Oral Poetry from Africa
A Swahili poem in praise of the coconut palm, discovered c1905 by the scholar Muhammed Kijuma (1855.1945) in an old collection of marriage songs. It is attributed by some to the legendary hero Liyongo (see ‘The Legend of Liyongo’).
Give me the minstrel’s seat that I may sit at ease and tell of the praises of the coco-palm.
This tree, when it is young and sprouting, spreads its leaves outwards widely…
An Acoli prayer from Uganda. We hear the words of a hunter perparing for the hunt and praying that his spear will be adequate.
The spear with the hard point,
Let it split the granite rock…
A Fulani chain riddle from northern Nigeria. This is a word game for two people. One makes up a line, and the other has to add a second line beginning with the last word of the first. In the process, the players are constantly devising fresh metaphor.
The foreigner salutes you?
Salutes imply royalty?..
Another Swahili song discovered c1905 by the scholar Muhammed Kijuma (1855–1945) in an old collection of marriage songs. It begins by seeming to mock the poor man, but quickly shifts to sympathising with him.
A poor man doesn’t know
how to eat with a rich man.
A Kanuri Praise-Poem from the ancient kingdom of Bornu in northern Nigeria. Kaigama was the title of the Sultan’s chief slave, commander in chief of the army and responsible for the defence and general administration of the southern part of the Bornu kingdom.
Kaigama Anterashi,
Star of the morning…
An Oríkì (praise poem) in praise of Dada Areogun, one of the most famous Yorùbá carvers in wood (1880–1954). Born in the village of Osi, now known as Osi-Ilorin in Ekiti state. See the Ere-Yorùbá site for more information about Dada Areogun.
Dada, who has Ogun’s money to spend.
The end of his cloth is knotted like an infant’s umbilical cord…
