African Poems

Oral Poetry from Africa

Oral Poetry from Africa

Filed Under: Modern Poetry in Oral Manner

Ugh! Television is Disgusting

Axmed Shiikh Jaamac (1942–2014) was a Somali academician, writer, poet and politician. He taught at the Ministry of Education of the former Republic of Somalia, before moving to Yemen to publish a weekly column for the journal Al-Miithaaq. Axmed eventually returned to Somalia to work as director of the Puntland Ministry of Information, Telecommunications, Culture and Heritage in Garowe.

The following poem was translated from Somali into English by Maxamed Xasan ‘Alto’ and Sarah Maguire.

You belong in the grave like all your kin from the Djinn
False hope, you’re used by the Devil to hide all his schemes…

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Filed Under: Blog

South Africa’s Heritage Day 2021

As South Africa’s Heritage Day is on upon us, I thought it would be topical to take a glimpse at a small fraction of the poetry that has arisen from South Africa’s vast oral poetry traditions.

With 24th September having been previously celebrated in SA to mark the death of Shaka, the Zulu King, it seems appropriate to begin with one of the poems praising his military genius and catalogue of victories. Shaka is a martial poem of amazing force and energy, full of imagery of lions, leopards, fires, furnaces, axes, spears, hawks and vipers. The Zulu Warrior virtues of bravery, ferocity, agility and strength are praised and the tone is confident and aggressive, Shaka setting his own stamp on the nation.

This can be balanced by a short poem that presents the aftermath of Shaka’s conquests from the perspective of those who suffered from them. The Dirge of the Warriors Widows is a lament by Sotho women that is said to date from the time of Shaka’s wars.

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Filed Under: Relationship Poems

Diommaya (by Sékouba Bambino & Kandia Kouyaté)

Diommaya is a song by two of West Africa’s most celebrated griots that cautions the ruling elites of Guinea and Mali about the dangers of exaggerating their own self-importance. Wealth and power are blessings, but will often bring forth arrogance and a lack of consideration for others.

Oh! Refuse, refuse, refuse and say no
Don’t accept to be disrespected, refuse it…

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Filed Under: Epic Poems

Kambili Battles Cekura

Previous installments of the epic Mandinka poem, Kambili, covered the childhood and marriage of this semi-mythic figure from Mali.

In the verses that follow, the musician and singer Seydou Camara, narrates the events leading to the battle of Kambili against the sorcerer Cekura.

Born for a reason and learning are not the same.
Putting tradition aside for one day’s pain is not good.
Hot pepper of the Game…

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Filed Under: Protest & Satirical Poems

Pride and Greed

The Somali Sufi poet, Sheekh Caaqib Cabdilaahi, uses the setting of an arbitration council as a stage for the personification of two of human natures most common vices.

At this council, Pride and Greed are the disputants who have come to express their grievances with one another and to seek to obtain the sympathy of the judges.

Pride and Greed are disputing over a matter
let people assemble for they want to be heard…

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