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- Permanent Link:
- http://digital.soas.ac.uk/LSMD000389/00001
Material Information
- Title:
- Swahili verses (MS 41961a)
- Series Title:
- Taylor Papers : Swahili Verses
- Creator:
- [s.n.]
Daud bin Sa’im al-Naufali ( contributor )
- Publication Date:
- 1894 AD (1311 A.H.)
- Language:
- Swahili
- Materials:
- Paper ( medium )
- Technique:
- Handwritten manuscript : Rectangular shape bound book with brown leather cover, and containing large thick pages written with black and red ink. The manuscript is folded
Notes
- Abstract:
- The manuscript contains a collection of 106 traditional short poems/mashairi and songs that are part of Swahili oral tradition. The poems were scribed in 1311AH-1894AD by Da’ud bin Sa’im al-Naufali, but they are much older. Unfortunately, we have no formal dating for this collection. The poets who composed the poems are also unknown, however in some cases the name of the author is provided. For instance, in poem 8 the author is Sharif Muhammad bin Mwinyi Mkuu, and in poem 68 the author is Sh. [Bwana] Omar bin Ahmad, of whom we have no biographical information. In general, the poems discuss social and cultural issues of the Coast by means of metaphors. The type of language used and the themes of the songs are implicit and it is often difficult to discern the actual meanings behind the metaphors. Most poems/songs start with the sound of the ngoma ‘kupiga ngoma’, the traditional way of calling the audience to come and listen to the recitation of the poem. Also, many poems are simply entitled ‘Qala Shairi’ that means ‘The poet said’. The reading can be difficult too because the dialect is old northern Swahili, with many words no longer in use. The writing is quite clear and beautifully presented with the Arabic script written with black and red ink. Overall, the manuscript is very well preserved considering its date. ( en )
- General Note:
- Date of Composition is unknown
- General Note:
- Languages: Swahili (Arabic script)
- General Note:
- Dialects: Northern
- General Note:
- Poetic Form: Shairi - nyimbo (wimbo [singular], a song form of verse)
- General Note:
- Extent: 14 leaves
- General Note:
- Incipit: Nazizi tanzu tamau; moyo lipenda kusuka; tanakishi na mabao; tani kitana kiweka
- General Note:
- Africa -- Eastern Africa -- Swahili Coast
- General Note:
- Purchased from Mrs W.E. Taylor for £10 in March 1930 (entered in Accessions Book 21 Jan 1942)
- General Note:
- Scribe: Daud bin Sa’im al-Naufali
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 41961 ( SOAS manuscript number )
MS 41961a ( SOAS manuscript number )
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