Proverbs in Zambia: Mu Zambia Amano Mambulwa – introduction

Ubulondoloshi

Ndi buku alingile abakulu na baice. Likopela amano amukati ayaba mu nsoselo sha ciLala. Insoselo shili mu musoso wa ciLala nomba kuti shaumfwikila apatantalile ukucila pa buLala bweka. Kwati nifi, ifipaleneko amakumi ane na yane pa mwanda umo kuti fyasangwa mu ncende ya baLamba, boneni buku lya ba Doke ilya ba Lamba nshimi, nyimbo ifishalembwapo (1927). Ba Doke bali kukonkomesha: Ubukankala bwa nsoselo shamubumi bwe Lamba tekutipo bucile mucipimo.

Introduction

This book is intended for readers of all ages. It offers insight into the wisdom found in the proverbs of the Lala region (Mkushi and Serenje Districts, Zambia). The proverbs are in the Lala language but are understood in a much wider area than just the Lala region alone. For instance, variants of 44% of them can be found in the adjacent Lamba region; see Clement Doke’s Lamba Folklore (1927). Doke stated: “The importance of the proverbs in Lamba life cannot be overestimated.”

Mu nshiku sha kale, ukusoshanya kwa bantu abakulu kwali kwa mu nsoselo. Shalikwitwa ati mu mapinda. Tacalikuwamapo kati niwe utali­kumfwa ifi kososwa!

In former days, conversations between adults could be entirely in proverbs, metaphors, and allusions. This is called mu mapinda: proverbial language. It was not pleasant when you were the one not understanding what was being discussed!

Ukulingana nobwingi bwa nsoselo shisa noku­linga nakashita ukufuma mutunini mpaka naku­shikosele mukumfwa pantu inshita ilapusana, namano nao ene alinga ukuya ili apusana. Tuko­sanga ati shimbi nsoselo shilola kufya citike akale nomba nanduno shibomba ulo tucili tukosanga nashimbi ishabwangu.

The set of often-used proverbs evolves over time because circumstances change and wisdom must evolve as well. Thus, we find some proverbs referring to old situations that are still considered valuable, and we also find some newer proverbs.

Umusoso walikwata incende ikulu mu ntambi. Insoselo shilanga ubwinenene ne misuminine yaba mukati ka ntambi, mu musango wakuyabomfya pambi ulo teti cicitike. Ilingi mukukwata ukwibukisha, nsoselo shalikwata utumisango twakubwenako kubati kwibukisha apali uku­londolola apakulu mumashiwi anono.

Language is an important part of culture. Proverbs are the elements that express the values and beliefs held within a culture, usually in a metaphorical manner. Often, for the sake of memorability, proverbs exhibit stylistic characteristics such as pithiness and wordplay.

Nomba mu masabililo anduno aya mu cisungu, insoselo tashisambishiwapo mu masukulu. Ici ecingalenga ukwebati amano a ciLala tayalipo mano anduno. Bakalemba tabakosuminishapo kuli nku kulanguluka: belengeni nsoselo shili muli ndi buku mwalatotela amano shapela.

With basic education being conducted in English, proverbs are not taught at school. This might suggest that Lala wisdom is not relevant today. The authors disagree: examine the proverbs in this book, and you will appreciate the wisdom they offer.

Insoselo shalangwa mu fiputulwa fitatu, cimo cikwete umwanda umo nekumi limo na mutanda angula umwanda umo ne kumi limo na cine lubali.
Icipande caku balilapo muli nsoselo isho abantu mwa Chibale bamona ukuti shingomfwika (ngashabomfishiwe mu sukulu shalinga ba geledi 5 na 6).
Icipande cabubili cikwete nsoselo ishiko fwailishiwa (geledi 7 na 8).
Elo mucipande ca butatu mukosangwa ishilemeshe sana nsoselo (geledi 9 na 10).
Twaleta nashimbi nsoselo ishaseka sha mucisungu ishikolanga ‘ukucenjela kwa ku Bulaya’. Twayaletela mu filangililo ukukonka neficitwa mu buLala, pakwebati abene abantu babone kati fingaba ifya kwafwa.

The proverbs are presented in three parts, each containing either 116 or 117 proverbs.
The first part includes proverbs that people in Chibale generally find easy to understand (if used in schools, they are suitable for grades 5 and 6).
The second part contains proverbs that are more challenging (grades 7 and 8).
And in the third part, you will find the deeper proverbs (grades 9 and 10).
Within each part, we also present 22 commonly used European proverbs, to illustrate what constitutes ‘European wisdom’. We have applied these to typical situations in Lalaland as examples, for readers to assess their potential usefulness.

Ndo lyonse muko lolesha pa mitwi ya nsoselo, ifintu fisano fileesa mukubweneka, cimo cilakwata ibili angula isano na abili imitwe inini. Nji mitwe ikulu yilashinguluka ninshi ikobomba, ukwakanya nokubombela pamo, ukukonkomesha ukwikatana pamo, kupanga amano ne mibele iyinji abantu bangakwata. Kuti mwapituluka nokubona fyonse mfi mu Cakubwenako.

When examining the themes and subjects of the proverbs, five main themes emerge, each comprising two to seven subthemes. These main themes revolve around being active, sharing and collaborating, fostering social relationships, constructing knowledge, and the various attitudes people may hold. You can review all of this in the Index.

Insoselo muli ndi buku shikomaile pafyo twingacita yangula ukusubila ukucitika munshita shimo shimo. Ukukwata amano amo eka mufyo ifintu ficitika palwa fiko. Shimbi nsoselo shitweba ifyakuisunga ukupusana na mafya angula ukutwafwa ifyakucimfya ngalya mafya ulo aisa.
Tushibikile nshi nsoselo muli cila cipande mu mabumba atatu:

Ifya kusunga mibele ne fyakucita.
Ifyakucetekela nefyo fibomba.

The proverbs in this book often deal with what we can or should expect in certain situations. They share the knowledge of how things inevitably work. Other proverbs tell us how to behave to evade problems or what to do to solve them once they are present.
We have used this division to group the proverbs in each of the three parts:
How to behave and what to do.
What to expect and how things work.