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 en Apiyo is opgewonde omdat dit weer tyd is om by haar te gaan kuier. Die aand voor hulle vertrek, pak hulle hul tasse en maak gereed vir die reis na die dorpie. Hulle kan nie slaap nie en praat die hele nag oor die vakansie.
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.
Vroeg die volgende oggend vertrek hulle in hul pa se kar.
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.
Na ’n ruk is die kinders moeg en raak aan die slaap.
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.
Ouma verwelkom hulle en dans in die kamer rond van blydskap. Haar kleinkinders is angstig om die geskenke wat hulle saamgebring het vir haar te gee. “Maak my geskenk eerste oop,” sê Odongo.
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.
Nadat Ouma die geskenke oopgemaak het, seën sy haar kleinkinders op die tradisionele manier.
The next day, the children’s father drove back to the city leaving them with Nyar-Kanyada.
Odongo en Apiyo help hulle ouma met huiswerk. Hulle gaan haal water en vuurmaakhout. Hulle gaan haal eiers uit by die hoenders en pluk groente in die tuin.
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.
Ouma leer haar kinders hoe om sagte deegkoekies te maak wat ’n mens saam met bredie eet. Sy wys hulle hoe om kokosneut rys saam met vis te eet.
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.
Een oggend neem Odongo sy ouma se koeie na die weiveld. Hulle hardloop na die buurman se plaas toe. Die boer is baie kwaad vir Odongo. Hy dreig om die koeie vir homself te hou omdat hulle sy oes eet. Na daardie dag maak die seun seker dat die koeie nie weer in die moeilikheid kom nie.
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.
Op ’n ander dag gaan die kinders saam met hul ouma na die mark toe. Sy het ’n stalletjie waar sy groente, suiker en seep verkoop.
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.
Teen die einde van die dag drink hulle saam tee. Hulle help hul ouma om die geld wat sy verdien het te tel.
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.
Toe hul pa hulle kom haal, wil hulle nie weggaan nie. Die kinders smeek vir Ouma om saam stad toe te gaan. Sy glimlag net en sê, “Ek is te oud vir die stad. Ek sal vir julle wag totdat julle weer in my dorpie kom kuier.”
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.”
Odongo en Apiyo gee haar ’n stywe drukkie en sê totsiens.
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!
