African Philosophy: A Link between Traditional and Modern Praise Poetry
Corresponding Author(s) : method samwel
Journal of Humanities & Social Science (JHSS),
Vol. 3 No. 1 & 2 (2014): Volume 3, Nos. 1 & 2, 2014
Abstract
This article argues that traditional and modern praise poetry do relate. This
relationship stems from the fact that the two are similar in several aspects ranging
from content to form. Only one similarity among them—similarity in philosophy—is
discussed here. The article, therefore, presents how different kinds of African poetry
of different generations can never diverge totally from African philosophy. That is to
say, both traditional and modern praise poetry carry similar beliefs: how Africans view
things is similar in the two kinds of poetry. Traditional praise poetry used here is
Bahaya praise poetry, ebyebugo, and the praises seen in Basukuma songs, while
modern poetry used here is Bongo Flavor praise poetry. Bahaya and Basukuma are
people who live in Northwestern and Lake Zone in Tanzania. Bongo Flavor is
Tanzanian youth music that is characterized by self-praise. Therefore, this article picks
Tanzanian traditional and modern praise poetry as samples of African traditional and
modern poetry, respectively.
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- Abedi, K. A. 1954. Sheria za Kutunga Mashairi na Diwani ya Amri. Nairobi: Kenya Literature Bureau.
- Adejumo, A. 2009. Technologizing Oral Texts: Archiving Yoruba Oral Literature through New
- Technological Media. Lumina, 20(2), Ibadan: IUP.
- Ayisi, E.O. 1972. An Introduction to the Study of African Culture. Nairobi: East African Educational
- Publishers.
- Bowra, C.M. 1952. Heroic Poetry. London: Clarendon Press.
- Coupland, R. 1938. East Africa and Its Invaders. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
- Devatine, F. 2009. Written Tradition, Oral Tradition, Oral Literature. The International Journal of
- Research into Island Cultures, 3(2), Shima: Shima Publishing House.
- Dorson, R. M. 2006. Current Folklore Theories. Journal of Current Anthropology, 4(1), Chicago:
- University of Chicago Press.
- Graebner, W. 2000. Mtindo-Dance With Style. In S. Broughton, E. Mark, J. McConnachi &O.Duane
- Orla (eds.). World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East, pp. 681–689. Rough Guides
- Ltd, Penguin Books.
- Gunderson, F. 2010. Sukuma Labour Songs from Western Tanzania: We Never Sleep We Dream of
- Farming. Leiden/Boston: Brill.
- Hodza, A. C. & G. Fortune. 1979. Shona Praise Poetry. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
- Jamieson, K. M. 1975. Antecedent Genre as Rhetorical Constraint. Quarterly Journal of Speech,
- London: Taylor and Francis Group, 61: 406-415.
- Kabuta, N.S. 1997. Isimu-Ushairi: Muundo wa Majigambo. In Nordic Journal of African Studies 6(1):
- -60.
- Khatibu, M.S. 1992. Taarabu Zanzibar. Dar es Salaam: Tanzania Publishing House.
- Koponen, P. 1988. People and Production in Late Pre-colonial Tanzania: History and Structures. Helsinki:
- Finnish Society for Development Studies.
- Lichtheim, M. 1975. Ancient Egyptian Literature, Vol. I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms. Los Angeles:
- University of California Press.
- Kanuri, J., M. Samwel, M. Mvati & M. Kubo. 2012. Mwongozo wa Damu Nyeusi na Hadithi Nyingine.
- Nairobi: NES.
- Mayoka, J. M. 1984. Mgogoro wa Ushairi na Diwani ya Mayoka, Dar es Salaam: Tanzania Publishing
- House
- Mbiti, J.S. 1991. Introduction to African Religion. Dar es Salaam: East African Educational Publishers.
- —. 2011. African Religion and Philosophies. Dar es Salaam: East African Educational Publishers.
- Mbunda, M. 1993. Misingi ya Uhakiki wa Fasihi. Nairobi: East African Educational Publishers.
- McCall, J. 1995. Rethinking Ancestors in Africa. Africa 65(2): 256–270.
- Mulokozi, M. M. 1996. Utangulizi wa Fasihi ya Kiswahili. Dar es Salaam: OUT.
- —. 2002. The African Epic Controversy: Historic, Philosophical and Aesthetic Perspectives on Epic Poetry
- and Performance, Dar es Salaam: Mkuki na Nyota Publishers.
- Mwanjoka, G. 2011. Harakati za Bongo Flavor na Mapinduzi, Dodoma: H.M.
- Mvati, M., J. Kanuri & M. Samwel. 2012. Mwongozo wa Tamthiliya ya Mstahiki Meya, Nairobi: NES.
- Okolo, M.S.C. 2007. African Literature as a Political Philosophy. Dakar: CODSRIA Books
- Omari, S. 2009. Tanzanian Hip-hop Poetry as Popular Literature. PhD Thesis, University of Dar es
- Salaam.
- —. 2011. Call Me ‘Top in Dar: ’ The Role of Pseudonyms in Bongo Flavor Music. Swahili Forum 18
- (2011): 69–86.
- Omari, C.K. & M.V. Mvungi. 1981. Urithi wa Utamaduni Wetu. Dar es Salaam: TPH.
- Peek, P. M. & K. Yankah (eds.). 2004. African Folklore: An Encyclopedia. London and New York:
- Routledge Taylor and Francis Group.
- Philip, L. 2009. Potrayal of Womanhood in Tanzanian Popular Lyrics: The Critical Discourse
- Analysis of Bongo Flavor and Mipasho Taarabu. MA Dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam.
- Rubanza, Y. I. 1994. Fasihi Simulizi: Majigambo (Ebyebugo). Dar es Salaam: DUP.
- Samwel, M. 2012a). Mabadiliko katika Majigambo: Uchunguzi wa Majigambo ya Jadi na Bongo
- Fleva. University of Dar es Salaam.
- —. 2012b. Hadithi Fupi: Nadharia, Mbinu na Mifano. Kasenyenda Tanzania: Iringa.
- Songoyi, E. M. 2005. The Form and Content of the Wigashe Dance Songs of the Sukuma. PhD
- thesis University of Dar es Salaam.
- Suriano, M. 2006. Hip-hop and Bongo Flavour music in Contemporary Tanzania: Youths’
- Experiences, Agency, Aspirations and Contradictions, Paper submitted for the conference,
- Youth and the Global South: Religion, Politics and the Making of Youth in Africa, Asia and the
- Middle East, Dakar, 13–15 October 2006.
- —. 2007. Mimi ni Msanii, Kioo cha Jamii, Urban Youth Culture in Tanzania as Seen Through Bongo
- Flavor and Hip- Hop. Swahili Forum 14(2007): 207-223.
- Tymoczko, M. 1986. Translation as a Force for Literary Revolution in the Twelfth-Century Shift from
- Epic to Romance. A Journal of Comparative and General Literary Studies, Norwich: University of
- East Anglia.
- van Pelt, P. 1971. Bantu Customs in Mainland Tanzania. Tabora: T.M.P Book Department.
- Wamitila, K. 2008. Kanzi ya Fasihi. Nairobi: Vide Muwa Publishers.
- —. 2010. Kichocheo cha Fasihi: Simulizi na Andishi. Nairobi: Focus Books.
References
Abedi, K. A. 1954. Sheria za Kutunga Mashairi na Diwani ya Amri. Nairobi: Kenya Literature Bureau.
Adejumo, A. 2009. Technologizing Oral Texts: Archiving Yoruba Oral Literature through New
Technological Media. Lumina, 20(2), Ibadan: IUP.
Ayisi, E.O. 1972. An Introduction to the Study of African Culture. Nairobi: East African Educational
Publishers.
Bowra, C.M. 1952. Heroic Poetry. London: Clarendon Press.
Coupland, R. 1938. East Africa and Its Invaders. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Devatine, F. 2009. Written Tradition, Oral Tradition, Oral Literature. The International Journal of
Research into Island Cultures, 3(2), Shima: Shima Publishing House.
Dorson, R. M. 2006. Current Folklore Theories. Journal of Current Anthropology, 4(1), Chicago:
University of Chicago Press.
Graebner, W. 2000. Mtindo-Dance With Style. In S. Broughton, E. Mark, J. McConnachi &O.Duane
Orla (eds.). World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East, pp. 681–689. Rough Guides
Ltd, Penguin Books.
Gunderson, F. 2010. Sukuma Labour Songs from Western Tanzania: We Never Sleep We Dream of
Farming. Leiden/Boston: Brill.
Hodza, A. C. & G. Fortune. 1979. Shona Praise Poetry. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Jamieson, K. M. 1975. Antecedent Genre as Rhetorical Constraint. Quarterly Journal of Speech,
London: Taylor and Francis Group, 61: 406-415.
Kabuta, N.S. 1997. Isimu-Ushairi: Muundo wa Majigambo. In Nordic Journal of African Studies 6(1):
-60.
Khatibu, M.S. 1992. Taarabu Zanzibar. Dar es Salaam: Tanzania Publishing House.
Koponen, P. 1988. People and Production in Late Pre-colonial Tanzania: History and Structures. Helsinki:
Finnish Society for Development Studies.
Lichtheim, M. 1975. Ancient Egyptian Literature, Vol. I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms. Los Angeles:
University of California Press.
Kanuri, J., M. Samwel, M. Mvati & M. Kubo. 2012. Mwongozo wa Damu Nyeusi na Hadithi Nyingine.
Nairobi: NES.
Mayoka, J. M. 1984. Mgogoro wa Ushairi na Diwani ya Mayoka, Dar es Salaam: Tanzania Publishing
House
Mbiti, J.S. 1991. Introduction to African Religion. Dar es Salaam: East African Educational Publishers.
—. 2011. African Religion and Philosophies. Dar es Salaam: East African Educational Publishers.
Mbunda, M. 1993. Misingi ya Uhakiki wa Fasihi. Nairobi: East African Educational Publishers.
McCall, J. 1995. Rethinking Ancestors in Africa. Africa 65(2): 256–270.
Mulokozi, M. M. 1996. Utangulizi wa Fasihi ya Kiswahili. Dar es Salaam: OUT.
—. 2002. The African Epic Controversy: Historic, Philosophical and Aesthetic Perspectives on Epic Poetry
and Performance, Dar es Salaam: Mkuki na Nyota Publishers.
Mwanjoka, G. 2011. Harakati za Bongo Flavor na Mapinduzi, Dodoma: H.M.
Mvati, M., J. Kanuri & M. Samwel. 2012. Mwongozo wa Tamthiliya ya Mstahiki Meya, Nairobi: NES.
Okolo, M.S.C. 2007. African Literature as a Political Philosophy. Dakar: CODSRIA Books
Omari, S. 2009. Tanzanian Hip-hop Poetry as Popular Literature. PhD Thesis, University of Dar es
Salaam.
—. 2011. Call Me ‘Top in Dar: ’ The Role of Pseudonyms in Bongo Flavor Music. Swahili Forum 18
(2011): 69–86.
Omari, C.K. & M.V. Mvungi. 1981. Urithi wa Utamaduni Wetu. Dar es Salaam: TPH.
Peek, P. M. & K. Yankah (eds.). 2004. African Folklore: An Encyclopedia. London and New York:
Routledge Taylor and Francis Group.
Philip, L. 2009. Potrayal of Womanhood in Tanzanian Popular Lyrics: The Critical Discourse
Analysis of Bongo Flavor and Mipasho Taarabu. MA Dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam.
Rubanza, Y. I. 1994. Fasihi Simulizi: Majigambo (Ebyebugo). Dar es Salaam: DUP.
Samwel, M. 2012a). Mabadiliko katika Majigambo: Uchunguzi wa Majigambo ya Jadi na Bongo
Fleva. University of Dar es Salaam.
—. 2012b. Hadithi Fupi: Nadharia, Mbinu na Mifano. Kasenyenda Tanzania: Iringa.
Songoyi, E. M. 2005. The Form and Content of the Wigashe Dance Songs of the Sukuma. PhD
thesis University of Dar es Salaam.
Suriano, M. 2006. Hip-hop and Bongo Flavour music in Contemporary Tanzania: Youths’
Experiences, Agency, Aspirations and Contradictions, Paper submitted for the conference,
Youth and the Global South: Religion, Politics and the Making of Youth in Africa, Asia and the
Middle East, Dakar, 13–15 October 2006.
—. 2007. Mimi ni Msanii, Kioo cha Jamii, Urban Youth Culture in Tanzania as Seen Through Bongo
Flavor and Hip- Hop. Swahili Forum 14(2007): 207-223.
Tymoczko, M. 1986. Translation as a Force for Literary Revolution in the Twelfth-Century Shift from
Epic to Romance. A Journal of Comparative and General Literary Studies, Norwich: University of
East Anglia.
van Pelt, P. 1971. Bantu Customs in Mainland Tanzania. Tabora: T.M.P Book Department.
Wamitila, K. 2008. Kanzi ya Fasihi. Nairobi: Vide Muwa Publishers.
—. 2010. Kichocheo cha Fasihi: Simulizi na Andishi. Nairobi: Focus Books.