Together, lets learn the wisdom of the common Luhya saying ‘shibambala meta matsi’.
Shibambala or kivambara or obambala is a traditional Luhya fish dish; a delicacy famed for its elaborate preparation and depth in flavor. Want to learn more about shimbambala? Mulembe Food does a good job, introducing the uninitiated to shibambala with 5 easy tips to delicious kivambara a traditional Luhya dried fish delicacy that’s the African cousin of Portuguese bacalhau. You can also watch this video and learn the most important step in making a meal of shibambala.
Meaning of shibambala meta matsi
Translation of phrase in English: Shibambala add water. Translation of words in English: Meta (add); matsi (water).
Literal meaning of shibambala meta matsi
When cooking shibambala, add the water. The water we talk of is that used to cook obusuma (ugali), the main accompaniment of this traditional Luhya fish dish. This is because, as shibambala is a much loved delicacy, your guests are likely to enjoy it quite well and this means more than usual ugali will be consumed.
My memories of life growing up Luhya in the village, take me to a time when visitors (kith and kin) could drop by uninvited and announced. This means that when cooking, one had to always cook a little bit extra so as not to embarrass oneself by not having any food for the visitor.
On days when we had shibambala, I remember we’d somehow always have an uncle or two announced at the dinner table. The ugali water therefore had to be more than the usual, including that which we always added as insurance for the usual dinner time visitors.
The good thing is that the depth of flavor of kivambara is such that even a dollop of its soup is enough to take down a plate of obusuma – one fish could feed a village. Thus, the only challenge was that it required an experienced hand that knew how to expertly steer the three stone mahiga so that the mountain of ugali wouldn’t end up in the fire as it got cooked.
The other meaning
Our forbearers left us this Luhya saying to remind us of the spirit of sharing that is the spirit of mulembe. In modern days, we ever seem to be cutting back on sharing with our kith and kin. Oh, it’s a ‘invite only’ wedding. You see, it is an ‘exclusive’, ‘private’ event. My Maragoli grandmother would say: “Reka uvwimani! Uvwimani! Uvwimani!”
Luhya-English Dictionary ↗
Learn Luhya words their synonyms, variations in Luhya dialects, pronunciations, translation, similar sounding bantu words and cultural importance with our free forever Luhya-English dictionary and Thesaurus. Get to contribute by joining the discussion in the comments section and together let’s preserve and grow the rich Luhya language.
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