Nine months in to our overseas life and things are really hotting up on the language front. My Kiswahili comprehension has moved up a notch and I’d say its now passable; one up from merely functional. Next stop conversational!
I realised the change as I sat and watched NTV Jioni (an early evening news bulletin) 2 nights ago. During a story about Senator Barak Obama’s recent trip to Siaya, the studio cut to an interview with his grandmother, Sarah Obama. She regailed the interviewer with details of the meal she had prepared for the returning grandson and finished by adding that he ate very little of it before flying off on a plane.
There is a caveat to this though. Nyanza residents are renowned across Kenya for having relatively poor Kiswahili; certainly not up to the standards of the coastal communities. The day I can understand an interview with a Mombassa city councillor, I’ll know I have this language cracked!
As for the other language learners, things are fairly rocketing along. Lillian has been going for English lessons and is getting the hang of it pole pole. We think we’re going to switch to teaching her at home as her current teacher is not used to teaching someone who has only basic reading skills.
Hannah’s Dholuo continues to amaze Nyanza residents. She is one of a handful of mzungu who seem to have even bothered to try and learn it. I think we coyuld say she’s gtting to an advanced level - she managed to negotiate a deal for some woven chairs withough resorting to Kiswahili once.
Tommy and Omundi have started to communicate in each other’s language and even revert to Kiswahili sometimes. It really is really fascinating. They start off in their respective languages, if that gets no joy, they have a go at the other’s. If that doesn’t get them anywhere, they will switch languages again to Kiswahili. Their grammer is not advanced (or even vaguely correct) but the words are pretty spot on.
Mostly it’s for commands - Omundi chiem (eat)! - Tommy come here! - but Tommy says adwaro (I want) and nataka (I want) alot too and Omundi can ask for things and say plase and thank you.
As you can see from the photograph, we have two new householders, Brian and his mother Adhiambo. Brian is Lillian’s only grandson. He’s been pretty seriously ill and when he was brought here last week, he was down to 7.5 kilos in weight (not good for a 17 month old baby). He’s getting better every day now though, and is eating about 3 times more food than Tommy or Omundi. He’ll be staying here for a while until his weight gets back up and he and his mother have attended a few months of the local feeding clinic.
Some time soon I’ll attempt a post in Kiswahili. Be gentle.
David and Hannah, your family expands, or more precisely your dependents. Good to see David’s degree coming in handy. Checked out the OLPC blog - good work there too. Keep busy. Have received wedding invitation from Phillip and Lilly -October is wedding time. A honeymoon period in Kisumu?
David, Good luck with the swahili language, but PS nobody understands the mombasa councillors swahili (except people who live in mombasa) Keep us updated on progess.
another PS: that tusker next to Tommy…..????
That Tusker was my mine! I just stepped out of the frame in this photo.
Mind you one has to be careful around this house and watch where you leave your glasses/cans/bottles - if you’re not careful, you find a suspiciously light drinking vessel and one of the kids talking jibberish and bumping in to walls…
LOL David. here is a swahili lesson, Hapana wacha pombe karibu na Tommy, Joseph Kaguthi atachukua wewe korokoroni!!!! Na Mtoto ataongea jibberishi na kubampu kwenye ukuta! LOL
“Don’t put beer near Tommy, Joseph Kaguthi will put you in jail. His jibberish will get worse if you are behind bars” (?)
That second sentence is tough, so the translation’s a bit of a stab in the dark (kubampu?). This is fun though, I hadn’t thought of asking people to comment in Kiswahili (if they can).
The last sentence is actually quiet corrupted (since I didnt know the swahili word for gibberish- this is why you need the mombasa councillor) so here goes: Naomba msamaha kwa kutoandika kwa lugha sanifu….
hey!im a kenyan, in the uk, and who interestingly comes from the luo tribe (though ive never lived in kisumu but visit often). so i guess its safe to say that i find youre blog interesting!anyway, just to say that there are a few generalisations that dont count much nowadays. like we have droves of luos living at the coast who speak kiswahili ‘as well’ as those living there.i have family who were born at the coast. i put as well in quotes because swahili spoken at the coast is mostly not what one would consider kiswahili sanifu,as it has been corrupted by arabic and other tribal influences.kinda reiteratng what umm, the half n half person said.
anyway, the only thing i would really like to encourage you to do is to mix with the locals and not in terms of just the help.its makes life interesting and will definitely open your eyes to the way things have changed. hope youve had some traditional luo food as well.lol.
erokamano kwuom loso koda!
barikiwa!
Owada picha manie headline no emomora momiyo adwoki. Idwa nyisa ni nyathi mawendo marachar no wacho dholuo. I would’nt believe till I see face to face. eh an nyaluo ma south nyanza kamoro miluongo ni kanyada. Dholuo is so rich and can be easily grasped in a luo setup kuma nyithindo ntiere kendo kame kata kidhi echiro toiusoni chiemo gidholuo. Kendo ichamo chiemb luo. imielo miendgi! kisera bende gi dholuo, iholo nyaka chiemo mae kendo ibandhi gidholuo he he. I tell you, ni weche gi mit.I’m fine a mom of 2 dotas and married in Ugenya. Ero kamano nyamama
wiya kendo nowil somie mae bende
Wang’ni to wololo
Asebedo e siasa mar kenya nyaka ne multiparty duoki (sekend libareson) to wangni to bur ochiek ndi. we wagoye mbaka matin.
1992.
Higa mar 1992 Jaramogi ne dhi kawo loch ae to atwara okelo wuodgi moro mane tuo ogol e osuptal mondo obi okethnwa. Ja tok kodera moro (wuod Oyondi) bende nyayo oluongo odhi bang’o kuon gotieno.
Jatelo masani bende kowuok e Kanu to kar mondo obugwa lwedo to ochako buch dapi (DP) mondo oke kura. Kuom mano ka iweyo onagi to ne wadong mana gi Muite ma ne okichore mana ni kapo ni jaramogi okawo piny to oparo ni onyalo nindo mapiyo ae to piny dong’ne, to kod Osogo ma bende ne ongielonwa kawadhi e yiero matin city stadium nikech ok omiye lemo mane odwaro. mae ekama ne mosenindo Wamalwa Oyiere mondo opong kar Osogo for rigonol balance. The rest is history
1997.
Higa ni Agwambo ne ochung’ to kane ineno lainap mare ne onge ngato moro motegno mopogore gi onagi mane riwe lwedo. Mae ne otimre bang’ pogruok maduong makata Jim iw dhiang bende ne obalo gi Agwambo. Pod waparo kaka obila ne ogoyo Onagi selectively kane lweny otuk e alap ma thika.
Kata an awuon ne ok a sapot Agwambo nekech odds were against him.Ne wan gi Ngire Nyongo’ e SDP e kidieny moro ni CNN (Charity Ngilu Netwak). Ne wabuogo nyayo ma luoro omake ni dhako no nyalo yombe. Ne ochako nyiewo kura Kitui Madiere kura achiel otonglo aluf achiel. Kaka kech ne ngeny e piny wakamba ne giuso kura maburu ema dum. NYAYO NE TIMO MA KA OPARO NI KATA KA NGILU OYOMBO E OMBULU MAR KER TO OREM E OMBULU MAR MBUNGE. Constitution ok o allow this. Nochuno Ngilu ma oweyo kampen mar Ker odok dala dhi repea the damage. Kane odong’ ndalo achiel to igoyo ombulu, atwara te mane nigi dhani ne oweye ka wacho ni ombulu gimiyo Kibaki to ngilu to gimiyo ich. The rest is history.
2002.
Bang’ ka wuod nyalego osetunyo nyayo (patnasip, kopreson, maja etc) nyayo bukre to chuno ji gi OURU. Kae emane agwambo obalo kodgi ma owuok e Kanu. Ngoche moko machalo awori ,Kalonzo,Saitoti, mudavadi gi ma moko oyudoe chir ni kara nyayo bende nyalo bedo opost.
Agwambo ne odhi oriwre gi Nyachae ang ndalo matin ae to oriwre gi NAK mane otingo’ Ngilu, Kibaki, Wamalwa gi mamoko. Agwambo ne owacho Kibaki Tosha kane wangiyo hike, sombe to kod ngwech mane oseringo ndalo mangeny..Kara Bim en Bim.
2007.
Mae en hik ODM. Pok aromo gi ngato ma nigi anything against Agwambo mak mana ni en onagi to jogi oluorowa. Giwacho ni wan dictators, proud and arrogant. Pride gi arrogance to nitie naturally e remb Onagi. Ka wan kendwa wawegi to wanyalo pakre kaka an oke gi joma tek tek ,ndalo mane ji somo ne in kanye, ok achiem dalau, etc.
En mana ni sama wasero wasigu to watem wapand kitwagi nekech ngeny jo kenya gin ngoche koro giluor ni wanyalo nyonogi kawayudo telo. Dictatorship to en mistaken identity ma imiyowa. kata history wacho ni Onagi ne nigi Ruodhi mane tayo piny ka giriwo paro e buch Jodongo (council of elders). onge ngato achiel mane nyalo chuno oganda gi wach moro. En mana ni ka wachiwo pachwa to wachiwo gi jingo’,gi facts, kendo wayie rem gi pachwa no ka en gima wa biliv ni e adiera. kae ekama dictatorship iwache. Seche moko dictatorship magiwachono ema biro konyo kenya . Ka irango Uganda gi Rwanda otelnegi gi dictators to ochumi gi dhi maber. Agwambo onego “Tone down” mbi ma ogoyogo atwara gi mondo owene jowa moko ema obed ka buogo wasigu. en to opondi e tok chiel nyaka wamak wi dhiang’.
Wang’ni ng’ama dwa yombo agwambo wadwaro nenoe kuma oae. Ka ingiyo Qualities te kuom joma dwaro telo e ODM-Konge ng’ama en komparabo tu. Age, participation, energy, strategy,sacrifice,consistency etc. Ma emomiyo aserito mondo awinjie ka achiel kuomgi nyalo buogore ni Agwambo TOSHA to pok wawinjo, warito. Gik moko ema gi lonch ni vision , kia mission etc
Ka en consensus to obed mana Agwambo. Wach mar delegates to Tricky Atwara nyalo infiltrate ma gochne OURU. Wach moro bende iwacho ka ni Mudavadi obed compromise. Onge kaka wanyalo miyo ngat ma ngoro telo.
Ja steadman cha to oseol. oketore ni nyayo emasiemo ne yo. Nyayo buogo wa mana gi omenda mane gi yako gidwaro olo e kampem mondo gi keth ne agwambo. wacheke.siasa to tinde orwenyo nyayo. odhi okwa dhok mos. ka rach to rach. Agwambo TOSHA