Oral Poetry from Africa
A Hausa song from northern Nigeria. The singer is longing for a child. It is from an anthropological record of the Hausa people, partly compiled from an oral account given by Baba (1877–1951), the daughter of a Hausa farmer and Koranic teacher, and translated by May K. Smith.
May Allah give me a true friend whether he’s small or big,
Even an infant sucking at the breast, or one lying in the womb…
A Hausa song from northern Nigeria, popular with women. It is from an anthropological record of the Hausa people, partly compiled from an oral account given by Baba (1877–1951), the daughter of a Hausa farmer and Koranic teacher, and translated by May K. Smith.
The barber doesn’t want a burning passion:
He doesn’t wish it to break him up…
A Hausa song from northern Nigeria, unusually for a war song performed by women. The song was recorded by the Hausa scholar C.G.B. Gidley in 1964.
Great Visitor, Son of Abdu,
Water it is that drowns whoever goes against it…
For over five centuries, Hausa has been one of Africa’s written languages. But a strong tradition of oral poetry exists alongside the written forms, and at times the two have been in competition. These ancient praises are of former rulers (see also Rano).
Yaji, snarer of rocks,
Confounder of knavish tricks…
A Hausa praise poem (see also Rano and Bawa Jangarzo). Daura, one of the ancient Hausa kingdoms, suffered a succession dispute in 1806, leading to the creation of three separate states.
You boy, take heed of the groundnut that sprouts a second year!
The old one, he can make spells…
Three Hausa poems from northern Nigeria, praising a professional drummer whose skills, with Allah’s help, have made him a wealthy man.
The drum drums health,
The drum drums wealth…
