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Mwasu wa Sakima Sakima's song Ulwimbo lwakwa Sakima

Written by Ursula Nafula

Illustrated by Peris Wachuka

Translated by Oscar Zangata

Language Lunda

Level Level 3

Narrate full story The audio for this story is currently not available.


Sakima wadin’ga nakushakama nawavwali zhindi na muhelindi wayaka yiwana. Ashakaminan’ga helun’ga deyala waheta. Chinsambu chawu chadin’ga kunkumina ya nyikanka ya nyitondu.

Sakima lived with his parents and his four year old sister. They lived on a rich man’s land. Their grass-thatched hut was at the end of a row of trees.

Sakima aaleikala na bafyashi bakwe pamo na nkashi yakwe uwamyaka ine. Baleikala pancende ya mukankaala umo. Iŋanda yabo iyafyani yabeleele kumpela ya miti.


Chashikiliyu yaaka yisatu, Sakima wakatili nakufwa mensu. Sakima wadin’ga kansi weyala wukweti wana.

When Sakima was three years old, he fell sick and lost his sight. Sakima was a talented boy.

Ilyo Sakima aali ne myaka itatu, alipofwile ku mulandu wa bulwele. Sakima aali mulumendo uwakwete icabupe.


Sakima welilen’ga yuma yina akwawu ayaaka yitanu niwumu hiyatwesheliku. Chakutalilaku, wadin’ga nakushakama nakuhanjeka nawakulumpi yuma yaswezha Kulema.

Sakima did many things that other six year old boys did not do. For example, he could sit with older members of the village and discuss important matters.

Sakima aaleecita ifintu ifingi efyo abalumendo bamyaka mutanda baaleefilwa. Ico mwingamwenako cimo cakuti, uyu Sakima aaleikala pa bakulu bamumushi no kulanshanya pa milandu iikankaala.


Anvwali zha sakima adin’ga nakuzata kwitala deyala waheta. Adin’ga nakufuma kwitala muna bwididi nakufunta kumelela. Sakima wadin’ga nakushala namuhelindi wa Kansi.

The parents of Sakima worked at the rich man’s house. They left home early in the morning and returned late in the evening. Sakima was left with his little sister.

Abafyashi bakwa Sakima baaleebomba pa ŋanda ya mukankaala. Baaleefuma pa ŋanda ku macaaca no kubwela inshita ya bushiku. Sakima aaleeshaala na nkashi yakwe.


Sakima waken’gelen’ga kwimba tumina. Ifuku dimu, Mama yindi wamwehwili. “Kudi watan’gilan’ga tuminitu sakima?”

Sakima loved to sing songs. One day his mother asked him, “Where do you learn these songs from, Sakima?”

Sakima aalitemenwe ukwimba inyimbo. Ubushiku bumo banyina balimwipwishe abati, “Usambilila kwisa ishi nyimbo, Sakima?”


Sakima wakwili, “Twenzan’ga hohu mama. Natutiyan’ga mumutu wami kaha hinukutwimba.”

Sakima answered, “They just come, mother. I hear them in my head and then I sing.”

Sakima ayaswike ati “Shiisafye, maayo, nshumfwa mu mutwe elyo nashimba.”


Sakima waken’gelen’ga kwimbila muhelindi, swezhe neyi muhelindi udi nanzala. Muhelindi wukumutiyilila neyi nakwimba kamina kaken’gayi. Wukutachika kutiya kamina Kauunda.

Sakima liked to sing for his little sister, especially, if she felt hungry. His sister would listen to him singing his favourite song. She would sway to the soothing tune.

Sakima alitemenwe ukwimbila nkashi yakwe, maka-maka nkashi yakwe nga aumfwa insala. Nkashi yakwe aaleekutika uko Sakima aleimba ulwimbo atemenwe saana, ninshi ayamba ukuisunsuntila ku ciunda ca lwimbo.


“Imbaku chen’gi nakufuntila-funtilahu Sakima,” muhelindi wukumushinjila. Sakima wukwitezha nafuntila-funtilahu.

“Can you sing it again and again, Sakima,” his sister would beg him. Sakima would accept and sing it over and over again.

Nkanshi yakwe aaleemulomba ati, “Njimbilako na kabili, Sakima.” Sakima aaleesumina no kubwekeshapo ukwimba ulwimbo imiku iingi.


Melela amu chiyafuntiliwu anvwali zhindi kwitala, adin’ga amwena. Sakima welukili nindi kunatami yuma yimu.

One evening when his parents returned home, they were very quiet. Sakima knew that there was something wrong.

Ubushiku bumo ilyo abafyashi bakwe baabwelele pa ŋanda, baalifye tondolo. Sakima aalishibe ukutiila pali ifyalubene.


“Kukalanyi chidiku mama, Tata?” Sakima wehweli. Sakima welukili nindi mwana ka iyala waheta wazhimbeli. Ona iyala wadin’ga kankayindi.

“What is wrong, mother, father?” Sakima asked. Sakima learned that the rich man’s son was missing. The man was very sad and lonely.

“Finshi ifilubene, maayo, taata?” efyo aabepwishe. Sakima Baamwebele ukutiila umwana wa mukankaala aalilubile. Umukankaala aali no bulanda nganshi kabili aalifye eka bulanda-bulanda.


“Natweshi kumwimbila. Wukwikala wamuzan’galu chen’gi,” Sakima walezheli anvwali zhindi. Ilan’ga anvwali zhindi hiyetezheliku. “Wukweti maheta nankashi. Eyi ukapuputa hohu. Wunamoni neyi mwasu weyi wukumukwasha?”

“I can sing for him. He might be happy again,” Sakima told his parents. But his parents dismissed him. “He is very rich. You are only a blind boy. Do you think your song will help him?”

“Kuti namwimbilako. Limbi kuti asansamuka na kabili,” efyo Sakima aebele abafyashi bakwe. Nomba abafyashi bakwe balikene. Abati, “Uyu muntu mukankaala saana. Iwe uli mwaice kabili taumona. Uleetontokanya ukutiila ulwimbo lobe kuti lwamwafwilisha?”


Hela chochu, Sakima halekeliku. Muhelindi wamukwashiliku. Hakuhosha nindi, “Nyasu ya Sakima yawundishan’ga neyi nidi nanzala. Yikuundisha ona iyala waheta niyena.”

However, Sakima did not give up. His little sister supported him. She said, “Sakima’s songs soothe me when I am hungry. They will soothe the rich man too.”

Sakima taanenwiike. Nkashi yakwe aalimulandiileko. Aatiile, “Inyimbo shakwa Sakima shilantalalika nga ndi ne nsala. No mukankaala wine kuti shamutalalika. ”


Ifuku dasinsilimu, Sakima walezheli muhelindi kumutwala kwitala danona iyala waheta.

The following day, Sakima asked his little sister to lead him to the rich man’s house.

Ubushiku bwakonkelepo, Sakima aebele nkashi yakwe ukumutungulula ku ŋanda ya mukankaala.


Wemeni mwishina da injanena yayineni nakutachika kwimba kamina kindi kaken’gayi. Chanti-chanti, mutu wanona iyala watachikili kumwekana ha injanena.

He stood below one big window and began to sing his favourite song. Slowly, the head of the rich man began to show through the big window.

Aiminine mwisamba lye windo ilikalamba no kwamba ukwimba ulwimbo aatemwishishe. Panoono-panoono, umutwe wa mukankaala wayambile ukumoneka pa windo.


Ankon’gi alekeli kwila yuma yadin’ga nakwilawu. Atiyililili mwasu wa sakima wawuwahi, ilan’ga wumu wawu nindi, “Ninowu natweshi dehi kukokwezha bosi kosi. Iwu Kansi weyala Wa kapuputa namoni neyi yena wukutwesha?”

The workers stopped what they were doing. They listened to Sakima’s beautiful song. But one man said, “Nobody has been able to console the boss. Does this blind boy think he will console him?”

Ababomfi baaleekele imilimo yabo. Baaleekutika ku lwimbo lwakwa Sakima ulwawama nganshi. Nomba shitaata umo aatiile, “Tapaaba nangu umo uwakwanisha ukutalalika ba bwana. Bushe uyu mulumendo wapofula aleemona kwati kuti abatalalika?”


Sakima wamanishili kwimba kamina kindi nindi atachikan’ga kufunta. Ilan’ga ona iyala waheta wedikili hanzhi nakuhosha nindi, “Nalembi Imbaku chen’gi.”

Sakima finished singing his song and turned to leave. But the rich man rushed out and said, “Please sing again.”

Sakima alipwishishe ukwimba ulwimbo lwakwe kabili alimine ukuti aleeya ku mwabo. Nomba umukankaala alifumine panse no kutiila “Napaapaata, imba na kabili.”


Hampinji kana iyi, kwadin’ga amayala ayedi enzili anyamuna muntu hachitamba. Aweni mwana kanona Iyala da maheta anamweti nakumushiya kumbadi ya mukwakwa.

At that very moment, two men came carrying someone on a stretcher. They had found the rich man’s son beaten up and left on the side of the road.

Apopeene kwaishile abantu babili nabasenda umuntu pa macila. Baasangile umwana wa mukankaala nabamupuma ku fipondo kabili bamushiile mumbali ya musebo.


Iyala da maheta watiyili kuwaha hakumona mwanindi weyala chen’gi. Wafweteli Sakima hakumukundezha. Watweli Sakima na mwanindi ku chipatela kulonda Sakima atweshi kumona chen’gi.

The rich man was so happy to see his son again. He rewarded Sakima for consoling him. He took his son and Sakima to hospital so Sakima could regain his sight.

Umukankaala aalisansamwike pa kumona umwana wakwe na kabili. Aalilambwile Sakima pa kumutalalika ku mutima. Aatwele umwana wakwe na Sakima ku cipataala mu kumona nga kuti Sakima atampa ukumona na kabili.


Written by: Ursula Nafula
Illustrated by: Peris Wachuka
Translated by: Oscar Zangata
Language: Lunda
Level: Level 3
Source: Sakima's song from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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