Chyathie ikenegenaga chyoka ikerete.
Going they talk much, coming back they keep silent.
Riddles — A Prince on the Mat
Dan Sarki bisa keso
A Prince on the mat.
Introduction to Pleasure Poetry
The theme of the poems in this section is pleasure — pleasure in games and riddles, pleasure in singing and dancing, pleasure in drumming and musicianship, pleasure in drinking, smoking and story-telling, and pleasure in the beauty of the landscape, a whole range of pleasures from childhood to old age.
In Praise of Cattle
A Bahima women’s Praise-Poem from Uganda. The chorus is repeated after each praise. The first five praises (Lines 1–12) refer to the whole herd of cattle, after which the singer proceeds to praise each animal separately.
They are as greedy as Ishe-Katabazi;
I want them to graze in the newly burnt grass of Rwanda.
Women’s Self-Praises
Two Zulu women’s Praise-Poems. In Zulu society, women often compose their own praises which are performed whenever groups of women are together with no men present. The Praise-Poems are descriptions of a woman’s personality and achievements, though they are often used to express complaints.
I am she who cuts across the game reserve
That no girl crosses…
Self-Praises for the Ozo Title Day
An Igbo poem from eastern Nigeria, celebrating initiation into the Nze na Ozo society. To be made Ozo is to become a pillar of the community and a member of the most revered magical-religious community within the Igbo.
I am:
The Camel that brings wealth…