Learning Rukiga

Rukiga is hard. My brain hurts most days as I try to sort out all of the different words and sounds and so on and so forth. But I am trying! Many of the students are willing teachers, and they love hearing me repeat various words and phrases.

I have discovered something: when my kids speak in Rukiga to me, I can generally hear what they are saying. When other people speak in Rukiga to me, I have a hard time. By “my kids” I mean the kids I have known for four years, the kids I met in 2006. Somehow it is easier to hear them…

I had a “beginning of term exam” when I first arrived and yesterday I had “paper one, end of term exam”. I got an 86%. Part A was making singular words plural. It is not as easy as adding an “s”. Ekikopo becomes ebikopo, ebafu becomes amabafu, etc. Part B was greetings: I was given the greeting and had to write the response. Part C was tricky; I had to introduce myself, with 5 ideas. Are you ready??

Amaziina gangye ninye R. Leah. Ninduga Amerika, kwonka hati ndi Kishanje. Nkareeba enkoko, empunu, embuzi, ente, entama, na ebikooko Kishanje. Hariyo ebikooko munonga hanu. Tindakunda ebikooko, kwonka nindakunda embwa na kappa. Nkurya omuceeri, emondi, emboga, karoti, na ebihimba. Hariyo hishomera, KHHS. Nkuyra posho ebihimba a KHHS.

I got 8/10 on this section, munonga should have been byingi, and nindakunda should have been ninkunda. Want the translation?

My names are R Leah. I am from America, but now I stay in Kishanje. I see chickens, pigs, goats, cows, sheep and wild animals in Kishanje. There are many wild animals here. I don’t like wild animals, but I like dogs and cats. I eat rice, potatoes, greens, carrots, and beans. There is a school, KHHS. I eat posho beans at KHHS.

Ok, not the most brilliant essay ever written, but I tried!

Part D was writing numbers one through 18. “emwe, ibiri, ishatu, ina, itaano, mukaaga, mushanju, munaana, mwenda, ikumi….” And Part E was translation. I was given 20 Rukiga words to translate into English. I scored 15/20 there…

Paper Two is ready and waiting for me. I haven’t looked at it yet cause I want to revise some more before attempting it.

I love hearing the kids giggle when I say a funny word, at least I do on most days… and it is great proving the snotty ones wrong when they say I don’t know any Rukiga. My faithful teacher NJ is strict but fair, although since handing back paper one he has been talking to me only in Rukiga. And when I reply in English he sternly says “gamba Rukiga!” Ok, Speak Rukiga, I will…. Some day perhaps even fluently.