Play time: 18:48 minutes. Recorded in Mago, Kenya, March 19, 2014.

Vakana Vatsya Mu Ritenya

Jedda Mmbone

Vananganga Jedda Mmbone. Kwikaye muno mweli 19/3/2014 na mbeye na mang'ana ga nya molome ku. Ndatanga nu lugano.

Kwali ho na vakana vavaga na vakana vene yavo vatsia mwitenya. Lwa vstai mwitenta nivavaolaana kutsie mwitenya na vandi vavola kutsia mwitenya mba na undi navola kunyi ku vavaga yava kutuli na mukere navayo navola vavaga yava mutsie mwitenya na vavaga mutsi nyoye mundu yenyanga avuguli ku vakana yava. Lwa vakana yavo vatsa vavaga ni vavola kokonyoleye muyayi akuvuguli. Mukana ula navola "ah, nyenyi muyayi mba." Mukere ula navola "hombelitsi mukana uyu anyole muyayi uyu amuvuguli na andetele tsing'ome" Lwa mukana oyo yahula ndio ni yiluka. Lwa yiluka natsia kunina mmusala gwagumala mu kidaho. Ku yalolanga mundu ni yatsa anoga ritu alasa yo. Vandu vatevana "ah ku kindiki chene yiki?" Wali nya yateva mukanange lwa ndavola atise ku mundu wa yiluka wagota. Ha kunamanye yatsia hayi." Mukana lwa yatsia undi natsia mu kidaho lwa yahenza igulu narasa ritu navola "wa, nyoye mukana wovo aveye ku musala yailuka aveye kwene yikwo ndio, nakokole ndi?" Mukere oyo ni yatsa navola:

Mwanange yika*2

Kutsie kutema uba

Kuteme uba

Kutsie kutema idarinda

Mukana oyo nasula kwika. Kandi navola

Mwanange yika*2

Kutsie kutema uba

Kuteme uba

Kutsie kutema idarinda

Ni vatsia valanga senge weve ni yatsa navola:

Sengange yika*2

Kutsie kutema uba

Kuteme uba

Kutsie kutema idarinda

Mukana oyo nasura. Vatsia kulanga valina veve

Mulinange yika*2

Kutsie kutema uba

Kuteme uba

Kutsie kutema idarinda

Nivakuba ku kivula. Ma lelo lwa valanganga musatsa wenyanga amuvuguli lwa yatsa niyimba navola

Mulinange yika*2

Kutsie kutema uba

Kuteme uba

Kutsie kutema idarinda

Mukana oyo navola

Mulinange ndika*2

Kutsie kutema uba

Kuteme uba

Kutsie kutema idarinda

Mukana oyo niyika lwa yika ma nivatanga kutsia nu miyayi oyo. Lwa vatsitsanga mukana oyo naduka mu kilivwa na agaya yingila dave:

Kilivwa chinyu yiki nanzingili na ki

Nyenya imbago na mburi, nzingili nayo

Nyoli wa nadirade niyo yingila*2

Mulina wange

Nivatulitsa eng'ombe ni imburi kandi niyisunda naduka mukiliango niyimba:

Mu kiliango chinyu yiki nanzingili na ki

Nyenya imbago na mbusi nyingili nayo

Nyoli wa nadirade niyo yingila*2

Mulina wange

Vatulitsa eng'ombe ni imburi. Lwa yatsa nivaduka ikala nadinya yikala mba. Niyimba

Lyikala lyinyu yili nanzikale na ki

Nyenya imbago na mbusi nzikale nayo

Nyoli wa nadirade niyo yingila*2

Mulina wange

Ni vatulitsa imburi ne eng'ombe; ni valeta yaho viukulia yaho nivadeka mwiha alie nagaya "nditsa mba" kandi natanga:

Lilya lyinyu yili nandie na ki

Nyenya imbago na mbusi ndie nayo

Nyoli wa nadirade niyo yingila*2

Mulina wange

Na tsing'ombe tsitula ni valanga vandu vavo ni vatsa vanyola tsing'ombe tsituli nivavugula. Luheri yaho ndio.

Nakamuna na Nakanani vosi vali vikula. Vali havikala vavolana mang'ana gavo halala. Lwa vaduka inyinga Kanani navola kunyi kutsie kulia mma. Yive utsie kulia mama wovo na inze nzie kulia mama. Nakamuna yaduka kunzila na alola ae, inze nzie kulia mama kweli?" Nakanani kunyagula mirivitikutsia kulia nya. lwa gwalia nya Nakamuna nachiling'na navola nzia kulia mama da. Lwa yatsia Nakanani gutsa govola, "Nakamuna uliyi?" Naye wakita masiagali ni tsimbeva wivachi makono avola "inze ndakita mama ndakalia." Lwa vagendanga Nakanani nigutsa nigovola "Nakamuna, ive kwikaye nive na ndola oveye mokomeru, ulitsa ki? Inza lwa ndalia mama wange mbe mulamu da, inzala inzitanga." Nigohenzelitsa govola Nakamuna afwana yalia mama weve dave. Lwa avitanga Nakamuna na Nakanani nalonda ku. Nakamuna katsitsanga yengo ma kavola:

Mama sung'usa mugoye nine, wee nine*2

Nine wee nine*2

Ma nya yigula muliango ma Nakamuna yingila alia ma atsia vaganila yila na Kanani. Kandi Nakamuna lwa yenya kutsa kandi akole ndio. Lelo vuchia ,ugamba Nakanani navola lelo ndalonda Nakamuna uyu afwana yalia nya da. Lwa Kamuna katsia kanyenyeka katsia kimba

Mama sung'usa mugoye nine, wee nine*2

Nine wee nine*2

Lwa yasung'usa ndio na Kanani gohenza Nakamuna katsia karagila vuchima kandi kilana. Lelo lwa vwachia hamugorova ni gwitangila, "lelo ngenda ku na Kamuna da, inze ngende vutsa weng'ine paga ndenye nzie kolola nya amulugila ndi vuchima?" Lwa gwatsia guduka govola:

Mama sung'usa mugoye nine, wee nine*2

Nine wee nine*2

Lwa yaduka nya navola "uh uh, oyo ni mwoyo gu mwanange da; gwu mwanange gufwana ndi dave." Nya niyikutsilitsa. Nakamunanikagenda ichova nikatsa na Kanani yigo gwivisi gwenya guhuli mwoyo gwa Nakamuna. Lwa Nakamuna katsa kimba:

Mama sung'usa mugoye nine, wee nine*2

Nine wee nine*2

Lwa yasung'usa ndio nalola Nakamuna natsia nalagila navola "ooh, ngani Nakamuna amanya yimba ndio?" Kandi lwa vwachia mugamba kandi ni gutsa ma lelo ni gwimba vutsa kuli Nakamuna:

Mama sung'usa mugoye nine, wee nine*2

Nine wee nine*2

Lwa mukere oyo yasung'usa mugoye ma Nakanani gwikubanga mu tsa bu nigutsia guvugula mama weve ni gunyanya. Kamuna niyatsa niyimba nanyola gagwiyi vutsa gandi. Luheli yaho.

Limenya lie kivala lino.

Komenya mu kivala kunyi vandu va kale va kwaveye mihiga jila vandu vagendanga chahonyo. Vandu si vala ni inguvu dave. Vandu vagendanga chahonyo mundu ni yavolanga mundu mwikula yavo vali vanava mulivo vagimila mulala guva inyuma na gundi imbili. Na vakere vanava kasero ka vavoha mu kisindi. Ni ogenda nu uvugana nu mundu mwikula uvugula kasero kene yako uvika imbili iyiyi ndi. Kandi lwa ni utsie wagane nu undi yatsa imgongo kandi uvugula usunda wene yila. Kwa avandu va kale vali nu vulitu vwi kivala kandi vandu vatula ihale ni vatanga livola vandu vagendele tsinguvu. Ku vandu va kale vali nu vulitu vwene yivu. Kwagendanga ndio chahonyo lwa vadukangaho ma lelo vatanga livola kwavale lisero. Mundu avugula mugoye avika ku kesero ma yavala. kesero chene kila kivimba iyi ni iyi ma kereka lovega lulala. Kwa vandu vagendanga mu tsinzila tsiene yitsio mundu yalolanga naveye mundu mwikula yenya yagane nu mukere asunda mulivo gula. Kandi lwu umukuba mugongo kandi yilanyia wene yila. Ku vandu kwaduka mu liviluka liveye lidinyu paga kuduka lwakaduka vandu venyanga vashilane. Vakere vagonanga na vakana mu nyumba ma vavola vayayi ni iveye inyimba inene vagona muhiru na vakana vatsia vagona wu mukere aveye iyi. Ma vandu vene vala vala ku ni ihaja anoho vayayi vavolitse vakana vavo dave. Lwa vavoye tsa yava na vavotso vinyu; vandu vagona vutsa ndio, vuchia mugamba vandu vatula. Vakana navo wa vatsiyi vakala matu anoho wiva kaguvu ka mama wovo utsie wivimbe vudiku. Inguvu yala kunu dave. Ku mundu uvuguli kaguvu ka mama wovo wivimbe; vandu vaugula ligunia mwa mwingila mu virenge na vandu vagenda vutsa tu. maguta kwivaka maguta ge eng'ombe. Vavuguli vaviki mavere mu kimuga, gahambane yigo ga vandu valomba maguta ga kwivaka. Ma mu limenya lia vandu vahindila liene yilio liavetsanga ndio na mukere ni mugoni naye alakovola si mwavairanga ku mihiga jia vandu vavairanga 14, 15 dave. Mukana atsuranga ligali na agenda vandu vamanya mukana wa leve yaduka; vamwigitsa igasi, sialitsia hango hu mundu alagotwe dave. Isiongo kwatsitsa nayo mu kidaho, nutsia mu kidaho paga uduka nukikili mukana wigi kuli vidwika isiongo. Lwa uduka mu kidaho uvugula kindu kuli kagulu ndi ma uvika ho kerenge ma uvugula isiongo utengeka kwene yikwo. Ku wigiginya isiongo yeyo uta ku mutwi. Lelo lwa nu utsi nu ushula vutsa umanya wakaduka mukali wa nutsie lukali. Ma kunyi kwavilukanga ni kuduka ilwo lwa kamanya kuduka vandu valaleta tsinguvu. Lwa valeti tsinguvu vatanga kunava; kiburu; kali vandu valeta kiburu yicho, vandu visungilanga ku. Musatsa wange yali anguli ku kiburu yiki; natanguli mundu mukali avugula mugoye atsia kwisunga. Ku lwa kwamanyi kunava tsinguvu, tsinguvu tsiene tsila kwanavanga kandi kimaridadi. Vavugula iganigi vata yaha, vavugula kilavu vata yiku. Ku niwivika ku olola vutsa ku inze ndakaduka mukana. Ku lwa kwagenda mu mang'ana ga veye gi kivala chene yicho kuduka lwa kuduchi vandu kalunu valechi tsinguvu, valeti virato, valitsanga, vanwetsanga na kale vandu vavinaga ovosera; vanwetsa ichahi da. Ovosera yivo vumale mu nyingo valanga ikilungu. Ku nu wakatsa udaha kisanda; isahani yala kunu da. Vandu kwavugula vutsa kisanda vakutera ku vosera ma yivi unwa. Tsisahani ma vatanga kolonga tsinyingu manya tsisahani ni videru ma vataku vuchima ma muragila. Kalunu valeta vulavu, vindu viveye ho ma kandi sivitali yala kunu da. Mukali ni yavolanga yakahelitsa avakele valange vabima. Nu wakaduka ku mieli saba uvuka kare subui utsia wu mukere. Mukere olombi amatsi matsilu ma ogona muveye muhiru; na kada koko yaka wayedeng'a nako ma uvugula amatsi ni isavuni nahomola nabima mwana ave vurahi. Niyachiama kandi umanya tsa mwana watsia yasikila yimu agenda vulahi da. Ku kandi muhomolange garaha lelo kandi nimuhomola mweli mulala naduka mu gwa munane unyola mwana mwene ula yakasinuka munda mwene mula ma omuvolela, "pana, kalunu mwana aveye mulahi, akinanga munda." Ma kwadinyilitsannga ndio mu livula paga kuduka lwu mwana yenya kokomela munda. Lwa yenya kuyanmga liluma alakulanga akovole "tisa unangili mukere yatse." Ku kandi vakere kwanyangana sivitali niteveye kunu da; paga uvuguli mukali usigame yiyi ndi na undi asigame koye umuvolele tega virenge yivi. Yakatega virenge ku wivulitsa ku mwana atula munda; yagwitsa vutsa hasi. kalunu lelo yilwo lwa vavola vika kindu agwi ku. Wivula tsa kali akana kagwa mmwalova yimwo ma mutsia mudora ma mutanga kukala lulera. Mang'ana ga kunyi kwa dukila mu yigo gene yago lwa vakaleta tsisivitali yilwo lwa vakachagula vakere vatsie kulinda vakali. navutswa lunyasi lwala ku lwa vatotsa vava. Kuduka nuveye mukekeke imbili yiyi mukere avuguli lisanda atanduli yo ku nangwa mung'usi mwana atuli. kalunu si ulola vata na makasi ku mwana atuli. Undi mumiganyia paga yivuli atuli mwana munda nakutsi. Kwa mang'ana ga kunyi kwagenda mu kudinyilitsa mihiga jyitu jia kwa kavamu nguyu nyasaye ya kakulinda kwaka duka kuveye ni mihiga milahi jia kogendelanga mu ni kwidinyilitsa mu ni kumanya kwatula ihale; kwagenda ihale, kwalola vindu via kwavula kolola ku mba. Yilwo lwa komenyanga mu kivala kinu yilwo lwa kudinyilitsanga na vang'elele yava kalunu vahevwa tsinyasi vatsitsanga mu tsicentre na kunyi kwanwetsa lunyasi vava, kwivula tsa ndio. Suvila mang'ana gange gaduchi yaho ndio nangwa.

Girls who went to gather firewood

They call me Jedda Mmbone. We are sitting here on the date of 19/3/2014 and I have things that I want to talk about. I will start with a story.

We had three girls who went to look for firewood. They some said they go to look for firewood while others said no. There was a woman there who suggested that the three should go and look for firewood, while the other three should follow her, she has someone who wants to pick on the girls. When the three girls came they said that they had met someone who wanted to marry them. One of the girls said "I do not want a man" the woman pleaded other girls to talk to her, that she accept to get married and bring her cows. When that girl heard that she ran away. When she ran away she went to climb on a tree that was cool near the river. She used to see someone coming then she plucks a leaf and throws it there. People were wondering what it was. The mother said that her girl ran away when she asked her to get married and she is lost. They didn't know where she had gone. When the first girl went the second one came to the river, and when she looked up, the girl on the tree dropped a leaf. And the girl who was down said that she had found their girl, she ran away and she is on the tree and she wondered what they could do. The woman came and said:

My girl come down*2

We go and cut uba

We cut uba

We go and cut idarinda

The girl refused to come down. She began to sing again

My girl come down*2

We go and cut uba

We cut uba

We go and cut idarinda

They went and called the aunt who came and said:

My niece come down*2

We go and cut uba

We cut uba

We go and cut idarinda

The girl refused then they went and called the friends who came and said:

My friend come down*2

We go and cut uba

We cut uba

We go and cut idarinda

They tired but it was all in vain. Then they called the man who wanted to marry her, and he came and started singing:

My friend come down*2

We go and cut uba

We cut uba

We go and cut idarinda

That girl said

My friend I will come down*2

We go and cut uba

We cut uba

We go and cut idarinda

That girl came down then she went with that man, when they went she arrived at the gate and she said that she doesn't want to enter.

What will I enter with in through your gate?

I want a gazelle and a goat I enter with it

I have found who will enter*2

My friend

They brought a cow and a goat; she moved to the door and began to sing:

What will I enter with in through your gate?

I want a gazelle and a goat I enter with it

I have found who will enter*2

My friend

They brought a cow and a goat. When she came in she refused to sit down. And she began to sing:

On this seat of yours what will I sit with?

I want a gazelle and a goat I enter with it

I have found who will enter*2

My friend

They brought the goat and the cow, then they brought meals that they had prepared for the bride and she refused "I am not eating" she then began:

These meals of yours I will eat with what?

I want a gazelle and a goat I enter with it

I have found who will enter*2

My friend

And the cows were out, they called her people who came and found the cows then they took them.

It has ended there.

Nakamuna and Nakanani were both children. They used to share their ideas wherever they were seated. It reached a point and Kanani suggested that they go and eat their mother. You go and eat your mother while I eat mine. Nakamuna while he was on the road, he thought and said "what, I go and eat my mother really?" Nakanani ran very fast and ate his mother. When he ate the mother Nakamuna kept quiet and didn't eat his mother. When they met Nakanani came and asked Nakamuna if he ate his mother. Nakamuna had killed lizards and smeared the blood on his hands and he said, "I have killed mum and ate her" while they were walking together Nakanani came and said "Nakamuna, I am sitting with you but I am seeing that you are very healthy, what are you eating? Since I ate my mother I am not healthy, hunger is killing me." He spied and discovered that it seems like Nakamuna didn't eat his mother. When Nakamuna went home, Nakanani followed him secretly. Nakamuna used to say:

Mother drop the rope I climb, wee I climb*2

I climb wee I climb*2

Then she opens the door Nakamuna gets in and eats, and then he goes to meet Nakanani very far from the home. Whenever Nakamuna wanted to get in he used to do that. The following day Nakanani said that he wants to watch over Nakamuna, it seems like he didn't eat his mother. When Nakamuna went home and he wanted to get inside, he sang:

Mother drop the rope I climb, wee I climb*2

I climb wee I climb*2

When she dropped the rope, Nakanani saw Nakamuna entering inside and going to eat baked maize flour, and then he came back. In the evening Nakanani decided not to walk with Nakamuna. He said that he wanted to walk alone and then he go and see the way Nakamuna's mother prepares meals for her. When reached there he said:

Mother drop the rope I climb, wee I climb*2

I climb wee I climb*2

When he did that the mother said that it was not his son's voice. The voice of his son does not sound like that. The mother was patient. Nakamuna was walking outside and he came while Nakanani was hiding himself ready to listen to the voice of Nakamuna. When Nakamuna came and sang:

Mother drop the rope I climb, wee I climb*2

I climb wee I climb*2

When she dropped the rope, Nakanani saw Nakamuna getting and going to eat. And he said, "ooh! That is how Nakamuna normally sings?" the following day he came and began singing like Nakamuna:

Mother drop the rope I climb, wee I climb*2

I climb wee I climb*2

When the woman pulled the rope, Nakanani bumped inside and he went, took the mother and ate her. Nakamuna came and sang, but he found that things had changed. It has ended there. That is the life of today.

We are living in the world we people of the previous years who were waling naked. People didn't have clothes. People were walking naked. Men had made a small cover from a cow skin. They used to cover the back part, then the front. And women were using one that they tied on the waist. When you are walking when you meet a boy, you take that cover and you cover your front part. When you walk and meet another one who is coming from the back, you then use it to cover the back part. People in the past were very creative and people came from far and began telling people to start using clothes. People in the past had this creative ways. We used to walk naked like that, and then it reached a point they said that we should start putting on cow skins. Someone takes a rope then he/she puts it on the cow skin, it runs from one point to the other, that skin covers the two parts and leaves the rest. People were waling and when a boy met a woman, he used to adjust the cover, then after passing, he returns it back. We grew up in tough life until when we got to the stage of getting married.

Women used to sleep with girls in one house. They then asked the boys to sleep in the seating room if it is a big house. And the girls sleep where the woman is. Those people didn't care, or boys never bothered about chasing after their girls. When they have said that they are sisters, people sleep like that. The following morning people leave. The girls where they went they used to cut banana leaves, or you steal your mothers dress you and use it to cover yourself over the night. There was no cloth by that time, people used to take sacks as cloths, and they put in their legs. People used to walk, we used to apply cow oil on our skin. We used to ferment milk in a gourd; after it has become thick that is what people will use as jelly oil. And if you slept with an old woman she used to teach you. People were not getting married at the age of 14 or 15. A girl used to mature and when she walks people knows that someone's daughter is ready. They used to teach her work so that she can never lack the knowledge when she gets married to a certain homestead. We used to go to the river with a huge pot. When you go to the river as a young girl you learn how they put a pot on the head. When you reach at the river you look for a slightly steep place, you put your foot there and then you take the pot and place it on your knee, then you struggle and put the pot on your head. Now when you do it several times, you now know that you are a mature lady who can get married. We grew up like that it is until recently when they brought cloths. When they brought cloths, they first began knitting "kiburu" when people brought it some used to hang themselves because of it. My husband had to buy for me this "kiburu" if he doesn't the wife takes a rope and hangs her life. That is when we began knitting cloths and we were making them from flowers. They used to mix colours of the cloths. When you put on the cloths you feel like you are a young girl. We went through life, it is until recent when they brought cloths, shoes, and people are eating and drinking. Long time ago people used to drink porridge they were not taking tea that porridge used to stay in the pot and they used to call it "ikilungu" you come and pour it on a gourd that has been cut half. We didn't have plates. We used to take the half cut gourd and they serve us the porridge on it. Then you drink it. They were molding pots and plates that they kept on baked maize flour and you eat from there. These days they have brought sunshine things are there. We didn't have hospitals by that time. When a woman was about to give birth, there were women who took care of it. When you are seven month pregnant you wake up and go to the old woman's house, you find the woman has prepared cold water and you sleep in the seating room. And you are very keen with your belly, she then takes that water and soap then she test and see if the baby is okay. If the baby, has turned you just know that he/she wont walk well, she will massage you slowly, at the eighth month you just know that the child is almost ready and you tell her. Not like today the child is okay and plays in the stomach. We used to encourage one another like that until the time when the child is ready. When she is in labor pain she will ask you to go and call for her the mother in law, we women we were in trouble since the hospitals were not there. Until you take a woman, and she kneels on one side and the other one on the other side, then you ask her to move her legs apart, after that you help her to push the baby until she gives birth to that baby. The baby used to fall down, these days they put something down where the baby falls on. You used to push a baby and she falls on the soil, then you take her and cut the umbilical cord. Those are the things that we faced as we were growing up. When they brought hospitals that is when they chose women to go and take care of the pregnant women. There was no syringe that they were given. If you had a small vagina, a woman had to take a nail and cut you so that the baby comes out these days you see they are operating with scissors. Sometimes the baby used to come out when she/he is dead. Those are the things we faced as we struggle through the days that God has taken care of us. We have good years that we are walking in as we try and we know that we have come from far, we have gone far. We have seen things that we had never seen. That is why we are living in this world. The young people these days they are being given medicine when they go to the medical health centers. For our case we were not given medicine, we used to give birth like that. I believe my words have reached there like that.