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Alidie wid Granmaa Holidays with grandmother @alidie wid @granmaa

Written by Violet Otieno

Illustrated by Catherine Groenewald

Translated by Georgette McGlashen

Language Jamaican Creole

Level Level 4

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Odonggo an Apiyo did liv a toun wid dem faada. Dem luk faawod tu di alidie dem. No jos chuu skuul lak, bot bikaaz dem go vizit dem granmada. Shi did liv inna wahn fishn vilij nier wahn big liek.

Odongo and Apiyo lived in the city with their father. They looked forward to the holidays. Not just because school was closed, but because they went to visit their grandmother. She lived in a fishing village near a large lake.

@odongo an @apiyo @did @liv a tɔun wid dem faːda dem luk @faawod tu di @alidie dem @no @jos tʃuː skuːl @lak bot @bikaaz dem @go @vizit dem @granmada @shi @did @liv @inna wã @fishn @vilij @nier wã @big @liek


Odonggo an Apiyo dem di eksaitid kaaz a did taim fi go vizit dem granmada agen. Di nait bifuor, dem pak op dem bag dem an get redi fi di lang jorni go a konchri. Dem kudn sliip an taak di uol nait bout di alidie.

Odongo and Apiyo were excited because it was time to visit their grandmother again. The night before, they packed their bags and got ready for the long journey to her village. They could not sleep and talked the whole night about the holiday.

@odongo an @apiyo dem di @eksaitid kaːz a @did taɪm fi @go @vizit dem @granmada agen di naɪt bifuɔɹ dem @pak op dem @bag dem an @get ɹedɪ fi di laŋ @jorni @go a kontʃɹi dem kudn̩ sliːp an taːk di uɔl naɪt bɔut di @alidie


Orli di neks maanin, dem lef fi go konchri inna dem faada kyar. Dem jraiv paas di mountn dem, di wail animal dem an tii plantieshan. Dem kount di kyar dem an sing sang.

Early the next morning, they left for the village in their father’s car. They drove past mountains, wild animals and tea plantations. They counted cars and sang songs.

@orli di @neks maːnin dem lef fi @go kontʃɹi @inna dem faːda kjaɹ dem @jraiv paːs di mɔuntn̩ dem di waɪl @animal dem an tiː @plantieshan dem @kount di kjaɹ dem an sɪŋ saŋ


Afta a wail, di pikni dem did taiyad an jrap asliip.

After a while, the children were tired and fell asleep.

afta a waɪl di pikni dem @did @taiyad an dʒɹap @asliip


Dadi wiek op Odonggo an Apiyo az dem riich inna di vilij. Dem si Nyar-Kanyaada, dem granmada, a res pan wahn mat anda wahn chrii. Nyar-Kanyaada in Luo, miin se ‘daata a di piipl a Kanyaada’. Shi a did wahn schrang an priti uman.

Father woke up Odongo and Apiyo as they arrived in the village. They found Nyar-Kanyada, their grandmother, resting on a mat under a tree. Nyar-Kanyada in Luo, means ‘daughter of the people of Kanyada’. She was a strong and beautiful woman.

@dadi @wiek op @odongo an @apiyo @az dem @riich @inna di @vilij dem si @nyar-kanyaada dem @granmada a @res @pan wã @mat anda wan tʃɹiː @nyar-kanyaada @in lʊo miːn se @’daata a di piːpl̩ a @kanyaada’ @shi a @did wan @schrang an @priti uman


Nyar-Kanyaada welkom dem inna di ous an a daans an sing aal bout di ruum kaaz shi glad. Ar granpikni dem did wel glad fi gi ar di prezent dem we dem kyar fram Toun. “Uopm fimi prezent fos,” Odonggo se. “Nuo, fimi prezent fos!” Apiyo se.

Nyar-Kanyada welcomed them into the house and danced around the room singing with joy. Her grandchildren were excited to give her the presents they brought from the city. “First open my gift,” said Odongo. “No, my gift first!” said Apiyo.

@nyar-kanyaada @welkom dem @inna di ɔus an a daːns an sɪŋ aːl bɔut di @ruum kaːz @shi @glad aɹ @granpikni dem @did @wel @glad fi @gi aɹ di @prezent dem @we dem kjaɹ @fram tɔun uɔpm̩ @fimi @prezent fos @odongo se nuɔ @fimi @prezent fos @apiyo se


Aafta shi uopm di prezent dem, Nyar-Kanyaada bles ar granpikni dem inna di uol-fashan wie.

After she opened the presents, Nyar-Kanyada blessed her grandchildren in a traditional way.

@aafta @shi uɔpm̩ di @prezent dem @nyar-kanyaada @bles aɹ @granpikni dem @inna di @uol-fashan wɪɛ


Den Odonggo an Apiyo go outta duor. Dem ron dong di botaflai dem an di bod dem.

Then Odongo and Apiyo went outside. They chased butterflies and birds.

@den @odongo an @apiyo @go @outta duɔɹ dem ɹon doŋ di @botaflai dem an di @bord dem


Dem klaim di chrii dem an splash op inna di waata a di liek.

They climbed trees and splashed in the water of the lake.

dem @klaim di tʃɹiː dem an @splash op @inna di waːta a di @liek


Wen it get daak dem go bak a di ous fi dina. Bifuor dem kuda don nyam, dem did a jrap asliip.

When it was dark they returned to the house for dinner. Before they could finish eating, they were falling asleep!

@wen it @get @daak dem @go @bak a di ɔus fi @dina bifuɔɹ dem @kuda @don ɲam dem @did a dʒɹap @asliip


Di neks die, di pikni dem faada jraiv bak go a Toun an lef dem wid Nyar-Kanyaada.

The next day, the children’s father drove back to the city leaving them with Nyar-Kanyada.

di @neks dɪɛ di pikni dem faːda @jraiv @bak @go a tɔun an lef dem wid @nyar-kanyaada


Odonggo an Apiyo did elp dem granmada wid di ous wok dem. Dem go kech waata an go luk faiyastik. Dem kalek di eg dem fram di chikin an pik vejitebl fram di gyaadn.

Odongo and Apiyo helped their grandmother with household chores. They fetched water and firewood. They collected eggs from the chickens and picked greens from the garden.

@odongo an @apiyo @did elp dem @granmada wid di ɔus wok dem dem @go ketʃ waːta an @go luk @faiya-stik dem kalek di @eg dem @fram di tʃikin an @pik vedʒitebl̩ @fram di ɟaːdn̩


Nyar-Kanyaada tiich ar granpikni dem fi mek saaf ugaali fi nyam wid schuu. Shi shuo dem ou fi mek kuoknat rais fi nyam wid ruos fish.

Nyar-Kanyada taught her grandchildren to make soft ugali to eat with stew. She showed them how to make coconut rice to eat with roast fish.

@nyar-kanyaada tiːtʃ aɹ @granpikni dem fi mek saːf @ugaali fi ɲam wid stʃuː @shi ʃuɔ dem ɔu fi mek kuɔknat ɹaɪs fi ɲam wid ɹuɔs @fish


Wan maanin, Odonggo kyar im granmada kou dem fi nyam graas. Dem ron go pan di nieba faam. Di faama di beks wid Odonggo. Im chretn fi tek we di kou dem kaaz dem nyam im krap dem. Aafta da die de, di bwaai pikni mek shuor se dat di kou dem no get inna no chobl agen.

One morning, Odongo took his grandmother’s cows to graze. They ran onto a neighbour’s farm. The farmer was angry with Odongo. He threatened to keep the cows for eating his crops. After that day, the boy made sure that the cows did not get into trouble again.

wan maːnin @odongo kjaɹ im @granmada kɔu dem fi ɲam @graas dem ɹon @go @pan di @nieba faːm di faːma di @beks wid @odongo im tʃɹetn̩ fi tek @we di kɔu dem kaːz dem ɲam im kɹap dem @aafta @da dɪɛ de di @bwaai pikni mek ʃuɔɹ se dat di kɔu dem @no @get @inna @no tʃobl̩ agen


Pan wahn neks die, di pikni dem go maakit wid Nyar-Kanyaada. Shi did av wahn staal a sel vejitebl, shuga an suop. Apiyo did laik fi tel di kostama dem di prais a di gudz. Odonggo wuda pak op di gudz dem we di kostama dem bai.

On another day, the children went to the marketplace with Nyar-Kanyada. She had a stall selling vegetables, sugar and soap. Apiyo liked to tell customers the price of items. Odongo would pack the items that customers bought.

@pan wã @neks dɪɛ di pikni dem @go maːkit wid @nyar-kanyaada @shi @did @av wã @staal a @sel vedʒitebl̩ ʃuga an suɔp @apiyo @did laɪk fi tel di @kostama dem di pɹaɪs a di gudz @odongo @wuda @pak op di gudz dem @we di @kostama dem baɪ


A di en a di die dem jrink chai tii tugeda. Dem elp granmada fi kount aaf di moni we shi mek.

At the end of the day they drank chai tea together. They helped grandmother to count the money she earned.

a di en a di dɪɛ dem @jrink @chai tiː @tugeda dem elp @granmada fi @kount aːf di moni @we @shi mek


Bot di alidie don tuu kwik an di pikni dem did afi go bak a Toun. Nyar-Kanyaada gi Odonggo wahn at an Apiyo wahn sweta. Shi pak op som fuud gi dem fi di jorni.

But too soon the holidays were over and the children had to go back to the city. Nyar-Kanyada gave Odongo a cap and Apiyo a sweater. She packed food for their journey.

bot di @alidie @don tuː kwik an di pikni dem @did @afi @go @bak a tɔun @nyar-kanyaada @gi @odongo wã at an @apiyo wã @sweta @shi @pak op som fuːd @gi dem fi di @jorni


Wen dem faada kom bak fi dem, dem neva waahn lef. Di pikni dem beg Nyar-Kanyaada fi go wid dem bak a Toun. Shi smail an se, “Mi tu uol fi Toun. Mi a go wiet fi unu kom bak a mi vilij agen.”

When their father came to fetch them, they did not want to leave. The children begged Nyar-Kanyada to go with them to the city. She smiled and said, “I am too old for the city. I will be waiting for you to come to my village again.”

@wen dem faːda kom @bak fi dem dem @neva @waahn lef di pikni dem @beg @nyar-kanyaada fi @go wid dem @bak a tɔun @shi @smail an se mi tu uɔl fi tɔun mi a @go wɪɛt fi unu kom @bak a mi @vilij agen


Odonggo an Apiyo, di tuu a dem og ar op tait-tait an se bai-bai.

Odongo and Apiyo both hugged her tightly and said goodbye.

@odongo an @apiyo di tuː a dem @og aɹ op @tait-tait an se @bai-bai


Wen Odonggo an Apiyo go bak a skuul dem tel dem fren dem bout konchri laif. Som a di pikni dem did fiil se laif inna Toun did gud. Di res a dem did fiil se konchri laif beta. Bot muos af aal, evribadi agrii se Odonggo an Apiyo did av di bes granmada.

When Odongo and Apiyo went back to school they told their friends about life in the village. Some children felt that life in the city was good. Others felt that the village was better. But most of all, everyone agreed that Odongo and Apiyo had a wonderful grandmother!

@wen @odongo an @apiyo @go @bak a skuːl dem tel dem @fren dem bɔut kontʃɹi laɪf som a di pikni dem @did fiːl se laɪf @inna tɔun @did gud di @res a dem @did fiːl se kontʃɹi laɪf @beta bot muɔs @af aːl @evribadi @agrii se @odongo an @apiyo @did @av di @bes @granmada


Written by: Violet Otieno
Illustrated by: Catherine Groenewald
Translated by: Georgette McGlashen
Language: Jamaican Creole
Level 4
Source: Holidays with grandmother from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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