Hadithi ya Ngamia na Paa (MS 53497b)
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Material Information

Title:
Hadithi ya Ngamia na Paa (MS 53497b)
Series Title:
Hichens Collection : Swahili Poems
Creator:
[s.n.]
Kijuma, Muhammad ( contributor )
Publication Date:
Language:
Swahili
Materials:
Paper ( medium )
Technique:
Handwritten manuscript in black ink on thin paper

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:
Islam ( LCSH )
Religious history
Legends ( LCSH )
Swahili poetry ( LCSH )
Uislamu
Kiswahili mashairi
History -- Religious aspects ( LCSH )
Islam -- History ( LCSH )
Muḥammad, Prophet, -641 ( LCNA )
Prophet Mohammed
Genre:
Stories
Utenzi
Literature ( LCTGM )
Spatial Coverage:
Africa -- Eastern Africa -- Swahili Coast
Coordinates:
-9.633997 x 39.778998

Notes

Abstract:
This section of MS 53497 contains the religious legend of ‘The Camel and the Gazelle’ in the Utenzi form of 414 stanzas; each stanza is of four lines, with 1 kipande per line. The first 69 stanzas are translated in English, probably by Hichens. According to M. Abou Egl (unpubl. 1983), Muhammad Kijumwa had written and transcribed this poem for Alice Werner, who subsequently gave it to W. Hichens. The poem is handwritten with many corrections on the text as well as on the sides. With the corrections, it reads smoothly. Kiamu is the language used. The first 59 stanzas contain a praise in honour of the Prophet Mohammed. At stanza 60 the story of the Ngamia na Paa begins. According to the poem, stanza 62, the story was originally narrated by a man from Mecca, called Jaafari. In brief, the content of the poem narrates the encounter between a camel and the Prophet. The camel has come to the Mosque where the Prophet was praying to ask for help, because of mistreatment by his owner, Abi Masudi, a non-believer, who is exploiting the camel (stanza 108). The Prophet sets out to help the camel. Eventually, Abi Masudi, the owner of the camel, converts to Islam. The story is set at the time of the death of the Prophet, as noted in stanzas 387-388. An interesting structural aspect of this utenzi is that the content of each stanza is explained in a more elaborate way in the following stanza; in Other words, each event is explained in two successive stanzas. In some instances, passages from the Koran occur in roman script. ( en )
General Note:
Date of Composition is unknown
General Note:
Languages: Swahili (Roman script)
General Note:
Dialects: KiAmu
General Note:
Poetic Form: Utenzi
General Note:
Incipit: Bismillahi arrahmani Arrahimi wabihi hastain auwaka ya mu’ien
General Note:
Purchased from Kegan Paul, 6 October 1948
General Note:
VIAF (name authority) : Kijuma, Muhammad : URI http://viaf.org/viaf/43775563
General Note:
Africa -- Eastern Africa -- Swahili Coast
General Note:
Scribe: Kijuma, Muhammad
General Note:
Publication information: Knappert, Jan. 1967. Traditional Swahili Poetry. Brill, Leiden
General Note:
Publication information: Knappert, Jan. 1979. Four Centuries of Swahili Verse. London: Heinemann, pp. 210-217.
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. 32-33.
General Note:
Publication information: Knappert, Jan. 1971. Swahili Islamic Poetry. Brill, Leiden.
General Note:
Publication information: Werner, Alice. 1926-27. Swahili Poetry. Journal of the African Society, 26: 101-111.
General Note:
Publication information: Dammann, Ernest. 1940. Dichtungen in der Lamu Mundart des Suaheli. Hamburg, de Gruyter, pp 285-327.
General Note:
Publication information: Abou Egl, Mohammad. 1983. The LIfe and Works of Muhamadi Kijumwa. PhD thesis, SOAS-University of London, pp 220-222

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 53497 ( SOAS manuscript number )
MS 53497b ( SOAS manuscript number )