Bwa ana tauraoi i mwain te Kanimabong
Just in time for Friday
By Tongauea Neemia
Illustrations by Ruatu Nantei
Teroron bon te ataeinimwaane ae ai tebwina ana ririki ni maeu ao e maeka i Kiribati n te abamwakoro ae Marakei. E taku tinana nakoina, ‘Natiu, ko riai n rang ni mwakuri korakora n taai nako.’ E iaki i tinaniku, e tararua te o n aroka, e kamwarake beeki, e ruru ibu ao n tabetai e nako n akawa.
Teroron is a ten-year-old boy who lives on the island of Marakei in Kiribati. ‘You must always work hard, son,’ says his mother. He sweeps outside, he looks after the gardens, he feeds the pigs, he cleans the toddy shells and sometimes he goes fishing.
A mwakuri korakora naba ana karo Teroron. A karao takataka. Te takataka bon te ben are taawaaki ni kamwauaki raoi. A reke aia mwane man iokinibwaian te takataka.
Teroron’s parents work hard too. They make copra. Copra is the dried meat of a coconut. People trade in copra to get money.
Ngke ea moan ingabong, ao a nako buakonikai ni booben ana karo Teroron. A orei aia ben mai nukaia ma ewaninna ake a bon nim ma ngaia. E buokiia Teroron n taawai been i aan te riringa. I mwiin anne, ao e nako n reirei.
Early in the morning, Teroron’s parents go into the bush to collect coconuts. They chop the whole coconuts in half with the husk on. Teroron helps them lay the chopped coconuts in the sun. After this,Teroron goes to school.
‘E taku te tia reirei,’ taiaoka ana riai n reke am bwai n reirei nakon te Kanimabong. E moangare Teroron ao taku, ‘N na karekei.’
‘Please have your stationery by Friday,’ says his teacher. ‘I will,’ says Teroron, smiling.
N te bong are i mwiina, ao a karebenakoi been man nanaia ana karo Teroron. E buokiia ni karini been n te baeki ao n urakin ewaninna nako aan te baroum. A kabonganai ewaninna bwa te aia.
The next day, Teroron’s parents take the meat out of the coconut shells. Teroron helps them put the meat into sacks and put the coconut husks under te baroum. They use coconut husks for firewood.
‘Katikui baeki i aan te bareaka,’ e taku taman Teroron. ‘Ti na riai n katanii man te karau.’ ‘Kanga ningai ae na mwau iai te takataka?’ e titiraki Teroron. ‘Nakon te Kaabong, teniua te bong ma ngkai,’ e kaeka tamana nakoina.
‘Put the sacks under the bareaka,’ says Tereron’s father. ‘We have to keep them out of the rain.’ ‘When will the copra be dry?’ Teroron asks. ‘On Thursday, three days from now,’ says his father.
Bwakantaain te Kaabong, ao a uota aia takataka nakon te mwaakete Teroron ma tamana. E katineaki aia takataka iroun te tia katine. I mwiina ao e kabwakaa te mwane ibukin te takataka nakon taman Teroron.
On Thursday afternoon, Teroron and his father take the dried copra to the market. A man weighs the copra. Then he pays Teroron’s father for the copra.
A kawara te titoa Teroron ma tamana. A kabooa te amwarake ibukin aia utu. A kabooa naba te ruura, te been ae aua karana, te bentira, te rabwa ni kamauna ao taian boki ni koroboki ibukin Teroron. Bwa ana tauraoi i mwaiin te Kanimabong. Aomata ni kabane i aon Kiribati, a rang ni mwakuri korakora ni mweengaia ao n te reirei!
Teroron and his father visit the store. They buy food for their family. And they buy a ruler, a four-coloured pen, a pencil, a rubber and exercise books for Teroron. Just in time for Friday. At home and at school, everyone works hard in Kiribati!