Utenzi wa Barasisi (MS 47779h)
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Material Information

Title:
Utenzi wa Barasisi (MS 47779h)
Series Title:
Hichens Collection : Swahili Tracts
Creator:
Said Abdallah Masu’ud ( Author, Primary )
Said bin Abdallah Masu’ud ( contributor )
Publication Date:
Language:
Swahili
Materials:
Paper ( medium )
Technique:
Handwritten manuscript : In brown (or faded black) ink on pale blue, damaged paper; the handwriting is small, with each stanza comprising a single line of text

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:
Swahili poetry ( LCSH )
Islam ( LCSH )
Legends ( LCSH )
Uislamu
Genre:
Poem
Utenzi
Poetry ( LCTGM )
Spatial Coverage:
Africa -- Eastern Africa -- Swahili Coast
Coordinates:
-9.633997 x 39.778998

Notes

Abstract:
This manuscript contains a version of the Utenzi wa Barsisi that appears to be missing about 20 stanzas from the beginning. While the writer states that the poem has 217 stanzas, the numbers alongside the stanzas stop at 197. In a note, Said Abdallah Masu’ud identifies himself as ‘mwenye kutunga,’ i.e. the writer. Said Abdallah Masu’ud would appear to be the same as the Sayyid Abdallah who identifies himself as the author of the Utenzi wa Hasina in MS 47779g -- although the two tenzi are not commonly known to share a single author. The similarity in the handwriting of the two manuscripts suggests that Said Abdalla’s main role may have been as one of the people who, at various times, wrote these poems down, thus in effect authoring a version of them. See comments on authorship in Harries (1964). ( en )
General Note:
Date of Composition is unknown
General Note:
Languages: Swahili (Arabic script)
General Note:
Poetic Form: Utenzi
General Note:
Extent: 10 pages
General Note:
Incipit: Mimi nasema naweza, moyowe kuugeuza, na tena hampumbaza, hampisha mbovu ndiya
General Note:
Donated by Mrs E. Hichens, June 1945
General Note:
See also SOAS University of London manuscripts MSS 210010 and 210011.
General Note:
Africa -- Eastern Africa -- Swahili Coast
General Note:
Scribe: Said bin Abdallah Masu’ud (?)
General Note:
Publication information: Harries, Lyndon. 1964. The legend of the Monk Barsis -- a Swahili Version. African Language Studies 5: 17-33.
General Note:
Publication information: Knappert, Jan (ed). 1964. Utenzi wa Barasisi wa Saidi bin Abdallah Masu’udi. Swahili 34 (2): 28-37.
General Note:
Publication information: Knappert, Jan. 1999. A Survey of Swahili Islamic Epic Sagas. Lewiston, New York; Queenston, Ontario; Lampeter, Wales: Edwin Mellen Press; pp. 39-41

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 47779 ( SOAS manuscript number )
MS 47779h ( SOAS manuscript number )