Ulusumo lunulo luhoyelile higulya ya kikalile kabhasuguma abho bhali bhamo bha makabhila ayo galihoyi umu Si ya Tanzania. Abhanhu bhenabho bhagatumilaga Sumo ijinagwiigwilija nhulu jabho. Abhoyi bhagasugaga mitugo guti ng’ombe ijo bhagajitumililaga ugudebha kajile kabhichabho.

 Abhanhu bhenabho bhagafunyaga bhulangwa kubhanhu bhabho munzila jinijo. Kunguno yiniyo lulu, ulusumo lunulo lulolile ng’ombe iyo igatongelaga ugujung’wa aminzi umulitabha, nulu umu mongo. Ing’ombe yiniyo igang’waga minzi milu kunguno gagikalaga giyingile bho gusaga higulya ya bhulolo ubho bhugabhizaga hasi.

 Aliyo lulu, iyoyi igang’waga amingi genayo ukunhu ipandile amagulu gayo  mumo litabha linilo, nulu mumo mongo gunuyo. Kunguno yiniyo lulu, ing’ombe yiniyo igagayugulaga amingi genayo mpaga gisangilija na bhulolo, aliyo iyoyi yang’waga minzi masoga. Ijingi jigusanga minze mayugiku. Hunagwene abhanhu bhagayombaga giki, “ng’honga mbele igang’waga minzi milu.”

Usulumo lunulo lugalenganijiyagwa kubhanhu abho bhajaga nulu ha nimo guti kujumuiya abho bhagipangaga nsitali kuja gujupandika ginhu guti jiliwa. Kuyiniyo lulu, uyo agatongelaga ugusola ijiliwa jinijio agapandikaga jiliwa jisoga gulebha abho bhagashigaga nhuma. Hunagwene abhanhu abhagayombaga giki, “nhonga mbele igang’waga minzi milu.”

Ulusumo lunulo lolanga bhanhu higulya ya gwangusha gujutumama imilimo yabho bho gwanguha ugushiga uko bhitanililagwa.

 Lulilanga bhanhu higulya ya gwanguha kuhoyela mihayo ya sinodi ya bhamusenyere, kugiki bhadule gulumana na gutumama kihamo umugugutananhya umhayo go ng’wa Sebha.

Mathayo 18:19-20.

1Yohana 5:14.

Zaburi 133:1.

KISWAHILI: ANAYETANGULIA MBELE HUNYWA MAJI SAFI.

Methali hiyo huongelea maisha ya wasukuma ambao ni miongoni mwa makabila yanayoishi nchini Tanzania. Watu hao hutumia methali katika kufikisha ujumbe walionao kwa wenzao. Wao hufuga mifugo kama vile ng’ombe watumikao kueleza mienendo yao.

 Watu hao hutoa malezi mbalimbali kwa watu wao kupitia mazingira hayo. Huo ndiyo mwanzo wa methali hiyo, ambayo huangalia ng’ombe atanguliae kwenda kunywa maji kwenye lambo au mtoni. Ng’ombe huyo, hunywa maji masafi kwa sababu huwa yamejichuja kwa kubakia juu na matope kwenda chini.

 Lakini ng’ombe huyo, hunywa maji hayo huku amekanyaga miguu yake ndani ya maji hayo au lambo hilo. Hivyo yeye huyavuluga maji hayo wakati anapokunywa yale yaliyo mazuri au masafi. Wale wanaofika kunywa baada yake, hunywa machafu. Ndiyo maana watu husema kwamba, “Inayotangulia kufika (kwa kawaida katika kundi la ng’ombe) hunywa maji safi.”

Methali hiyo,  hufundisha watu juu ya kuwahi kufika kwenye sehemu ya tukio walioalikwa ili wakafaidike vizuri kupata ujumbe uliondaliwa. Kwa hiyo, yule atakayewahi kufika atafaidika kupata yale yote yaliyoandaliwa hapo. Lakini yule atakayechelewa atakosa. Ndiyo maana watu humwambia kwamba, “mtu anayeongoza (kwa kawaida katika kundi la ng’ombe) hunywa maji safi.”

Siku moja nikiwa na uzoefu wa uchungaji katika jumuiya fulani ndogo ya wakristo, baada ya kumaliza maombi ya jumuiya na kushiriki tulipanga foleni kwa ajili ya chakula cha mchana, kwenye mstari nilikuwa mtu wa tano, ndipo mzee mmoja akaniambia, mbona unachelewa, huwezi kupata chakula kizuri  unajua kwamba “mtu anayeongoza (kwa kawaida katika kundi la ng’ombe) hunywa maji safi”.

Matumizi ya methali hii katika muktadha wa Kiafrika yanasaidia sana kwa mfano juu ya ushiriki wa mapema katika Sinodi ya Maaskofu ambayo Papa ametoa wito wa ushiriki wa watu wote katika sinodi. Kupitia sakramenti ya ubatizo, sisi sote ni ushirika wa watu walio sawa kwa hadhi na katika wito wa ufuasi huku tukitofautiana katika karama na ofisi. Tumeitwa kushiriki katika ukuaji wa Kanisa kwa njia ya sinodi kwa kauli mbiu ya sinodi “ushirika, ushiriki na umisionari”. Kwa hivyo, kama mchungaji anayepeleka ng’ombe zake mtoni akijua kwamba zote zitapaswa kunywa maji. Lakini wale walio mstari wa mbele wana uwezekano wa kunywa maji safi kama methali isemavyo.

Methali hiyo inatukumbusha kushiriki kwa wakati ufaao, ili tuweze kutoa ufahamu unaofaa kwa maswali yaliyoulizwa, badala ya kungoja hadi mwingine ajadili ndipo aje na kusema “baada ya yote niliyozungumza”.

Kutokana na methali yetu ya Wasukuma, ng’ombe wote hunywa maji lakini walio mstari wa mbele hunywa sio maji tu bali maji safi. Kama swali nililoulizwa na mzee katika jumuiya ndogo ya Kikristo, tunapaswa kuulizana “kwa nini ninakawia kushiriki katika sinodi?” siwezi kujua kwamba “mtu anayeongoza (kwa kawaida katika kundi la ng’ombe) hunywa maji safi”.

Mathayo 18:19-20 “Tena nawaambia, wawili wenu watakapopatana duniani katika jambo lolote watakaloliomba, watafanyiwa na Baba yangu aliye mbinguni. Kwa kuwa walipo wawili watatu wamekusanyika kwa jina langu, nami nipo papo hapo katikati yao”

1Yohana 5:14 “Na huu ndio ujasiri tulio nao kwake, ya kuwa tukiomba kitu sawasawa na mapenzi yake, atusikia.”

Zaburi 133:1 “Tazama, jinsi ilivyo vema na kupendeza Ndugu wakaapo kwa umoja!”

ENGLISH: THE ONE WHICH LEADS (USUALLY IN A HERD OF CATTLE) DRINKS CLEAN WATER.

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

Traditionally, the Sukuma are pastoralists, hence sometimes use the animals’ behavior in portraying or identifying some useful behavior observed from these animals and apply them to the people in order to shape their living in their respective community.

From this detail we come to the proverb “Nh’onga mbele igang’waga minze milu(matengeku)”. Thus when leading cattle to the river for drinking water, it very interesting experience that those in the fore line are likely to enjoy the water, because in order to drink water they must enter in the river or pond. In so doing they found water is still clean compared to those behind them.

One day during my pastoral experience in a certain small Christian community, after finishing the communal prayer and sharing we lined up for lunch, in the line I was the fifth person, then an old man told me, why are you delaying, can’t you know that “the one which leads(usually in a herd of cattle) drinks clean water”.

The use of this proverb in African context help much on the instance on the early participation in Synod of the bishops which the Pope has called for the universal participation in the synod. Through the sacrament of baptism, we are all the communion of people who are equal in dignity and in the call to discipleship while differing in charism and office. We are called to participate in the growth of the Church through the synod by the synodal  motto “communion, participation and mission”. Therefore as the shepherd who takes his held to the river knowing that all will have to drink water, but those in the fore line are likely to drink clean water as the proverbs says. The proverb remind us to participate in due time, so that we may give suitable insight to the questions asked, rather than waiting till the other have discussed then coming up and saying “after all I have discussed”. From our Sukuma proverb, the whole held of cattle drink water but those in fore line drink not only water but clean water. Like the question I was asked by the old man in small Christian community, we should ask one another “why am I delaying to participate in the synod?” can’t I know that “the one which leads(usually in a herd of cattle) drinks clean water”.

Mathew 18:19-20 “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them”

1John 5:14 “And 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 dwell in unity!”