Story by Victor Mukwevho & translated by Raliphaswa Khathutshelo
Ḽiambi ḽa uri muthu u muhulwane (kana muṱuku) unga zwine a ḓi pfisa zwone zwi na ngoho ngomu. Makhulu vha minwaha ya 96 vha u bva Thenzheni vho thoma u bvelele kha zwikirini zwa thelevishini ṋwahoḽa vha tshi ḓi wana vha munwe wa vhatambi kha ḽitambwa ḽi ḓivheaho hone ḽi mvumvusaho vhanzhi fhano Afrika Tshipembe, Muvhango.
Kha Vho-Tshinakaho Managa, minwaha asi tshithivheli kha zwine vha ḓi tamela vhutshiloni. "Kha nne minwaha i tou vha nomboro fhedzi. Ndi ḓi pfa ndi na nungo muhumbuloni na muvhilini. Ndi tshe na nungo dza u gidima u bva fhano u swika Makonde nda ḓi dovha nda vhuya," vha ralo.
Vhathu vha ḓi dzulela uvha na mbudziso ya uri ndo zwi kona hani u swikelela uvha munwe wa vhatambi vha Muvhango vha tshi sedza minwaha yanga.
"Ndo ya nda lingiwa na vhanwe musi hu tshi khou ṱoḓiwa vhatambi," vha fhindula.
Vha ṱalutshedza uri mudzulatsini wavho, Vho-Nkhangweni Munyamela, vhane vha vha mutambi, vho vha vhudza nga ha u ṱoḓiwa ha vhatambi, zwe zwa fareliwa Ṱhohoyanḓou town hall. "Vho ṱuwa na nne holoni, nda swika nda fhira vhanwe vhe ndavha ndi khou ṱaṱisana navho nga nḓila yavhuḓi," vha ralo vha tshi setshelela vho ḓala na dakalo khofheni.
Vho-Managa vha tenda uri vha khou tshila ngoho ya uri, arali mudzimu au nanga uri u ḓo bvelela, ahuna ane a ḓo zwi thivhela, naho u songo funzea u swika gia. "Nne ndi muthu ane athi koni u ṅwala nau vhala thi zwi koni, fhedzi namusi, ndi mutambi makone wa ḽitambwa. Hune nda shuma hone, vhane nda shuma navho vha fhiwa maṅwalwa uri vha ite nḓowe-nḓowe dza zwine vha khou tea u ita nau amba fhedzi kha nne zwo fhambana. Vha tou mmbudza uri ndi ite mini, nda zwi ita ndi sina vhukhakhi vhunzhi. Ndi pfa ndi tshi ḓirwa khana ndi tshi ḓivha uri huna vhathu vhanzhi vho funzeaho kha shango ḽashu – nne nda vha muthu ane a ḓivhiwa u vha fhira ngauri ndi dzulela u vhoniwa kha thelevishini."
Musi Vho-Managa vha hayani, vha fhedza tshifhinga tshavho tshinzhi vha tshi khou thivhela dzi Ṱhoho na Mapfene tsimuni yavho uri dzi si tswe mavhele avho. "Ndi muthu ane a fhinduwa nga matsheloni nda ya tsimuni nga 5 ya matsheloni nda vhuya nga madekwana yo no fhira awara ya vhurathi ḓuvha na ḓuvha. Ndi dzulela u thuntsha mapfene mahulwane are na khani ane a dzulela u ntshutshedza, sa izwi ndi tshi kona u thuntsha," vha zuwa nga mafulufulu.
Vho-Managa vha tshi tshimbila na vhatambi vha Muvhango zwezwo vha mushumoni, vha thola vhathu uri vha ṱhogomele tsimu yavho na u thatha mapfene na dzi Ṱhoho. "Nda sa ita ngauralo, dzi ḓo fhedza mavhele tsimuni," vha amba.
Naho vha mualuwa, vha pfa vha tshe na zwinzhi zwine vha nga ita u mvumvusa vhathu. "Arali vha u nṋea matambwa ane a fanela vhathu vha minwaha yanga, ndi ḓo isa phanḓa nau mvumvusa vhathu lwa tshifhinga tshilapfu," vha ralo.
Vha tshi kovhaela tshiphiri tshavho kha u phaṱhutshedziwa nga vhutshilo vhulapfu hone na mutakalo wavho u tshe wavhuḓi, vhari vhathu vha ṱutshele kule na zwiliwa zwa u xwatuwa na halwa. "Vhathu vha fanela u ḽa mitshelo na zwiḽiwa zwi fanaho na Mishidzhi, dzi Nzie na Nyendanyendani, vhathu vha ṱutshele mahalwa na mafola, vha ḓo lalama. Na u tshila na mufarisi muthihi," vho-Managa vha ḓadzisa.