Play time: 20:00 minutes. Recorded in Shiru, Kenya, March 19, 2014.
Rimenya Rya Vakana
Maiden Kasambai
Nzitsa kuvavola lugano lwa vakana vavolwa ili kuvigitsa mu limenya liavo.
Kwali ho na vakana saba vavolana mugamba kumanya kutsie kotenya tsingu. Mulala ku vakana venavo yaliho yali wa garaha. Yakola miyinzi jijye yakola galaha galaha anoho kunyala kovola yali muugata. Vauka subui kale mu mavwevwe ni vasimuka vakana saba vala vandi sita yava nivamuvolela yive uvetsa wa garaha na mulitu gwa gutsitsamu kotenya ni gwi ihare. Umanya okole galaha umanya okolombe kumanya kuchelevele yo. Vamusaya atigaale avuli kuvalonda navutsa nasula navalonda. Vamanya vasimuka nivatanga logendo lwu kutsia mwitenya. Vavugula migoye jiavo ni tsingata ma nivatsia. Logendo lwa vadukana kogenda lwali lutambi; vasila vivanda, migera, ni togela ma kandi vambuki inyanza. Vagenda ni vagenda ma nivaduka mmulitu. Lwa vali vakaduka, vatanga kotenya. Sita vali va vwangu yava vatenyatenya tsinguyi tsiavo vwangu. Na mulala yakola garaha uyu ndi lwa yaduka mmulitu yanyola misala jia mapera jiamela mu, mapera ga yenga yatanga kunina ku misala ni yagula mapera nalia; nalola kekondo kivita agotela ku afwela mmino aseka na vandi ni vatenya. Vandi ni vamulanga vamuvolela yive utsa munu kotenya anoho kosekaseka nohenza vikondo. Avavola "lechi kungubitsa kivi." Vandi vala vamanya nivatenya vwangu nivaduka ku livoha tsingu; vamulanga vamuvolela hamba ovohe tsingu tsiotsio isa yakaduka gadukana kwilane yengo isaa ni ikili imbura ivuli kukuba dave. Gamanya ganyoleka kali atenyi ku tsingu tsiosi tsiosi dave. Yatanga kulila nasaya valala navavola munindi ndenye navutsa vala vamugaya vamuvolela "kunyi kukulinda dave, yive okole notenya kunyi kutsitsa." Navavola "sasa inzila ya kutsili mu inze mangimanye da kijira yali inzila logendo lutambi ni vigodagodi manya ngote." Na vala vamuvolela "kunyi leka kutsie kumanya kuviki masambu munzila na matu gi misala wenye olondange ku matu gene gala ni olola inzila ya kolondi ku." Vala vidwika tsingu tsiavo ni vatanga kwilana yengo. Ujyu yatigala mmulitu natanga kotenya tsingu. Na vala lwa vivalila uyu inzila ya amanya alonde mu; kivala chene kila manani gali mu. Linani lilala liali ho lyibami havundu mu vulimu liahula mala,go ga vakana vandi sita yava gavahetsa wachavo ndi yenye alonde mu inzila ya amanya alole vavichi mu matu gi misala. Uyu lwa yali naketenya na sita vala vakutsia, linani lila liamanya ni litsa ni ligilung'anyia masambu gala nilihenzitsa mu inzila itsitsa yengo wa lio. Mukana oyo siyamanya ku dave; oyo yatsitsagilila tsa kotenya tsingu kijira yenya alonde vandi vwangu. Lwa yali yakatenya yakamala ni yakavoha tsingu, yidwika ku mutwi ma natanga logendo; yagenda kolondekana ku vache vali vamuvolele alonde inzila ya vatemu masambu. Yalonda inzila yeyo kandi lwali logendo lutambi. Lwa yaduka havundu hi kisaka chayumba masambu gene gala gafwela hene hala. Lwa yaduka ho yamanya neyegosa, natevana "aye, inzila iyi kweli ni ya vakana vala valondanji ku kweli? Ku niva iduchi yaha, gamanisha hene yaha niho havingiyi kweli? Na hene yaha ni yengo da." Na akisingiyi hene yaho nakiganaganila ho yahula isauti nitulila mu kisaka mula. Manani gali gamanya kufunyilitsa malusu ga vandu. Linani lila liali limanyi kale mundu aveye ichova. Yamanya nahula mwoyo gwi linani ni govola "yingila munu mugeni wange, sande kalunu umanya uve inyama yange." Mukana ula yegosa nasiuva tsinguyi hasi natanga kunyagula tsimbilu. Yamanya nanyagula nanyagula nadala mmulitu . Sasa logendo lula lwali lutambi sana na vala lwa vatsia yengo vaduka kale. Vavateva "wu mwatsia naye aveye hayi?" Vavola "akolanji galaha ma kulamuleka mmulitu." Valinda ku yengo yatsa dave. Kandi valinda lidiku lia kavili yatsa dave. Vivuli veve valola ku mwana wavo lwa yatsia mmulitu isa yindi ving'ang'a viamutandulanyila mu viamulila mu; vatulitsa ku mwoyo vavola oyo yagota tsa ndio. Na mukana oyo waveye iyi nayagula tsa nanyagula; lidiku lia kavaga limunyoye mmulitu. Nanyagula imbura nitanga kukuba inyinge, indidoho yi tsimbeni na mukana ula atsitsagilila tsa no logendo lwelwe kuduka yenya aduki yengo. Na lwa vatsitsa mmulitu mwene mula vasila inyanza. Mukana oyo yaduka kunyanza namanya aveye shimbe kuduka yengo nitale galoleka inyanza lwi imbula yakuba inyinge migogo jiamanya jivunika imbura nishila migogo jiene jila ndio. Mukana ula lwa yaduka hene hala yali niligenya nagotwa kumanya lelo nakolendi. Yamanya naganaganyia ma natanga kwimba:
Kwali vakana saba*2
Kwatsia kotenya tsingu*2
Avandi vamanya nivandeka*2
Imbura yanguba inyinge*2
Lwimbu lwene yilu yatsitsagila kwimba ndio vana valiho vali nivaitsa tsing'ombe vahula mukana ula niyimbanga. Lwa vahula vamanya nivahulitsa, nivanyagula yengo ni vatsia nivavola vivuli vavo "kwakuhula mwoyo gwu mundu niyimba mmulitu navutsa kogotwa kumanya ni vwaha da. Isaa yindi anyala kuva mukana winyu yagota." Vivuli vamanya valembanyia vana vavakunga vavavola "ah ah, tuli ku gene yago. Mukana witu yatsia mmulitu yagotela mu oyo ving'ang'a na manani galia nu kutandulanyia, mwene oyo kwaivila." Na mukana ula atsitsagila tsa kwimba lwimbu lwelwe vudiku na mmbasu na anyala kwambuka dave. Vahitsi vali ho vahula mukana ula ni yimba. Mukana ula nameda mwoyo; vahitsi vala vamanya vahula mwoyo gwu mukana ula vamanya kandi vanyagula yengo nivatsia ni vavola vivuli vu mukana ula ndi "kwakuhula mwoyo gwu mundu yimba mmulitu na gufwana kuli mwoyo gu mwana winyu yagota." Kijira vahitsi vala vali vandu vahindila, vivuli vala vamanya vavasuvili. Vamanya vatula halala na vahitsi ni vatsia kuduka hi inyanza yali ni yitsuyi. Vamanya vahula mukana ula kandi niyimba tsa lwimbu lwelwe lula. Mama weve yamanya nu mwoyo gu mwana weve. Yayanza yasilagila mwigulu, vahitsi vala na vandu va vali ni vitsi navovatema misala vala ku amatsi kula ma mukana ula yambukila ku. Lwa yambukila ku vamanya ni vamuleta yengo navutsa yali yamenya mmulitu madiku manyinge; risu liayumba ku mutwi, masanda gatambiha ku virenge, yamwama, yang'aha; vamanya vamudukitsa yengo, vamuvega risu, vamukala masanda, vamusinga ma vamugilung'anyia tsinguvu na nivalomba vogeni vonene kusanditsa lilana liu mukana wavo. Lunao yilu lwukwigitsa ndi vakana vave vageli kandi vatava vagata dave, vave vagulu; nokola igasi okola vwangu vwangu nu vugulu. Lugano lwange lufwele hene yaho.
Kandi mbeye nu lundi
Kwali ho na vakana vanne nu mukere mulala. Mukere uyu yamenya na vakana yava. Na mukere uyu ndi yali ni tsing'ende na vakana yava vatsitsa mwisoma ma mukere uyu atigala yengo, alombela vana yava chukulia vatsa valia tsisaa tsia mmbasu ma vilana mwisoma kandi hamugolova ndio. Vamenya tsa ndio ku madiku manyinge. Vakana yava ni vatula mwisoma nivatsanga vanyola mukere uyu adechi chukulia kila valia ma vatsia kokola tsigasi; vavili vatsia valeta amatsi na vavili vatsia kotenya tsingu mmulitu. Na vakana yava lwa vatsitsanga mwisoma ni vilananga vanyola tsa chukulia kiveye tayali. Lwa vatsa hamugolova mukere uyu avavola vavili vatsie kotenya na vavili vatsie koleta amatsi naye atigala nalomba chukulia. Ma adeka chukulia kilahi muno. Vakana yava nivalitsa ku vekomba videte kandi vemena ku munwa. Chala chukulia kilahi ligali muno. Sasa mukere uyu vakana yava vahenzelitsa vamanye ni chukulia ki cha mukere uyu amanya akodekera kenoru ndio paga kwekomba ku videte kandi kumena munwa. Navutsa si vamanya ku dave. Ku liali ho lidiku lilala mukana mulala yagada alwala; yatsia mwisoma dave ma natigala tsa mumadali nagoni. Yahonga tsa nagoni na lwa yaduka isaa ya kaduka ya mukere uyu amanya alomba chukulia; yatula mmba natsia niyikala ku lusimbo. Yakikala ku lusimbo na avugula kifulia niyikala nacho hene hala; yatanga kutulitsa tsing'ende navika ku kifulia. Kifulia cha kitsula ma atsia avika ku mahiga. Sasa mukana yali mulwaye uyu atsiyi mwisoma da; yatsa yahenzela yenya amanye chukulia ki kivetsa kinolu sana cha mukere uyu amanya akodekela yiki. Lwa yahenza nalola mukere yiha tsing'ende navika ku kifulia, chitsura ma atamu kunyu ke kelogoli ma aihila vulahi tsing'ende tsiuma vulahi ma aha vakana vala valia. Mukana ula lwa yalola ndio yegosa sana navutsa yachiling'ana tsa. Lidiku lia kavili kandi akili mulwale kandi yatsia musukulu dave. Mukere kandi avugula tsa mang'ana gege kutsia kwikala ku lusimbo ni yiha tsing'nde. Lwa yiha tsing'ende tsila yimbanga lwimbu ndi:
Vakana na vasilu
Kanyanda
Valitsanga tsing'ende
Kanyanda
Ndi*2
kanyanda
Ndi*2
Kanyanda
Ndi
Mukana oyo kandi lwa agoni kandi ahula mukere yimba agenya "mukere uyu lwimbu ki lwa yimba yilu? Vakana na vasilu valitsa tsing'ende, lindaga nzie kolola." Ma anyola mukere yiha tsing'ende navika ku kifulia niyimba
Vakana na vasilu
Kanyanda
Valitsanga tsing'ende
Kanyanda
Ndi*2
kanyanda
Ndi*2
Kanyanda
Ndi
Mukana oyo yanyola liegosa sana. Yamanya nalinda veche lwa vatula musukulu hamugolova tsa nanyagula yo natsia navavola "wa, chukulia cha kumanya kulitsa chu mukere kenolu muno kevetsa chukulia kindi mba, tsivetsa tsing'ende." Vakana vala vegosa, vamanya nivilana ku hango hala dave, vamanya niviluka ni vatsia komenya limenya liavo vene. Lugano lwene yilu lwukwigitsanga ndi vakana genyekana vave vageli; kali nutula nutsia mwisoma ove mugeli, wilana hango nokola tsigasi tsia hango genyekana ove mugeli. Luheli yaho.
Mbeye ni tsinyimbu tsia vamanya vimbila avana nivakina ni tsia kuvasekitsa. Lwimbu lwu kutanga vimba ndi: mjulala avugula litu liu musala ma ata ku mutwi gu mwana weche ma atanga kwimba:
Engoko yatera mavuyu kiduku
Ngo ngo ngo
Kindu chatula ivulaya kitsulanga tswi kandi tswi
Charuri
Engoko yatera mavuyu kiduku
Ngo ngo ngo
Kindu chatula ivulaya kitsulanga tswi kandi tswi
Charuri
Kevetsa charuri utulitsa ku lisambu lila vwangu.
Lundi kandi luveye ho avana vikala valambilitsa virenge ma mulala ku vo akola:
Krusmeee
Vandi: Meeeee
Krusmeee
Vandi: Meeeee
Kibusi cha mena marenge matiginyu
Ni inyama mu kitambaya
Ni tsinji tsivuya ku
Kibusi cha mena marenge matiginyu
Ni inyama mu kitambaya
Ni tsinji tsivuya ku
Su kabangalie*2
Lundi vavola avana nu mwikaye ku mulu hamugolova ni mwota mulu. Ma mulala yiyambe ma vateve vandi "vwaha yiyambi?" Mundu wosi agaye yiyambi ku da. Ma vatanga kwimba:
Mundu yinyambi
Alete ndururu
Nataleta
Mmbango mmashiga
Isuri kwilungu
Gudusi
Wa vamanya vave vasoni ku ula iye amanya ave niyinyambi.
Kandi lundi vamanya vimbi ni vakinanga
Vana vitu kwumbakila musala ki
Kwumbakila musangula
Vana vitu kwumbakila musala ki
Kwumbakila musangula
Chandangu chadinya?
Chadinya
Chi igwavurungi chadinya
Chadinya
Ma akuba ho avita ma vandi vamulonda.
Alafu lundi lwimbanga ndi:
Wu watsia walila ki?
Ndalila musembe gwe ligondi
Aki niwandetela ku?
Si ndaleta
Aa ki cha kunyaga?
Kindu chavulimu chanyagila handangu hala
Wali ndi kukuba tsikwili?
Si ndakuba
Aa wakubaga ndi?
Mama fwi fwi fwi kayambeva
Aa baba wovo vwaha?
Tonde, Tonde Mang'ure
Aa Mang'ure?
Amang'ure ngwe ngwe
Aa ngwe ngwe
Ngwe ngwe vayanza
Aa vayanza
Vayanza vagava
Aa vagava
Vagava ninga
Aa ninga
Ninga tsatsa
Aa tsatsa
Atsatsa mmba
Aa mba
Mba wa kavili
Aa kavili
Kavili Nyambula
Aa nyambula
Nyambula didi, maasia ku vulala
Vana vange vasietsanga mavere ga ndeda wali ndeda chulu
Ma lundi kandi vimba
Ndatsia mu kivanda
Ndanyola dula aduvula amatsi
Ndamuvolela, ndahila ku nywi
Yandahila vusinu
Ndatsia ndasundula
Ndadaha manolu, ndamila gaba kandi gaba
Kandi ndidwika ndagendagenda
Ndanyola kavuli ku mwayi kalilila kulala
Ndakabama ba kandi ba
Mwayi mwene yambolela
Ubamila kindiki kavuli kange ba kandi ba
Ndamuvolela, kandotsi nu lwiga logodomu
Ni mbola mwana si uleta lidali wa mbimba
Nu mwana avola enza guda kusutera no govoni gotsengela
Gusumba chore kandi chore ngicho
Sande.
Life of girls
I am going to tell you the story that girls were told to learn how to live.
We had seven girls they were told that the following day we should go to look for firewood. One of them was slow to things. She used to do her things slowly or we can say she was lazy. They woke up very early in the morning and the six girls told her that where they were going the forest was far and she is always lazy, she will do things slowly and cause them to delay. They asked her to remain and not follow them but she refused and followed them. They left for the journey to go and look for firewood. They took their ropes and they went. The journey that they were taking was long. Hey jumped rivers they also crossed a lake. They walked then they arrived at the forest. When they arrived there they began to gather the firewood. The six were sharp and they were gathering their firewood very fast.
One of them was doing things slowly, and when she got to the forest she found guava trees. The guavas were ripened and she climbed on the tree and began to pluck the guavas as she ate. Whenever she saw a monkey she could laugh while the other were busy gathering the firewood. Whenever the others called her and asked her if she had come to look at the monkeys and laugh. She used to answer "stop disturbing me" the others gathered the firewood and they were ready to tie them together and they called her and asked her to come and tie her firewood together they wanted to get back home in time before it starts raining. It came out clear that she had not gathered any firewood, she began crying and pleading others to wait for her but they refused and told her that they wont wait for her, she gather her firewood and they are going. She said that she wouldn't remember the route that they used since it was long with a lot of corners and she will get lost. The others said that they are going but they will drop leaves on the route that they will be using and she will use the leaves to remember the way. Others kept the firewood on their head and they began to go home. She remained in the forest and began to gather firewood.
While they were explaining to her the route and ways of knowing the route, in that place there were ogres. One of the ogres was hiding somewhere there in a bush listening to the instructions given to the girl that she will use the route that has leaves and sticks. While she was gathering firewood and the six girls had gone, that ogre came and changed the leaves towards his house. That girl didn't know that, she continued to gather firewood because she wanted to follow the others quickly. After she had finished gathering the firewood, tied them and kept them on a head and she began the journey back home, she walked through the route the way her siblings had instructed her. She walked through the long journey then she found a bush that had many leaves. When she reached there she was astonished, then she asked, "What, is this the route that the girls had used really? So if it has reached here, it seems like this is where they entered? And this isn't home." While she was still standing there and wondering she heard a voice from the bush. The ogres knew how to smell people.
That ogre had known that someone was outside. She heard the voice of the ogre saying get inside my visitor; Thank you today you will be meat. That girl was astonished and she dropped the firewood down and she began to run away. She ran in the forest. That journey was long and when the other went they arrived at home long time ago. They asked them "where is the other one that you went with?" they replied "she was slow and we left her there in the forest" they waited for her at home but she didn't come. They waited for the second day but she didn't come. The parents thought that when their daughter went to the forest the giants had eaten her. They gave up and said that she had lost. And the girl was just running in the forest. The third day she was still in the forest. She ran and the rain began to fall. It was a heavy rain with lightning and the girl was just resuming her journey, she wanted to get home. While they were going to the forest they crossed a lake. That girl got to the lake and she knew that she was almost home. But it appeared that when the heavy rain had fallen the bridge broke and the rain carried the logs away. When the girl arrived there she wondered what to do. She thought for a while then she began to sing:
We were seven girls*2
We went to gather firewood*2
The others left me*2
Heavy rain wetted me*2
She continued to sing this song and there were children there who were grazing cows and they heard her singing. When they heard her they were keen. They ran home and told their parents "we have heard someone singing in the forest but we do not know who she is, maybe it is your girl who got lost" the parents asked the children to stop those kind of issues. Our girl went to the forest and got lost there, giants have eaten her and we have forgotten her issues. And the girl continued to sing her song day and night and she could not cross. The cowboys who were there heard that girl singing. The girl continued to sing in a loud voice. The cowboys heard that voice again and they rushed home and told the parents of the girl "we have heard the voice of a girl singing in the forest and she seems to sound like your girl who got lost"
Because those cowboys were grownups, the parents believed them and they went together where the lake was. They heard that girl singing her song and the mother knew that it was the voice of her daughter. She was happy and she jumped up, the cowboys that had came cut the trees and they kept it on the water and the girl used them to cross. When she crossed they brought her home but she had stayed in the forest for many days and the hair was long, the nails were long and she was dirty and slim. They took her home and cut her hair, nails. They washed her and they changed her clothes. They organized a big party to celebrate the return of their daughter. This story is teaching us that girls should be clever and they should not be cheated. They should be sharp, when you do work; you do it fast with confidence. My story has ended there.
I have another one.
We had four girls and one woman. This woman was staying with these girls, this woman had jiggers and the girls used to go to school, while this woman remains at home. She used to prepare meals for these children then they come and eat during the daytime, then they go back to school and they do it the same in the evening. They stayed like that for many days. When these children came from school they used to find that the mother has prepared meals for them they eat then they go and do work. Two could fetch water while the other two gather firewood from the forest. When these children went to the school and come back they used to find their meals ready. When they came home in the evening this woman used to ask the two to gather firewood, and the other two to fetch water, while she remained home preparing food. She used to prepare delicious meals. When these girls ate they used to sip their fingers. It was a delicious meal. These girls were keen on the type of food that she was preparing, that it was so delicious making them to sip their fingers but they didn't know. One day one of the girls pretended to be sick, and she didn't go to school, and she remained in bed and slept.
She spent the day sleeping, and when it was the time for the woman to prepare the food, she got out of the house and went to sit under a tree (*referring to the woman). She sat there with a cooking pan, and she started to remove jiggers as she kept them on a pan. After the cooking pan was full she went to cook it on fire, now this girl that had not gone to school wanted to know the food that is always delicious that the woman normally prepares, when she looked there she saw the woman removing jiggers and putting them on the cooking pan, she used to add soda ash on the pan that has the jiggers then she fries them and serve the girl to eat. When the girl saw that she was astonished but she kept quiet. The second day she pretended to be sick again, and she didn't go to school. The woman did her normal routine of sitting on under the tree and removing the jiggers. While she was removing the jiggers she was singing:
Girls are foolish
A small jigger
They are eating jiggers
A small jigger
Like this*2
A small jigger
Like this*2
A small jigger
Like this*2
This girl while she was sleeping, she could hear the woman singing and she wonders which song this woman was singing, that girls are foolish they are eating jiggers. "Let me go and see" she said. She went and found the woman removing jiggers and putting them on the cooking pan as she sang:
Girls are foolish
A small jigger
They are eating jiggers
A small jigger
Like this*2
A small jigger
Like this*2
A small jigger
Like this*2
That girl was surprised, and she waited for others to come and when they came from school in the evening, she ran and told them "the food that we eat from the woman, that is so delicious is not another food other than jiggers" those girls were astonished and they didn't return to that home. They ran away and they started their life. This story is teaching that girls should be wise, even when you go to school you should be clever. When you return home to do home duties you should be clever. It has ended there.
I have songs that they normally sing for children when they are playing to make them laugh. The first song they sing like this: Mjulala take the leaf from a tree and keeps it on another child's head then he begins to sing:
A hen laid egg
Ngo ngo ngo
Something came from abroad ringing tswi again tswi
It has hatched
A hen laid egg
Ngo ngo ngo
Something came from abroad ringing tswi again tswi
It has hatched
It has hatched you remove the leaf very fast.
There was another one children were sitting with the legs straight then one of them says:
Krusmeee
Others: Meeeee
Krusmeee
Others: Meeeee
The cat sipped the legs
And the meat in a cloth
And the flies were over it
The cat sipped the legs
And the meat in a cloth
And the flies were over it
There was another one that they used to say when children are sitting around the fire in the evening, then one of them farts and the others ask, "Who has fart?" everyone denies that he/she has not fart. Then they begin to sing:
Someone who has fart
To bring an old coin
If he/she does not bring
He is thrown in the fire
It refuses on the roof
It will be a shame to the one who has fart
They used to sing another one while they were playing
Our children we are building using which tree
We are building a tree called "musangula"
Our children we are building using which tree
We are building a tree called "musangula"
The one from below is hard?
It is hard
The one from below is hard
It is hard
Then he hit there and passes and the others follow him
They used to sing another one like this:
Where you went you ate what?
I ate the tail of a sheep
You could have shared with me?
I brought it
What snatched you?
Something in the bush snatched me there
Why didn't you scream?
I screamed
"How did you scream?
Mother fwi fwi fwi kayambeva
Aa father wovo vwaha?
Tonde, Tonde Mang'ure
Aa Mang'ure?
Amang'ure ngwe ngwe
Aa ngwe ngwe
Ngwe ngwe vayanza
Aa vayanza
Vayanza vagava
Aa vagava
Vagava ninga
Aa ninga
Ninga tsatsa
Aa tsatsa
Atsatsa mmba
Aa mba
Mba wa kavili
Aa kavili
Kavili Nyambula
Aa nyambula
Nyambula didi, maasia ku vulala
My children are grinding the millets
Another one and another one"
I went to the river
I found Dula mixing water
I asked her to fetch for me I drink it
She fetched for me bad water
I went and poured it
I fetched clean one, and gulped it
I also moved on
I also moved on and found a goat of the cowboy is crying
I hold it and hold it again
The cowboy asked me
You are holding my goat why
I told him, it has pierced me with the horn
I told him, "child bring the cloth and cover me"
And the child said, "look at the stomach is swelling and the eye is staring"
He refused and refused again
Thank you.