(scroll down for the English translation)
Ĩĩ nĩũĩ Gĩkũyũ kĩrĩ cama
Gĩa kabete, Kĩambu
kana Rware Nyĩrĩ
cai, cukari na cabi
kana
chukuru, chabi na chibu
gĩothe gũtirĩ gĩtarĩ wega wakĩo
gũtirĩ rĩtwa rĩtakũria mwana
Nĩũĩ cama wa kwaria Gĩkũyũ
atĩ ũngĩenda no uuge
kũraata kana gũtuma
kũhe kana gũtanaha
mbaara kana haaro
mũtwe kana kĩongo
mũrĩo kana cama
Nĩũĩ cama wa kwaria Gĩkũyũ
ta kuuga
Cũcũ curia cuba hau
Ciana ciaku nĩcioka ciothe
Cukuru nĩ ciahingwo
Waceke tiga ciira rehe cabi
Translation: The sweetness of Kikuyu
Did you know how sweet Kikuyu is
hear those words
cai, cukari na cabi (tea, sugar, keys)
or
chukuru, chabi na chibu (school, keys, chief)
whether from Kabete, Kiambu
or from Rware, Nyĩrĩ
it all sounds so good
as it slides down the tongue
and the ears gulp it down
Do you know how sweet it is to speak Kikuyu
that if you want, you can say
sew or stitch
give or bestow
a feud or a fight
head or upstairs
sweet or pleasure
Do you know how sweet it is to speak Kikuyu
like saying
Grandma hang your bottles there
your children are all here
schools have closed
Waceke stop bickering and bring the keys
This poem, Cama wa Gĩkũyũ (The sweetness of Kikuyu) is part of a collection of 10 poems that I wrote themed around Indigenous people, culture, life, love, nature, and advocacy for indigenous languages against cultural imperialism that were commissioned by The Joint Board of South and North Korea for the Compilation of Gyeoremal-Keunsajeon for the 2nd International Academic Forum on Sustainable Development of Indigenous Languages. The virtual event took place on November 25th & 26th 2021( Watch a video of the event here)
The recital appearing in the above video was done by my husband Richard Wanjohi.