Barotseland : $b eight years among the Barotse — John Shaqi
Barotseland : $b eight years among the BarotseStirke, D. E. C.
History
Barotseland : $b eight years among the Barotse
Stirke, D. E. C.
Western Province (Zambia)
Conundrums are universal throughout the Barozi, and a few are given as
examples. Most of them are lacking in humour from an European point of
view, but the ability to guess them is looked on as quite an asset,
especially among women and children. Each riddle is prefixed by the words
“A-ko,” “Here it is,” used by the person asking the riddle. The person
taking up the challenge replies “Keyi,” which means “Bring it.” These
words are pure Silui (Serozi) and are used for all riddles, although
the riddles themselves may be in Sikololo, Mbunda or any other tongue
or dialect in use in any part of Barozi. There are not any permanent
riddles, as they are generally made up by the person asking them, but
there are a few certainly which, from the length of time they have been
known and their popularity, may be considered as permanent jokes.
(1) _Question._ “Ku tanta mbilingwa ku uka ni mbilingwa.”
“It climbs up and falls back.”
_Answer._ “Ki kokwani ha ipahama kwa kota.”
“An insect climbing a tree (still slips).”
(2) _Q._ “Kateli ka shangwe no malimba.”
“My father’s calabash has spots.”
_A._ “Ki ngwesi.”
“A tiger-fish.”
(3) _Q._ “Ka ka bonwe fo ka felela.”
“Something one cannot see the end of.”
_A._ “Ki ndila.”
“It is a road.”
(4) _Q._ “Mbumu na mbumu ka kuwana.”
“Chief and chief do not visit each other.”
_A._ “Ki musitu.”
“It is the forest.”
(5) _Q._ “Tutanela twili ba mundi.”
“Two huts in a village.”
_A._ “Mele no akatana.”
“The breasts of a young girl.”
(6) _Q._ “Ka nwela ka tumuka.”
“Something that dives in and leaps out.”
_A._ “Ki silabo.”
“A paddle.”
(7) _Q._ “A lila ba likamba la walanda.”
“Something that crys on the river bank.”
_A._ “Ki maoma.”
“It is the war drum.”
(8) _Q._ “Ha ka siwi.”
“Something that cannot be left behind.”
_A._ “ ”
“A shadow.”
(9) _Q._ “Ka be ka luma, ka be lu felile.”
“If this thing bit, we should die.”
_A._ “Ki munyako.”
“The doorway.”
(10) _Q._ “Kato ka shangwi ku longa.”
“My father’s boat is full.”
_A._ “Likundi.”
“A pod of peas.”
(11) _Q._ “Ka kasa fezwi bu meti.”
“Something of which the blood is never finished.”
_A._ “Ki pula.”
“The rain.”
(12) _Q._ “I samba ka shemwa ak’a endi ni balelo.”
“Born a long time, and yet cannot walk.”
_A._ “Sitondo.”
“A tree.”
(13) _Q._ “Anuke a ku fukile utu kobela no ku kena.”
“Boys dressed in white clothes.”
_A._ “Ki mundali.”
“Mealies.”
(14) _Q._ “Lila la tau ha li iniwi ki nzi.”
“A fly cannot sit on the stomach of this lion.”
_A._ “Ki mulilo.”
“It is fire.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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