Letters from Burhan bin Abd al-Aziz al-Amawi and from Sulayman bin Burhan al-Amawy (MS 47769f)
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Material Information

Title:
Letters from Burhan bin Abd al-Aziz al-Amawi and from Sulayman bin Burhan al-Amawy (MS 47769f)
Series Title:
Taylor Papers : Swahili letters to W.E. Taylor
Creator:
Burhan bin Abd al-Aziz al-Amawi ( Author, Primary )
Sulayman bin Burhan al-Amawi ( contributor )
Publication Date:
Language:
Swahili
Materials:
Paper ( medium )
Technique:
Handwritten manuscript : Old handwritten pages collated into a larger page and bound in a book with red and gold cover.

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:
Christianity ( LCSH )
Religious poetry ( LCSH )
Missionary work
Sikujua, Mwalimu
Genre:
Letter
Correspondence ( LCTGM )
Personal correspondence ( LCGFT )
Translation
Spatial Coverage:
Africa -- Kenya -- Mombasa County -- Eastern Africa -- Mombasa
Coordinates:
-4.05466 x 39.66359

Notes

Abstract:
A garbled barua ‘note’. This section contains four letters from both Burhan bin Abd al-Aziz al-Amawi and his son Sulayman bin Burhan al-Amawi, to Taylor at the end of the 19th century. The first letter, dated AD1895 (AH 1312), is from Burhan al-Amawi and is written in Arabic with some Swahili words inserted between lines 2 and 3. It is a letter of greetings to Taylor for the birth of his child. The second letter, dated AD1888 (AH 1304), is from Sulayman to Taylor and discusses the translation of the book of the Psalms known in Swahili as the book of Zaburi. Sulayman grandfather, Sh. Abd al-Aizi al-Amawi began to translate the Psalms in Zanzibar for Edward Steere. In the article by Yahya & Frankl, (1994) there is doubt over the dating of Sulayman’s letter, which creates doubts over whether Sulayman could be Burhan’s son. The cataloguer however seems to have no doubt that Sulayman is of the al-Amawi clan and therefore son of Burhan. The beginning of the letter contains a nyimbo. It is interesting to note that Sulayman translates the Arabic word ‘mazamir’ as nyimbo (songs). He explains that he made this choice because in the dictionary that he used, David is said to be singing the prayers. He also tells Taylor that he went to the house of a doctor, a friend of Taylor, who told him that he could teach him English, if he wishes. Sulayman was very pleased. He also informs Taylor that he went to visit Bwana Shaw, an Englishman, to whom he shows Taylor’s letter as a form of recommendation. However, Bwana Shaw knew Sulayman already. Bw. Shaw asks about Bwana Hemedi. The third letter, dated AD1889 (AH 1306), is from Taylor, the only one in this collection, to Sh. Burhan al-Amawi. Taylor asks Sh. Burhan to do some work for him, however no specific task is mentioned in the letter but we can assume that it relates to the translation of the Psalms. Taylor also tells Sh. Burhan to show the work done to Ahmed bin Muhammad for a double check. The last letter of this section, dated AD 1889 (AH1306) is from Sulayman to Taylor. Sulayman used the old word for letter ‘waraka’ instead than the modern ‘barua’. Sulayman informs Taylor that he had finished with the work of translation, and he gives information about [mwalimu] Sikujua. ( en )
General Note:
Biographical information: The al-Amawi family was originally from Barawa. Sh. Abd al-Aziz, the father of Sh. Burhan and grandfather of Suleyman bin Burhan, moved to Zanzibar, and in 1866 helped Edward Steere in the translation of the Psalms from Arabic into Swahili. His son Sh. Burhan was born in Mombasa in 1861, and was Qadi of Zanzibar between 1892-1932. -- Suleyman bin Burhan continued in his grandfather’ s footsteps and translated the Psalms too.
General Note:
Date of Composition: 1888, 1889, 1895 AD (1304, 1306, 1312 A.H.)
General Note:
Languages: Swahili (Arabic script)
General Note:
Dialects: KiMvita
General Note:
Extent: 3 leaves
General Note:
Incipit: Wa baadu kitabuka asharif waswala
General Note:
This is the only letter from Taylor in the file.
General Note:
Donated by Mrs E. Hichens, 14 June 1945
General Note:
Archival history: The letters were collated into the present volume by Hichens
General Note:
Africa -- Eastern Africa -- Kenya -- Mombasa County -- Mombasa
General Note:
Africa -- Eastern Africa -- Tanzania -- Zanzibar
General Note:
Publication information: Yahya, A Omar & Frankl, P. 1994. Swahili Letters from the Taylor papers (being a study of SOAS MS 47769 & MS 47782). in South African Journal of African Languages, 14 (1), pp. 2-11.
General Note:
Publication information: Yahya, A Omar & Frankl, P. 2001. 14th/19th century Swahili letters from the Taylor papers (Part 3: being fifteen items in SOAS MS 53826). in South African Journal of African Languages, 15 (1), pp. 17-24

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 47769 ( SOAS manuscript number )
MS 47769f ( SOAS manuscript number )