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- Permanent Link:
- http://digital.soas.ac.uk/LSMD000143/00001
Material Information
- Title:
- Utenzi wa Amuri (MS 210002a)
- Series Title:
- Hichens Collection
- Creator:
- [s.n.]
- Publication Date:
- 1930s AD (circa 1348-1358 A.H.)
- Language:
- Swahili
- Materials:
- Paper ( medium )
- Technique:
- Typescript manuscript : In black type, with ten verses to a page
Notes
- Abstract:
- This manuscript contains 259 stanzas of the Utenzi wa Amuri. Its identification as ‘T transcript’ suggests that it derives from another, perhaps handwritten manuscript that was also incomplete. A different, complete version of the poem may be found in the Knappert collection under the title Utenzi wa Vita Vikuu baina ya Isilamu na Makafiri wa Kiarabu (MS 380069). The present manuscript contains many errors and the poem itself a considerable vocabulary of Arabic words that have not been incorporated into Swahili. Stanza 142, for example, in which Ali is revealing his identity to Amuri, could in lexical terms be classified as entirely Arabic. The narrative structure of the poem may be outlined as follows: Stanzas 1-10: preface 11-31: introduction to the story. Jibril brings a message from God to Mohammed in Medina: Mohammed should send Ali to challenge an unbeliever named ‘Amuri bin Ghuweni as-Zuhuri 32-62: Ali receives instructions from Mohammed and sets out on his journey. When questioned by Fatima about the dangers of travelling alone, he replies that he will have Jibril at his right, the angel Mikail at his left and Azrael, the angel of death, before him 63-121: Ali arrives in the city, where he sees the massive army of Amuri. Under false pretences he locates Amuri’s house, where he introduces himself to Amuri by another name and says that he is trying to gather a force to fight Mohammed. Amuri welcomes the idea and admits Ali to his home 122-138: Ali secretly buries the food he is given; the next morning, he sets out with Amuri, ostensibly to gather forces. When Amuri recognises that they are journeying towards Medina, he questions Ali 139-171: Ali announces his true identity to Amuri and says that if Amuri wants to avert war he must become a Muslim. Amuri refuses and a fight ensues. Ali overpowers Amuri and takes him to Mohammed 172-184: Before Mohammed, Amuri again rejects Islam. He is killed by Ali 185-240: Asad, a relative of Amuri, receives word of Amuri’s death and gathers an immense army 241-259: Jibril brings word of Asad’s activity to Mohammed and relates God’s instructions that Mohammed should take his own forces to meet Asad’s. Notable features of the poem’s language include the following. In stanza 163 the poet uses ‘ja’ for ‘kama.’ In stanza 184 the root ‘wi’ is used for ‘bad, evil’: ‘nyumba mbiwi.’ In stanza 200 the poet uses the Kiamu form of ‘warefu,’ ‘ware.’ ( en )
- General Note:
- Date of Composition is unknown
- General Note:
- Languages: Swahili (Roman script)
- General Note:
- Poetic Form: Utenzi
- General Note:
- Extent: 27 leaves
- General Note:
- Incipit: Akhi patia madadi [midadi], na lahu [lauhu] njema jadidi, na kalamu Mkayadi, ipendezayo kolea
- General Note:
- This poem is also known as the Utenzi wa Vita Vikuu baina ya Isilamu na makafiri wa Kiarabu. See SOAS University of London manuscript MS 380069
- General Note:
- Africa -- Eastern Africa -- Swahili Coast
- General Note:
- The Hichens Papers were donated to SOAS on 17 July 1967
- General Note:
- Publication information: Knappert, Jan. 1983. Epic Poetry in Swahili and Other African Languages. Leiden: E.J. Brill, pp. 74-128
Record Information
- Source Institution:
- SOAS University of London
- Holding Location:
- Archives and Special Collections
- Rights Management:
- This item may be in the public domain. Its status has yet to be assessed.
- Resource Identifier:
- MS 210002 ( SOAS manuscript number )
MS 210002a ( SOAS manuscript number )
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