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Umondli Nombali Bavakashela Ugogo Wabo Holidays with grandmother

Violet Otieno

Catherine Groenewald

Pumla Mdontswa

Beauty Ngwenya

Zulu

Level 4

UMondli noMbali babehlala edolobheni nobaba wabo. Babekujabulela ukuvalwa kwezikole ngoba babezovakashela ugogo wabo. Phela ugogo wayehlala kwesinye isigodi esasinedamu elikhulu lapho kwakudotshwa khona izinhlanzi. Abantu bakule ndawo babekhonzile ukudoba.

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.

UMondli-ke babejabule kakhulu kulokhu ngoba nabo ngalesi sikhathi, babezovakashela ugogo wabo ohlala kulesi sigodi esinedamu. Ngobusuku okwakuzosa bahambe ngabo, bapakisha izikhwama balungiselela uhambo olude oluya kwagogo. Ubuthongo babungafiki, bexoxa ubusuku bonke, izinhliziyo zilangazelela leli holide.

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 ngovivi, baqala uhambo lwabo ngemoto kababa wabo. Imoto yayihamba idlula izintaba, amaqguma, wena zilwane zasendle namasimu. Babeloku bebalana nezimoto eziphambana nabo nalezo abazedlulayo. Babebuye bacule bejabulele indlela.

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 kwesikhashana, lapho ubaba ezwa sekuthule, waqalaza, wabathola sebefile ubuthongo.

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

Kuthe sebengena esigodini lapho ugogo ehlala khona, ubaba wabo wabavusa. Nanguya ugogo, uNobuntu, eziphumulele phansi kwesihlahla. Ugogo kwakuyintombi ezithandayo, ebathanda abantu njengegama lakhe. Wayemuhle, ekhuthele, ephiwe nempilo enhle.

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.

Ugogo wathi vuthu lapho ayehleli khona, wabamukela, egidagida, ecula yedwana yinjabulo yokubona abazukulu bakhe. Nabo abazukulu babejabule. Ngokushesha babekhipha imithwalo yabo, bedlulisa nezipho ababeziphathele ugogo edolobheni. “Gogo! Gogo! Vula esami kuqala isipho,” kumemeza uMondli. NoMbali naye ngapha ubelesele, ufuna ugogo avule esakhe isipho kuqala.

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.

Emva kokuvulwa kwezipho, ugogo wababusisa ngokwesiko labo.

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

UMondli noMbali, nabaya, phandle sebeyogijimisa izinkukhu namadada, bafuna nokubamba izinyoni.

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

Abazukulu babekujabulele ukuba kwagogo, bemsiza ngemisebenzi yasekhaya, bedlala nemidlalo abangayijwayele njengokucaca izihlahla nokubhukuda edamini.

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

Ngakusihlwa babebuya endlini bekhathele, bafike badle. Kwesinye isikhathi babengaqedi naloko kudla abakubekelwe, babanjwe ubuthongo nokukhathala.

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

Ngosuku olulandelayo, ubaba wabo waphindela edolobheni, wabashiya bezijabulisa nogogo wabo.

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

UMondli noMbali basiza ugogo wabo ngokwenza imisebenzi yasendlini. Babekha amanzi batheze izinkuni. Babeqoqa namaqanda ezidlekeni zezinkukhu babuye bakhe imifino engadini.

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.

Ugogo wayesefundise abazukulu nokupheka ukudla kwesintu kanye nokunye okulula.

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.

Ngelinye ilanga ekuseni uMondli wakhipha izinkomo zikagogo edlelweni, ethi uyokwelusa. Zagijima zangena epulazini likamakhelwane. Umakhelwane owayengumlimi wathukuthela efuna nokuzivalela ngoba zidle izitshalo zakhe. Emva kwalokhu uMondli waqinisekisa ukuthi azisophinde zingene enkingeni efana nalena.

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.

Ngolunye usuku, izingane zahamba noNobuntu zaya emakethe. Wayenetafula lapho ayethengisa khona imifino, izithelo nezinye izinto ezincane ezidingwa umphakathi. UMbali wayethanda ukutshela abathengi ukuthi izinto zibiza malini, ahlanganise, athathe imali. UMondli yena, wayesongela abathengi izimpahla zabo abazithengile.

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.

Ekupheleni kosuku, babephuza itiye babukeze usuku, kube mnandi. Abazukulu bebemsiza ugogo ukubala imali ayenzile ngalolo suku.

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

Kodwa amaholide asheshe aphela. Kwasekufanele ukuthi babuyele esikoleni edolobheni. Ugogo wapha uMondli ikepisi kanti uMbali wamupha ijezi. Wabapakishela nomphako wendlela ephindela edolobheni.

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.

Babengasafuni ukugoduka, lapho ubaba wabo efika esezobalanda. Bancenga ugogo ukuba ahambe nabo, aye edolobheni. Wayevele amoyizele athi, “Sengimdala kakhulu ukuthi ngingahlala edolobheni. Ugogo uzosala lapha ukuze nibuye futhi nizojabulela amaholide ahlukile.”

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.”

Bavalelisa, bamanga ugogo ngezinhliziyo ezibuhlungu.

Odongo and Apiyo both hugged her tightly and said goodbye.

Baphindela edolobheni, bafike baxoxela abangane babo ngamaholide abo kwagogo wabo nangempilo yasemaphandleni. Ezinye izingane zazithi impilo yasedolobheni yinhle. Ezinye kodwa zazicabanga ukuthi eyasemaphandleni ingcono. Ngaphezu kwako konke, zonke izingane esikoleni zazivumelana ngokuthi uMondli no Mbali babenogogo oyisimanga!

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: Pumla Mdontswa

Read by: Beauty Ngwenya

Language: Zulu

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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