Kateleelet Ab Waleet: Anan Ko Amu Nee Si Kotelel Chi Kowendi

Nandi (Kalenjin)

Gideon Chumo

Atkinye keny ko kibunei kimugulmet kelyek ak eunek kou tiong’ik alak chebo kelyek angwan. Kimugulmet ko kipchepchep kosiir kipleng’wet, cheplang’et anan kipsirichtet. Kelyek ak eunek ko kinegitchiin kosiir bitonewek che kergei: tikigoik ak suenutik; kutung’tab eut ak kutung’oik; kwariat ak rubeiyto; kelde besaik ak eunek kotinyei age tugul moriik mut chebo kelyek ak eunek kong’ete mornet neo nebo keldo ak mornet neo nebo eut ak mornet ne mining’ nebo keldo chepkildet. Eng’ betusiek choto mornet neo nebo eut, kelyek ak eunek ko kiguregei che tupcho che tai.

Eng’ noto anyun ko kelyek ak eunek ko kicham komuti borto olda tugul ole mochei kwo kou siro ak tugosiek ak kora komuch kolany getik ak tulondok anan ko olda tugul ole mochei borto kwo. Anan agot kou beek orit koyaei boisionoto tuwai kotoreti borto koreresan eng’ beek barak, kobir beek anan kochut orit beek.

Kiboisiei kelyek ak eunek eng’ kibagenge ak kosyinet. Kimuchi agot kosoom kebeberta age nebo borto kou twegunet kobun kutit, kaset ab it koun itit, misto kobun serut anan agot kereet kobun konyek. Noto anyun kingo kagosulda boisienwa ne kararan kwam ng’etkong’ kebeberwek alak. Kibwat kole kiek asen toretet ne kigabesenji naet nebo barak tupchosiekkwak. Kiam ng’etkong’ kot koborio ichek ne manai kole kelyek ak eunekwak che kimuch komut ole loo. Kibwat anyum ago kas kong’wan akobo kebeberwek tuwai kelyek ak eunek.

Kong’eet ng’elyepta kosoom kundit tetutiet ak kiinaam koboisie ng’omnotonoto eng’ chokyinet. Kimuch anyun kokwang’ee anyun ng’elyepta ak kundit kimnateet ne tinyei eunek ak kelyek. Kikwong’ kole ng’oo ne kiim eng’ icheek? Che tupcho tuwai kelyek ak eunek ko maibwaat kiy neya eng’ kwenunwaa akobo age. Eng’ noto anyun ko king’etyo kelyek ak eunek kobesen tuget bun kutit ak kotoi kole icheek koba kamonuuet mising’ kosiir alak eng’ borto. Nito anyun kowalak eng’ nematia ak kobwaat eunek kole kararan inendet kosiir kelyek amu tinyei siok che tenden eng’ eunekyik. kora ko kimwa eng’ laset ab kei ak sosisyeet kole kelyek kotinyei moriik che nwoken ago nyigisen. Kobelgei tuwai ak kole morikab keldo akobo morikab eut che tenden ak ko amei rubeet!

Kites tai kobelgei kou noto eng’ betusiek che chang’ kot ko maimuch koyai boisiet tuwai. Ki eng’ let kong’alale ng’alek ab kimnatet anan bounatet; kinaam anyun kosom kebeberwek alak chebo borto kong’alalji ak kosuldaji ng’alalenwa eng’ kalyet.

Kii ng’eleptya ne kimwa kole ngonyolgei keldo ak eut. Kabwatet ne kararan, kiyanjin tugul kou noti, ago amu nee? Kimwa alak kole nyolu, kokwetgei keldo ak eut. Komwa ala kole keurerene rotwet ab chok, urerietab soet ne kiwirtoi kou kartasisiek che kagigut kinde kosirto ak kewirta koba barak, labatet ana ko ureriet ab chess anan ko kejuek, ago ma iyan chi urerien noto amu kigewel ak memugaksei kotestai anan ko mesuldoi eng’ kebeberta age tugul nebo borto. Kimwa ng’elyepta kogeny kole nyolu kebeberta age tugul nebo borto ko nyolu kobelgei ak kebeberwek chemi borto kinaam anyum kabelisiet ketem timndo ne negit ak ainet. Kebeberwek chebo borto ko kichobotin akobo ng’oiyondit ne kiimuch kobit eng’ sait age tugul anan kiy ne imuch konam borto kolabul, kou noto anyun ko kigakochobok kebeberwek tugul akobo chemarget nemi orit. Kogeer konyeek ole lo oak ye negit kou agot ng’oiyondi ne mining’ mising’ nga ndanegit anan ko loo, kichobotin itiik akichek kogas twegunet nebunu ole negit anan ko ole loo; kong’et serut akinee kosuut song’ong’onik kong’u komie ole bunu misto eng’ ye kamait konyek amakas itiik akichek noto kochobot ng’elyepta kobol ak kowaach akobo ng’oiyondit ne kabit.

Koip koristo ng’alek tugul che kabiit eng’ kabelisiet koyom kebeberwek ang’wan chebo timndo, beek ab koristo. Tiong’iik ab kelyek ang’wan che kinaam koumgei ak che chang’ eng’ tiong’ik che eechen ko kisut barak soget ak morik ab getik che nyolileen ne kibooru kole kimii eng’ kalyeet. Ki kiptuiyet ab Cheplanget, Cheptuinet, Ng’etundo, Kipsiriteet, Kimagetiet, Beliot, Kipkoiting’yet, Tambesiet ak Teta ne koen kuinoik ak Soet ne nwageen kuinoik, Boinet, Kenyelet, Kipleng’wet, Bung’ung’wet ak Muriat. Tiong’iik ab beek, Magasta, Injiriot, Ting’ong’et ko kibwa gorik ngegat ab ainet ako bakach chun alak eng’ oino. Tiong’ik ab kelyek aeng’, Tiondo ab Songolik, Terkekyat ak tarityet ne simormor ko kibirto kebebaikwak eng’ boiboiyet neo; kiteiyo toritik komi getiik barak; kowokcho Keterinik atkai kora. Kiproroktet, Kutiet, Chepng’ong’ondet ak Kimorinit kochutgei eng’ ng’ungenyek barak anan ko getik. Kowaitagei Nyiritiet mutio koibei kasartanyi, kong’et chebenetiet kolabat ak kour ne memunyi agot agenge. Moseet, Moseet ab timdo neo, Moseet ab tulwet, kosiraar kong’etee mornet age nebo getit ak mornet age. Ngaa kibirtoigei getik ago ustos sogek kobendi kimasi ak kimasi, ko kigaas iit ichek ago telelso kounoto.

Kitoi Kutiit koyaat ureriet eng’ tiendo;

Kiyae nito si keboiboitu
Kiyae nito si keboiboitu
Kiyae nito si keboiboitu
Amu acheket tugul
Kebunuu yaityet agenge

Noto anyun ko kiiyosyo eunek ak kelyek koyan kiy age tugul ne kayak mat kobit chemarget, komuiset ab komanet, anan go komanet nebo mutio.

Kigoon eunek kabelisiet netai kole: kowirta kebebertab getit kitigin kwo ing’ony. Urerionoto ko kimagat keldo nebo kataam anan tai anan ko tuwai ip kokwei getoto ak kowirta. Noto anyuun ko kinyolu kelyek kotuiyo ak moriik ab keldo agenge agenge anan kong’alale asi kosuldae magwenwa. Kitiem komilda ak kotorta konyil che chang’ ago maimuugak ak kiibwat kole oret ne nyumnyum ko kitiar kwo tai kitigin. Kingooro kou noto ko kibesen morik tuget kobun kutiit ak korariso ak kiroriso. Konaam anyuun eunek ak neo nebo ureriet kochopgei kou yo mochei kobartagei eng’ siro, kobargei ak kobortoi eng’ lasetabgei borwekwak che tenden ak ki eng’ nematia ko kiituiyogei kocher ketoto. Kiwirta anyun kwo timiin,, koboru kibagenge ak boiboiyet eng’ kwenetab kabeliik at setiet. Eng’ urierionoto kora, ko kiibor ng’omnatet neo ne kikweei ng’aniek che mengeech che kikiburuch ak mucheelek ak komuch kora kocher sundanusiek akoratyin ak usisiek ak chematiret si komuch korotyin ak kochuut getik che nyigisen; ak kwai kora ng’otwek che kimuch kotorta kwo ole loo; ng’omnatate ak boisionik che kimagomuch morikab kelyek koyai kong’et kityo koruotyi akobo not. Kiimuchi kityo kelyek kotep ing’ony ak kokwong’ee ng’omnatet ak chepchebindo ak wisisindo nebo borwekwak. Korabach anyuun eunek setiet eng’ kakaset ab kei nebo barak ak kibagenge ak siritienwa eunek che kinyool kelyek eng’ siret nebo barak. Ngo no ko minamach eunek kokongei kitep ing’ony ak koboor chorirnateit ak kong’etyo morik che eechen konaam koiyem ak kosir ak konamgei eun eng’ ng’aniek barak. Kiibwaat eng’ yoto kito ne yaei nebo let si kosiir ichek.

Nebo let anyuun ko ki kasarta nebo kelyek ak eunek koboor katerteret. Kimwa ichek kole nyolu eunek komuuch kokanap borto tugul komugul kong’eete keberberta tugul. Berberiet ne tia kiibwaat morik chebo laset ab gei. Kinoto ko kigertoet si kiro. Kiy age tugul ne tokyingei borto ko kiptuibotoi. Kitiny eunek ng’ung’unyek, korikyi konyek ing’onyut, ak kiba kiburyet serut asi koipchi noto korion, kosakwan kelyek and moriik eng’ soeet: morondut barak, kiiwokcho setiet ak kotien eng’ ureriet.

Morondut Morondut barak
Momi Ng’ala
Osup morondut
Momi ng’ala
Ongetoriren eng’ soeet

Ngaa noo ko kasetab it ko kikirotyiin rubiywek ak eunek. Kebeberwek eng’ ne matia komuch mabesio agot kitigin. Kakwautik che matia kiririo eunek eng’ ng’wonindo ak eunek kotoitoen ak kometogei ak borto. Kiimuny ak kotiem kogeny ne tiemutiet nebo let. Eng’ nito anyuun ko kitiem kochuul moriik komie sikonam ing’onyuut ago morik che eechen che kiimuch kochuul. Kitiem cheptiiret ago kimaimugak nito amu kagesunenyi ko kitiinyegei ak kelyek. Ki kasarta nebo morik che eechen kororiso. Kisoom kutit tuget kobun mokta asi konyolgei tugenwa ak nebo moriik ab kelyek. Kingogas anyuun eunek kogachot siyok konerech ak kobwaat kotiem kimnatet nebo let koganap borto. Ngaa noo ko maimuch morik kosut borto kwo barak agot kakwautiet agenge. Kingo kagong’etyo eunek ak moriik kogoon gei. Kiibor eng’ yoto kelyek eng’ boiboiyet nebo barak eng’ chepchepindo; kitiem anyuun kelyek kotwaal, kolabat ak kora kotiem kakwautik tutugin chebo kasiraret kwo barak ak kotoroomben chemasireitet ak kotilda, kou noto anyuun koboiboichi setiet urerionoto kot kobire kelyek ing’ony eng’ boiboiyet neo kot eng’ kibagenge. Kisut rotionoik eunekwek koba barak komaiyan ichek kou noto nga kiinomi urerionoto.

Nga kou noto ak kibiit kiy ne ataal eng’ rotionoik kingo kakochuul ak moriik che eechen ye kitiemei agine eunek koip borto, ko king’eet kobesiotin a moriik chun alak. Ago keberberwek alak che kibelegei ak moriik alak ko kimochei konaam kororiso ye kingonai kole kotabala nebo eut koipchin nwogindo mata koyai kiy eut, kotes kimnatetab ne namee. Nee nito? Kimwa kole solomwo komuch kowalak kosich kimnatet ne waley gei.

Kitestai ng’alalet eng’ kwenetab kebeberwek kotil ak koboor kobelindet eng’ betusiek muut, ago mwa kole nyolu kotinyei moriik che mengech ak moriik che echen eng’ borto agenge. Nga kites tai ak komach kou noto ko maimugak kobiit kobelindet. Kebeberta age tugul nebo borto kwaei boisiet ne kararan ne ma siirei age, age. Kibiit anyuun tuiyeet nebo biik che ng’omeen, ak koteep kole nee borto egai; kiteep tugul kou noto. Kimwa kole, ngaa gaa borto ko ichek tugul; kebeberta age tugul nebo borto kotinyei boisiennyii.

Kigosyiin anyuun kole kong’etee betut noto konyolu kowendot borto koteleli, ak kole kebeberta age tugul ko nyolu kobois nemie asi koipchi kebeberwek chuun kosuldae boisiet agenge. Kou noto anyuun, kites tai borto komut kelyek kogerei barak ak eunek komi soet agichek.

Asi tuun komabit kabelet ab kei eng’ betusiek chebo tai ak kegirinda bolotet ne imuuch kobit eng’ oret ko kigosyin kebeberwek tugul. Kobaibaiit anyuun borto akobo noto ak kiiyan kechamji lagook kobendate kelyek ak eunek eng’ soeet asi mautyee ole kibunu. Kipchei anyuun boisionik: kole kelyek komuti borto agoi ole kait kong’eet eunek agicheck kwai boisiet ne magat anan konomei tuguk che kiboisie kou pangeet, rotweet, ak alak. Kou noto anyuun, amu aei boisiet neo kelyek ak keldebesaik; ko eunek ak ichek konyoolu koboisie ng’omnatet ne kararan eng’ ripetab tililindo nebo sang’ ak kobae amitwoogik kutit.
Kutiit anan ko keleekchiik komuuch konyei amitwogik ak kookta kwa mogto agoi moo. Kong’eet moet konaam kochiil amitwogik che kororon tugul koranda koba kebeberwek kobun tigitik ab borto eng’ oret age tugul ne imugaksei. Amitwogik che kageboisie korandoi borto koba kapng’atat, anan ole mii boroindo, kotup eng’ ng’ung’unyeek asi koakwait. Komuuch kobiit timndo agoii logoeck; eng’ yoto komuch eunek kobut tutugin ak konde guut. Oyie, kotestai sobeet.

Agot ureriosiek ak tookset ko kigipcheei; tienwogiik, roriot ak ng’alalet ko ki gokimetooji kutiit. Kiptuulit labateet ak katiaret kobunji kelyek. Eunek ko kemetooji kiptuulit ab baoinik ak chematiiret ab kitoongok, kong’et kityo kotooret kelyek labateet. Ak eng’ ureriosiek ab rwaet, ko kinenywa kasarta kelyek. Kitogunotin kabesiet ab boisionik ab borta kogergeiit ak karnet ne boisie korotik kosiir tiong’iik che eechen eng’ tuguuk che katanyoru, kochang’ ak komi barak eng’ kararanindo.

Nga ingen kebeberwekab borto kole kikiyai icheek ne mawalaksei kobiitu kora toiyet. Ngo mii metit barak yoo komuuch kobwaat kole kaigai ineendet kosiir kelyek che tyechei ing’ony ak kobwaat koke kora metit ko kondoindet ine nebo kebeberwek chemi kelunnyii, kiboitinik kityo. Kimwa kole eng’ komostaab kimnatet, ko kergei metit ak kebeberwek chuun alak chemi kelunnyi ne kiigimit kora ko kiyanjiin kole kebeberwek tugul ngonyoor ng’wonindo ak boiboiyet kogasei tugul kou noto. Noto anyuun kateunet ko mi, kelenji kutiit ye ng’ololi koleen nenyu ni anan ko noo, kong’alaale ko borto agenge ago ma inegei kityo.

Kitienso kouni:
Eng’ bortonnyo
Ko momi otwogiindo
Eng’ bortonnyo
Ko momi otwogiindo
Ki boisiechini geei
Akobo acheek
Ki boisiechini geei
Akobo acheek
Ki boisiechini geei
Ng’elyepta ko tugennyo
Kanabaa asa akanabin
Kiteche borto ne baibai
Kanabaa asa akanabin
Kororonido ko kibagenge

Achek tugul keboisiei
Akobo borta ne kararan
Achek tugul keboisiei
Akobo borta ne kararan
Kibagenge ko kimnatennyo

Kiyek nito anyuun tiendaab borto. Nito anyuun tienni borto agoi ra ak nito ne ibooru terchineet eng’ kwenut ab biik ak tiong’iik ana ichek che kiesyo kotelel eng’ biteet ab kateleelet ab waleet.

Kotabala kito ne kiiro tiong’iik ab kelyek angwan ko kimago tabiitu cheuu acheek eng’ yaeet.boisietab tiendo ko kimago mugoksei. Kutiit ko kigiyai kwomiis ma kotien. Kou noto anyuun, ko kiumgei ak konaam kouch kebebertannywa nebo boloteet kou bitenwa ak koesio kowal atebosiekwaak.

Ngonetkei biik kobun kebeberwaak kwoei ne kararan ak ago ye iro borto ak metit komi luget, komaitos, konaam anyuun kobwa konegite yemi tupchosiekwaak che tiong’iik che kiesyo biteet nebo kateleelet ab waleet.

~
Read the English translation – The Upright Revolution: Or Why Humans Walk Upright by Ngugi wa Thiong’o

Gideon Chumo (Mr. Roundsquare) is a dark humour monger, tramedist, and fictioneer of maximalist prose, poetry and short story. He studied English Language, Linguistics and Literature in college, and taught for long in the Horn of Africa before retiring back home to HR practice. You can catch up with him @Chumolet or in http://www.myroundsquare.bl­ogspot.com and http://www.abortedpoet.word­press.com