Maasai – NTOYIE ENKUNG’U (The girls of the knee)

Written by: Dr. Naomi Kipuri  (For English translation see her great book: Oral Literature of the Maasai)

Netii apa, netii ele payian. Ore nabo olong’ nenutayu enkitok enye. Ore ele payian, anaa empukunoto enye, naa keiba tenedol enkitok enye eton ayeng’iyeng’a. Keisho ake peyie eidip entasat ae siai nejoki menyaaki aas ae. Erisio eidipa ina eishooki enkae. Niaku neijia eiko anaake o meitorito enkewarie eitu eyeng’iyeng’a enduo tua.

Nelusoo taa ilapaitin kumok enyok ake entasat aasisho meisho olpayian eyeng’iyeng’a. Kedumnye anaake eton eitu emanaa enanyokie alepisho, ore peyie eidip neirriki ilasho ilaleta. Nelo aoku enkare tolkeju, neitoki alo ilkeek, nemur enkaji. Niaku ore esiaai enaduo ang’ pooki naa ninye eing’orita, netashala. Eya ninye nejoki olpayian meshomo aok nkishu peyie eton ninye tian’g aiperno. Neton taa apa ake ele moruo aisilisil entomononi enye o meeu kenya ae. Neye eeta ilapaitin oopishiana.

Ore ake peyie elaiy entasat anaa taata neyoki akenyu eteijia olpayian enkung’u oleng’. Neng’as ajo koltudutai oimua kake aisapuk sii. Nejarari taa ake enkung’u ajeyu o metaa penyo neidimari oladuo moruo. Nelusoo taa enkata naado etiu nji ake enkung’u olpayian. Nianyu apa meo oltudutai peyie edany o metisia. Ore nabo olong’ nedumu enkalem nejo: “Ore amu meekure apa eoku ele tudutai ekadany taata peyie etiu enatiu.” Oo naa peyie edany olmoruo entusui neipurjukunye nkutiti mao are! Neiputukuny oladuo payian kake etishipe sii peyie etum inkera. Nedung’oki nkarn, nejo nabo Nasira nejo enkae Noltau.

Neitubulu taa olpayian nkera enyena tenyamali sapuk. Tenelo enkare, anaa ilkeek nenap inkera. Ore elepisho nenap enkerai nabo tenkoshoke nenap enkae tenkoriong’. Ore elo shoo o tenemur enkaji o tenias pooki toki naas nias enapita ake imao enyena. Nenyamalu taa olpayian enimimba. Kake nenyok aing’or inaduo kera enyena o metubulu aaku ntoyie botorok. Ore peyie ebulu nkera aaku noshi naing’uaroyu oopeny niaku keikenoo papaai lenye tiaji eiguran o metaa neshukunye ninye teipa. Ore peyie eshukunye olpayian neeta osinkolio orany peyie eyiolou nkera aajo ninye oewuo. Nejo:

“Eijiija nemedanya

Ntoyie ainei e nkung’u

Nasira, Noltau lanyor

Taboluoki.”

Naa tenening’ nkera ele sinkolio nesioki aabolu papaai lenye. Niaku neijiia eiko anaake.

Ore nabo olong’ neponu ilmang’ati oing’ua ae kop. Neirrib ena ang’ olmoruo. Nening’ nkera eiro tiatua aji. Neisudori tentim aaleenu ilopeny inkera. Ore peyie edoyio enkolong’ nebau olpayian, nerany oloshi ake sinkolio:

“Eijiija nemedanya

Ntoyie ainei e nkung’u

Nasira, Noltau lanyor

Taboluoki.”

Nening’ taa ilmang’ati osinkolio lolpayian. Neirrag ina kop. Ore peyie eyoki akenyu neitayok olmoruo nkishu daa neikenoo nkera tiaji. Neisho ake kulo mangati peyie eyiolou aajo etaa enashukunye olpayian nepuo aarany oloshi sinkolio aajoki nkera metabolu. Nening’ ake nkera osinkolio nekwet aabol enkaji ejo ke papaai lenye otushukunye. Ina taa peyie eya ilmang’ati nkera enkop enye.

Nebau olpayian ina kata ake. Nejo taranya oloshi sinkolio meeta entoki natang’amayie. Ore peyie einepu enkaji eisiu neyiolou ajo ewaki nkera enyena. Nelo alilita aing’oru. Neing’oru, nelilita toonkadoru, nelau tukul. Ina taa oshi peyie elotu olmoruo aaku olotala enkitok, neitoki sii alau nkera tenkaraki enkarruisho enye. Neiting’ enkatini ai teine.

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