Correspondence with M. Kijuwma (MS 253028a)
Permanent Link:

Material Information

Title:
Correspondence with M. Kijuwma (MS 253028a)
Series Title:
Hichens Collection : Correspondence
Creator:
Kijuma, Muhammad ( Author, Primary )
Al-Hinawy, Mbarak, Sheikh-Sir, 1896-1959 ( contributor )
Publication Date:
Language:
Swahili
Materials:
Paper ( medium )
Technique:
Typescript manuscript : Bound volume with red and gold cover; typescript in black and blue ink on thin paper

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:
Swahili Literature ( LCSH )
Swahili poetry ( LCSH )
Africa, East ( LCSH )
East Africa
Africa, East -- History ( LCSH )
East Africa -- History
Kiswahili mashairi
Afrika, Mashariki - Historia
Sikujua, Mwalimu
Bwana Hemedi
Genre:
Letter
Correspondence ( LCTGM )
Personal correspondence ( LCGFT )
Spatial Coverage:
Africa -- Kenya -- Lamu County -- Eastern Africa -- Lamu -- Lamu Island
Coordinates:
-2.269444 x 40.902222

Notes

Abstract:
This section of MS 253028 contains correspondence primarily between Hichens and Muhammad Kijumwa, but also includes a few letters to Mr Whitton, of Lamu Custom agency that provided the shipping of Swahili manuscripts collected, as well as receiving material for Kijumwa sent from England. Kijumwa was the main source of Swahili literary and historical material for Hichens, in Lamu (see biographical information at item level). The 10 letters included in this section discusses issues related to the following literature: - Utendi na Njiwa na Kozi - Mikidadi na Mayasa - Utendi was Mwana Kupona - Utendi wa Barasisi na Hasina - Utendi wa Miraji Muhammad - Utendi wa Eysha na Muhammad - Al-Inkishafi - Hamziyya The letters by Hichens to Kijumwa tend to deal with questions relating to the content and origins of the various manuscripts, and to the payments due to Kijumwa for his work of transcribing, and of searching for information related to the material. Hichens also seeks information on the history of Lamu, Pate, Siu, and Witu, and about the history of the Sultans, as well as information on traditional medicine, and waganga and watawi. Kijumwa’s letters always begin with an old fashioned greetings in which the person to whom the letter is addressed is highly praised. His letters were transliterated and typed, possibly by Hichens himself, and contain many errors. In this section, there are two letters that have the original, in Arabic script, in MS 47797 (letter 2 of MS 47797 is letter 8 of this section; letter 3 of MS 47797 is letter 5 of this section). Kijumwa informs Hichens that he had met a Kingo(v)zi speaker who can read the Hamziyya. He includes a Kingo(v)zi word lists This section also includes a correspondence between Hichens and Mbarak Ali Hinawy, from Mombasa, in English, regarding the publication of the Utendi wa Mwana Kupona and Miqdad na Mayasa. Hichens thanks Mbarak Ali Hinawy for having secured a copy of Al-Inkishafi, and he also reflects upon the importance of collecting as many MS as possible in order to write a complete history of Swahili literature. Hinawy confirms that the great scholar, Sheikh Alamin bin Ali Mazrui has agreed to collaborate with them. ( en )
General Note:
Biographical information: Muhammad Kijumwa was born circa 1855 in Lamu. He was a poet, scribe, performer, calligrapher, carpenter, taylor and sculptor who taught his daughter, Helewa, the craft of decorative woodcarving. He assisted many European 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 member of Lamu society. -- Sir Mbarak Ali Hinawy was born in Mombasa c.1896AD (1314AH). He became Liwali of Mombasa and, after the death of Sir Ali b. Salim, Liwali of the Coast. Shaikh Mbarak, as he was also known, was probably the first non-European to collect manuscripts relating to Swahili literature, and his papers were given by his family, after his death in 1959AD (1379AH), to the university of Dar-es-Salaam archives. His publications together with his surviving papers reveal the depth of his scholarship. (Frankl & Omar, 1993)
General Note:
Date of Composition: 1933 AD (1352 A.H.)
General Note:
Languages: Swahili (Roman script)
General Note:
Dialects: KiAmu
General Note:
From the Hichens Papers via Miss M.C. Bryan (gift), 23 February 1970
General Note:
Extent: 28 leaves
General Note:
Incipit: General Correspondence relating to Swahili literature
General Note:
Mwalimu Sikujua, an informant of W.E. Taylor, was also known as Mwalimu Sikujua bin Abdalla bin Batawi
General Note:
VIAF (name authority) : Kijuma, Muhammad : URI http://viaf.org/viaf/43775563
General Note:
VIAF (name authority) : Al-Hinawy, Mbarak, Sheikh-Sir, 1896-1959 : URI http://viaf.org/viaf/305366593
General Note:
Africa -- Eastern Africa -- Kenya -- Lamu County -- Lamu -- Lamu Island
General Note:
Africa -- Eastern Africa -- Kenya -- Mombasa County -- Mombasa

Record Information

Source Institution:
SOAS University of London
Holding Location:
Archives and Special Collections
Rights Management:
This item is believed to be in the public domain
Resource Identifier:
MS 253028 ( SOAS manuscript number )
MS 253028a ( SOAS manuscript number )