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Heavy responsibilities for elder aunt among the Logooli

With Seenge Fonesi. She is the elder grand daughter of Isagi and elder daughter of Amugasya. She is often present in functions involving the family of Amugasya. Pic taken on 18/4/2024. The elder sister soon becomes the elder aunt. It is this “seenge munene” (elder aunt) tag that she is tied to many cultural responsibilities – back home. To her marital family she may appear as any other woman, but she is not so in the eyes of her people. Marriage does not steal her away as it would happen with other daughters of the old man. To her, as days go and the old man and woman of the estate are dependents, she becomes increasingly present.  Her brothers also need her for almost all traditional markings. They are marrying, she needs to welcome the new wife. They are giving birth, she needs to come to midwife or “bless” the new born. They are paying dowry she needs to lead the women delegate. There is a conflict she needs to come for a hearing.  And many others. Traditions does not expect her to

Viegombwa (Desiderata)

Genda nuwitul'lii hagati hiriyoga nirihambagil'la
Ma wizurizi mirembe jinyara kuva muvuchiring'anu
Murigeriza rinyarika, vujira rietima mwoyo
Ove nimbul'lizana na vandu vosi
Vora girigari gogo muvuchiring'anu kandi muvuravu nu hul'liza vandi
Kari kuvaasiniara na vaagotwa; vo navo vavee nurugano

Isuhi vandu viriyoga namahaga
Vagerizaa riiva mwoyo
Nuwerenganyia kuvandi
Unyara kuva kihanzahanze nohomba wuvuzunu
Kijira kazozo nakoveho
Vakurundu nindi vake kwivi

Yihul'li muvikorwa nindi zinganagani zizio
Yidinyi muvusiza vuvwo kari voveye novogeheru
Numwandu gwigirigari
Murigirung'ana riezingavi muzinyinga

Ove mwihul'lizi murienyel'liza ririo
Kijira ikivara chaizura uvugaza
Nutareka yiki kikuvakurizi
Ku vurahi voveeho
Vandu vanyingi vahandal'laa kuguuta
Na hosi rimenya riakira uvuhaga

Ove nivi.
Kenene taveha wakayirwa
Nohomba tava nengede muriyanza
Kijira muriva riekivasu nirigenya
Vivee viviti nang'ana vurimu

Vugura kuvurahi gariho kutura kare
Muvuyari noreka gavee guruyayi
Hindiriza vunyari vwu mwoyo wayirinda kivi nikitul'la
Nutiminiza zinganagani ziekisundi
Vuti vunyingi vuturanaa kul'luha nuvumanani

Komeda kovohocha
Va mwehozerizi
Ovee mwana wiriguru, sogehaa misara nizing'ereng'ani
Ovee wigirigari kuvaho.

Na nigava noho gavuri havuravu kwivi
Ni risuvira riguru rikoraa genyekaa
Navuza ove nemirembe nuMwami, shiumuvuguraa kuva
Na kari miyinzi nirienya
Hagati hiridundana rie rimenya, va numurembe mumwoyo
Nuvubara, rivoyong'ana, rivunika mwoyo, kikiri kivara kirahi
Yizanzarizi. Handal'la ove wuvuyanzi.

With thanks.
Original poem by Max Ehrmann
Translated by Lung'afa Igunza.

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