Play time: 01:46 minutes. Recorded in Shiru, Kenya, February 19, 2014.

Mu Kedoho

Esther Mmbone

Rita ni Esther Mmbone, vakele va kale vakwegitsanga, kutanga kwatsila isingo mu kedoho. Kwatsa mu kedoho nuli mwana mukana wadeki, noho watsya hango hanga vandu. Vakukunga vavola udukana ho dawe. Ma vakeere va kale vakwegitsanga kuli kunyala kusya kulugina vusi vwa mbele na vule mu. Omuduya maganda kwagalanganga akusya na isya yene yu lugina. Kwilula vata kumashiga. Gwakasha vavika mu ijumbi, maguti gariho dave, vavika mu za munyu mukeleka.

Na vakeere va kale vagona ku matuu. Vamina matuu gala vagona ku. Avatula ku matuu vatsya ku magunia. Lwa vatula ku magunia sasa ne lwa mito ja yitsi. Na vusela vwa valogooli yuvu vangwela ku visanda. Visanda vya vimuga. Ne vya vanywela ku.

Nenya muvolele ku lugano lwaa. Mukeere yali ho na avolela avana ve mutigale yahoo, nzitsa kwenya cha mulya. Mukeere oyo yamanya natsya nanyola chikurya chazana kiveyo dave. Ma navoola:

Mama katsya kusuma, achima ndyegu

Ndyegu vava ukalilanga gu

Tsini tsini tsini tsini

Vamumbulile Nyasaye amulinde.

At the well

My name is Esther Mmbone, old women used to teach us. At first we used to go to the well using pots to carry water. We used to go to the well if you are a girl who has just married to a man. Or she has gone to a new homestead. They used to chase us away saying that we do not fit there. They also taught us how we can make flour from wheat and millet. Bean stew was made after grinding it on the mill. We used to boil it on fire then we add salt. We did not have cooking oil so we added in soda ash.

Old women used to sleep on the banana leaves. They dried and put the banana leaves together and sleep on them. They left the banana leaves and started using sacks. Then after leaving the banana leaves they started using mattress. They used to take their porridge from a gourd.

I want to tell you my story. There was a woman who told her children to remain there; I am going to look for food so that you eat. That woman went and found that the food was not there. Then she said:

Mother went to look for food, and denied Ndyegu

Ndyegu why are you crying

Tsini tsini tsini tsini

Those who have listened to me may God bless you.