!Oa|gôan tsîn ge |namma ǂhâba hâ Orphans need love too
Kandume Ruusa, Sennobia-Charon Katjiuongua, Eliaser Nghitewa
Jamanovandu Urike
Khoekhoegowab
Level 5
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Mâ ǁgoas hoasab ge Hilifaba !nauǁgoaga ǂkhai tsî ǁîb mamasa ǁgoaǂûsa ra aiǂhomiba. ǁÎs ge !kharu go ǁaeb !nâ kaise |aesen hâ tsîb ge Hilifaba matib nî ǁîb tsî mamasas hâra kó!gâ |gausa ge ǁkhãǁkhãsen. Mamasas ge kaise khâis tsînas a hî ǁoas kóse |aesen hâ i, ob ge ǁîba |aesa khau tsî ǁgam-e mâi-ai tsî té-e gere kuru. ǁÎb ge mamasasa té-e sí-úba tsî ǁnãpaxu mâi-e ǁgoaǂûs !aroma gere aiǂhomiba ra. |Nî ǁaegas ge mamasa kaise ge ǂkhawusa i, tsî ǂûs tsîna hî tama gere í. Hilifab ge kaise mamasas xa gere ǂâiǂhansen. ǁÎb dadab ge |gam kurin !kharu hâse ge ǁó, tsîs ge mamasas tsîna nési |aesen hâ. ǁÎs ge kaise ge ǂgawatoa hâ i dadasab ge í i khami.
Every morning Hilifa woke up early to prepare breakfast for his mother. She had been sick a lot recently and Hilifa was learning how to look after his mother and himself. When his mother was too ill to get up he would make a fire to boil water to make tea. He would take tea to his mother and prepare porridge for breakfast. Sometimes his mother was too weak to eat it. Hilifa worried about his mother. His father had died two years ago, and now his mother was ill too. She was very thin, just like his father had been.
|Gui ǁgoab ge mamasa ge dî, “Tare-e a tsú Mama? Mâǁae du ra ǂuru? Mamas ge ǂû-i tsîna !aru|î sâi tama hâ. !Hanab !nâ sîsen ǁoa tamas ka io du ge oms tsîna a !anu ǁoa. Skoli ǁga ta nî úsa pere-i tsînas ge ǂhomiba te tamas ka io ti skolsaran tsîna ǁã tama hâ…” “Hilifa, ti ôaro, khoese kurixas |guisats ge í, xawets ge tita ra kó!gâ.” ǁÎs ge né |gôarob âsa kó tsî ra ǂhâ tare-es nî mîba bi !khaisa. ǁNâu!ãb nî? Tita ge kaise |aesen hâ. Sats kom ǂhôaǂgares !nâ AIDS ti ra ǂgaihe ǁós xa ge ǁnâuo. ǁNã ǁósa ta ge úhâ’ tis ge ra mîba bi. Hilifab ge |nîkhamikó minutgu di |gaiba ra !nó. “Nésa ra ǂâibasen Dadab khami du nî ǁó ti.” “AIDSa nî ǂuruǂuru so|ôa-i ge a |khai.”
One morning he asked his mother, “What is wrong Mum? When will you be better? You don’t cook anymore. You can’t work in the field or clean the house. You don’t prepare my lunchbox, or wash my uniform…” “Hilifa my son, you are only nine years old and you take good care of me.” She looked at the young boy, wondering what she should tell him. Would he understand? “I am very ill. You have heard on the radio about the disease called AIDS. I have that disease,” she told him. Hilifa was quiet for a few minutes. “Does that mean you will die like Daddy?” “There is no cure for AIDS.”
Hilifab ge ǂâi rase skoli ǁga garu. ǁîb ge garun asen |hósana úhâ ǁgamdi tsî |hurun !nâ a ǁhao ǁoa. “Tare-e a tsú?” tin ge ra dî bi. Hilifab ge a !eream ni ǁoa, mamasas di mîdi |guideb ra |amǂgae xui-ao, “ǂUruhe tama. ǂUruhe tama.” Mamasas ǁób khao!gâ i ǁîb |kha mati nî hã !khais xab ge ra ǂâiǂhansen. Mapab nî hâ? Mapaxub nî ǂû-i mari-e hó?
Hilifa walked to school thoughtfully. He couldn’t join in the chatter and games of his friends as they walked along. “What’s wrong?” they asked him. But Hilifa couldn’t answer, his mother’s words were ringing in his ears, “No cure. No cure.” How could he look after himself if his mother died, he worried. Where would he live? Where would he get money for food?
Hilifab ge !naob âb tawa ǂnôa. !Naob aib ge ǂnôa |khunub |kha ra ǂgae!nâ, “ǂUruhe tama. ǂUruhe tama’ ti.” “Hilifa? Hilifa, sida |khats hâ?” Hilifab ge ra kókhâi. !Gôahesa Nelaos ge ǁîb |gúse mâ. “Khâimâ Hilifa! Mati ta go dî?” Hilifab ge ǂais âb ǁga ra kóǁnâ. “!Ereamsats ge ǁnãpa !naga hó tide!” tis ge ǁaixa hâse ra mî. “Magano, mîba re Hilifaba !ereamsa.” Hilifab ge kaise ra tao, !Gôahesas Nelaos ge ǁîb ai |guitsé-i tsîna !au tama hâ i xui-ao.
Hilifa sat at his desk. He traced the worn wood markings with his finger, “No cure. No cure.” “Hilifa? Hilifa, are you with us?” Hilifa looked up. Ms. Nelao was standing over him. “Stand up Hilifa! What was my question?” Hilifa looked down at his feet. “You won’t find the answer down there!” she retorted. “Magano, tell Hilifa the answer.” Hilifa felt so ashamed, Ms. Nelao had never shouted at him before.
Hilifab ge hoaraga ǁgoasa !gomma ge tsâ!kharu. ǂÛǁaeb aib ge ǁîba !gubis !nâ ra ǂnû!kharu. “Ti !nãb ge ra tsû,” tib ge |hósana ra gãba. ǁÎb ge ama |aesen hâse gere tsâ tsîb ge ǂâidi xa ǁaixa !habugu ǁîb danas !nâ ra ǂkhuwi khami gere tsâ. !Gôahesa Nelaos ge ǂause ra kó bi. ǁÎs ge tare-i a tsúba bi !khaisa ra dî. “Xú-i tsú tama,” tib ge ra !eream. ǁÎs ge tsaub tsî ǂâiǂhansens hîab ǂnôa-ús tsîna ra ǁnâu dommi âb !nâ. Mûs ge ra !naob hîab ra sâub tsîna.
Hilifa struggled through the morning. At break time he sat in the classroom. “I have a stomach ache,” he lied to his friends. It wasn’t a big lie, he did feel sick, and his worried thoughts buzzed inside his head like angry bees. Ms. Nelao watched him quietly. She asked him what was wrong. “Nothing,” he replied. Her ears heard the tiredness and worry in his voice. Her eyes saw the fear he was trying so hard to hide.
Hilifab ra ǁîb di !gôana dísa dítsâ, o di ge !gôade ǁîb danas !nâ ra urima. ǁÎb ge dítsâb ra xawe ǁîde ǁúsase a úhâ ǁoa !gôab nîse. ǁÎb ge ra |û. Mamasas xab ge ra ǂâitsoatsoa. ǁÎb |khunugu ge ǂâidi âba ra |nóǁnâtsoatsoa. ǁÎb mamasab ge ǁîs kharob !nâs ǁgoese ra |nóǁnâ. Mamasas di |howas am!gâb mâseb ge ǁîba ra |nóǁnâsen. “Mateses kó!gâ-aodo hoaraga ǂkhaniga |hao|hao re” tis ge !Gôahesas Nelaosa ra ǂgai. Hilifab ge nési |gui ra mû ǁîb skolǂkhanib !nâb go |nóǁnâ !khaisa, tsîb ge ǂhaweba ra |khauǂui ǂgao, xawe-i ge kaise go ǂópa|khã bi. Kó!gâ-aob ge ǁîb ǂkhaniba go ú.
When Hilifa tried to do his maths the numbers jumped around in his head. He couldn’t keep them still long enough to count them. He soon gave up. He thought of his mother instead. His fingers began to draw his thoughts. He drew his mother in her bed. He drew himself standing beside his mother’s grave. “Maths monitors, collect all the books please,” called Ms. Nelao. Hilifa suddenly saw the drawings in his book and tried to tear out the page, but it was too late. The monitor took his book to Ms. Nelao.
!Gôahesas Nelaos ge Hilifab |nóǁnân ǁga ra kó. |Gôan ra ǂoa omdi ǁga ǁarus ǁaeb ais ge, “|Khí népa Hilifa. Sats |kha ta ge ra !hoa ǂgao” ti ra ǂgai.” “Tare-e a tsú?” tis ge !gâi |gaub !nâ ra dî bi. “Ti mamas ge |aesen hâ. ǁîs ge AIDSas úhâ ti go mîba te. O ǁîsa ǁó i nî?” “Tita ge alú Hilifatse, xawe ǁîs ge kaise |aesen hâ AIDSas nî úhâs karao. ǂUruhe tama i ge hâ.” ǁNã mîde ǁkhawa, “ǂUruhe tama. ǂUruhe tama.” Hilifab ge ra ãtsoatsoa. “Oa oms ǁga, Hilifa,” tis ge ra mî. “Sa mamasa ta ge si oms tawa nî sari.”
Ms. Nelao looked at Hilifa’s drawings. When the children were leaving to go home she called, “Come here Hilifa. I want to talk to you.” “What’s wrong?” she asked him gently. “My mother is ill. She told me she has AIDS. Will she die?” “I don’t know, Hilifa, but she is very ill if she has AIDS. There is no cure.” Those words again, “No cure. No cure.” Hilifa began to cry. “Go home, Hilifa,” she said. “I will come and visit your mother.”
Hilifab ge oms tawab ge oasí, o ǁîb mamasa tsé!gâǁaeb ǂûsas ra aiǂhomise ra |hao-ú. “Nétsé ta ge go ǂûdíba tsi, Hilifa, xawe ta ge nési kaise tsau hâ. !Hanaba si kó îts |nî tamatende stors ǁga !gû-ú. ǁÎn xan ge nî ǁamaxúbahe xuige.” ǂÛtoas khao!gâb ge Hilifaba !hanab ǁga ra í. ǁÎb ge ra kó, îsa !nâsa |ûgu !hanaǂûn diga, !nâsa |apa tamatendi tsî peperi tsîna, gaxu !am buinkigu tsî !khae!am spinasen tsîna, !am ǂnabogu ǂkhon !aiab digu tsî gaxu !huni|urib |ûba úhâ miligu tsîn ǁga. ǁÎb ge !hanaba ǂnâ tsî! ǁgarub di loa !gâise ǁan hâ |apa tamatende stors ǁga ra í-ú. “Mati i sim di !hanab |kha nî hã ti mamas kara ǁó o?” tib ge ra ǂâi.
Hilifa went home and found his mother preparing lunch. “I’ve cooked for you today, Hilifa, but now I am very tired. Look after the vegetable garden and take some tomatoes to the shop. They will sell them for us.” After lunch Hilifa went to the vegetable plot. He looked at the bright colours of the vegetables, bright red tomatoes and chillies, long green beans and dark green spinach, the green leaves of the sweet potato and tall golden maize. He watered the garden and picked a bag full of ripe red tomatoes to take to the shop. “What would happen to their garden if his mother died?” he wondered.
Hilifab ra ítoa hîas ge !Gôahesas Nelaosa ra |khí. ǁÎs ge gaxu ǁaeba ǁîb mamas |kha ra ǁgam. ǁÎs ge Hilifab mamasa ra dî, “ǁGûs Ndapandase, AIDS !aroma so|ôana ãs ra?” ti. “Ti aob ge ǁós khao!gâ ta ge |aedí-aon ǁga ísa kaise gere dao,” tis ge !Gôahesas Nelaosa ra mîba. “Tita ge |ûs ose gere ǂgom kaisen, né ǁósa ta ǂhíhe tama !khaisa. |Aesentsoatsoa tsî ta ge |aedí-aos tawa a sí, os ge ǁîsa ge mîba te |nai i !onkhao hâ !khaisa. So|ôan ge hui tide,” tis ge ge mî. !Gôahesas Nelaos ge ǁGûs Ndapandasa ge mîba matis nî Hilifaba hui !khaisa.
Ms. Nelao arrived soon after Hilifa left. She spent a long time talking to his mother. She asked Hilifa’s mother, “Meme Ndapanda, are you taking the medicine for AIDS?” “After my husband died I was too ashamed to go to the doctor,” she told Ms. Nelao. “I kept hoping I wasn’t infected. When I became ill and went to the doctor she told me it was too late. The medicine would not help me.” Ms. Nelao told Meme Ndapanda what to do to help Hilifa.
Hilifab ge oms tawa a oa|khí, os ge mamasasa, “Hilifa, ti ôatse, sats |kha ta ge ra |noparo ǂgao. Hui tets nî ge dî?” Hilifab ge mamasas di ǁôaba ra ú tsîs ge ǁîb ai ra !gâbasen. ǁÎra ge |gapi ǁkhúhaidi ra mâpa ra sí. ǁÎs ge ra dî bi “ǂÂihóts ra sa ǁnuri!gâsab, Kunuub |khats ge népa ǂai!gaisa gere |huru |gausa? Sats ge bolsa hais ai ge ǂnã!apa tsîs ge ǁkhúgu !nâ ge ǂnû. Sa dadab ge ǂgui ǁkhúgu xa !khãhes khao!gâ bolsa ge úǁnâba tsi.”
When Hilifa came home his mother asked him, “Hilifa, my son, I want to take a walk with you. Will you help me?” Hilifa took his mother’s arm and she leaned on him. They walked to where the tall thorn trees grew. She asked him, “Do you remember playing football here with your cousin Kunuu? You kicked the ball into the tree and it got stuck on the thorns. Your father got scratched getting it down for you.”
“Kó re, ǁnãs ge ǂâuhaisa mâ. !Gû its si hare tsî oms ǁga úsao re.” Hilifab ra ǂâuna hare hîas ge ra mî, “ǂâihóts ra, ǂkharirots a hîats ge ǂâuna !khomdi hoadi |kha ǂû hâ i !khaisa. Hoaraga wekhebats ge ǂkhari-oms ǁga ge í tama hâ i!” “Î, ti !nãb ge kaise ge tsûsa i,” tib ge Hilifaba âi rase ra ǂâihó.
“Look, there’s an omandjembere bush. Go and pick some to take home.” When Hilifa was picking the sweet berries, she said, “Do you remember when you were small you ate the berries and the seed inside. You didn’t go to the toilet for a week!” “Yes, my stomach was sooo sore,” remembered Hilifa, laughing.
Oms tawa ra ge oasí, os ge Hilifab mamasa kaise ge tsau hâ i. Hilifab ge té-e ra kuru. ǁGûs Ndapandas ge ǂkhari boksirosa ǁîs kharob !nagaba xu ra úǂui. “Hilifa, né-i ge a sa. Né boksis !nân ge xúna hâ, mapaxuts ra |khí !khaisa nî ǂâiǂâi!nâ tsina.”
When they got home Hilifa’s mother was very tired. Hilifa made some tea. Meme Ndapanda took a small box from under her bed. “Hilifa, this is for you. In this box are things that will help you remember where you come from.”
ǁNã xúnas ge |gui|guibese boksisa xu ra úǂui. “Nés ge kikis sa dadab satsa don!nâ hâsa. Sats ge ǁîb ǂguro |gôa ge i tsa. Né kikis ge sa ǁnaorats nî sí mûga ta ge í-ú tsi hâ i ǁaeb disa, ǁîra ge kaise ge ǂkhî i. Néb ge sa ǂguro ǁgûb ǁgôa geba. ǂÂihóts ra matits gere ǁnã ǁgûb !aroma ã !khaisa, tsî ta ge noxopan ǂguina nî ǂoa ti a mîǁguiba tsi !khaisa. Nés ge saos, sa dadab ge !gameb ge |gui kurixa o a mãtesa.”
She took the mementos out of the box one by one. “This is a photo of your father holding you. You were his firstborn son. This photo is when I took you to see your grandparents, they were so happy. This is the first tooth you lost. Do you remember how you cried and I had to promise you that more would grow. This is the brooch your father gave me when we were married for one year.”
Hilifab ge boksisa !khó tsî ra ã. ǁÎb mamas ge ǁîs |gúse !khó bi tsî ra |gore, “Ab Eloba !ûi tsi tsî !norasase úhâ tsi’ ti.” ǁÎs ge !hoa rase !khó|gara bi hâ. “Hilifa, ti ôatse. Sats kom a ǂano, kaise ta |aesen hâsa tsî ta ge |gúǁae sa dadab |kha sí nî hâ. !Oats nî !khaisa ta ge ǂgao tama hâ. ǂÂis !nâts ge nî úhâ |nam tsi ta a !khaisa. ǂÂis !nâ úhâ re sa dadab ge mati |nam tsi i !khaisa.”
Hilifa held the box and began to cry. His mother held him close by her side and said a prayer, “May the Lord protect you and keep you safe.” She held him as she spoke. “Hilifa, my son. You know that I am very ill, and soon I will be with your father. I don’t want you to be sad. Remember how much I love you. Remember how much your father loved you.”
Mamasas ge ra !kharu!kharu, “Ome Kaveb, Oshakatis ai ra hâb ge marina gere sîba da ǁkhãsibab gere úhâo. ǁÎb ge ge mîba te satsab nî kó!gâ !khaisa. ǁÎb |kha ta ge ǁnãs ǂama ge !hoa. Sats ge Kunuub, ǁîb ôab |kha skoli ǁga nî !gû. Kunuub ge sats ǁkhats khami Xrat 4 !nâ hâ. ǁÎn ge satsa !amkuse nî kó!gâ.” “Tita ge Ome Kaveb tsî Aumaro Muzaas hâra xa a !gâibahe,” tib ge Hilifaba ra mî. “Tita ge Kunuub |kha |hurus xas tsîna a !gâibahe. ǁÎn xas kara kó!gâheo, o ǂurus nî?” “Hî-î, ti ôatse. ǂUru ta ge tide. Sats ge kaise !gâise ra kó!gâ te. Kaise ta ge sats khami í |gôa-e úhâs !aroma a ǂnísa.”
His mother continued, “Uncle Kave from Oshakati sends us money when he can. He told me that he will care for you. I have talked to him about it. You’ll go to school with Kunuu, his son. Kunuu is in Grade 4 like you. They will take good care of you.” “I like Uncle Kave and Aunt Muzaa,” said Hilifa. “And I like playing with Kunuu. Would you become well if they look after you?” “No, my son. I won’t become well. You look after me very well. I am proud to have such a good son.”
Sao ra ǁgoas ge !Ghs. Nelaosa, ǁîna HIVs tsî AIDS xa ra ǁkhãǁkhã. |Gôan ge !ao rase ra mûsen. ǁÎn ge né ǁós xa ǂhôaǂgares !nâ-ú ge ǁnâu, xawe-i ge |gui khoe-i tsîna nés ǂama ǁîn |kha ǁgâudi tawa ǁgam tama hâ. “Mâpa xu ra hã ǁósa?” tib ge Maganoba ra dî. “Matis ra hóhe?” tib ge Hidipoba ra dî. !Ghs. Nelaos ge HIVs a xoxoro-i di |on !khaisa ra ǁgui!ãba nî. Khoe-i ga ǁî-i di |aob !nâ HIV xoxorosa úhâ xawe-i ge noxopa ǂuruse ra mûsen. “|Aesentsoatsoan ra o da ge AIDSa úhâ ti ra mî.”
The next morning at school Ms. Nelao taught them about HIV and AIDS. The learners looked afraid. They heard about this illness on the radio, but no-one spoke about it at home. “Where does it come from?” asked Magano. “How do we catch it?” asked Hidipo. Ms. Nelao explained that HIV is the name of a virus. When a person has the HIV virus in their blood they still look healthy. “We say they have AIDS when they become ill.”
!Ghs. Nelaos ge |nî |gaun hîa da HIVsa a hó ǁkhãna ra ǁgui. “Khoe-i ga HIVs tamas ka io AIDSa a úhâ, o da ge ǁî-i |aoba xu né xoxorosa a hó ǁkhã. Tã da ge ǂkhomúxún tsî ǁgûǁã-údadi tsîna nî |goragu. ǂNoaǂgaehe da ga, o da ge sâiǂuisa |ãxún tsî naldan tsîna nî sîsenú.” ǁÎs ge matin |ãxún tsî naldan tsîn nî sâiǂuihe |gausa ra !gã!gã. “!Gaosen da ga, tsîb nî |aoba hâs kara, o da ge kai khoe-e mîba tsî !gao-amsa nî !anubahe. !Gao-amsa da ge nî ǂgam |uriba ǁkhaebas !aroma,” tis ge ra mîba ni.
Ms. Nelao explained some of the ways we can be infected with HIV. “If someone has HIV or AIDS we can catch the virus from their blood. We should never share razors or toothbrushes. If we get our ears pierced we must use sterilised blades and needles.” She explained how needles and blades should be sterilised. “If we hurt ourselves and there is blood we must ask an adult to clean the wound. We must cover the wound to protect it,” she told them.
ǁNãpa xus ge kardsa ra ǁgau ni. “Né gu ge |gaugu HIVsats a hóxú ǁoaga” tis ge ra mîba ni. “Sats ge HIVsa ǂkhari-oms tamas ka io |guipa ǁãsens !nâ-ú a hó ǁoa. ǁNamgus, ǁoagus tamas ka io tawedegus HIVs tamas ka io AIDSa úhâ khoe-i |khas ge a !norasa. ǂHanu i ge a kopidi tsî !orede HIVs tamas ka io AIDSa úhâ khoe-i |kha |goragusa. ǁUi ra tamas ka io ra tsî khoe-e xus tsînats ge né ǁósa a hó ǁoa. ǁKhãtits ge |ûitsin tamas ka io |nî hâ nâ ra ǁgamaben aiǁgause, urin tsî bilina xus tsîna né ǁósa hó tide.”
Then she showed them a chart. “These are all the ways you can’t catch HIV,” she told them. “You won’t get HIV from using the toilet, or sharing a bath. Hugging, kissing or shaking hands with someone with HIV or AIDS is also safe. It’s OK to share cups and plates with someone who has HIV or AIDS. And you can’t catch it from someone who is coughing or sneezing. Also, you can’t get it from mosquitoes or other biting insects like lice or bedbugs.”
“Tare-ets nî dí, né ǁósats kara hó o?” tib ge Maganoba ra dî. “Aitsama !ûi!gâsen tsits ge ǂgui !gâi ǂûna nî ǂû. Sada ǂûnkards ǁga kó re,” tis ge ra mî. “Tari-e ǂâis !nâ úhâ mâ ǂûn sats !aroma a !gâi !khaisa?” tis ge ra dî.
“What do you do if you’ve got it?” asked Magano. “Well, you must take care of yourself and eat lots of healthy food. Look at our food chart,” she said. “Who can remember what food is good for you?” she asked.
Hilifab ge oms tawab ra oasí, o mamasasa tarenab go nétsé skoli !nâ a ǁkhãǁkhãhe !khaisa ra ǁgamba. “!Ghs. Nelaos ge sida HIVs tsî AIDS xa go mîba tsî matits |aesen hâ khoena nî !ûi!gâs tsîna. Maganob tsî Hidipob hâkha ge ǁgâusîsengu |kha tida nî hui tsî ge ge |guipa omsîsenna nî dí,” tib ge mamasasa ra mîba.
When Hilifa got home he told his mother what he had learned at school that day. “Ms. Nelao told us about HIV and AIDS and how to look after someone who’s ill. Magano and Hidipo are going to help me with my chores and we will do our homework together,” he told her.
ǁNã karab aib ge Maganoba hã tsî Hilifaba ǁgam-e sí xuris |kha ra hui. Hidipob ge |aeres |kha ra hui bi. ǁNãpa xu kha ge goarus !naga sommi !nâ ǂnû tsî omsîsenna ra dí.
That afternoon Magano came and helped Hilifa to fetch water. Hidipo helped him to gather firewood. Then they sat and did their homework in the shade of the marula tree.
!Ghs. Nelaos ge ǁkhãti Hilifab ǁanǁare-aon tsîna ge mîba ǁîb ra mamasasa kó!gâ !khaisa. ǁÎn ge ǁîban nî hui !khaisa ge mîǁgui. Mâ !oes hoasa i ge |khara ǁanǁare-ao-e |gamsa !ores ǂû-e ǁîra nî ǂûse ra hã-úba ra. Hilifab ge hoaǁae !hanaba xu !hanaǂûna ra mã ni.
Ms. Nelao had also told Hilifa’s neighbours that he was looking after his mother. They had promised to help him. Every night a different neighbour came with hot food for them to eat. Hilifa always gave them some vegetables from the garden.
|Uniga tsés skoli termains dis aib ge Hilifaba kaise ge ǂkhî i. ǁÎb ge oms ǁga ra !khoe-oa, ǁîb mamasab nî si !nuriba ǁgause. ǁÎb ge “Mama, Mama’ ti ra ǂgaise jars !nâ ra !khoeǂgâ. Ti !nuriba kó re. Tita ge ‘A’ tsî ‘A’ tsî noxopa ǂgui ‘Ade’ go hó.” Hilifab ge ǁîb mamasa kharob !nâ ǁgoese ra hó. “Mama!” tib ge ra ǂgai. “Mama! ǂKhai re!” ǁÎs ge ǂkhai tama hâ.
On the last day of the school term Hilifa was very happy. He ran home to show his mother his report card. He ran into the yard calling, “Mum. Mum. Look at my report card. I have got ‘A’, ‘A’, and more ‘A’s’.” Hilifa found his mother lying in bed. “Mum!” he called. “Mum! Wake up!” She didn’t wake up.
Hilifab ge ǁanare-aon ga ra !khoe. “Ti mamas. Ti mamas ge ǂkhai ǂgao tama hâ,” tib ge ra ã. ǁAnǁare-aon ge Hilifab |kha oms tawa sí tsî ǁgûs Ndapandasa ǁîs kharob !nâ ra hó. “ǁÎs ge go ǁó, Hilifatse,” tin ge !oa hâse ra mî.
Hilifa ran to the neighbours. “My Mum. My Mum. She won’t wake up,” he cried. The neighbours went home with Hilifa and found Meme Ndapanda in her bed. “She is dead, Hilifa,” they said sadly.
ǁGûs Ndapandas di ǁób ǂhôas ge kaise !haese ge !khoe. Oms ge |aokhoen, ǁanǁare-aon tsî |hósan xa ge |oa hâ i. ǁÎn ge Hilifab mamasa |goreba tsî amna gere ǁnae. ǁÎn ge ǁîs xan a ǂan !gâi xún xa gere !hoa.
Very quickly the news spread that Meme Ndapanda was dead. The house was full of family, neighbours and friends. They prayed for Hilifa’s mother and sang hymns. They talked about all the good things they knew about her.
Aumaro Muzaas ge hoa !hoakhoena ge sâiba. Ome Kaveb ge Hilifaba ge mîba, ǁîra ǁkhós khao!gâ Oshakatis ǁga nî úsao bi !khaisa. ǁÎb ǁnaob ge ǁîba mamasas ge |gôaros ge í, o gere dí xún xa gere ǁgamba.
Aunt Muzaa cooked for all the visitors. Uncle Kave told Hilifa that they would take him back to Oshakati after the funeral. His Grandfather told him stories about his mother when she was a little girl.
ǁKhós !oabas tawab ge Hilifaba kerkheb !nâ ais |khãb ai ǂoaxa tsî ǁîb mamas xa ǂnû hâ |haohâsa gere mîba. “Ti mamas ge tita ge |nam i tsîs ge kaise !gâise gere !ûi!gâ te. ǁÎs ge a ta !garise ǁkhãǁkhãsen tsî !gâi sîsen-e hó ti gere mîba te. ǁÎs ge !gâiaǂgaob |kha ta nî hâ !khaisa gere ǁkhoreba te. Tita ge !garise ǁkhãǁkhãsen tsî !garise nî sîsen ǁîsa tita ai ǂnísase tsâ kais !aroma.”
At the funeral Hilifa went to the front of the church and told everyone about his mother. “My mother loved me and looked after me very well. She told me to study hard so that I could get a good job. She wanted me to be happy. I will study hard and work hard so that she can be proud of me.”
ǁKhós khao!gâ ra ge Ome Kaveb tsî Aumaro Muzaas hâra Hilifaba ǁîb sarana |hao|haos |kha gere hui, Oshakatis ǁga úsaos !aroma. “Kunuub ge |asa |hósa-e hósa ra mûǂui,” ti ra ge ra mîba bi. “Sim ti ǂhunuma |gôa-i khamim ge nî kó!gâ tsi.” Hilifab ge !gâise mã re, ti oms ǁga mî tsî !gae-audos !nâ ǁîra |kha ge ǂoa.
After the funeral Uncle Kave and Aunt Muzaa helped Hilifa to pack his things to take to Oshakati. “Kunuu is looking forward to having a new friend,” they told him. “We will care for you like our own son.” Hilifa said goodbye to the house and got into the taxi with them.
Written by: Kandume Ruusa, Sennobia-Charon Katjiuongua, Eliaser Nghitewa
Illustrated by: Jamanovandu Urike
Language: Khoekhoegowab
Level: Level 5
Source: Orphans need love too from African Storybook
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