Ebikoikyo – Riddles in Bunyoro-Kitara
Riddles are a common feature of Bunyoro-Kitara intellectual and social life. At the time when there was no social networking websites like facebook, Instagram, twitter, video games, riddles were shared with children at home in the evenings after dinner, in schools during circle time, and during community events and celebrations.
Even up to today, riddles continue to have benefits to those who know and use them. Riddles entertain people and help them improve their intellectual humor. Riddles relax the brain, improve problem solving skills, riddles expand one’s vocabulary and increase one’s ability to understand the context. They also create opportunities for imagination.
When riddles are used, people have the chance to ask questions about the words they do not understand. Riddles are a teaching opportunity as people learn new vocabulary and things in the social setting. Riddles provide opportunities for parents to bond with their children.
Here are some of the common riddles in Bunyoro-Kitara. The narrator says Koikoi and the listener responds Rukwebe. Then the narrator says the *first part* of the riddle in the Koikoi column below and the listener gives the answer in the Rukwebe column. Now enjoy these riddles.
Koi Koi. Rukwebe | Kugarukamu | |
1 | Afunyize Kalibota | |
2 | Ajunjubaire Daudi | Entale murubingo |
3 | Akagira deleyi | Akabaale mu glass |
4 | Akainamya omukama | Akabaale munkaito / Akahere mu rutege |
5 | Akakyo karungi kagwiire mumahwa | |
6 | Akambugu bujaraja | Akaina ka sente |
7 | Akasaija kagufu nikanula ebyenda munda yaako | Akatunda |
8 | Akatabonwa | Ihembe l’yembwa/Enkende ha bugara |
9 | Akatahingurwa | Enju erimu amarwa/akajagi ka hamuhanda |
10 | Akaturabamu | Akanyampo k’omukaikuru |
11 | Akayera Nseeri | Akafuro ha nyanja/ekitoonsa muruhiira |
12 | Akiiki Mangadaleena kokasemera | Eriiso ly’enjoka |
13 | Baayata ensi abazimu | Amananuunu g’ebittoke |
14 | Banziika ningamba banziikura ningamba | Eharaiga omu mbiso |
15 | Bumbuli magoma | Omuhako gwentaama |
16 | Duuli taculira mukibira | Omwana omunda |
17 | Egwa Ibanda tekya | Enjura omu byoya by’entaama |
18 | Enkwaanzi za Mukaisaza obwisoba tizisoborroka | Esagama omu mata |
19 | Eziramutwaara tiziragarre | Omugera gwamaizi |
20 | Gaali masano | Enkoko ekwiragura kubiika ihuli rikwera/Enjoka etaina maguru kutemba omuti |
21 | Gema engata nkutwale bwalinga | Ekirumbu ky’omuntu |
22 | Genda ifo osange akairu kagufu nikanigaso | Orujoki |
23 | Genda nseeri ngende nseeri tusiike ekitacweeka | Amara g’embogo |
24 | Guruguru masaaniko | Amah embe g’entaama |
25 | Huura | Akabaizi k’omukibira |
26 | Jugu jugu makoora | Oruhu rubisi kurugurukya orugo |
27 | Kadodoba atembere egali | Akapimpina ha rukonzikonzi |
28 | Kagote tukaite | Akanaga k’enjara/Akaro Mundiro |
29 | Kakuba gabaire macumu gakutwisire | Enjura |
30 | Kakudu nakudura ikudu | Akahuka ha igufa |
31 | Kankuteere akatalikweeba | Akahoro kaawe oyeraliize |
32 | Katera kacucura katoma iguru amazomba | |
33 | Kitanga yange eyonkya egaramire | Orubengo |
34 | Kolopa na kolopa | Ekigere ky’ente haibaale |
35 | Kuba zabaire enjoka zakutumazire | Ebibazi byenju |
36 | Kunu tikuli kurubata kudaliira | Omunya harugoro /Akanyapimpina ha rubabi |
37 | Kwamwaija babiri, ondi yaburra ha | Ekituuru omunju |
38 | Kyesamirire nikigonza kundya | Ekiju kitarumu nyoko |
39 | Mau orame na Taata orame | Oburo harugali |
40 | Nabinga akasoro kange kaaburra hanu | Obisinde haibaale |
41 | Ndagurra busa tingira itima | Ekijunjuuzi harwakyo |
42 | Ngenda ninsikya ngaruka ninsikya | Omukira gw’embwa |
43 | Ngenda nyenkya ngaruka rwebagyo | Orwigi rw’enju |
44 | Ngira abaana bange bunteezaho omu boona bacura | Enkubebe |
45 | Ngira omwana wange agira amaguru maingi | Ekigongorro |
46 | Ngira omwana wange ania mukikaro kimu | Ekinia hamu/ Ekijuguta |
47 | Nhunhu | Omuko nasaba omukubi |
48 | Nintemba ninsirimuka | Amaarwa omuruseke |
49 | Nkabyaara omuti gwange, bagwoota amasanju | Omusana |
50 | Nkagiita nagibohesa amaragaayo | Ekiba ky’obunyansi |
51 | Nkahungura omuzigiso gwange gwayata amahuli gendiisa munaana | Ekijumbutuko kyentale |
52 | Nkaleta enkulingo yange naginaga ha humugongo abaana baleka kuzaana | Enjara |
53 | Nkalima iziba lyange tilyoma | Enyindo z’embwa |
54 | Nkalima omusiri gwange kiki ekyabandize kulimamu omuhaanda | Oruhara |
55 | Nkalima omusiri gwange tingurukya kataka | lguru n’ensi |
56 | Nkarugirayo kimu tinkagarukayoga | Akakoora k’omuti |
57 | Nkasiga oburo bwenge buli iboga nagaruka nabusanga buli iboga. | Obwoya bw’ente |
58 | Nkatema omwigo gwange nalemwa kugugorra | Omuhanda gw’omubitooke |
59 | Nkazaara Abaana bange babiri omu myogya ondi timwogya, baitu atooga nuwe asemera. | Ekitooke n’ekitembe |
60 | Nkazaara Abaana bange baikarra ekitebe kime | Amatehe |
61 | Nkazaara abaana bange basatu omu obwaba ataroho tindya | Amahiga |
62 | Nkazaara Abaana bange obunyija kubateera mbaterra hamu | Abijonjoro by’ebisisi |
63 | Nkazara abaana bange mbajweka embugo zikutukura | Engorogoro z’ebitooke |
64 | Nkazinisa nyoko obutengo bwamuragara | Omuyaga omwisaansa/Eharaiga |
65 | Nkombeka enju yange egira enyomyo emu | Akatuzi |
66 | Nkombeka enju yange egira omuti gumu | Ekitonsa |
67 | Nkombeka enju yange emiryango yayo magana | Ekibira |
68 | Nkombeka enju yange tiina mulyaango | Ihuli |
69 | Nkweserekeriire | Omukaro mukimuga |
70 | Obumba ningenda tindora nyuma | Amaizi |
71 | Ojwale nkutume okuzimu | Entonge hamumiro |
72 | Oleega amaarwa totaaha | Ensohera haibagiro |
73 | Omuguha guboha amaizi | Oburo |
74 | Omukama akantuma ekintalibona | Ihembe ly’embwa |
75 | Oransanga na dali wange orankoraki | Enjoka omukibindi |
76 | Pasikalama ekwasire hansi na haiguru | Ebyoya haigosi |
77 | Piitta taguruka piita | Empunu teguruka kisaaru |
78 | Puru na puru | Akanyonyi mu mahwa |
79 | Serengeta dali | Orugusuru hamaizi |
80 | Sii Sii Bulaaka | Ekihoiholya harubabi |
81 | Silimuka ifo aho abaserukale baange bakunkwatire | Obukurra |
82 | Silimuka ifo aho osange bahara baange baregere amabere | Amapapali |
83 | Simba gi | Embarabara haigosi |
84 | Sirimuka ifo aho osange abasirikale munaana baikalire muntebe emu | Obukurra |
85 | Sirimuka ifo osange abajungu munaana baikalire muntebe emu | Obukurra |
86 | Sirimuka ifo osange omuzimu gwaso gwasire itaka | Ekitonsa |
87 | Soo na nyoko ebitiiri baingana | Ekitembe n’ekitooke |
88 | Tema ekibira nkwoleke omuhanda | Ekiswa ky’obutuzi |
89 | Terebu na terebu | Obune harubabi/Omunya harugogo |
90 | Tikuli kurubata kunu kudalira | Akahuka igufa |
91 | Tundubata ndaalira | Akanyapimpina ha rubabi |
92 | Twina engabu itajuna | Amatu |
93 | Yema nseeri nynte nseeri tuhungurrengane | Ebirundi by’omubwiga |
94 | Yemerra nseeri nyemerre nseeri tusike ngana ebikoba byeenda | Ekihuro kyoburo |
95 | Yemerra nseri, nyemerre nseri,twetengana byedrooo we | endemu mukibira |
96 | Zahanuka nyamirama | Obwoya ha murundi |
97 | Zakuuka nizeera amaguru | Ebiihiro by’engaaga |
98 | Zikooma Zaburwa ekiseenya | Amahembe gente |
99 | Ziringiti maniori | |
100 | Ziringiti na ziringiti | Ekiteeko |