Mashairi ya Liyongo (MS 380548c)
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Material Information

Title:
Mashairi ya Liyongo (MS 380548c)
Series Title:
Knappert Collection : Al-Inkishafi, Utenzi wa Mwana Kupona, Mashairi ya Liyongo and other poems
Alternate title:
Shairi la Liongo
Creator:
Liongo Fumo ( Author, Primary )
Abdalla ba Sheikh ( contributor )
Publication Date:
Language:
Swahili
Materials:
Paper ( medium )
Technique:
Handwritten manuscript : In blue ink on ruled paper, with notes in pencil. The ink has been smeared in places.

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:
Swahili poetry ( LCSH )
Legends ( LCSH )
Oral tradition in literature ( LCSH )
Oral literature
Kiswahili mashairi
Liongo Fumo ( DNB )
Fumo Liyongo
Genre:
Poem
Utumbuizo
Poetry ( LCTGM )
Spatial Coverage:
Africa -- Kenya -- Eastern Africa -- Lamu County -- Shanga -- Pate Island -- Shanga Ruins
Coordinates:
-2.135 x 41.06467

Notes

Abstract:
This poem celebrates a bride. It contains 48 stanzas, the content of which is summarised in general terms below. A prose note on Fumo Liyongo is appended to the poem. Stanzas 1-6 concern announcement of the celebration through beating on the ‘pembe’ at a grand home. The sound should travel far and awaken people; beautiful noblewomen should come to join the singing; only pleasing songs should be sung Stanzas 7-10 praise the hair, head, ears and face of the bride. Her hair is likened to silk; her head to the ‘sukun’ that signifies in Arabic writing the absence of a vowel; her ears to arches Stanzas 11-13 praise the bride’s eyebrows, which meet on her brow and are blacker than ink; and her eyes, which are so beautiful that one fears to meet her gaze Stanzas 14 and 15 praise her nose, describing it (puzzlingly) as having six sections The bride’s cheeks are full (16), and her lips are small, so that when she sings even a fool may understand (17) Stanzas 18-20 praise the bride’s teeth, and stanza 21 praises her tongue The intent of stanza 22 seems to be to praise the scent of her mouth Stanzas 23-25 praise her long neck and her shoulders, in which no bones are visible and which arch prettily Stanza 26 praises the shape of her arms, which are double-jointed, comparing them to branches of a certain tree Stanza 27 praises her nails, which are the colour of red coral Stanzas 28-32 praise her underarms, which are beautifully scented, and her breasts, which are likened to pomegranates Stanzas 33 and 34 praise the delicacy of her bones Stanza 35 praises her stomach Stanzas 36-46 form an elaborate metaphor in which intimacy with the bride is described in terms of a boat at sea Stanza 47 praises the woman’s knees and her way of walking; and stanza 48 describes her ornamented shoes. A prose appendix to the poem tells the story of its composition and of the life of Fumo Liyongo. The poem was written by Liyongo to celebrate his bride on the occasion of his wedding, which took place in Shaka, the town where Liyongo lived, married and was buried. Shaka, the note explains, is east of Kipini, one and a half to two hours by foot; but now only ruins of its grand houses remain. The note tells how Liyongo was killed by his son, to whom the king of Pate had promised a kingdom in exchange for that deed. Liyongo confided his point of vulnerability to his son, who then pierced Liyongo’s navel with a copper needle while Liyongo slept. The king of Pate had promised Liyongo’s son dominion over inland areas, where the king himself was not well respected. The peoples of this region (the note names peoples who lived near the Tana River, such as the Waboni and Wasanye) had little respect for the authority of the king of Pate, while they held Liyongo in high regard. But Liyongo’s son never received the reward he had been promised. ( en )
General Note:
Biographical information: Fumo Liyongo is a mythical Swahili poet and hero, and it is tought that he composed many oral songs and poems narrating about his life time, which is around the 12th and 13th century. For more information on Liyongo, see the field ‘relevant publication’.
General Note:
Date of Composition is unknown
General Note:
Languages: Swahili (Arabic script)
General Note:
Poetic Form: Utumbuizo (bipartite long-measure verse)
General Note:
Extent: 12 small pages
General Note:
Incipit: Pijiani mbasi, pembe ya jamusi, kwa cha mtutusi, au mwananinga
General Note:
Shanga is also known as Shagga
General Note:
Other copy: Same song in SOAS University of London manuscript MS 47795 in the Werner Collection, and MS 380526a and MS 210013a in the Hichens collection
General Note:
VIAF (name authority) : Liongo Fumo : URI http://viaf.org/viaf/225493124
General Note:
Africa -- Eastern Africa -- Kenya -- Lamu County -- Shanga -- Shanga Ruins -- Pate Island
General Note:
Africa -- Eastern Africa -- Kenya -- Tana River County -- Kipini
General Note:
Donated to SOAS [date uncertain]
General Note:
Scribe: Abdalla ba Sheikh
General Note:
Publication information: Lambert, H.E. 1953. Ode to Mwana Mnga. Swahili 23: 56-65.
General Note:
Publication information: Werner, Alice. c. 1926-28. The Swahili saga of Liyongo Fumo. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 4: 247-255

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 380548 ( SOAS manuscript number )
MS 380548c ( SOAS manuscript number )