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A woman and children walking towards a river.

Kuzogana moZambezi Swimming in the Zambezi

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

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Autoplay story

Three girls standing under a tree.

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.

Three girls talking.

Ezogerero lyomazwi gawo goruha kwa zuvhikire 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!”

Three girls walking on a path.

Maria ta vema-vema a papare Ntwala. Ntwala yige a va 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.

A girl waving to another girl at a distance.

Ntwala yipo ga zigilire kesinyakwina lyomukunda, “Nyame ogu, nyone nina kundindira.” Vakadona navenye tava mu 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.

A woman standing next to three children with their hands up.

“Namuvenye muna liwapaikire moku ka zoga neina?” Yimo ga va pulire Ntwala. “Inh!,” yimo va zogomokere 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.

A woman and children walking towards a river.

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.”

Children standing next to a tree beside a river.

Konontere domukuro kwa kere ko emukurutji lyoUwongo. Vakadona kwa horowerere Ntwala ewongo lyenene.

Beside the river there was an enormous marula tree. The girls looked for the biggest marula fruit for Ntwala.

A child giving a marula fruit to a woman.

“Ame nina gwana po lyenene,” yimo ga zigilire Joy. Yipo ga geve ewongo kwaNtwala.

“I’ve got the biggest,” shouted Joy. She gave her marula fruit to Ntwala.

Children jumping in a river.

“Namuvenye gwireni mo mu ka zogane,” yimo ga tanterere vakadona Ntwala. Navenye yipo va vataukilire mo, awo kwa likumwidire moku 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.

A woman watching children swimming in a river.

Ntwala kwa sikeme kononkenkera domukuro. Age kwa tere nokunomena vangandu. Age kwa tere vakadona wovakondi mo tava rumbasana mokuzoga ntani mokudivira. 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.

Children standing in a line, in a river.

“Siruwo somarumbasano,” yimo ga zigilire sikando sokuhulilira. “Sikameni momukweyo.” Yipo ga gusire ewongo lyenene po a li zugumine 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.

Children swimming in a river.

“Zimwe, mbali, ntatu. ZENDENI! Yimo ga zigilire. Vanona tava dukire momema nokuzoga va yuke oku lya karerere 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.

Two children with their hands up, in a river.

“Nyame gokuhova!” yimo va zigilire 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.

Children talking with a woman beside a river.

“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.

Children standing in a line, in a river.

“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.

Children swimming in a river.

“Zimwe, mbali, ntatu. ZENDENI!” Yimo ga zigilire. Vanona yipo va dukilire momema nokuzoga va yuke oku lya karerere 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.

Two girls standing in a river, one girl with her hands up.

“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.”

Three children walking in front of a woman.

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.

A girl pushing another girl to the ground.

Maria yipo ga yombere Chaze kumwe nokumuzundwira pevhu. Chaze yipo ga tamekere kulira. “Onane vaChaze tava 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.

A woman talking to a girl on the ground crying and an angry-looking girl standing next to her.

“Maria morwasinke ono toonene Chaze?” Yimo ga pulire Ntwala. “Morwa yeeyi ana fundu marumbasano gokuzoga. Eyi kapi tayi vhuru kukara ngoso,” yige Maria.

“Maria! Why did you hit Chaze?” asked Ntwala. “She won at swimming. It’s not fair,” Maria said.

A woman and a group of girls sitting in a circle under a tree.

Ntwala yipo ga tanterere vakadona navenye va hingire kulikundurukida. “Mukuronasure yisinke ka tu tanterere?” Yimo ga pulire. “Yidona kurwanangana. Vantu ava ava rwana va hepa kuvapa 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.

Four tiles with a tree in the background, with one girl in each tile.

“Maria gava mbili,” yimo ga uyungire Namasiku. “Chaze nage a mu zuvhise kukora,” yimo ga uyungire Joy. “Hawe, epuko lyenene mokulizuvhisa kukora 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.

A girl standing next to a group of girls sitting in a circle.

Ntwala kwa uyungire asi, “Ame kuna kugazara asi Maria kapisi nga wize ko kokuzogana Sondaha ozo zina kukwama ko.” Maria kwa lilire sili mahodi gomanzi. “Ame… Ame… Gusira nge po Chaze. Gusira nge po kweyi nina ku toona. Kapi ngani toona hena nkenye muntu,” 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.

A girl with her arm around a girl crying, standing next to a woman and two other girls.

“Nina ku gusire po,” yige Chaze kumwe nokulidingira mawoko gendi Maria. “Name naMaria tatu zi kumwe kembo,” yimo ga uyungire Ntwala a tantere Chaze. “Maria ga hepa ku ka gava mbili konyoko 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.”

A girl talking with a woman near a hut.

Maria kwa ka tanterere onane vaChaze, “Ame kuna toona Chaze, morwa yeeyi ana fundu marumbasano gokuzoga. Gusireni nge po. Chaze muholi 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.”

A woman and a girl talking to another woman.

Mugolikadi Sibungo kwa purakenene Maria. “Olyo epuko Maria, yidona unene kutoona vantu. Mpandu unene kweyi ono gava mbili kwange. Nina ku gusire 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.”

A woman talking to a group of sad-looking children.

Mugolikadi Sibungo kwa uyungisire vanona navenye. “Ntwala yipo ga gazarere sitengekeso sosiwa saMaria. Age kwa toonene Chaze morwa kwa zumbanesere marumbasano. Ngesi kapi nga lihamesera 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.”

A woman talking to a group of smiling children.

“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
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