Tuesday 26 October 2010

Naatema Akati Kaarara - A Runyankore Poem



I had almost forgotten the lines of these legendary poems we used to do (recite) as kids but thanks to president Museveni who recently recorded it in a rap, singing out these same lines (which became a big hit for supporters in the region), I can now put the lines together.



The Poem "Natema Akati Kaarara", goes like this

Natema Akati kaarara
Kaarara nikaha Igara
Igara owa Ntambiko
Ntambiko y'ampa Akasyo
Akasyo nakaha Abagyesi
Abagyesi bampa Oruro
Oruro naruha Warukoko
Warukoko yampa Ihuri
Ihuri narihereza Abaana
Abaana bamp'emgyeyo
Engyeyo n'agiha Omukama
Omukama yampa Kasa
Kasa nagishwerera Omukazi
Omukazi yazaara Omwana
Namweeta Mugarura\Yagarura eby'Oweishe ne'Ishenkuru


Quick Translation: I cut a stick "Enkoni", stick for herding cattle - and it strayed into Igara where Ntambiko reigns. Ntambiko gave me a knife which I gave to millet harvesters, who gave me millet. I gave the millet to a hen, which gave me an egg, that I gave to children who gave me a monkey that I gave to the king, who gave me a cow. I gave the cow to marry a wife. The wife gave me a child, whom I named Mugarura - he raided back what belonged to his father and grand fathers.

1 comment:

Birondwa Frank said...

Hi Bogdan from Romania. Its a pleasure to meet you

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