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Ulilitha Noluniko Batyelela Umakhulu Wabo Holidays with grandmother

Violet Otieno

Catherine Groenewald

Xolisa Guzula

Xhosa

Level 4

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ULilitha noLuniko babehlala esixekweni notata wabo. Babekulangazelela kakhulu ukuya eholideyini. Babengafuni nje ukuba izikolo zivalwe kodwa babefuna ukuya kutyelela umakhulu wabo. Wayehlala elalini enechibi elikhulu ekulotywayo kulo.

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.

ULilitha noLuniko bachulumanca lakufika ixesha lokuyokutyelela umakhulu kwakhona. Phezolo, ngobusuku obungaphambili bapakisha iibhegi zabo belungiselela uhambo olude oluya elalini. Babengakwazi ukulala yimincili baze bahlala bancokola ngeholide yabo ubusuku bonke.

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.

Ekuseni ngemini elandelayo, bahamba ngemoto katata wabo ukuya ezilalini. Yahamba imoto igqitha iintaba, izilwanyana zasendle kunye namahlathi.

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.

Emva kwexesha elide behamba, abantwana badinwa baze balala.

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

Utata wabo uLilitha noLuniko wabavusa besakufika elalini. Bafika umakhulu wabo uNobuntu ephumle phantsi komthi. Igama elithi ‘Nobuntu’ ngesiXhosa lithetha umntu oxabise abanye abantu nozaziyo ukuba ungumntu ngabanye abantu. Wayelinina elihle elisele liqinile.

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.

UNobuntu wabamkela emzini wakhe waze wadanisa ngaphakathi luvuyo. Abazukulwana bakhe bona babechumancile ngelixa babemnika izipho ababemthengele zona esixekweni. “Vula isipho sam kuqala,” watsho uLilitha. “Hayi makhulu, vula esam kuqala!” watsho uLuniko.

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.

Emveni kokuba ezivulile izipho, uNobuntu wabasikelela abazukulwana bakhe ngokwesithethe.

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

Emva koko uLilitha noLuniko baphuma baya phandle. Baqalisa ukuleqa amabhabhathane neentaka.

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

Bakhwela emithini, batshizana nangamanzi echibini.

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

Ngokuhlwa babuyela endlwini bayokutya isopholo. Kodwa basuka bozela phambi kokuba bagqibe ukutya kwabo.

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

Ngemini elandelayo utata wabantwana wabuyela esixekweni ebashiya nomakhulu wabo uNobuntu.

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

ULilitha noLuniko bancedisa umakhulu wabo ukwenza imisebenzi yasekhaya. Bayokukha amanzi futhi baya kutheza. Baqokelela amaqanda eenkukhu bakha nemifuno egadini.

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.

Umakhulu uNobuntu wabafundisa abantwana bakhe ukupheka ipapa ababeza kuyitya nonqweme. Wababonisa nendlela yokupheka umngqusho oneembotyi.

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.

Ngenye intsasa, uLilitha wakhaphela iinkomo zikamakhulu emadlelweni. Ngelishwa zangena entsimini yommelwane. Ummelwane waba nomsindo kakhulu yinto kaLilitha yokuyeka iinkomo zingene entsimini yakhe. Wamothusa ngokuba uza kuzibamba iinkomo ezitya izityalo zakhe. Emva kwaloo mini, uLilitha waqinisekisa ukuba iinkomo aziphindi zimfake engxakini kwakhona.

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.

Ngenye imini abantwana baya emarikeni noNobuntu. Wayenestendi athengisa imifuno, amagwinya kunye nenyama kuso. ULuniko wayekuthanda ukuchazela abantu ngamaxabiso ezinto. ULilitha ekuthanda ukupakisha izinto ezithengiweyo.

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.

Emva kwemini babeye baphunge ibholani kunye. Babencedisa umakhulu nokubala ingeniso ayenzileyo.

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

Kodwa iintsuku zeholide zafikelela ekupheleni ngokukhawuleza kwaye abantwana kwafuneka ukuba babuyele esixekweni kwakhona. UMakhulu wanika uLilitha ikepusi, waze wanika uLuniko isikipa. Wabapakishela umphako elungiselela uhambo lwabo.

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.

Wathi xa utata wabo ebuya ezokubalanda, abantwana abafuna ukuhamba. Bamcenga, bambongoza uNobuntu ukuba ahambe nabo ukuya esixekweni. Umakhulu yena wancuma waze wathi, “Ndimdala kakhulu ukuba ndingahlala esixekweni. Ndiza kunilinda ukuba nizokundityelela apha elalini kwakhona.”

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.”

ULilitha noLuniko bamqinisa ukumwola oku baze bamsalisa kakuhle.

Odongo and Apiyo both hugged her tightly and said goodbye.

Bakufika esikolweni uLilitha noLuniko bababalisela bonke abahlobo babo ngobomi baselalini. Abanye abantwana babecinga ukuba ubomi basesixekweni bobona bulungileyo. Abanye bona babecinga ukuba obaselalini bobona bungcono. Kodwa, ngaphezu kwento yonke, wonke umntu wavumelana noLilitha noLuniko ukuba banomakhulu othandekayo!

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!

Written by: Violet Otieno

Illustrated by: Catherine Groenewald

Translated by: Xolisa Guzula

Language: Xhosa

Level: Level 4

Source: Holidays with grandmother from African Storybook

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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