Hiraql [Heraclius], three Swahili poems (MS 45022)
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Material Information

Title:
Hiraql [Heraclius], three Swahili poems (MS 45022)
Series Title:
Objects of instruction : treasures of SOAS
Added title page title:
Hiraql : three Swahili poems
Added title page title:
Heraclius : three Swahili poems
Added title page title:
Kyuo kya Hereḳali
Added title page title:
Book of Heraclius
Added title page title:
Utend̠i wa Tambuka
Added title page title:
Utenzi wa Tambuka
Added title page title:
Story of Tambuka
Added title page title:
Story of Heraclius
Portion of title:
Utenzi wa Ndiwa na Kozi MS 45022c
Creator:
Kijuma, Muhammad ( Author, Scribe )
Place of Publication:
Africa
Publication Date:
Language:
Swahili
Physical Description:
2 leaves
Materials:
Paper ( medium )
Measurements:
24.4 x 19 cm
Technique:
Handwritten manuscript in black and red ink on old thick papers

Notes

Content Advice:
Swahili is an Eastern African Bantu language with many Arabic elements acquired through contact with Arab traders since about 900 CE. The oldest transcriptions of oral Swahili poetry, written in Arabic script, are from the early eighteenth century. Poetry plays an important cultural role, encouraged by religious leaders whose Arabic verses may be paraphrased interlinearly in Swahili. Such poetry protects the individual and embodies patrician Swahili values of purity and piety, expressing pride in their Arab origins. Poems may render events in the life of the Prophet Muhammad or historical happenings in early Islam, as here, where the two longer poems deal with Muhammad’s victories against the Byzantine emperor Heraclius (Hiraql, reigned 610-641 CE) (Text by Tania Tribe, from the exhibition catalogue: Objects of instruction : treasures of the School of Oriental and African Studies, Anna Contadini, Editor. London : SOAS, University of London, 2007.) ( en,,,,,,,,,, )
Scope and Content:
The last section of MS 45022 contains a short poem (utenzi) about the legend of the prophet Moses who was put to test by an hawk and a dove that were, in fact, the angels Michale and Jibrail. The poem contains 37 stanzas, with one line in each stanza. The story begins when Moses is sitting under the shade an Ndiwa, dove, approaches him to look for refuge as it is escaping from a Kozi, hawk. The Ndiwa hides under Moses's legs when the Kozi reaches them too. The Kozi asks Moses why is hiding his risiki (subsistence) that is the Ndiwa. The story deploys metaphorical meanings about life. The characters are caught in a dilemma about their food and livelihood, risiki, that has been allocated to them by God. However, this contains a contradiction in the sense that the Nidwa is the food of the Kozi, but he wishes to escape from this affliction and look for protection under Musa. However, from the point of view of the Kozi, the Ndiwa is his risiki allocated by God. Moses has to solve this dilemma. The story continues with Moses trying to accommodate the needs of both birds, but without much success, as their needs are in such contradictions that are impossible to resolve. Moses even suggests the Kozi to eat a part of his body instead of the Ndiwa. At the end, the Ndiwa and the Kozi reveal themselves as the angels Jibril and Mikail who tested Moses's actions in a difficult situation. The author, named Muhammed (without further indication of his identity that make us assume that he could be Muhammed Kijumwa), says that to keep this poem in the household will bring reward from God in life and afterlife. The reading of this poem is very difficult because of some unclear lexicon as well as unclear scribing.
General Note:
First lines of manuscript: Nanda kubaini kwa isimu yake karimu na ahrahmani baadaye kirasimu
General Note:
Swahili manuscript, written in Arabic script (northern dialect), in leather case with rude ornamental designs
General Note:
Recounts the legend of Moses protecting Gabriel disguised as a dove from Michael disguised as a hawk: ff. 49-51
Donation:
Forms part of the Taylor Papers
Bibliography:
Abou Egl, Mohammad. 1983. The life and works of Muhamadi Kijuma. PhD thesis, SOAS, University of London. pp. 171-179 Dammann, E. 1960. Kozi na Ndiwa. Afrika und Ubersee, 44:207-218.
Biographical:
Muhammad Kijumwa was born circa 1855 in Lamu. He was a poet, scribe, peformer calligrapher, carpenter, tailor and sculptor who taught his son, Helewa, the craft of decorative woodcarving. He assisted many Eurpoean scholars of Swahili literature, including William Taylor, Alice Werner, Carl Meinhof, H.E. Lambert, William Hichens, Ernst Dammann and John Williamson, and was a well-known character in Lamu

Record Information

Source Institution:
SOAS, University of London
Holding Location:
Archives and Special Collections
Rights Management:
All applicable rights reserved by the source institution and holding location.
Resource Identifier:
MS 45022 ( soas manuscript number )
b165534d-6957-4ba0-a562-e81f536b479a ( calm recordid )