Noun

MEANING

Mush, a thick porridge made with meal(flour) and water only. (The staple food of locals).

 

Example ofuse

1.     Bwali bwa male, MEANING : Ubwali made with milletmeal.

2.     Bwali bwa kalundwe, MEANING: Ubwali made with cassavaflour.

3.     Bwali bwa nyanje, MEANING: Ubwali made with maizeflour.

4.     Bwali bwa mufunda, MEANING: Ubwali made with unripemillet.

5.     Bwali bwa mamfingi, MEANING: Badly prepared porridge,not mixed up properly, full of lumps (fipulukusu).

6.     -Naya ubwali, MEANING: To cook the thick porridge(put the meal into boiling water and mix it up properly).

 

OTHER RELATEDWORDS/USES/SOURCES/FUNCTIONS

AUGMENTATIVE: Cibwali, fimali.

COMPARE: Katiba.

FIGURATIVESPEECH/IDIOMS/PHRASES/COLLOQUIALUSE/EXPRESSIONS

COLLOQUIAL:‘Bwali bwandi bwawa bwino apo bwaponena mu muto’ my porridge is in good position sinceit fell into the sauce. There is only half a mishap, as my lump of food fellinto the sauce. Said of a bad case falling into good hands, viz., a sympatheticjudge, etc.

 

PROVERBS 1

Ubwali bumobulonsha

LiteralTranslation

Always eating the same food makes aperson thin.

Meaning

Change is necessary

Bemba meaning

Calilingaukwalula ifintu ngo mone ubuyantanshi.

PROVERB 2

Ubwali buntubunaile mwana noko.

LiteralTranslation

Food is what you cook for yourmother’s child.

Meaning

Hospitality demands that relativesare always received and well fed.

Bemba meaning

Kutiwasubilafye ifisuma kuli lupwa lobe. Kumuntu uushili lupwa lobe teti usubilekokantu nakalya.

PROVERB 3

Bwalibwakumako tabatalalikilako mwana.

LiteralTranslation

Food from the in-laws will not stopthe child from crying.

Meaning

You need to work very hard so thatyou have enough food to feed the family. You should not depend on what othershave.

Bemba meaning

Bombeshapakuti ukwate ifilyo ifingi pa ?anda, wisubila mufyalima umubiyo, tafipwishansala pa ?anda.

PROVERB 4

Ubwali bwansaka, bulya abalipo.

Literal Translation

The food brought to the rest hut iseaten by those who are present there.

Meaning

To enjoy the unexpected gift you haveto be in the right place at the right time.

Bemba meaning

Ifintu fyonsefyakanishiwa kubalipo. Kuti mwapela fye abalipo.

 

Bwali bwambusa,bwakulya uukampwike.

Literal translation

This is food offeredat an initiation feast, eat it quickly.

Meaning

Take immediateadvantage of any precious opportunity

 

Bemba meaning

Nga waba nensonipabwingi tawakekute. Ukutubatuba mu cintu bwingi kulenga ubucushi. Ulesalapuka.