“Misimbwa” by Lutivini Majanja and Edwin Afwayi

Himbi ni inzu ya Obwocha ya masisi ka bulu nende matekula mamuchi, khuli nende shitioli shirambi himbi ni lisisi lilala. Shitioli shienesho shiayumbakhwa nende mabati ki shichioni nende lusenyenje. Shisuli shi shitioli shienesho shiavimbwa na mavati iluveka lulala lwi shisuli. Luveka lundi shilwavimbwa tawe, khu imbula nikhuva iyevulukha mu, khandi khali mmbasu nikwakha kwinjiramu vutswa. Vushindu nende imbutsa nivilihoo vichinganga indakala nivisiuva mu. Shikhumanyi ni misimbwa chianga chili mushitioli mwenomo tawe nikhali vuli inyinga khuhulilanga Obwocha nasama ni mioyo khuli chi misimbwa chienencho. Khu khumanyi ni misimbwa minyishi. Khandi, khulondokhana ni mioyo chienecho kalolekhananga ni misimbwa mikali mno. Nikhali, shikhwacholilakhu tawe.

Misimbwa tsena chyashila liyoko. Chisamanga vutswa tsisaa tsyosi khuvira shichero. Inyuma wa masisi yako, liyoko lirulayo menye liukhwarana machina khali viliru vyeru vitecheranga. Khali liyoko lienelo lyachila shikhwenyanga khwikhala himbi khulio tawe, mbaka kachila khuchenda chendanga khurula hoo khu khuvuli khulihulila sana tawe. Liyoko lienelo nilinyishi linyala khuhulilwa nu mundu uvira khunjira nali mmutuka noho nachendanga vutswa khuvilenje aluhi yikose, ma khuvwelele mutsisakho.

Obwocha, mundu wu vweni vupapalikhu yamanyikha nu mundu wosi musokoni khali havakulitsa inyama khandi havasinziranga tsing’ombe. Lwa asinjiritsa vutswa mutuka, arulamu vutswa maliviri atsi vwangu anyole inyama indahi yi misimbwa chiechie. Lyakhumanyi misimbwa chiechie chilitsanga inyama inyishi ya lukanu na lukanu khuli yi imbuli, yi ing’ombe khali yi isushiri nayo inyishi muno khuvira inyama yakhutekhanga nikhuli nende vacheni na varende veru vanyishi mukhung’ano kukhumala muhika. Khulondokhana ni lienya lielie li tsinyama tsinyishi afwananga unyala khureva munwa khurula khuvalindi vi tsinyama tsyu mbulimu atsi khuhiitsa tsidika, tsimbonga, tsikhuli ni mang’u, khu misimbwa chiechie chinyalishi. Khali mang’u ni!

Don, muhinziri wa Obwocha ukholanga tsikasi lukano na lukano khuli khusembera maua ku mulwanyi, khulinda hango, nende khutekha shililwa. Naye uremachiranga tsinyama khushichienga khutsirelwa mundo khu khumisimbwa chilii. Vuli inyinga Don waifwala likoti lya matavala kumusaii kurulananga khukasi yakhola yukhuremaka tsinyama shya litukhu. Shia hamukolovo khuhuliranga lupanga nilulila tak, tak, tak nuluremaka tsinyama nulutuya khushichienga shya aremachelakhu. Malelo khuhulila nasyuvanga vipande vitsinyama tsienetso mu indoo yi misimbwa khulila mu. Khali naashili khumala, Obwocha nguoyo khandi mmutuka kwekwe ni tsinyama tsindi tsi litukhu lilondakhu.

Obwocha natukha hango yikulilwa shilivwa na Don wa ahetsanga milembe chyu mmakhono namwenya. Obwocha amanyanga atsia munzuu vuchila khusinjila nukhuhenzakhu lukaka lwa kayapa na maua mumuchi kumutsulio vuchila khali khutola khu makato kakwili hasi. Achendanga ni tsingulu vwangu natsia munzuu mwemwe ni Don natatachila inyuma wewe naachinji tsinyama nahiranga mubarafu. Lwa Obwocha atukha munzuu khu aranga khuhiva Don vushichila shina ashili khukhonga lukaka lwa kayapa. Don avula lya avola maahumahuma vutswa. Obwocha anavula likoli lielie lyu muofisi ayifwala lijamba liasakhula lya Don amuvishiranga. Niyakhifwala, Obwocha arula munzu mayuyukhana nalonda lung’usu lwa masaii ki tsinyama nende misimbwa. Lwa atukha, hamisimbwa chili, amwenyanga menya mundu navukani nu mulina wakora matukhu manyishi.

Lwa atukhatsa mushitioli khuhulilanga nakhumbelelanga misimbwa chilimu nachikoha malaha; Simba, Chui, Duma makhali watesikhu Alpha, Beta, Gamma nende Delta. Khali afwana alatesakhu Ex, Why nende Zed. Misimbwa chiyanzanga, machilomba liyoko lyu viyanzi. Khwisunda himbi khwisisi khali khwiminila khumatilisha khali niva khwenya khwilushi. Tsinyama tsifuana khali shitsitukhanga tsisolo tsilimushitioli. Inyinga yindi khulola naachinji kusimbwa kukhutsi khurula khulilwanila inyama ni misimbwa chindi. Amenyanga ayevera kusimbwa kukhutsi yoko himbi mulwevo lwa kayapa, ma avolela Don arache maua kalangwa bauhinia khushilindwa shyakwo. Yikhoyeranga shya litukhu ilindanga misimbwa chiechie khuli Nyasaye yenyanga yaani chivee milulu menye tsinyama tsyu mbulimu

Litukhu lindi Obwocha yenya khurula hango khutsia Kitale khukasi yi viashala. Luchendo lwenolo khutsia luvukulanga tsisaa saba ni nuluchendo lwa yanala khutsia. Akanakananga alakalukha inyuma wi litukhu lilala. Ahenda mwoyo litukhu lienelo misimbwa chiechie shinichivee nishiliwa tawe shichila avula hoo undi mundu unyala khutsilishitsa tawe.

“Khasee nindula hanu namanya tsisimbwa tsyanje shitsilishitswa tawe. Shi kali kario ni Don?”

Lwa ali ni lihenda mwoyo tsisimbwa tsietsie tsilahonga ni inzala inyishi lwa avaa natsiri luchendo mulukhuvili, Jumatatu atsihetsa shililiwa khali khavili khuli khasee shichira aranganga luchenda lwelwe kushirenje asubuhi mu Lukhuvili khunina ibasi khutsia Kitale. Obwocha na arula, hoo Don ali nilihulukha. Misimbwa chilalomba liyoko khuli chinyala.

Don, mulishati lielie lya bulu,nalio lichafu , nukhuhunya lung’usu mukwao niyifwali kusulali kwilingalinga kwi iranji yi likoshe vuchila lijamba achendachendela valina veve havahinzililanga. Halukolovo mutuka shikulolekha tawe. Misimbwa chiranganga khulila niinzala, ni mioyo chi ikulu ni nichilwana. Khali shichinyala khukona tawe. Liyoko lyenelo nilinyishi likhulomba khwikala tsitundu tsyosi tsili khumiliango na matilisha khwikalili liyoko lyenelo. Khukhuvikhu khukona. Ikitale, Obwocha unyoli ikasi inyishi khuvira lwa akanakanenje lwachira wikhali yo khuvila tsisaa shirini na ine tsya avele akalushili mu. Kenyekha ave yo matukhu kavaka ihale khurula khu misimbwa chiechie chya yayanza.

Inokia ya Don ikhuba ni vushietsanga mavwevwe niyirechesitsanga khutsia khukasi. Ayikala shiroyi shilala khu ahulili ka mukali wewe avolanga.

“Hallo”

“Shumanyi khali rwana rutititi runyala khumenya matukhu kavaka vuchila shililwa?” Obwocha avolanga.

“Eh? Toto ni?” Don amureva.

“Manyi shiambolanga.” Obwocha amuchipa.

“Haya, urio,” Don amuchipa napendukha khukalukha wa aruli. Alahulukha matukhu kaviri vuchira khwitsa khukasi.

Matukhu kavira. Shitioli shirenganga. Tsinzu tsyeru tsirikali vuchila mundu. Khwilukhanga iweru makhukone yo tawe. Liyoko lyi misimbwa. Lwanyi lwa Obwocha lwitsuli mandu, masambu na maua mumu na kalavaho vutswa khuli menya ma misimbwa chili.

Mu Lukhunne Obwocha akalukha khurula muluchendo navirila wa tsinyama tsisinzangwa niyitsa ni tsinyama tsinyishi. Don uloleshe, uranji khurema tsinyama ni ihaywa. Obwocha ulinji makhono kilishati lielie amkhonyanga. Obwocha alanga misimbwa khurula mushitioli, “Simba, Kappa, Chui…!” Misimbwa chitsyulanga. Apanga tsindoo hamuliango hi shitioli niyinjila mu nitsindoo tsivili tsyonyene. Alomoloma mwoyo kwa hasi nende kuvuhoma nasyuva vipenda vitsinyama mutsimbeka lukano lukano. Misimbwa chisalana nichiruma, nichichingana, nasakha nalanjilila “Lekha Chui! Lekha Duma!” Nalila, “Swara lekhaa…!” Shiyarulamu khulera indi inyama. Nikhali tsyimulia wosi; shihanga, vweni ni tsiseye. Chiakutulanyia mishi, nichirandula likhanda lyu mbili, nichikutulanya tsinyama, nichitong’olanyia vikumba, nichikhwesa liswi lielie khurula murwi nichimulia wosi.

Read the original – Wretches by Lutivini Majanja

Read “Umnyama” Ilotshwe Ngulutivini Majanja translated to Ndebele by Junior Moyo

Translator Bios:

Edwin Afwayi Liyai is writer and travel enthusiast. He has diploma in legal studies and currently works in the construction industry.

Lutivini Majanja’s writing has been published in Kwani?, McSweeney’s and The Golden Key. She holds a B.A from the University of Nairobi and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Maryland.

• Language: Lwisukha-Lwidakho (Luhya)