ProZ.com translation contests »
2014 annual ProZ.com translation contest: "Celebrations" » English to Swahili » Entry by JuliK


Source text in English

Translation by JuliK (#18665)

Who cast that first fateful tomato that started the La Tomatina revolution? The reality is no one knows. Maybe it was an anti-Franco rebellion, or a carnival that got out of hand. According to the most popular version of the story, during the 1945 festival of Los Gigantes (a giant paper mâché puppet parade), locals were looking to stage a brawl to get some attention. They happened upon a vegetable cart nearby and started hurling ripe tomatoes. Innocent onlookers got involved until the scene escalated into a massive melee of flying fruit. The instigators had to repay the tomato vendors, but that didn't stop the recurrence of more tomato fights—and the birth of a new tradition.

Fearful of an unruly escalation, authorities enacted, relaxed, and then reinstated a series of bans in the 1950s. In 1951, locals who defied the law were imprisoned until public outcry called for their release. The most famous effrontery to the tomato bans happened in 1957 when proponents held a mock tomato funeral complete with a coffin and procession. After 1957, the local government decided to roll with the punches, set a few rules in place, and embraced the wacky tradition.

Though the tomatoes take center stage, a week of festivities lead up to the final showdown. It's a celebration of Buñol's patron saints, the Virgin Mary and St. Louis Bertrand, with street parades, music, and fireworks in joyous Spanish fashion. To build up your strength for the impending brawl, an epic paella is served on the eve of the battle, showcasing an iconic Valencian dish of rice, seafood, saffron, and olive oil.

Today, this unfettered festival has some measure of order. Organizers have gone so far as to cultivate a special variety of unpalatable tomatoes just for the annual event. Festivities kick off around 10 a.m. when participants race to grab a ham fixed atop a greasy pole. Onlookers hose the scramblers with water while singing and dancing in the streets. When the church bell strikes noon, trucks packed with tomatoes roll into town, while chants of "To-ma-te, to-ma-te!" reach a crescendo.

Then, with the firing of a water cannon, the main event begins. That's the green light for crushing and launching tomatoes in all-out attacks against fellow participants. Long distance tomato lobbers, point-blank assassins, and medium range hook shots. Whatever your technique, by the time it's over, you will look (and feel) quite different. Nearly an hour later, tomato-soaked bombers are left to play in a sea of squishy street salsa with little left resembling a tomato to be found. A second cannon shot signals the end of the battle.
Ni nani aliyetupa nyanya ya kwanza iliyoanzisha mapinduzi ya Kitomatina? Ukweli ni kwamba hakuna anayejua. Labda ilikuwa ni uasi wa kupinga Ufaransa, au mdundiko uliopitiliza mpaka ukaharibu. Kufuatana na hadithi inayojulikana zaidi, wakati wa sherehe za mwaka 1945 za Los Gigantes (maandamano ya vikaragosi vikubwa vya makaratasi), wenyeji walikuwa wanatafuta namna ya kuanzisha ugomvi ili watambulike. Wakakuta mahali kuna mkokoteni wenye matunda wakaanza kurusha nyanya mbivu. Watazamaji wasiohusika nao wakaingia mpaka hali ikawa kama mtafaruku wa matunda yanayoruka. Ilibidi walioanzisha vurugu kuwalipa wauza nyanya, lakini hilo halikuzuia kutokea kwa mapambano mengine ya nyanya - na mwanzo wa utamaduni mpya.

Kwa kuhofia kuongezeka kwa fujo zisizozuilika, uongozi ulitunga sheria, kuzilegeza, na kurudisha tena mlolongo wa makatazo kwenye miaka ya 1950. Mwaka 1951, wenyeji waliokuwa wakihalifu sheria walikuwa wanafungwa mpaka umma ulipoanza kulalamika ili waachiwe. Upinzani mkubwa wa wazi juu ya kukatazwa vita ya nyanya ulitokea mwaka 1957 wakati wapendekezaji walipokuwa na mazishi bandia ya nyanya wakiwa na jeneza na maandamano kabisa. Baada ya mwaka 1957, serikali ya jimbo iliamua kuachana na upingaji, ikaweka sheria chache, na kukubaliana na utamaduni huu mpya wa kichizi.

Ingawa nyanya ndiyo hujulikana zaidi, lakini sherehe za wiki nzima ndizo huishia na mpambano wa mwisho. Ni sherehe za watakatifu walinzi wa Buñol, Bikira Maria na Mt. Louis Bertrand, kukiwa na mdundiko mitaani, muziki na fataki kwa mtindo wa kufurahisha wa Kispaniola. Ili kujijengea uwezo wa mpambano unaokuja, chakula maalumu cha Kivalensia kiitwacho paella chenye wali, mazao ya baharini, na mafuta ya mzaituni.

Kwa sasa, sherehe hizo zisizozuiwa zina kiwango fulani cha mpangilio. Waandaji wamekwenda mbali kiasi cha kupanda aina maalumu ya nyanya zisizokuwa na ladha nzuri ambazo ni maalumu kwa tukio hili la kila mwaka. Sherehe huanza kwenye kama saa 4 asubuhi wakati washiriki wanapokimbilia kuwahi kuchukua kipande cha nyama ya nguruwe iliyowekwa juu ya nguzo inayoteleza. Watazamaji huwalowanisha kwa maji ya kwenye mpira huku wakiimba na kucheza mtaani. Wakati kengele ya kanisa ikigongwa kuashiria saa sita mchana, magari yaliyosheheni nyanya huingia mjini, wakati huohuo nderemo za "Nya-nya, nya - nya" hufikia upeo.

Halafu, kufuatia kupigwa kwa kishindo cha mzinga wa maji, tukio kuu huanza. Hicho ndio huwa kiashirio cha kuanza kusaga na kurusha nyanya katika mpambano halisi dhidi ya washiriki wengine. Warusha nyanya kwa mbali, wauaji wa karibu na walenga shabaha wa masafa ya kati. Kwa mtindo wowote ule, mpaka shughuli ikiisha, utaonekana (na kujisikia) tofauti sana. Baada ya kama saa moja baadaye, wapambanaji waliojaa nyanya huachwa kucheza salsa ya mtaani kwenye bahari ya utelezi kukiwa kumebakia dalili ndogo sana ya kitu kinachofanana na nyanya. Mzinga wa maji wa pili huashiria mwisho wa vita hiyo.


Discuss this entry