Hiraql [Heraclius], three Swahili poems (MS 45022)
Hiraql : three Swahili poems.
Heraclius : three Swahili poems.
Kyuo kya Hereḳali.
Book of Heraclius.
Utend̠i wa Tambuka.
Utenzi wa Tambuka.
Story of Tambuka.
Story of Heraclius.
Utenzi wa Ndiwa na Kozi
Swahili is an Eastern African Bantu language with many Arabic elements acquired through contact with Arab traders since about 900 CE. The oldest transcriptions of oral Swahili poetry, written in Arabic script, are from the early eighteenth century. Poetry plays an important cultural role, encouraged...
| Full title: |
Hiraql [Heraclius], three Swahili poems (MS 45022) [electronic resource] Swahili. |
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| Alternative titles: |
Hiraql : three Swahili poems. Heraclius : three Swahili poems. Kyuo kya Hereḳali. Book of Heraclius. Utend̠i wa Tambuka. Utenzi wa Tambuka. Story of Tambuka. Story of Heraclius. Utenzi wa Ndiwa na Kozi |
| Other authors: | Kijuma, Muhammad. |
| Format: | Physical Object |
| Language: | Swahili |
| Published: |
[19th century].
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| Series: |
SOAS Digital Library.
African Collections. Swahili Manuscripts Collections. Tanzania Collection at SOAS, University of London. Ottoman & Turkey Collection at SOAS, University of London. Kenya Collection at SOAS, University of London. |
| Subjects: | |
| Online access: |
Electronic Resource Click here to view record |
| Summary: |
Swahili is an Eastern African Bantu language with many Arabic elements acquired through contact with Arab traders since about 900 CE. The oldest transcriptions of oral Swahili poetry, written in Arabic script, are from the early eighteenth century. Poetry plays an important cultural role, encouraged by religious leaders whose Arabic verses may be paraphrased interlinearly in Swahili. Such poetry protects the individual and embodies patrician Swahili values of purity and piety, expressing pride in their Arab origins. Poems may render events in the life of the Prophet Muhammad or historical happenings in early Islam, as here, where the two longer poems deal with Muhammad’s victories against the Byzantine emperor Heraclius (Hiraql, reigned 610-641 CE) (Text by Tania Tribe, from the exhibition catalogue: Objects of instruction : treasures of the School of Oriental and African Studies, Anna Contadini, Editor. London : SOAS, University of London, 2007.) The last section of MS 45022 contains a short poem (utenzi) about the legend of the prophet Moses who was put to test by an hawk and a dove that were, in fact, the angels Michale and Jibrail. The poem contains 37 stanzas, with one line in each stanza. The story begins when Moses is sitting under the shade an Ndiwa, dove, approaches him to look for refuge as it is escaping from a Kozi, hawk. The Ndiwa hides under Moses's legs when the Kozi reaches them too. The Kozi asks Moses why is hiding his risiki (subsistence) that is the Ndiwa. The story deploys metaphorical meanings about life. The characters are caught in a dilemma about their food and livelihood, risiki, that has been allocated to them by God. However, this contains a contradiction in the sense that the Nidwa is the food of the Kozi, but he wishes to escape from this affliction and look for protection under Musa. However, from the point of view of the Kozi, the Ndiwa is his risiki allocated by God. Moses has to solve this dilemma. The story continues with Moses trying to accommodate the needs of both birds, but without much success, as their needs are in such contradictions that are impossible to resolve. Moses even suggests the Kozi to eat a part of his body instead of the Ndiwa. At the end, the Ndiwa and the Kozi reveal themselves as the angels Jibril and Mikail who tested Moses's actions in a difficult situation. The author, named Muhammed (without further indication of his identity that make us assume that he could be Muhammed Kijumwa), says that to keep this poem in the household will bring reward from God in life and afterlife. The reading of this poem is very difficult because of some unclear lexicon as well as unclear scribing. |
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| Other authors: | Kijuma, Muhammad. |
| Language: | Swahili |
| Published: |
[19th century].
|
| Subjects: | |
| Series: |
SOAS Digital Library.
African Collections. Swahili Manuscripts Collections. Tanzania Collection at SOAS, University of London. Ottoman & Turkey Collection at SOAS, University of London. Kenya Collection at SOAS, University of London. |
| Bibliography: |
Abou Egl, Mohammad. 1983. The life and works of Muhamadi Kijuma. PhD thesis, SOAS, University of London. pp. 171-179 Dammann, E. 1960. Kozi na Ndiwa. Afrika und Ubersee, 44:207-218. |