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- Permanent Link:
- http://digital.soas.ac.uk/LSMD000413/00001
Notes
- Abstract:
- In this section there is a collection of songs (wimbo) transcribed by Mwalimu Sikujua for Taylor. The songs are written in sequential order however the end of a song is not often very clear, and the scribing is poor and scribbled in some instances. Each song has a number but often the number does not refer to a complete song, but seems rather to number stanzas. Taylor wrote some explanations and some title translations on the side page to the songs. The title of each song is given within the text. Usually it is either the most repeated phrase in the text, or the concluding one. Each song contains a hidden metaphorical meaning, as well as implied socio-cultural meanings with, in some instances, historical relevance. Some songs are drawn from methali (proverbs). Description of some of the songs starting from the first one is as follow. The first song was composed by Su’udi bin Said Ma’amiri and it tells about the time of the fight between Mbaruk al-Mazui and Mohammed bin Abdalla known as Al-Akida. A song that follows entitled ‘Kwa nini hutumie mtuzi nyama usile” is about man/woman relationships. The implied meaning is that a person can be very beautiful but with bad personality. A few songs discuss social issues relating to gender relations, class, and social rank in relation to genealogy. One poem is about a man of lower social class who wants to marry a woman of higher social status. He managed to marry her because the community does not realise that he is of lower social status. AnOther poem is about a man that wants to marry a woman but does not have enough money. Then there is song based on the methali “ Kitwa cha Kuku Hakistahamili Kilemba” and it is a narrative about a man who, after reaching a higher social status, began to act in a bad way towards Other people. This is followed by a song composed against the people of Vanga because they helped the Mazrui against Sultan Barghash of Zanzibar. There follows the poem entitled ‘Wanawake Watano’ that is about five women with different physical and mental characteristics. A man wishes to marry one of those and so he describes them all in order to see who is the best for him. This poem has been described by Yahya & Frankl (Afrika und Ubersee, Band 76, 1993). The famous song/poem written by the people of Lamu blaming the people of Siu for their defeat by Sultan Majid of Zanzibar is included. This is a very similar poem to the one catalogued as MS 380450, and the same poem is also contained in the section ‘Khabari za Lamu’ of MS 53489. The song, numbered 27, is about ‘Tambuu na vitu vyake’; tambuu is a leaf of the betelplant used in a mixture (vitu vyake) for chewing. This mixture was used in traditional Swahili society by men and women for uraibu purposes. Uraibu, according to Johnson’s dictionary, is strictly anything one is accustomed to and cannot do without, like smoking tobacco. The concept of Uraibu is only used to describe the chewing of tambuu. The song numbered 28-29 is similar to the song at the beginning of this section. Here the author says ‘Chungu kimevuja nyama maji yasee’ meaning that when a pot breaks the meat falls off the pot but the water stays in the pot, which is practically impossible. So the author used this expression to reflect upon something odd and strange that has happened to him, to disguise an event in his life. The one line song that follows is composed against Majid bin Jabir, an influential person from Mombasa. Then there is another poem composed by someone from Siu who laments about the defeat of their ruler, Mohammed bin Sh. Mataka, and his imprisonment by Sultan Majid in a prison in Mombasa. The topic of this poem is the same as found above and the same as the poems in Mss 53489 and 380450. Further songs are included which are on similar topics to the one discussed so far. This section concludes with the famous religious poem Duri-li-Mandhuma by Sayyid ‘Umar bin ‘Umar bin Amin that has been extensively catalogued in Mss 210007/8/9 ( en )
- General Note:
- Biographical information: Harries (1962) writes that Sayyid ‘Umar bin ‘Umar bin Amin bin Nadhir al-Ahdal was kadhi of Siu around A.D. 1856. He also wrote the poem ‘Wajiwaji.’
- General Note:
- Date of Composition: circa 1890 AD (circa 1307 A.H.)
- General Note:
- Languages: Swahili (Roman script)
- General Note:
- Dialects: KiAmu and KiMvita
- General Note:
- Poetic Form: Shairi
- General Note:
- Donated by Mrs E. Hichens, 12 June 1945
- General Note:
- Extent: 31 leaves
- General Note:
- Incipit: Nyimbo hizi maana yakwe ni muhamadi bin abdalla
- General Note:
- See SOAS University of London manuscripts MS 53489 and 380450 for poem about Lamu and Siu.<PARAGRAPH>See Mss 210006, 210007, 210008 for Duri-li-Mandhuma.
- General Note:
- Africa -- Eastern Africa -- Kenya -- Lamu County -- Lamu -- Lamu Island
- General Note:
- Africa -- Eastern Africa -- Tanzania -- Manyara Region -- Siu District
- General Note:
- Africa -- Eastern Africa -- Tanzania -- Zanzibar
- General Note:
- Scribe: Sikujua, Mwalimu
- General Note:
- Publication information: Harries, Lyndon. 1962. Swahili Poetry. Oxford: Clarendon Press; pp. 118-127. (For ‘Duri li Mandhuma’).
- General Note:
- Publication information: Knappert, J. 1967. Swahili Songs. Afrika und Ubersee, 50:163-172.
- General Note:
- Publication information: Knappert, Jan. 1975. Swahili proverbs and songs. Afrika und Ubersee, 59:105-112.
- General Note:
- Frankl, PJ & Yahya Ali Omar. 1993. Five Swahili Women: Weighed in the Balance (A further Leaf from the Taylor Papers). Afrika und Ubersee, Band 76, Germany
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 47759 ( SOAS manuscript number )
MS 47759c ( SOAS manuscript number )
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