Utenzi wa Shufaka
Encyclopedia
Utenzi wa Shufaka is an utenzi
(classical narrative poem) in Swahili literature
. It is composed of 285 stanzas of four lines of eight-syllables each. The poet-narrator of utenzi offers details of his lineage but never identifies himself.
The only old manuscript of the poem known is held in the library of the German Oriental Society
in Halle
. This copy, which is written in Arabic script
, was sent by Ludwig Krapf from Africa (most probably, German East Africa
) in 1854. The poem was published in 1887, followed by a Roman script transliteration in 1894 by Carl Gotthilf Büttner. Jan Knappert
offered the first English
translation in 1967, though he also introduced a number of significant mistranslations.
The original title is Chuo cha Utenzi ("A book of poetry in utenzi meter"). This was changed by Büttner to a title he felt was more descriptive.
s Gabriel
and Michael
had an argument. Both agreed that in the distant past human
s were kind and compassionate towards each other. However, while Gabriel held that this was still true, while Michael argued that humans had lost the quality of compassion. To settle the dispute, they agreed to carry out a test.
The two descended to Medina
, where Gabriel appeared at the mosque
as a severely ill man and Michael appeared in the marketplace
as a physician. The townspeople pitied Gabriel and offered him money to go find a healer. Gabriel said that he knew of one and took them to Michael. Michael stated that he could cure Gabriel but only with the blood of a sacrifice
d young man, in particular a seventh son who was the only surviving after his six siblings had died in infancy. The only man fitting the description was Kassim, the son of the wealthiest man of the village. The townspeople agreed and explained to Kassim's father, who agreed but said his wife must agree. His wife agreed, but said that Kassim must also agree, which he did. Michael then stated the father must be the one to kill his son
. Sorrowing, the father does so. The angels vanish, leaving the townspeople to prepare a burial.
In Heaven
, Michael agrees with Gabriel that humans still possess exemplary compassion. The angels appeal to God
to resurrect Kassim. God grants permission and the angels return to the town as different person, who return to Kassim's family and say that they are hungry and thirsty. The bereaved father tells his wife to prepare food and drink. Gabriel invokes God to bring all seven of the sons to life and the whole town celebrates. The angels return to Heaven, where they prophesy
that in the future humans will lose their compassion and become obsessed with their physical well-being and material wealth. The poet concludes by stating that this prophecy has been fulfilled.
stated that Utenzi wa Shufaka was important because of its age and because it is one of the most remarkable pieces of Swahili literature, though he did not elaborate on why he thought it was remarkable.
In 1920, Alice Werner wrote:
Utenzi
Utenzi or utend̠i is a form of narrative poetry in Swahili. Its name derives from the fact that it usually describes heroic deeds...
(classical narrative poem) in Swahili literature
Swahili literature
Swahili literature is, generally speaking, literature written in the Swahili language particularly by Swahili people of the East African coast and the neighboring islands. It may also refer to literature written by people who write in Swahili language...
. It is composed of 285 stanzas of four lines of eight-syllables each. The poet-narrator of utenzi offers details of his lineage but never identifies himself.
The only old manuscript of the poem known is held in the library of the German Oriental Society
Deutsche Morgenländische Gesellschaft
The Deutsche Morgenländische Gesellschaft , in English the German Oriental Society, is a scholarly organization dedicated to studies of Asia and the broader Orient....
in Halle
Halle, Saxony-Anhalt
Halle is the largest city in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is also called Halle an der Saale in order to distinguish it from the town of Halle in North Rhine-Westphalia...
. This copy, which is written in Arabic script
Arabic alphabet
The Arabic alphabet or Arabic abjad is the Arabic script as it is codified for writing the Arabic language. It is written from right to left, in a cursive style, and includes 28 letters. Because letters usually stand for consonants, it is classified as an abjad.-Consonants:The Arabic alphabet has...
, was sent by Ludwig Krapf from Africa (most probably, German East Africa
German East Africa
German East Africa was a German colony in East Africa, which included what are now :Burundi, :Rwanda and Tanganyika . Its area was , nearly three times the size of Germany today....
) in 1854. The poem was published in 1887, followed by a Roman script transliteration in 1894 by Carl Gotthilf Büttner. Jan Knappert
Jan Knappert
Dr. Jan Knappert was a well-known expert on the Swahili language. He was also an Esperantist, and he wrote an Esperanto-Swahili dictionary....
offered the first English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
translation in 1967, though he also introduced a number of significant mistranslations.
The original title is Chuo cha Utenzi ("A book of poetry in utenzi meter"). This was changed by Büttner to a title he felt was more descriptive.
Plot
A long time ago, the angelAngel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
s Gabriel
Gabriel
In Abrahamic religions, Gabriel is an Archangel who typically serves as a messenger to humans from God.He first appears in the Book of Daniel, delivering explanations of Daniel's visions. In the Gospel of Luke Gabriel foretells the births of both John the Baptist and of Jesus...
and Michael
Michael (archangel)
Michael , Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; , Mikhaḗl; or Míchaël; , Mīkhā'īl) is an archangel in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic teachings. Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans refer to him as Saint Michael the Archangel and also simply as Saint Michael...
had an argument. Both agreed that in the distant past human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
s were kind and compassionate towards each other. However, while Gabriel held that this was still true, while Michael argued that humans had lost the quality of compassion. To settle the dispute, they agreed to carry out a test.
The two descended to Medina
Medina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
, where Gabriel appeared at the mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
as a severely ill man and Michael appeared in the marketplace
Marketplace
A marketplace is the space, actual, virtual or metaphorical, in which a market operates. The term is also used in a trademark law context to denote the actual consumer environment, ie. the 'real world' in which products and services are provided and consumed.-Marketplaces and street markets:A...
as a physician. The townspeople pitied Gabriel and offered him money to go find a healer. Gabriel said that he knew of one and took them to Michael. Michael stated that he could cure Gabriel but only with the blood of a sacrifice
Sacrifice
Sacrifice is the offering of food, objects or the lives of animals or people to God or the gods as an act of propitiation or worship.While sacrifice often implies ritual killing, the term offering can be used for bloodless sacrifices of cereal food or artifacts...
d young man, in particular a seventh son who was the only surviving after his six siblings had died in infancy. The only man fitting the description was Kassim, the son of the wealthiest man of the village. The townspeople agreed and explained to Kassim's father, who agreed but said his wife must agree. His wife agreed, but said that Kassim must also agree, which he did. Michael then stated the father must be the one to kill his son
Filicide
Filicide is the deliberate act of a parent killing his or her own son or daughter. The word filicide derives from the Latin words filius meaning "son" or filia meaning daughter and the suffix -cide meaning to kill, murder, or cause death...
. Sorrowing, the father does so. The angels vanish, leaving the townspeople to prepare a burial.
In Heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
, Michael agrees with Gabriel that humans still possess exemplary compassion. The angels appeal to God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
to resurrect Kassim. God grants permission and the angels return to the town as different person, who return to Kassim's family and say that they are hungry and thirsty. The bereaved father tells his wife to prepare food and drink. Gabriel invokes God to bring all seven of the sons to life and the whole town celebrates. The angels return to Heaven, where they prophesy
Prophecy
Prophecy is a process in which one or more messages that have been communicated to a prophet are then communicated to others. Such messages typically involve divine inspiration, interpretation, or revelation of conditioned events to come as well as testimonies or repeated revelations that the...
that in the future humans will lose their compassion and become obsessed with their physical well-being and material wealth. The poet concludes by stating that this prophecy has been fulfilled.
Significance
Jan KnappertJan Knappert
Dr. Jan Knappert was a well-known expert on the Swahili language. He was also an Esperantist, and he wrote an Esperanto-Swahili dictionary....
stated that Utenzi wa Shufaka was important because of its age and because it is one of the most remarkable pieces of Swahili literature, though he did not elaborate on why he thought it was remarkable.
In 1920, Alice Werner wrote:
It is difficult to relate this [epic] seriously in English but, strange as it may seem, it has certain pathosPathosPathos represents an appeal to the audience's emotions. Pathos is a communication technique used most often in rhetoric , and in literature, film and other narrative art....
in the original. The emotions of the parents are dwelt on at great length, and the poem is enormously popular especially among Swahili women.