Sakima nokamwayinakadhona oya kala paakuluntu yawo. Oya li ya kala mehala lyomuyamba gwontumba. Okandunda kawo komwiidhi oka li ke li konima yesiti lyomiti.
Sakima lived with his parents and his four year old sister.
They lived on a rich man’s land.
Their grass-thatched hut was at the end of a row of trees.
Sakima sho a li e na oomvula ndatu, okwa kwatwa komukithi omudhigu ngoka gwe mu ningi omuposi. Ashike okwa li e na omagano noonkondo.
When Sakima was three years old, he fell sick and lost his sight.
Sakima was a talented boy.
Sakima sho a gwanitha oomvula hamano, okwa li ha ningi iinima oyindji mbyoka ya li ihaayi vulu okuningwa kaanona yoomvula dhe. Oshiholelwa ongaashi a li ha vulu okukuutumba naakuluntu yomukunda nokukundathana nayo iinima yi na oshilonga.
Sakima did many things that other six year old boys did not do.
For example, he could sit with older members of the village and discuss important matters.
Aakuluntu yaSakima oya li haa longo megumbo lyomuyamba ngwiyaka. Ohaa meneka ongula taa ka longa, e taa galuka kongulohi. Sakima oye a li ha thigala ta tonatele okamwayinakadhona.
The parents of Sakima worked at the rich man’s house.
They left home early in the morning and returned late in the evening.
Sakima was left with his little sister.
Sakima okwa li e hole okwiimba. Esiku limwe yina okwe mu pula: “Omaimbilo ngoka ho imbi owe ga ilongo peni, Sakima?”
Sakima loved to sing songs.
One day his mother asked him, “Where do you learn these songs from, Sakima?”
“Omaimbilo ohage ya owala meme. Ohandi ga uvu owala momutse gwandje, ngame tandi tameke oku ga imba.” Sakima ta yamukula.
Sakima answered, “They just come, mother. I hear them in my head and then I sing.”
Sakima okwa li e hole okwiimbila okamwayinakadhona, unene tuu ngele ku uvite ondjala. Okamwayina oka li ihe hake mu pulakene sho ti imbi omaimbilo ngoka a li e hole unene. Oka li ihe haka inyenge neimbilo nokulelwa kengelengendjo lyalyo tali hekeleke.
Sakima liked to sing for his little sister, especially, if she felt hungry.
His sister would listen to him singing his favourite song.
She would sway to the soothing tune.
“Shuna mo ishewe natango Sakima,” osho okamwayina ke mu indile. Sakima iha tindi nando, oha zimine e ti ishuna mo lwiikando niikando.
“Can you sing it again and again, Sakima,” his sister would beg him.
Sakima would accept and sing it over and over again.
Ongulohi yimwe sho aakuluntu yawo ya galukile kegumbo, oya li ya mwena unene. Sakima okwa dhimbulula kutya opu na sha puka.
One evening when his parents returned home, they were very quiet.
Sakima knew that there was something wrong.
“Oshike ano sha puka meme natate?” Sakima ta pula. Sakima okwa uvu kutya anuwa okamwanamati komusamane ngoka ha longelwa koohe nayina oka kana. Omusamane okwa li u uvite uuwike nokwa ponga.
“What is wrong, mother, father?” Sakima asked.
Sakima learned that the rich man’s son was missing.
The man was very sad and lonely.
“Otandi vulu ndi ye ndi ke mu imbile ko otashi mu nyanyudha.” Sakima ta lombwele aakuluntu ye. “Aakuluntu oye mu sitha uunye ya ti: “Ye omulumentu omuyamba, ngoye okamati kowala kokaposi. Oto dhiladhila kutya ondjimbo yoye otayi mu kwatha sha?”
“I can sing for him. He might be happy again,” Sakima told his parents.
But his parents dismissed him.
“He is very rich. You are only a blind boy. Do you think your song will help him?”
Nando ongawo Sakima ina sa uunye. Okamwayinakadhona wo oke mu tsu omukumo ka ti: “Omaimbilo gaSakima oga uvitha ndje aluhe nawa uuna nda sa ondjala. Otaga kwatha nomuyamba ngwiyaka wo.”
However, Sakima did not give up.
His little sister supported him.
She said, “Sakima’s songs soothe me when I am hungry. They will soothe the rich man too.”
Esiku lya landula, Sakima okwa pula okamwayina ke mu fale kegumbo lyomulumentu omuyamba.
The following day, Sakima asked his little sister to lead him to the rich man’s house.
Okwa thikama pooha dhekende enene lyondunda nokwa tameke okwiimba limwe lyomomaimbilo ngoka a li e hole unene. Kashona nakashona omulumentu okwa tameke okupititha mo omutse gwe mekende.
He stood below one big window and began to sing his favourite song.
Slowly, the head of the rich man began to show through the big window.
Aaniilonga ayehe oya etha shoka ya li taa longo. Oya li ya pulakena eimbilo ewanawa lyaSakima. Omulumentu gumwe okwa ti: “Kapu na nando ogumwe a hekelekele omusamane nguka. Okamati hano kokaposi otaka dhiladhila kutya otaka vulu oku mu hekeleka?”
The workers stopped what they were doing. They listened to Sakima’s beautiful song.
But one man said, “Nobody has been able to console the boss. Does this blind boy think he will console him?”
Sakima sho a mana okwiimba eimbilo lye oya piluka andola ya shune. Ashike omuyamba okwa zi meni ta endelele e te mu indile ta ti: “Kwatha ndje alikana, imba natango!”
Sakima finished singing his song and turned to leave.
But the rich man rushed out and said, “Please sing again.”
Pethimbo tuu ndyoka, aalumentu yaali oye ya mo ya humbata omuntu kolutala. Okwa li omwanamati gwomuyamba. Oye mu adha aniwa a dhengwa e ta thigwa pooha dhondjila.
At that very moment, two men came carrying someone on a stretcher.
They had found the rich man’s son beaten up and left on the side of the road.
Omuyamba okwa li a nyanyukwa okumona omwana ishewe. Okwa pandula Sakima sho e mu hekeleke. Okwa fala omwana naSakima koshipangelo, Sakima okwa pangwa e ta vulu okumona ko ishewe.
The rich man was so happy to see his son again.
He rewarded Sakima for consoling him.
He took his son and Sakima to hospital so Sakima could regain his sight.
Ursula Nafula
Peris Wachuka
Rachel Nandjembo
Rachel Nandjembo
Oshindonga
Level 3
