How about some lessons in Swahili from those of you who have made the trip a few times. What do I need to know. Any good Swahili jokes,curse words, or pick-up lines appreciated.

Elmo

My votes go, in this order, for:

1. "Piga! Kufa!" ["He's hit! He's dead!" (Said by a Maasai tracker when the hunter makes a good shot.)]

2. "Na kunywa, na kunywa, simba!" ["Drink, drink to the lion!" (Sung and chanted by the entire camp staff, all festooned with leafy bushes tied to their heads, wearing capes of colored cloth and shaking tin can, rock filled maracas as the successful hunter fires his rifle into the air while returning to camp with his lion. Followed, of course, by a round of drinks for everyone in camp on the hunter!)]

3. And last but not least: "Chakula tayari!" ["Food's ready!" (Speaks for itself.]

4. One more: "Maji moto." ["Hot water's here." (Tent boy, every morning and night, right on time, in a well run camp.)]

Sorry. Edited to provide translations, etc.

That's great Mrlexma, but it would help me considerably if you put the english translations in your post also

Thanks
Elmo

Mbogo, kubwa sana !!

Nataka pombe biridi tafadahli !!

Wapi choo??

Good shootie baass!

Alright dammit, lets do this the hard way

1115

Yes that is a big fine buff. Here's yer beer and the john is down the hall on the left.

mrlexma

I'm thinking that's SHOOT...DEAD and something something Lion, and Dinner's Ready, but I could be wrong.

Elmo

Sheeet, chute em twice times more baaas..or maybe thats Masai, oh well

Asante, M'zee Atkinson.. You are always a great help. May the nyokas always kambi in your choo

Elmo

1. Dr. Mbogo! Dr. Mbogo! Pesce! Pesce!

2. Toa 577 Tyrannosaur

3. Simba Hapana Simba! Pesce! Pesce!

But my all time favorite is:

Msasi haogopi mwiba

Favorite as below

Show mercy on the ignorant and give the english translation also

Elmo

elmo,
Don't tell anyone
but the translation is:

"- A hippopotamus has destroyd my hut"

This was the first words in Swahili my father heard when he entered Tanzania and asked a man why he was so sad...

This was in the late 1970.s..

husky

Guys,

The best is Towa kitu kidogo



Hamdeni

Husky
That's a good one. I'll try to use "Kiboko ameharibu Kibanda yetu" as often as possible on my trip in July. I expect it will be the proper answer to questions such as...

How could you miss such an easy shot..?

What happenned to the last of the scotch...?

Can I see your passport, please...etc.,etc.

It's kind of a "one size fits all" answer

Thanks

Elmo

I may not get this exactly right but here goes"haraki, haraki, hapana baraki" It is used for when you are trying to get something done on first world time schedule and progress occurs at the african rate. It translates "To hurry, to hurry, is not a blessing". I was taught this phrase at the airport waiting for supplies to arrive so our small charter plane could leave to take us out onto the Kilombero floodplane for buffalo. We were told to be at the airport at 8 to leave by 9. Around noon the supplies arrived and we were out of the airport before one in the afternoon. Haraki, haraki, hapana baraki.

One that is handy to know in advance (sounds like) ana ni ujaj - "it is coming".

It is heard as the trackers go flying past you to the rear.

Anything John Wayne says in "Hatari!"

RCG

quote:

Originally posted by elmo:
How about some lessons in Swahili from those of you who have made the trip a few times. What do I need to know. Any good Swahili jokes,curse words, or pick-up lines appreciated.

Elmo

Elmo, here are a few:

1- Mambo poa! Slang for "things are coo" or Mambo? Poa! if asked What's up? Cool!
2- Wapi? Where? when you are looking at what they are seeing and you can't!
3- Nashukuru: I am grateful.
4- Unasemaje? What do you say? What are you saying?
5- Kabubi: Party - held after a succesful "cat" hunt as described in above post.
6- Nyoka! Kimbia: Snake! run!

Elmo;

How about "poli poli" meaning "slowly, slowly". My PH said we went poli poli because he couldn't drive any faster!!!!

D. Nelson

bunduki - English: gun / rifle
piga bunduki - English: shoot (a gun)

-Bob F.

INTERNET LIVING SWAHILI DICTIONARY

BFaucett

My hat's off to you for providing that excellent link

Poa post, Bwanamich

Regards

Elmo

It wasn't Swahili, and I didn't catch the phrase, but when I asked the PH for a translation of what the tracker said it came out "That 416 don't take no shit!"