Collected by: Don Sybertz,   Scanned by: Cephas Yao Agbemenu

With special thanks to Rev Joe Healey (African proverbs,Sayings and stories)

Kale ulu munhu akatamba, kwene kuhaya wabhulaga ng’wanishi wa bhanhu, kiti shimba nulu ng’wanishi mu bhulugu kiti masai.

Mhayo gwa kwandya ulu washoka kufumila kubhulugu, ashike kuli Ntemi abhonwe. Bhandya bhanhu kung’winha ng’ombe. Ntemi nulu ng’ombe itano hu kumeng’helwa, kwinhiwa mhela iki bhukali wakwe mu bhulugu.

Huna lulu ntambi uzwikwa jilungu kuntwe. Uyo atatambile, atuzwala jilungu, kushika atambe wei ng’wenikili. Jilungu jene jimanikijo ja ikujo. Ikujo lya ntambi hu kuhaya giki, ali ngosha ati ng’obha. Bhatemi bhazwalaga jilungu ku nkono. Bhatambi bhazwalaga jilungu ku ntwe.

Kale ulu ntambi akabhulaga nulu bhanishi bhabhili, nulu bhatano wadimaga mabhuta ghabo. Udima bhuta ku luge. Bhuta wenubho witanagwa ikongolo, hangi wabhutaga nkono gwa kubhumoso bhanishi abho wabhabhulagaga, uja kaya adimile ikongolo na mashiganza kunu akwimbaga: “Mayi yuhii! Ikongolo kuntinya ng’wiyo bhabha sha bhulambu uyuhi!.

Lyene lyimbo lya bhakali, ulu bhayanda bhaligusija lyimbo lyenilo bhubishiwa ng’ombe bha sabho. Ulu bhegela kushika ntambi kihamo na bhose abhali bhaja ku bhulugu pye bha mayu bhubhasumbila bhalina tubhusiga twape bhubhabhibha (kubhamiza, kubhaponegeja) bhubhafupa na kubhita myoyo yabho ibhize yape na ibhize na bhukali kunu bhakutulaga kalupundu. (Ntambi abhonwe na ntemi kumeng’helwa).

Huna lulu bhita shigukulu. Pye bhanhu bhiza kulya shigukulu jenijo. Ulushiku lwene akubhegejiwa mabhugota atimbye ng’holo. Ongeje kubhiza na nguzu ja kutinda ng`wanishi. Oye kubhogoha bhanishi. Mabhugota gutulwa mu shiliwa na mu nyama bhuhaya lelo bhakali bhalilya ng’hali, bhalya ng’hali abhalibhaja ku bhulugu.

Uyu atajile atulya ng’hali. (nyama ya bhugota atuyegela, ulu nyama itatulilwe bhugota akuphonejiwa kiti ng`wa bhasalami.)

Lyimbo Lelo tukundegelekaga ha kipaganije kakwe, angu muna mbulutu akikalaga ng`wisenge nagaluke nikiya kubha ngelela bhakalisha miso bhana meatu, bhakalisha miso. Mayi yuhi, iohimu lyalumanga lyalya na wa kungongo, pye bhashilaga na bhana.

Ulu akabhulaga shimba wiza na ndili kihamo na mala gayo, bhamane wabhulagaga ng’hana. Iyuhi ikongolo kuntinya ng’wiyo bhabha shabhulambu, iyuhi nafuma mimbi, nikila lyane nakugwesaga. Iyuhi (kulila bhukali) ukugayiwa nhegetela nhendagulila, akupelaga, akupelaga aohimile, hii ukugayiwa nhegetela nhendagulila. Get this song from athanai.

Ikongolo- ikujo lya ntambi- ikongolo lya kulugalila. Wamalaga kutula ikongolo bhanishi bhatizingila (nduhu bhudula nose iki bhamalaga kulugala.)

Kiswahili: Ushindi Wa Mwenzio Hutauvalia Nishani

Zamani kama mtu akiua adui wakati wa vita, kama simba, au adui kwenye vita kama masai, alivikwa Nishani.

Jambo la kwanza anaporudi kutoka vitani, afike kwa Mtemi, (mfalme) aonwe. Watu huanza kumpa Ng’ombe. Mfalme au Mtemi aliweza kumpa hata ng’ombe watano, ambao hueleza hali ya kumpa zawadi, kwa ukali wake kwenye vita.

Ndipo shujaa huyo huvikwa nishani kichwani. Yule ambaye hakuua, havai nishani, mpaka aue yeye mwenyewe. Nishani hiyo, ni kitambulisho cha heshima. Heshima ya ushujaa ndiyo kusema, ni mwanaume, asiye muoga. Watemi walivaa nishani mkononi.  Mashujaa vitani walivaa nishani kichwani.

Zamani kama shujaa wa vita akiua maadui wawili, au watano, alishika pinde zao. Alishika upinde kwenye kamba ya kurushia mshale.  Upinde huo uliitwa Ikongolo. Tena alikata mkono wa kushoto wa maadui aliowaua. Alienda nyumbani akiwa ameshikilia ikongolo na viganja huku akiimba: “Mama yii! Ikongolo kumvamia mwenzako baba ni vigumu hivi!”

Huo ni wimbo wa wakali, kama vijana wakionekana wanachezea wimbo huo hupewa adhabu wale baba zao ya kutoa ng’ombe. Kama wakikaribia kufika nyumbani wale mashujaa na wote walioenda vitani, akina mama huwapokea wakiwa na mtama mweupe na kuanza kuwatupia, hiyo ikiwa ni ishara ya kuwapa moyo ili mioyo yao iwe mieupe na mikali huku wakipiga kigelele. (Hali hiyo huwa ni ishara ya kumtambulisha shujaa kwa Mtemi ili shujaa huyo apewe ng’ombe.)

Ndipo wanafanya sherehe. Watu wote huja kula sikukuu hiyo. Siku hiyo shujaa wa vita hutengenezewa dawa ili moyo wake utulie. Aongeze kuwa na nguvu za kuwashinda maadui.

Aache kuwaogopa maadui. Madawa hayo huwekwa kwenye chakula na kwenye nyama, wakisema, “leo wakali wanakula kali, wala kali walioenda kwenye vita.

Yule ambaye hakuenda kwenye vita hatakula hiyo kali. (nyama ya dawa hataisogelea, kama nyama ambayo haikuwekewa dawa, atatupiwa kama wanavyofanya kwenye jeshi la sungusungu.).

“Wimbo leo tutamsikiliza kujipenyeza kwake, eti ni wa mbulutu huwa kwenye mapaa, nigeuke na mashariki, kwa kinangelela waliangalia watu wa meatu, waliyalisha macho yao. Mama yii, hivyo ndivyo lilivyowafundisha, limekula na wa mgongoni, wote waliisha na watoto.”

Kama shujaa huyo aliua Simba huja na ngozi na kucha za yule Simba, ili watu waone kwamba kweli ameua. Ikawa ikongolo kumvamia mwenzio, baba ni vigumu, natoka jioni, na mkia wangu nauvuta. “Iyuhi (kulia ukali) utakosa bahati, kidogo nilie, akikimbia, akikimbia, hii hutakosa bahati kidogo nilie.”

Ikongolo ni hekima au heshima ya shujaa- Ikongolo huwa ni gongo la kufungia. Amemaliza kuweka ikongolo maadui wasiingie (hakuna uwezo wa kuingia mwishowe kwa vile wamemaliza kufunga).

ENGLISH: YOU WILL NOT PUT ON A SIGN OF TRIUMPH FOR YOUR FELLOW’S VICTORY

Long time ago if anyone killed the enemy during war, like a lion, or an enemy in battle, was dressed a sign of triumph.

The first thing when he comes back from the battle, he goes to Emperor, (king) to be seen. People begin to give him cows. The King or the Emperor could even give him five cows, which describe the condition of giving gifts to him in his fierce anger during war.

Then the warrior was wrapped up a victorial sign in his head. He who did not kill, does wear it, until he kills it by himself. That triumph sign, is a decent identification. The honor of courage is to say, he is a man who is not a coward. The kings wore triumph sign on his hand. The warriors in the warfare wore such victorial sign in wars, on their heads.

A long time ago if a warrior kills two, or five enemies, he took his bows. He held the bow on the arrows roller. The bow was called the “Ikongolo.” He also cut the left hand of the enemies whom he killed. He went home holding the Ikongolo and arms while singing: “Mama yii! Ikongolo kumvamia mwenzako baba ni vigumu hivi!” It means oh!! Mother to attack your fellow, dad is so difficult!”

That is a song of rage, as young people appearing to play such song their parents were punished by being asked to give a cow. As the heroes come home and all who went to war, mothers receive them by spittling white millets on them as a sign of giving them courage in their hearts so that they should not be frightened instead, they become strong in wars. (This is a symbol of identifying a hero to the king for the warrior to be given a cow.)

Then they celebrate. All people come to eat that feast. On that day a warrior is given medicine for making his heart calm. He will increase power for conquering enemies.

They should not be afraid of enemies. Those medicines are put on food and meat, saying, “Today the fierce ones are eating what makes them strong fighter.” Those who eat it are the worriors who went to the war.

The one who did not go to war would not eat that severe. (He will not come close to the meat of medicine, as meat that is not prescribed, will be given to him as they do in the sungusungu army.).

“The song today we will listen to his self-indulgence, that he is of mbulutu who is in the roofs, crawling on the east, to kinangelela who watched meatu people, they fed their eyes. The mother yii, so that is what I taught them, I have eaten even those what are on the back, all were finished with the children.”

If that warrior killed a lion, he comes with the skin and neills of that Lion, so that people can see that he really has killed. When Ikonkolo to attack your fellow, Daddy is hard, I went out in the evening, and my tail smoked. “Iyuhi (to cry fury) you will miss luck, slightly I cry, while running, running, this will not be a little luck I little cry.”

Ikongolo is wise or respectful sign to the worriar- The Ikongolo is a wood for closing. He has just put the Ikongolo enemies should not enter. (There is no ability to enter in as soon as they have finished closing).