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Luanda Reggae Defenders - what is your long term agenda?

Luanda Reggae Defenders is a now a popular movement with roots in Vihiga and border Siaya and Kakamega counties Attention is brought to the manner and conduct the movement has gained fame and followers, mainly the Youths. The movement capitalizes on funerals. With a poor culture of putting the dead to rest, the Reggae Defenders have taken it by storm and rebranded the infamous ‘Disco Matanga’ – disco at funeral. Reggae Defenders on move. Pic: Charles Rankings: Facebook They mobilize quickly on the day the dead will be discharged from the mortuary. They have this huge old school sound system that is over buzzing to no clear reggae song - that they hire a pickup to carry - and it has a young DJ mainly standing there than mixing anything. Often, against the rules, the casket is grabbed from a hearse vehicle and tied to a motorbike. There it will be swayed and jerk breaked between other motorbikes on the narrow roads. That, is, how a fellow soldier, often a young dead, is mourned. ...
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Maragori translation of Utengano by Said A. Mohamed

The book captivatingly starts, 'Koveye na mingi agasinya Kazija. 

'Do do, gamusinyaa. Kutanga, yasinywa nu mundu Musaza. Yamusinya kijira kivuni, nacho ni kuva yavikwa imbiri, kari niva Kazija si amanyi na vwaha. Kazozo aramwisuha mundu Musaza ku rwa yago.'

Kiswahili is a rich language. Listening, talking, reading and writing all require a good attention. Its depth of sarcasm, flat replies in direct speeches, obtuse similes and farfetched adjectives makes the language worth studying and finding pleasure in. Not mentioning the forth-back and back-forth jerks in tells of suspense. Sometimes in successive words, sometimes in a sentence and often in paragraphs. Kiswahili does not only serve the purpose of communication but also entertainment of the mind with its word intrigues. It is therefore a recommendable exercise to Kiswahili authors who have published genius masterpieces and in that way advanced and spread Kiswahili, a future African philosophy media. 

Coming to translate Utengano, I had studied the book in high school and it was interesting by the guidance of our teacher, Mr. Kamudenyi. Severally after school I read it among others. And each time was a new, with different perceptions. I have even strongly blogged that the book was too mature for a high scholar. True, real education happens after school. 

Well done by Said A. Mohamed, I have reflected on the stories, compared some plots to my life and others to the stories gotten from my community organizing practice. I have even tried to mix-match characters in Utengano with those in other books, all in sweet speculation of life stages, choices and fate. 

This translation is therefore out of passion than anything else. There are books you read and never leave you the same. A reader is required to be malleable in thought, not so rigid with one's beliefs and style of action, not so stupid again to cry all through a moving story or even develop depression, but to grow wings out of the knowledge. Not for any gain whatsoever that I would have decided to translate for personal rereads but in consideration of those who would equally appreciate a translated version, this work is freely and confidentially shared. 

Two, passionate to the goal of Saniaga CBO in advocating for Indigenous Knowledge that can be well packaged in stories, I take to offer my extra time in such activities. Through that, I hope, I shall have done justice to my mother-tongue. And experienced such pleasure in learning more, something I would have not gotten privilege to elsewhere. 

- Lung'afa. 

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