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- Permanent Link:
- http://digital.soas.ac.uk/LSMD000245/00001
Material Information
- Title:
- Wimbo (1) (MS 53508d)
- Series Title:
- Hichens Collection : Swahili Poetry
- Creator:
- [s.n.]
Kijuma, Muhammad ( contributor )
- Publication Date:
- circa 1930 AD (circa 1349 A.H.)
- Language:
- Swahili
- Materials:
- Paper ( medium )
- Technique:
- Handwritten and typescript manuscript : Mainly typescript, with some corrections with pencil, or red ink, on the text
Notes
- Abstract:
- This section contains a collection of 22 traditional songs by various composers, although mostly by Bwana Mwengo bin Athman. The first two are by the same author, Bwana Tumani who is also referred to as either Bwana Mwindari or, in the correct form, Bwana Athman. These songs were collected and transcribed by Muhammad Kijumwa. It is possible that Kijumwa had given the transcribed songs to Alice Werner, who passed them on to Hichens, or directly to Hichens himself. A puzzling aspect of this collection is that Bwana Mataka bin Athman is named as the author of many songs. However, the songs are in praise to Bwana Mataka, the ruler of Siu. So it is either that Bwana Mataka wrote songs to praise himself, or that there are two Bwana Mataka. This point remains unclear. In general, the songs concern social issues between members of the community. Dialogues and disputes are recorded. And much use is made of metaphors. Most songs begin by summoning the audience with the sound of the traditional horn or traditional drumming. For instance, in the first poem of the section, the first stanza reads ‘upesi siwe ajiza, pembe kisimbo kaliza’- ‘quickly, play the horn with the stick’. Or, in the third poem, the first stanza reads ‘kanganya tasa liwambe, pije mushindo wa gungu’- ‘ come to drum and make loud sounds, play the gungu dance’. ( en )
- General Note:
- Date of Composition is unknown
- General Note:
- Languages: Swahili (Roman script)
- General Note:
- Dialects: old Northern
- General Note:
- Poetic Form: Shairi - nyimbo (wimbo [singular], a song form of verse)
- General Note:
- Purchased from Kegan Paul, 6 October 1948
- General Note:
- Extent: 46 leaves
- General Note:
- Incipit: Mupesi siwe ajizi, pembe kisimbo kaliza
- 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. 1973. A Gungu song in the Gunya dialect. Afrika und Ubersee 56: 185-200
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 53508 ( SOAS manuscript number )
MS 53508d ( SOAS manuscript number )
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