Sukuma Proverbs

1289. BHACHOJI BHA NHULAGUJI.

Inhulaguji jili ngoko ijo jigicholelaga jiliwa bho gukulagula hasi. Abhachoji bha nhulaguji bhali bhachoji bha ngoko kunguno ya kikalile kajo kenako akagumana jukulagula bhuli makanza. Hunagwene abhachoji bhajo bhagitangwa giki “bhachoji bha nhulaguji.”

Ulusumo lunulo lugalenganijiyagwa kubhitoji abho bhagabhalangaga gwicholela chiza abhana bhabho, umuwikaji bhobho. Abhitoji bhenabho bhagabhalangaga gwicholela chiza abhana bhabho bho gumisha diyu bhaja gujutumama milimo yabho kunguno ya witegeleja bhobho ubho gwigulambija gutumama milimo yabho chiza. Abhoyi bhagabhakujaga abhana bhabho bhadebhile ugutumama imilimo yao chiza kunguno ya bhukamu bho gutumama milimo yabho chiza bhuli makanza umuwikaji bhobho bhunubho.

Abhanhu bhenabho bhagikolaga nabho chacholaga nhulaguji kunguno nabhoyi bhagabhalangaga abhana bhabho gwigulambija kutumama milimo yabho chiza umuwikaji bhobho. Hunagwene abhanhu bhagabhitanaga giki, “bhachoji bha nhulaguji.”

Ulusumo lunulo, lolanga bhanhu higulya ya gwigulambija gutumama milimo yabho bho bhukamu bhutale, kugiki bhadule kupandika matwajo mingi, umuwikaji bhobho bhunubho.

Mwanzo 9:7.

Mathayo 23:37.

Waamuzi 13:3.

Zaburi 28:3.

KISWAHILI: WATAFUTAJI WA PEKUA PEKUA.

Pekua pekua ni kuku ambao hutafuta chakula kwa kupekua pekua chini. Watafutaji wa pekua pekua ni watafuta wa kuku kwa sababu ya aina hiyo ya kuishi kwa kupekua pekua kila wakati. Ndiyo maana watu hao huwaita kwamba ni “watafutaji wa pekua pekua.”

Methali hiyo, hulinganishwa kwa wana ndoa wale ambao huwafundisha watoto wao namna ya kujitafutia, maishani mwao. Wana ndoa hao huwafundisha watu wao kwa kuamka asabuhi kwenda kufanya kazi zao vizuri kwa sababu ya umakini wao huo wa kujibidisha kufanya kazi vizuri. Wao huwakuza watoto wao wakiwa na ufahamu wa kufanya kazi vizuri kwa sababu ya bidii yao hiyo ya kufanya kazi zao vizuri kila wakati, mashani mwao.

Watu hao hufanana na hao wapekuzi kwa sababu nao huwafundisha watu wao juu ya kujibidisha kufanya kazi zao vizuri maishani mwao. Ndiyo maana watu huwaita kwamba ni “watatutaji wa pekua pekua.”

Methali hiyo, hufundisha watu juu ya kujibidisha kufanya kazi zao kwa bidii kubwa, ili waweze kupata mafanikio mengi maishani mwao.

Mwanzo 9:7.

Mathayo 23:37.

Waamuzi 13:3.

Zaburi 28:3.

ENGLISH: CANVASSERS OF SEARCHERS

Canvassers are chicken that search for food by pecking on the ground. Foragers are chicken scavengers because of that kind of constant seeking lifestyle of their needs. That is why people call them “canvassers of searchers.”

This proverb is equaled to married people who teach their children on how to find basic needs by themselves in their lives. Those married people teach their children on how to wake up in the morning and do their jobs well because of their good responsiveness enough to work well. They nurture their children by giving them necessary knowledge for working well because of their effort to nicely do their works every time in their lives.

These people are similar to the constant food searching of chicken  because they also teach their people on how to work hard in doing their jobs. That is why people call them “canvassers of searchers.”

This proverb teaches people on how to force themselves in doing their works with great effort, so that they can acquire a lot of success in their lives.

Genesis 9:7.

Matthew 23:37.

Judges 13:3.

Psalm 28:3.

 

 

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1282. NG`WILU WA NZWILI CHEYO

Imbuki ya ulusumo lunulo inhoyelile Nkima uyo wikalaga muchalo jilebhe umusi ya bhasuguma. Oli na nzwili ndiihu na nzwi. Oli nsoga, na mfula uyo oswalaga chiza bhuli makanza. Olintalaamu uyo uipyagulaga chiza inumba yakwe na ogaga chiza bhuli makanza.

Oli ng’wiza ng’holo noyi uyo uyilanhanaga chiza ikaya yakwe mpaga nu ngoshi wikalaga na bhuyegi kunguno ya kikalile kawiza ka nke okwe kenako. Hunagwene abhanhu bhagang’witana giki, “Ng’wilu wa nzwili cheyo”

Ulusumo lunulo lugalenganijiyagwa kubha mayu abho bhagajilelaga chiza ikaya jabho umuwikaji bhobho bhunubho. Abha mayu bhenabho, bhagajilelaga ikaya jabho bho gubhalanga abhanhu bhabho higulya yagwikala na bhutogwa bho gwikala na mholele na bhanhu  bhose kunguno ya nhungwa jabho ijawiza jinijo umuwikaji bhosho. Abhoyi bhagikala na bhuyegi  umukaya jabho kunguno ya gubhalela bho gwikala na witogwi abhanhu bhabho bhenabho.

Ulusumo lunulo lolanga bhanhu no no abhakima higulya ya gwikala na bhutengeka bho gujilanhana chiza ikaya jabho kugiki bhadule gwikala na bhuyegi bhutale umuwikaji bhobho bhunubho.

Wimbo Ulio Bora 6:4-5

Wimbo Ulio Bora 4:1-2: “

Luka 1:26-38

KISWAHILI: WEUPE WA NYWELE NI UFAGIO.

Asili ya methali hii inamhusu mwanamke aliyeishi katika kijiji fulani katika ardhi ya Wasukuma. Alikuwa na nywele ndefu na mvi. Alikuwa mrembo, msafi na amevalia vizuri kila wakati. Hakutaka kuona mazingira machafu karibu yake. Alijitunza (mwili wake), familia yake, wengine, nyumba na mazingira kwa ujumla. Alikuwa mkarimu, mnyenyekevu, mkaribishaji, na mchangamfu na mwenye moyo mzuri na tabia. Ili kufupisha hadithi, aliishi vizuri na kila mtu katika kijiji chake. Mume alifurahi na kujivunia kuwa na mke wa aina hiyo. Alisifiwa kwa kuoa mke anayejali. Alijipenda na kujijali mwenyewe na wengine; daima alikuwa akiangaza.

Kila mwanakijiji alimpenda mwanamke huyu kwa sababu alikuwa na sifa za mwanamke/mama mzuri. Aliwafundisha watoto wake kujipenda na kujijali wao wenyewe na kwa wengine na zaidi kuishi kama umoja (udugu). Aliwalea watoto wake kwa kuwafundisha tabia njema na maadili kama vile kuwasikiliza na kuwaheshimu wazee. Watoto wake wakawa mifano mizuri katika jamii. Alikuwa mfano mzuri kwa wanawake wote kijijini kwao. Wasukuma wanatumia methali hii ya “Ng’wilu wa nzwili cheyo” kuwafunza watu katika jamii hasa wanawake na wasichana kwamba wanapaswa kuwa warembo nje ya mwili na ndani (moyo wao). Mwanamke anapokuwa na moyo mzuri jamii nzima itafundishwa na wema wake kwa sababu yeye hupitisha maadili haya kwa watoto. Katika Kiswahili kuna methali inayofanana na hii: “Uzuri wa mwanamke ni tabia yake”.

Methali hii hufundisha watu hasa wanawake juu ya wema na utunzaji wa nyumba na mazingira na kujua kuwafundisha watoto maadili hayo mema kama mama ili familia na jamii kwa ujumla iishi maisha yenye furaha na utimilifu pale penye maelewano, upendo. na kujaliana.

Wimbo Ulio Bora 6:4-5

Wimbo Ulio Bora 4:1-2.

Luka 1:26-38.

ENGLISH: HAVING WHITE HAIR IS A BROOM.

BACKGROUND, MEANING AND EVERYDAY USE

The origin of this proverb concerns a woman who existed in a certain village in Sukuma land. She had long and grey hair. She was beautiful, clean and always dressed properly. She did not want to see dirty environment around her. She took care of herself (her body), her family, others, house and the surrounding in general. She was kind, humble, welcoming, and cheerful with a good heart and behavior. To cut the story short, she lived well with everybody in her village. The husband was happy and proud to have such a wife. He was praised for marrying such a caring wife. She loved and cared for herself and others; she was always shining.

 Every villager admired this woman because she had qualities of a good woman/mother. She taught her children to love and care for themselves and for others and foremost to live as one (brotherhood) unity. She raised her children by teaching the good manners and values like listening and respecting elders. Her children became good examples in the society. She was a good example to all women in her village. The Sukuma use this proverb “Ng’wilu wa nzwili cheyo” to teach people in the society especially women and girls that they have to be beautiful outside the body and inside (their heart). When the woman is good hearted the whole society will be taught by her goodness because she transmits these values to children. In Swahili there is a proverb similar to this: “Uzuri wa Mwanamke tabia”, translated as the beauty of a woman is her behavior.

This proverb teaches people especially women about goodness and taking care of the house and environment and knowing to teach those good values to children as mothers in order that the family and society at large may live happy and fulfilled life where there is harmony, love and care for each other.

BIBLICAL PARALLELS

Song of Songs 6: 4-5 “You are as beautiful as Tirzah, my darling, as lovely as Jerusalem, as majestic as troops with banners. Turn your eyes from me; they overwhelm me. Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from Gilead.”

Song of Songs 4: 1-2: “How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes behind your veil are doves. Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from the hills of Gilead. Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn, coming up from the washing. Each has its twin; not one of them is alone.”

Luke 1:26-38 “ In the sixth month of Elizabeth`s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin`s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob`s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

“How will this be ,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God…” I am the Lord`s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

CONTEMPORARY USE AND RELIGIOUS APPLICATION

This sukuma proverbs invites people not only to take care of themselves, their body or appearance but also to have a good behavior and good heart. That is to be clean outside the body and inside the body (heart). When they are good to themselves and their fellow human beings (neighbors, family members) they will live a happy life where love, peace and brotherhood is experienced. It is when they live in love with oneself and with others as Jesus states in the commandment of love that they are really serving God.

It encourages and teaches them that when you have good behavior and good heart God can use them as an instruments to spread the Good News in our family and our Small Christian Communities by our examples of love and care. When we live Christian values of love, respect, care for the others especially the poor and needy, obedience to our elders and parents, or strive for unite, peace and justice in our homes and the society we can draw many people to become disciples of Jesus. The Virgin Mary is a good example of God’s instrument that God used to bring salvation to the whole world.

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1281. INYUMBA YINOGA PEYINA VANU. (BENA)

KISWAHILI: NYUMBA INAPENDEZA IKIWA NA WATU.

ENGLISH: A HOUSE IS BEAUTIFUL IF IT HAS PEOPLE.

Background, Meaning and Everyday Use

This proverb talks about a man who was rich and owned a luxurious house. Unfortunately, he did not know how to live and socialize with people. The Wabena Ethnic Group around 1,322,000 people use this proverb.  This ethnic group is one of the Bantu Ethnic Groups in Tanzania. They like to live in the mountains and in places with rivers with a lot of water.  The Bena people use stories, dances, idioms, songs, games and various sayings in teaching, criticizing and educating the community, especially their younger generation.  Inyumba yinoga peyina vanu means (A house is beautiful if it has people) is one of the proverbs they use.

It happened that in their village of Navalonge Swela, there was a Mr. Nyongise, a rich man who built many housing estates. He had a large area, enough entertainment grounds and a place to raise animals. People really liked the houses and went to plan them so that they could live and others could do their business. However, unfortunately, people did not manage to live in those houses; they stayed for a short time and then left. No one could stay long. The houses remained empty, the locals were surprised and wanted to know what was going on.

Fortunately, when a tenant was going out, he passed by saying that this old man is disrespectful, very annoying and wants the tenants to live by doing what he wants. He is also a drunkard and a person who loves luxury so “we have decided to leave because we are afraid that his behaviour will destroy our children.”

After a while old Nyongise spent all his assets. He was left with nothing, he gave up and looked for a way to demolish his house and move to another area because he was ashamed in front of the villagers due to his pride.

Locals and well-wishers approached him, advised and encouraged him to stop his bad behaviour and cooperate well with others. The old man agreed and apologized, he promised to change his behaviour and that he would help the poor since he had a lot of wealth. He fulfilled his promise to help the poor.

Then the locals after seeing this said Inyumba yinoga peyina vanu that means A house is beautiful if it has people. This is how this proverb started and continues to be used until now.

This proverb is compared to many rich people who forget that their wealth comes from God, so when they have wealth they look down on others.  These people are the same as old Nyongise who abused them, despised them and refused to have a relationship because of his wealth. People laughed at them because in the end he ended up being poor like the others.

This proverb teaches to love, to care for all people and to respect them, whether they are rich or poor.

Biblical Parallels

Luke 14:23: “And the lord said unto the servant, go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.”

Isaiah 32:18: “My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.”

2 Chronicles 8:2: “Solomon rebuilt the villages that Hiram had given him, and settled Israelites in them.”

Deuteronomy 8.12, 14: “Look, when you have eaten and are full, and build a beautiful house and live in it, then your heart should not rise, and forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery.”

Contemporary Use And Religious Application

This Bena Proverb encourages all people to keep and to maintain their good traditions. We need to build cooperation so that we can live as one family. That is why the Catholic Church today emphasizes the importance of participating in Small Christian Communities (SCCs). It is a good place to meet, teach and help each other. Children are helped to grow in good Christian traditions and customs. Let us work together as brothers and sisters.

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Text by:

Sister Felisia Mbifile, SCSF

Email: felisiambifile@gmail.com

1280. MBELE ILINAOKO UTIPAMA ISHIKE.

 

 

 

KISWAHILI: UKIWA NA WA KUKUONGOZA HUWEZI KUJIKWAA.

 

 

ENGLISH: IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE LEADING YOU, YOU CANNOT LOSE THE WAY.

 
 

 


Background, Meaning and Everyday Use

The Sukuma People, one among the ethnic groups found in Tanzania, use proverbs, sayings, songs and riddles to convey some important messages to a particular person or to a group of people in the community, depending on the certain circumstances.

In Tanzania there is very common Swahili proverb known as zimwi likujualo halikuli ukakwisha (a ghost that knows you cannot devour you completely). This proverb is well used to address people to live a suitable life in the community so as to keep the gift of fraternity alive because no one knows about tomorrow. Thus you can undermine someone today and tomorrow you go to seek for his or her help. This Swahili proverb made me to go to my Sukuma language to search for a similar proverb. When I asked, immediately my grandfather told me such a proverb in Sukuma known as mbele ilinaoko utipoma/utipama ishike (if you have someone leading  you, you cannot lose the way).

This Sukuma proverb shows the complexity of the Sukuma language and the difficulty of translation. First, both utipoma and utipama are used depending on what part of Sukumaland you are living in, for example, Mwanza or Nyalikungu. Second, there are three possible English translations:

The meaning of this proverb is: ON THE NECESSITY OF LEAVING A GOOD LEGACY.  When you are living somewhere, try to be nice to people because you never know what will happen in the future. If you are a parent leave a good legacy to your children. Such a legacy will help them build their daily activities and be trusted.

Biblical Parallels

John 14: 1-3: “Let not your hearts be troubled. I will go and prepare a place for you. I will come again and I will take you to myself. That where I am you may also be.”

Romans 16: 1-2: “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deaconess of the church at Cenchreae, that you may receive her in the Lord as benefits the saints, and help her in whatever she may require from you, for she has been a helper of many and of myself as well.”

1 John 5:14: “This is the confidence we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.”

Psalm 133:1: “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters dwell in unity!”

Contemporary Use And Religious Application

We are living in intercultural societies, where we can help each other through sharing the core values found in our cultures. It our task today here and now to rediscover the treasure found in our cultures. Through them we can transfer a message or speech of many words in a single sentence that communicates the same thing that could be given in a long message. Thus this proverb can be a compendium for all of us to leave a life worthy for all called to be Christians. Leaving a legacy behind us makes us to be alive even in our absence.

Think of some of our legacies such as: Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, the Founding President of Tanzania. Among Catholic Bishops Bishop Christopher Mwoleka, one of the Bishop Founders of Small Christian Communities (SCCs) in Eastern Africa. Among African theologians Father Laurenti Magesa. More recent legacies are the SCC Model of Church and the Synodal Process.

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Prepared by:

Rev. Deacon Paschal Mahalagu

Deacon of the Catholic Diocese of Shinyanga

P.O Box 47

Shinyanga, Tanzania

Email: paschalmahalagu@gmail.com

Cellphone: +255755180893

Photographs by:

Rev. Zakaria Kashinje, OSA
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Cellphones:
+255-756-887787 Vodacom
+255-717-3337787 Tigo
+255-786-337787 Airtel
Email: zkashinje@gmail.com
zkashinje@yahoo.co.uk

1279.UMWANA VA MYAGO YE MWANA VAKO. (Bena)

Umwana va myago ye mwana vako. (Bena)

Mtoto wa mwenzako ni mtoto wako. (Swahili)

 

 ENGLISH: YOUR COLLEAGUE’S CHILD IS YOUR CHILD
 

Background, Meaning and Everyday Use

This proverb is used by the people of the Bena Ethnic Group. It encourages unity and cooperation in raising a child. About 1,322,000, the Wabena are in Tanzania. They are found in the Njombe Region. The Wabena, like other ethnic groups in Tanzania, have different cultures, sayings, proverbs and stories that are used in teaching their generations. They have five dialects that are used and vary in speaking according to the places where they live.

The Wabena are famous in teaching good morals to their children. For example, the Wabena confess and believe that their legacy — that will make them recognized and loved by many — is to raise a child in good morals so the children grow up in great discipline and respect that goes along with working for hard work and to bring solidarity and unity in the community.

In the beginning these Bena families were living far apart — from one family to another family. In this situation each of the families was struggling to raise their children and set regulations and rules for themselves that were different from other families, so there was a great lack of understanding that perhaps caused marriages to break.

Because of this, the Chief of the Bena decided to call a meeting of the elders who gathered together and held a joint discussion on how to protect, maintain and take care of their culture. They agreed that every parent and each person should realize that their colleague’s child is his or her child wherever they see and meet them. Then they created this proverb: Your colleague’s child is your child. In this sense even the children respected each parent as their own parent.

This proverb is compared to families who until today maintain a good culture of upbringing regardless of whose child it is. It is also compared to the humble people who live with the Bena and like to draw this wealth of upbringing mixing it with their good traditions in the upbringing of the child. They differ from those who are proud and see that these customs are outdated and do not accept to learn anything.

This proverb is likened to people of families who are unstable and careless, who like to live alone and think they don’t need others in the care of children. They continue every day to lose their good traditions and customs and instead imitate the bad ones and thus destroy the whole moral system of children in society and even adults.

Biblical Parallels

Proverb 22:6: “Bring up the child in the right way, and he will not leave you, even when he or she is old.”

Luke 2:52:“Jesus grew in wisdom and stature pleasing God and people.”

Deuteronomy 6:7: “Teach your children diligently. Speak to them when you are in the house and when you walk on the road and when you sleep and when you leave.”

Contemporary Use And Religious Application

This proverb teaches people to be united and to repeat their good customs, to stick together in the whole matter of the upbringing and development of a child especially in today’s world. These days we gather with our colleagues in Small Christian Communities. Let us go with our children to the SCCs. Then go through the teachings and the help they will hear in these gatherings. The children can be strengthened not only personally but spiritually and morally as well.

The Bishops of AMECEA in their meetings encourage and strengthen the growth of Small Christian Communities in Africa that is a whole system of cooperation and unity, reading the Word of God and finding a way to live that Word. These are the challenges we have to strengthen our children in Christian teachings and social values.

This proverb about children and families is especially timely as the delegates from Africa who are participating in the Second Session of the Synod in Rome in October 2024 plan to  highlight the importance of the family as the Domestic Church and the Church Family of God.

 

 

Text by:

Sister Felisia Mbifile, SCSF

Rome, Italy

Phone No: +254792229035

Email: felisiambifile@gmail.com

 

Photographs by:

Rev. Zakaria Kashinje, OSA
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Cellphones:
+255-756-887787 Vodacom
+255-717-3337787 Tigo
+255-786-337787 Airtel
Email: zkashinje@gmail.com
zkashinje@yahoo.co.uk