Oyu ne Khalai. Myaka dhendi ne kwokowadi. Dina dyendi dyatongora eshi ‘shaghunongo’ mundimi dhendi, Lubukusu.
This is Khalai. She is seven years old. Her name means ‘the good one’ in her language, Lubukusu.
Khalai kupinduka nokughamba nothitondo thoghughumi. ” “Nakanderera, owe thitondo thoghughumi, kure wangu nokutupako maghumi ghomengi ghopyuu.”
Khalai wakes up and talks to the orange tree. “Please orange tree, grow big and give us lots of ripe oranges.”
Khalai kunakuyenda kushure. Mundhira dhendi kughamba nomuhonyi. ” Nakukanderera owe muhonyi, kure thinamahako shemwa nowakukuta.”
Khalai walks to school. On the way she talks to the grass. “Please grass, grow greener and don’t dry up.”
Khalai kunakupita mitemo. ” Namukanderera amwe mwamitemo, mutemune vene kengeyo podigho eshi nimuturange muhuki dhange.”
Khalai passes wild flowers. “Please flowers, keep blooming so I can put you in my hair.”
Kushure, Khalai kunakughamba nothitondo ethi thakara pakatji koditete.” Nakukanderera owe thitondo, yandje mite dhoye dhishokuru, podigho eshi tutoyere mwimi dhomumvure ghoye.”
At school, Khalai talks to the tree in the middle of the compound. “Please tree, put out big branches so we can read under your shade.”
Khalai kunakughamba noruthito oru hadhingumwetwedha shure dhawo. “Nakanderera, kure nongcamu noshingeke hanu hoyikaritha yoyimango mbadi hengenemo.”
Khalai talks to the hedge around her school. “Please grow strong and stop bad people from coming in.”
Khalai pakuhuka kudighumbo pakushwagha kushure, aye kudhingura thitondo thoghughumi. “Maghumi ghoye ne shime mbadi pyuu ndi?” dyoghanakwipura Khalai.
When Khalai returns home from school, she visits the orange tree. “Are your oranges ripe yet?” asks Khalai.
“Maghumi ghomaheya ne shime meshu,” ghahethere Khalai. “Ñanyi nakunakukenge peghundha thitondo thoghughumi,” dyoghanakughamba Khalai. “Pamweya ñanyi ghukareko nodighumi dyange dyopyuu.”
“The oranges are still green,” sighs Khalai. “I will see you tomorrow orange tree,” says Khalai. “Perhaps then you will have a ripe orange for me!”
Ursula Nafula
Jesse Pietersen
Maria M. Dikuua, Servasius M. Ndjunga
Maria Dikuua
Thimbukushu
Level 2
