As web and print creatives, we always get to a point in our projects where we need design focused on the layout and not the content. For those who don’t know about the design process, there is a point we visually design using dummy content. Think of it as having a placeholder before we get the real content. And the goal for this is to try nail the design feel without thinking to much about the copy. For the longest time, most creatives have used “Lorem Ipsum” as their dummy text, so i asked myself…
“Why can’t i come up with something different”.
The origin of lorem ipsum
Richard McClintock, a professor of Latin at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, believes lorem ipsum is be based on De finibus bonorum et malorum, a passage of a thesis on ethics written by Cicero in 45 BC. When print was introduced to the world in the 16th century, lorem ipsum soon became the standard dummy text. Before the rise of the internet, graphic designers would cut lorem ipsum text out of ready-made sheets and stick them to the page by hand.
Source – https://www.enfocus.com/en/blog/lorem-ipsum-dummy-text-thats-not-for-dummies
Why not have a Swahili version?
I managed to get a swahili story that i could be using on projects i work on as my preferred Dummy Text ?? . I guess there is no harm in you using it to. Enjoy ?.
Hapo zamani za kale palikuwa na mzee mmoja aitwae Kanyawi ambaye alihamia kijiji cha Ntenga kutoka Usambaani. Mzee huyu alikuwa anapenda sana kunywa pombe na hata alipomaliza fedha zake zote aliamua kuweka rehani chochote alichonacho. Hakika mzee huyu alikuwa kero sana kwa familia yake kwani kila aliyekopwa alifika nyumbani kwake na kudai deni lao. Kutokana na heshima waliyokuwa nayo watoto wake na mke wake; walilazimika kulipa madeni mara kwa mara. Ilifikia wakati ambapo mke na watoto wote ilibidi kubuni miradi mbalimbali ili waweze kulipa madeni na kusomeshana. Mtoto mkubwa aliyeitwa Mwasu alibuni mradi wa kufuga nyuki na hivyo kuchonga mizinga ya nyuki mizuri sana pale kijijini.
Siku moja kama ilivyokuwa kawaida ya Mzee Kanyawi; alikopa tena pombe ya dengelua yenye thamani ya shilingi elfu tatu. Baada ya kudaiwa alimuambia aliyemkopesha kuwa afike nyumbani kwake kesho yake ili ampe fedha zake. Keshoye yule aliyemkopesha alimpigia mzee Kanyawi simu kuwa yupo njiani kwenda kuchukua fedha zake.
Mzee kanyawi kusikia hivyo aliangalia juu ya mti uliokuwa karibu na nyumba yake na kuona mzinga mpya wa nyuki ambao bado haujaingliwa na nyuki na kumwambia mke wake kuwa kuna watu wanakuja kumuua na hivyo ataingia ndani ya ule mzinga na afungiwe mle ili wale wanaomdai wasimuone. Kutokana na upendo mkubwa kwa mumewe alikubali ombi lile na kumfungia mumewe ndani ya mzinga wa nyuki.Punde si punde Yule mzee Mwasu alifika na kuulizia alipokuwa mzee Kanyawi. Mke wake alimtetea na kusema kasafiri ghafla hadi wiki ijayo. Mzee Mwasu alisononeka sana na kuamua kuchukua ule mzinga uliokuwa juu bila kujua kuwa yule mzee alikuwa ndani yake na kuondoka nao hadi nyumbani kwake. Alipofika kwake Mzee Mwasu aliulizwa na mkewe iwapo alifanikiwa kupata fedha zile na kumwambiwa kuwa hakumkuta lakini aliamua kuchukua mzinga wake mpya ili waupasue na kupata kuni za kupikia kwani yule mzee sio mlipaji. Mzee Mwasu alimtaka kijana wake wa kazi achukue shoka na kupasua ule mzinga ili wapate kuni za kupikia chakula. Hadi hapo yule mzee Kanyawi alikuwa kimya ndani ya mzinga akisubiri jioni ili atoke na kurudi kwake.
Kijana yule wa “miraba minne” alichuka shoka na kulishushia kewnye mzinga ule na “ghafla” damu zilitapakaa kila mahali. Walipoangalia vizuri waliona kuwa ni yule mzee Kanyawi kapasuliiwa kichwa.
AMA KWELI KIAMA CHA MKOPAJI KILIMTOA ROHO BILA KUOMBA MAJI.
Note: The above story was originally written by Sekiete Mtana ☺️