Chapter VI: Barozi Riddles and Conundrums

Conundrums are universal throughout the Barozi, and a few are given as examples. Most of them are lacking in humour from an European point of view, but the ability to guess them is looked on as quite an asset, especially among women and children. Each riddle is prefixed by the words “A-ko,” “Here it is,” used by the person asking the riddle. The person taking up the challenge replies “Keyi,” which means “Bring it.” These words are pure Silui (Serozi) and are used for all riddles, although the riddles themselves may be in Sikololo, Mbunda or any other tongue or dialect in use in any part of Barozi. There are not any permanent riddles, as they are generally made up by the person asking them, but there are a few certainly which, from the length of time they have been known and their popularity, may be considered as permanent jokes.

(1) _Question._ “Ku tanta mbilingwa ku uka ni mbilingwa.”
“It climbs up and falls back.”
_Answer._ “Ki kokwani ha ipahama kwa kota.”
“An insect climbing a tree (still slips).”

(2) _Q._ “Kateli ka shangwe no malimba.”
“My father’s calabash has spots.”
_A._ “Ki ngwesi.”
“A tiger-fish.”

(3) _Q._ “Ka ka bonwe fo ka felela.”
“Something one cannot see the end of.”
_A._ “Ki ndila.”
“It is a road.”

(4) _Q._ “Mbumu na mbumu ka kuwana.”
“Chief and chief do not visit each other.”
_A._ “Ki musitu.”
“It is the forest.”

(5) _Q._ “Tutanela twili ba mundi.”
“Two huts in a village.”
_A._ “Mele no akatana.”
“The breasts of a young girl.”

(6) _Q._ “Ka nwela ka tumuka.”
“Something that dives in and leaps out.”
_A._ “Ki silabo.”
“A paddle.”

(7) _Q._ “A lila ba likamba la walanda.”
“Something that crys on the river bank.”
_A._ “Ki maoma.”
“It is the war drum.”

(8) _Q._ “Ha ka siwi.”
“Something that cannot be left behind.”
_A._ “ ”
“A shadow.”

(9) _Q._ “Ka be ka luma, ka be lu felile.”
“If this thing bit, we should die.”
_A._ “Ki munyako.”
“The doorway.”

(10) _Q._ “Kato ka shangwi ku longa.”
“My father’s boat is full.”
_A._ “Likundi.”
“A pod of peas.”

(11) _Q._ “Ka kasa fezwi bu meti.”
“Something of which the blood is never finished.”
_A._ “Ki pula.”
“The rain.”

(12) _Q._ “I samba ka shemwa ak’a endi ni balelo.”
“Born a long time, and yet cannot walk.”
_A._ “Sitondo.”
“A tree.”

(13) _Q._ “Anuke a ku fukile utu kobela no ku kena.”
“Boys dressed in white clothes.”
_A._ “Ki mundali.”
“Mealies.”

(14) _Q._ “Lila la tau ha li iniwi ki nzi.”
“A fly cannot sit on the stomach of this lion.”
_A._ “Ki mulilo.”
“It is fire.”

(15) _Q._ “Ka bata mazwalelo.”
“It looks for a place to be born in.”
_A._ “Ki tozi.”
“Pumpkin stalks (before they bear fruit.)”

(16) _Q._ “Mutala no ku sumenena.”
“A well fixed fence.”
_A._ “Ki mayo.”
“The teeth.”

(17) _Q._ “Ndundu no makumba.”
“A bundle of bark.”
_A._ “Ki lezazi.”
“The sun.”

(18) _Q._ “Namani ya zwalwa ka nako ye, kwamoraho a mazazi e na le
manaka amateleli.”
“A calf born now, in a few days has long horns.”
_A._ “Ki mbututu.”
“A baby.”

(19) _Q._ “Lutondo lwa ka yengwa Nyambi.”
“Tree made by the god Nyambi.”
_A._ “Ki kuma.”
“The papyrus reed (with tuft on top.”)

(20) _Q._ “Mulamu wa Nyambi na mbulwa makolwa.”
“The stick of the god Nyambi has no branch.”
_A._ “Ki noha.”
“A snake.”

(21) _Q._ “Mulume a lebe a mane kapata matunga a bile.”
“A long man cannot reach this country.”
_A._ “Ki lihulimu.”
“The sky.”

(22) _Q._ “Komo i potoloha silezi.”
“A cow that walks round in the mud.”
_A._ “Mukwenyani.”
“A mother-in-law.”

(23) _Q._ “A mutulo u ku nengela a mbowela u ku nengela.”
“The people of the north dance and those of the south dance.”
_A._ “Matali a kota.”
“The leaves of trees.”

(24) _Q._ “Ku tina ku mukelekete, mukelekete ku choka.”
“You climb this tree, it breaks.”
_A._ “Ki mutwa.”
“The little thorn-bush.”

(25) _Q._ “Ka ka muenwa mwanda.”
“You cannot see any trace of it.”
_A._ “Ki mundu.”
“It is the watersnail.”

(26) _Q._ “Ndo nambulwa mwelo.”
“The house that has no door.”
_A._ “Liki.”
“An egg.”

(27) _Q._ “Ka lubilo ku siya sitimela.”
“What runs quicker than a train?”
_A._ “Ki pilu.”
“The heart.”

(28) _Q._ “Mwandu ya ngulubati ha ku keni lishingwa zepeli.”
“No two logs can enter this old man’s house.”
_A._ “Lisuba la ndonga.”
“The eye of a needle.”

Photo by Mrs. Cambell]