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Nyimbo ya Sakima Sakima's song Ulwimbo lwakwa Sakima

Written by Ursula Nafula

Illustrated by Peris Wachuka

Translated by Tapiwa k. Sibanda

Language Tonga

Level Level 3

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


Sakima wakali kukkala abazyali bakwe amucizhyi wakwe wakalaa myaka yone. Bakali kukkala mucibaka camuvwubi. Ŋanda yabo yabwizu yakali kumamanino aamulongo wazyisamu.

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.


Naakali amyaka yotatwe, Sakima wakaciswa akuleka kubona. Sakima wakali musankwa wakajisi cipego.

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 wakali kucita zyintu zyinji, balo beenzyinyina bamwyaka yakwe nzyibakali kwaalilwa kucita mbuli kukkala abapati-pati bamuminzi akulanganya twaambo tumwi tupati-pati abapati.

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.


Bazyali ba Sakima bakali kubeleka aŋanda yamuvwubi. Bakali kufwuma kuzwa aŋanda akupiluka kumangolezya. Sakima wakali kucaala aŋanda amusyoonto wakwe musimbi.

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 wakali kuciyanda kwiimba nyimbo. Buzuba bumwi banyina bakamubuzya kuti, “Ino uzyiyiila kuli nyimbo eezyi, 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 wakaingula, “Zyiboola buyo baama. Ndizyimvwa buyo mumutwe, kwamana ndatalika kwiimba.”

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 wakali kuyanda kwiimbila musyoonto wakwe musimbi, kapati kuti kamvwide nzala. Musyoonto wakwe wakali kuswiilila kuti Sakima kaimba lwiimbo ndwaakali kuyandisya. Wakali kunyanyaala akaambo kakulumvwa kabotu lwiimbo.

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.


“Koimba alimwi, Sakima” musyoonto wakwe wakali kulomba. Sakima wakali kuzumina akwiinduluka kwiimba.

“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.


Mangolezya amwi bazyali bakwe nobakapiluka kuŋanda, bakali kuumwine kapati. Sakima wakazyiba kuti kuli cilubide.

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.


“Ino ncinzi calubila baama abataata?” wakabuzya Sakima. Sakima wakaambilwa kuti mwanaa muvwubi musankwa wakalisweekede. Aboobo muvwubi wakalendelelwa akuusa kapati.

“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.


“Inga ndamwiimbila. Ndiza inga wakkomana alimwi.” Sakima wakabaambila bazyali bakwe. Pesi bazyali bakwe bakamukasya. “Uuya ulivwubide. Yebo ulimusankwa biyo uubaide. Uyeeya kuti nyimbo yako inga yagwasya nzi kuli nguwe?”

“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?”


Nokuba boobo, Sakima taakaleka pe. Musyoonto wakwe musimbi wakamugwasyilizya. Wakati, “Nyimbo zya Sakima zyilanduumbulizya kuti ndilaa nzala. Aboobo amuvwubi zyilakonzya kumuumbulizya.”

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. ”


Buzuba bwakatobela, Sakima wakaambila musyoonto wakwe kuti amusindikile kuŋanda yamuvwubi.

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.


Wakaima ansi ampulungwido akutalika kwiimba lwiimbo ndwaakali kuyandisya. Asyoonto-syoonto, mutwe wamuvwubi wakatalika kulibonya ampulungwido.

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.


Babelesi bakaleka nzyibakali kucita. Bakatalika kuswiilila lwiimbo lwa Sakima lubotu. Umwi musankwa wakati, “Kunyina waakonzya kumuumbulizya uutulela. Ino mwana ooyu ubaide uyeeya kuti inga wacikonzya kumuumbulizhya?”

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 wakamaninzya kwiimba nyimbo yakwe akunyamuka kuti aunke. Pesi muvwubi wakabalikila anze akwaamba kuti “Ndakomba, koimba alimwi.”

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.”


Aciindi ncimunya ciya, kwakaboola basankwa bobilo kabanyamwide muntu akalo kabantu bacisidwe. Bakamujana mwanaa muvwubi kumbali aanzila kaumidwe.

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.


Muvwubi wakakkomana kubona mwanaakwe musankwa alimwi. Wakalumbula Sakima akaambo kakumuumbulizya. Wakabweza mwanaakwe musankwa alimwi a Sakima, akuunka kucibbadela, kuya kuzyiba naa Sakima inga wabona alimwi.

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: Tapiwa k. Sibanda
Language: Tonga
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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