga uyungire Joy. “Hawe, yidona kulitoona,” yimo ga uyungire 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 tente asi, “Omu nina kugazara Maria kapi nga zogana Sondaha zina kuwiza.” Maria kwa lilire mahodi gomanzi. “Mbi… mbi… mbili Chaze. Mbili eyi ninka kutoona. Kapi hena ngani toona muntu,” age kwa 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,” yimo ga uyungire Chaze nokulidingira mawoko gendi Maria. “Ame naMaria natu za kumwe nove kembo,” yimo ga tanterere Ntwala Chaze. “Maria na ka gava hena mbili konyoko.”
“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 tanterere ozina vaChaze, “Ame kuna toona Chaze morwa age kuna fundu marumbasano. Mbili. Chaze mukwetu, eyi nina mu toona sininke sosidona.”
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 kwa purakenene Maria. “Olyo epuko kali kara Maria, sininke sosidona kutoona vantu. Mpandu eyi ono ya gava mbili kwange. Nina ku gusire po.” Mugolikadi Sibungo kwa tanterere Ntwala, “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 kwa gazarere sitengeko sosiwa saMaria. Age kwa toonene Chaze morwa age kwa zumbanesere marumbasano gokuzoga. Ngesi kapi nga vhura kuhamena momarumbasano.”
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 kwa menywine, “Ame kapi nina hara asi Maria Sondaha zina kuwiza nga kare membo. Ame nina hara hena tu ka lirombere mokuzoga sivike 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
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.