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Khalai echi kuhanjika namitondo
Khalai talks to plants
Khalai Alasosha Icaani ne Fimuti
Ursula Nafula
Jesse Pietersen
Masho Kaloza
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Owu yikiye khalai. ali namyaka yitanu nayivali. lijina lyenyi lyalumbunuka ‘wamwaza’ muchitundu chenyi, lubukusu.
This is Khalai. She is seven years old. Her name means ‘the good one’ in her language, Lubukusu.
Uyu ni Khalai. Ali na imyaka cine-lubali. Ishina lyakwe mu lulimi lwakwe, ulwa Cilubukusu lipilibula “umusuma”.
Khalai echi kuhinduka nakuhanjika kumitondo yama malalanja. “ove mutondo wama lalanja, kola mangana wutuhane malalanja akwiha amavulu.
Khalai wakes up and talks to the orange tree. “Please orange tree, grow big and give us lots of ripe oranges.”
Lyonse Khalai nga ashibuka alasosha icimuti ca macungwa ati: “We cimuti ca macungwa, napaapaata kula, utwaale na macungwa ayaapya ayeengi.”
Khalai echi kuya kushikola. mujila echi kuhanjika ku mwila. “ove mwila, soka namafo amatamba kanda mumako.”
Khalai walks to school. On the way she talks to the grass. “Please grass, grow greener and don’t dry up.”
Khalai nga aleenda lyonse pa kuya ku sukuulu alasosha icaani ati: “We caani, napaapaata moneka uwayemba elyo kabili wilauma.”
Khalai nahichi hamitondo yamwaza yakuvyekuma mafulawa. “enu mafulawa, twalilenuho kusoloka kanawa mangana ngumihake mumutwe wami.”
Khalai passes wild flowers. “Please flowers, keep blooming so I can put you in my hair.”
Khalai nga asaanga amaluba ya mpanga nayo alayeba ati: “Mwe maluba muleebalula bwino-bwino pakuti ndeswako no kubiika mu mushishi wandi.”
Ha shikola, khalai echi kuhanjika namitondo hakachi ka senge. “yenu mitondo, sokesenu mitango yayinene mangana tu tangilenga mumuvule wove.”
At school, Khalai talks to the tree in the middle of the compound. “Please tree, put out big branches so we can read under your shade.”
Khalai nga afika ku sukulu, lyonse alasosha icimuti icabeela pakati ka lubansa lwe sukulu ati: “We cimuti, napaapaata kula utwale ne misambo iyakutupeela icintelelwe icakuti tuleikalamo pa kubelenga.”
Khalai echi kuhanjika na senge ya mitondo yashikola. “sokenu nakutohwa mangana muhonese vatu vavapi kwingila mukachi.”
Khalai talks to the hedge around her school. “Please grow strong and stop bad people from coming in.”
Elyo kabili, Khalai alasosha utumuti utwacingilila isukulu ati: “Mwe tumuti mube abakosa saana pakuti mulelesha ifipondo ukwingila mukati ke sukulu lyesu.”
Nge khalai nahiluka kwimbo kufuma kushikola, echi kutambukila mutondo wamalalanji. “malalanja ove anahi lyehi tahi?” khalai nahulisa
When Khalai returns home from school, she visits the orange tree. “Are your oranges ripe yet?” asks Khalai.
Khalai nga ainuka lyonse, alaya mu kupempula icimuti ca macungwa no kucipusha ati: “Bushe amacungwa yobe na nomba tayalapya?”
“Malalanja achili amavisu,” khalai nashishimwina. “nankukumona hamene mutondo wama lalanji,” khalai nahanjika. “ngwatachikiza ngwami chayize lola mupwa na lilalanja lyakuhya lyami!”
“The oranges are still green,” sighs Khalai. “I will see you tomorrow orange tree,” says Khalai. “Perhaps then you will have a ripe orange for me!”
“Amacungwa yacili ayabishi!” efyasosa Khalai. “Nkesa kumonako mailo we mucungwa” efyasosa Khalai. Limbi lyena nkasanga naukwata icungwa ilyapya.”
Written by: Ursula Nafula
Illustrated by: Jesse Pietersen
Translated by: Masho Kaloza
