Author: John M. Mugane
Publisher: Ohio University Press
ISBN: 0896804895
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 338
Book Description
Swahili was once an obscure dialect of an East African Bantu language. Today more than one hundred million people use it: Swahili is to eastern and central Africa what English is to the world. From its embrace in the 1960s by the black freedom movement in the United States to its adoption in 2004 as the African Union’s official language, Swahili has become a truly international language. How this came about and why, of all African languages, it happened only to Swahili is the story that John M. Mugane sets out to explore. The remarkable adaptability of Swahili has allowed Africans and others to tailor the language to their needs, extending its influence far beyond its place of origin. Its symbolic as well as its practical power has evolved from its status as a language of contact among diverse cultures, even as it embodies the history of communities in eastern and central Africa and throughout the Indian Ocean world. The Story of Swahili calls for a reevaluation of the widespread assumption that cultural superiority, military conquest, and economic dominance determine a language’s prosperity. This sweeping history gives a vibrant, living language its due, highlighting its nimbleness from its beginnings to its place today in the fast-changing world of global communication.
The Story of Swahili
Author: John M. Mugane
Publisher: Ohio University Press
ISBN: 0896804895
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 338
Book Description
Swahili was once an obscure dialect of an East African Bantu language. Today more than one hundred million people use it: Swahili is to eastern and central Africa what English is to the world. From its embrace in the 1960s by the black freedom movement in the United States to its adoption in 2004 as the African Union’s official language, Swahili has become a truly international language. How this came about and why, of all African languages, it happened only to Swahili is the story that John M. Mugane sets out to explore. The remarkable adaptability of Swahili has allowed Africans and others to tailor the language to their needs, extending its influence far beyond its place of origin. Its symbolic as well as its practical power has evolved from its status as a language of contact among diverse cultures, even as it embodies the history of communities in eastern and central Africa and throughout the Indian Ocean world. The Story of Swahili calls for a reevaluation of the widespread assumption that cultural superiority, military conquest, and economic dominance determine a language’s prosperity. This sweeping history gives a vibrant, living language its due, highlighting its nimbleness from its beginnings to its place today in the fast-changing world of global communication.
Publisher: Ohio University Press
ISBN: 0896804895
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 338
Book Description
Swahili was once an obscure dialect of an East African Bantu language. Today more than one hundred million people use it: Swahili is to eastern and central Africa what English is to the world. From its embrace in the 1960s by the black freedom movement in the United States to its adoption in 2004 as the African Union’s official language, Swahili has become a truly international language. How this came about and why, of all African languages, it happened only to Swahili is the story that John M. Mugane sets out to explore. The remarkable adaptability of Swahili has allowed Africans and others to tailor the language to their needs, extending its influence far beyond its place of origin. Its symbolic as well as its practical power has evolved from its status as a language of contact among diverse cultures, even as it embodies the history of communities in eastern and central Africa and throughout the Indian Ocean world. The Story of Swahili calls for a reevaluation of the widespread assumption that cultural superiority, military conquest, and economic dominance determine a language’s prosperity. This sweeping history gives a vibrant, living language its due, highlighting its nimbleness from its beginnings to its place today in the fast-changing world of global communication.
The Swahili World
Author: Stephanie Wynne-Jones
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317430166
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 672
Book Description
The Swahili World presents the fascinating story of a major world civilization, exploring the archaeology, history, linguistics, and anthropology of the Indian Ocean coast of Africa. It covers a 1,500-year sweep of history, from the first settlement of the coast to the complex urban tradition found there today. Swahili towns contain monumental palaces, tombs, and mosques, set among more humble houses; they were home to fishers, farmers, traders, and specialists of many kinds. The towns have been Muslim since perhaps the eighth century CE, participating in international networks connecting people around the Indian Ocean rim and beyond. Successive colonial regimes have helped shape modern Swahili society, which has incorporated such influences into the region’s long-standing cosmopolitan tradition. This is the first volume to explore the Swahili in chronological perspective. Each chapter offers a unique wealth of detail on an aspect of the region’s past, written by the leading scholars on the subject. The result is a book that allows both specialist and non-specialist readers to explore the diversity of the Swahili tradition, how Swahili society has changed over time, as well as how our understandings of the region have shifted since Swahili studies first began. Scholars of the African continent will find the most nuanced and detailed consideration of Swahili culture, language and history ever produced. For readers unfamiliar with the region or the people involved, the chapters here provide an ideal introduction to a new and wonderful geography, at the interface of Africa and the Indian Ocean world, and among a people whose culture remains one of Africa’s most distinctive achievements.
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317430166
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 672
Book Description
The Swahili World presents the fascinating story of a major world civilization, exploring the archaeology, history, linguistics, and anthropology of the Indian Ocean coast of Africa. It covers a 1,500-year sweep of history, from the first settlement of the coast to the complex urban tradition found there today. Swahili towns contain monumental palaces, tombs, and mosques, set among more humble houses; they were home to fishers, farmers, traders, and specialists of many kinds. The towns have been Muslim since perhaps the eighth century CE, participating in international networks connecting people around the Indian Ocean rim and beyond. Successive colonial regimes have helped shape modern Swahili society, which has incorporated such influences into the region’s long-standing cosmopolitan tradition. This is the first volume to explore the Swahili in chronological perspective. Each chapter offers a unique wealth of detail on an aspect of the region’s past, written by the leading scholars on the subject. The result is a book that allows both specialist and non-specialist readers to explore the diversity of the Swahili tradition, how Swahili society has changed over time, as well as how our understandings of the region have shifted since Swahili studies first began. Scholars of the African continent will find the most nuanced and detailed consideration of Swahili culture, language and history ever produced. For readers unfamiliar with the region or the people involved, the chapters here provide an ideal introduction to a new and wonderful geography, at the interface of Africa and the Indian Ocean world, and among a people whose culture remains one of Africa’s most distinctive achievements.
The Swahili
Author: Derek Nurse
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press
ISBN: 9780812212075
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 148
Book Description
"As an introduction to how the history of an African society can be reconstructed from largely nonliterate sources, and to the Swahili in particular, . . . a model work."—International Journal of African Historical Studies
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press
ISBN: 9780812212075
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 148
Book Description
"As an introduction to how the history of an African society can be reconstructed from largely nonliterate sources, and to the Swahili in particular, . . . a model work."—International Journal of African Historical Studies
Sungura and Leopard
Author:
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books
ISBN: 0822568012
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 32
Book Description
A small but clever hare and a fierce leopard agree to share a house, but as the hare's family grows, he realizes that he must find a way to get rid of his bad-tempered neighbor.
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books
ISBN: 0822568012
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 32
Book Description
A small but clever hare and a fierce leopard agree to share a house, but as the hare's family grows, he realizes that he must find a way to get rid of his bad-tempered neighbor.
How the Guinea Fowl Got Her Spots
Author: Barbara Knutson
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books
ISBN: 0761357912
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 36
Book Description
The Guinea Fowl and Cow are best friends. Both of them keep an eye out for Lion. When Lion threatens, each must intervene to save the other. Beautiful watercolors transform this tale into a visual delight.
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books
ISBN: 0761357912
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 36
Book Description
The Guinea Fowl and Cow are best friends. Both of them keep an eye out for Lion. When Lion threatens, each must intervene to save the other. Beautiful watercolors transform this tale into a visual delight.
Three Swahili Women
Author: Sarah Mirza
Publisher: Indiana University Press
ISBN: 9780253115140
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 176
Book Description
"This is altogether a most worthwhile book, a fine example of a growing genre of African literature... " -- Choice "Mirza and Strobel let these women speak about their lives in their own words, and the results are wonderful.... This is an excellent book with which to introduce students both to Africa and to life histories... " -- American Historical Review This exploration of the lives of three Mombasa women reveals the complexity of Swahili society -- its ethnic diversity, the impact of slavery, and the varied reactions to colonialism and Western culture. They illustrate the rich interactions within the women's community, focused on family and festive or ritual occasions.
Publisher: Indiana University Press
ISBN: 9780253115140
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 176
Book Description
"This is altogether a most worthwhile book, a fine example of a growing genre of African literature... " -- Choice "Mirza and Strobel let these women speak about their lives in their own words, and the results are wonderful.... This is an excellent book with which to introduce students both to Africa and to life histories... " -- American Historical Review This exploration of the lives of three Mombasa women reveals the complexity of Swahili society -- its ethnic diversity, the impact of slavery, and the varied reactions to colonialism and Western culture. They illustrate the rich interactions within the women's community, focused on family and festive or ritual occasions.
Kuku and Mwewe - A Swahili Folktale
Author: Marta Munté Vidal
Publisher: Cuento de Luz
ISBN: 8415619987
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 30
Book Description
A wonderful tale inspired by an old Swahili legend, The Chicken and the Eagle will reveal an amazing secret, and Kuku and Mwewe will live in your imagination forever. Guided Reading Level: M, Lexile Level: 770L
Publisher: Cuento de Luz
ISBN: 8415619987
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 30
Book Description
A wonderful tale inspired by an old Swahili legend, The Chicken and the Eagle will reveal an amazing secret, and Kuku and Mwewe will live in your imagination forever. Guided Reading Level: M, Lexile Level: 770L
Making Identity on the Swahili Coast
Author: Steven Fabian
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108492045
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 371
Book Description
A re-examination of the historical development of urban identity and community along the Swahili Coast.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108492045
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 371
Book Description
A re-examination of the historical development of urban identity and community along the Swahili Coast.
Swahili Learner's Book
Author: Emanuel Michael Kulaya
Publisher: Emanuel Michael Kulaya
ISBN: 1709982527
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 28
Book Description
This is an essential book for Swahili learners, It applies simple methods that will be easy to anyone. You can use this book to build your foundation especially on Swahili verbs and how to change them according to time. It also give out the most useful Swahili Verbs from letter A to letter Z.The book also explain three best methods that you can use to be fluent in Swahili as soon as possible. Whoever purchase this book will never regret since is small book with great contents.
Publisher: Emanuel Michael Kulaya
ISBN: 1709982527
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 28
Book Description
This is an essential book for Swahili learners, It applies simple methods that will be easy to anyone. You can use this book to build your foundation especially on Swahili verbs and how to change them according to time. It also give out the most useful Swahili Verbs from letter A to letter Z.The book also explain three best methods that you can use to be fluent in Swahili as soon as possible. Whoever purchase this book will never regret since is small book with great contents.
Muzungu
Author: Pamela Sisman Bitterman
Publisher: eBookIt.com
ISBN: 1456600907
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 814
Book Description
Muzungu, the Swahili word for white folk, translated literally means "confused person wandering about." During the author's months working and traveling through Kenya, this description fits her to a tee. Her audacious Kenyan adventure makes for a bucket load of anecdotes and impressions born of heart and hands-on experience-enough to knock your socks off. The devil in Africa is in the details, and Muzungu is there in the trenches - raw, down and dirty, unapologetic. The author witnesses religious elders morphing into villains, political leaders exposed as criminals, tribal chiefs engaging in forbidden rituals, disease obliterating a generation, dedicated missionaries at the ends of their ropes, and a country in violent revolt. Her husband is railroaded and sentenced to prison. Her co-worker, the author's stalwart bellwether for hard fact and unlikely personal guide into the shadowy underbelly of the country, ultimately commits suicide. She is present for a bizarre meeting between doctors and activists from President Bush's AIDS Relief Project. With these topics being ever-present on today's world stage, this is one story that is dying to get out there. The author's white skin and declaration that she is a writer become her free pass through each successive door and ticket to all events, bar none: in the hospital wards, surgery rooms, orphan clinics, homes, schools, villages, churches, government offices, during tribal ceremonies and throughout the commission of heinous crimes. The reader will meet an African mission's peculiar band of residents up close and personal, their unsparing good, bad and ugly. The author herself is not immune to this intense scrutiny. Quite the opposite, in fact. No pious filter softens this writer's lens. A living newsreel of realities informs the narrative. Candid conversations and interviews are recorded verbatim and in their entirety. The real "AIDS in Africa" will be disclosed. Western definition does not apply. In fact, the reader may come to realize that few concepts familiar to them can be applied in Kenya. The term "lost in translation" emerges as a gross understatement. Fellow volunteers who find themselves trapped in the foxholes during a horrific national political revolution witness and report from the front lines.Secret tribal rituals are described in graphic detail. Long-established cultural traditions are examined. Western religion's influence is dissected. Foreign intervention is challenged. History is revisited. Kenya is deconstructed. The reader is invited into a tiny school where the students create a children's picture book for the author in the hope that she can get it published for them in America. Vignettes from the Orphan Feeding Program and the Mobile Medical Clinic will break hearts. Tribal chiefs, church bishops, heads of Non-Governmental Organizations, leaders of Faith-Based Operations, representatives of all manner of self-righteous American and European groups desperate to leave their idealistic fingerprints on the continent, hold forth. Those with their fingers truly on the pulse of the people furiously demand to be heard as well. However, it is the locals themselves who provide the most unwaveringly transparent view of the Kenyans and their condition. Muzungu is complete with color photographs that will touch anyone who has ever had a financial, spiritual, anthropological, sociological or humanitarian interest in Africa, or those who are simply adventurers at heart. Unlike other books on the subject of Africa, this one is specific to the author's own uniquely personal experience with Kenya - too fantastic to be believed. Almost.
Publisher: eBookIt.com
ISBN: 1456600907
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 814
Book Description
Muzungu, the Swahili word for white folk, translated literally means "confused person wandering about." During the author's months working and traveling through Kenya, this description fits her to a tee. Her audacious Kenyan adventure makes for a bucket load of anecdotes and impressions born of heart and hands-on experience-enough to knock your socks off. The devil in Africa is in the details, and Muzungu is there in the trenches - raw, down and dirty, unapologetic. The author witnesses religious elders morphing into villains, political leaders exposed as criminals, tribal chiefs engaging in forbidden rituals, disease obliterating a generation, dedicated missionaries at the ends of their ropes, and a country in violent revolt. Her husband is railroaded and sentenced to prison. Her co-worker, the author's stalwart bellwether for hard fact and unlikely personal guide into the shadowy underbelly of the country, ultimately commits suicide. She is present for a bizarre meeting between doctors and activists from President Bush's AIDS Relief Project. With these topics being ever-present on today's world stage, this is one story that is dying to get out there. The author's white skin and declaration that she is a writer become her free pass through each successive door and ticket to all events, bar none: in the hospital wards, surgery rooms, orphan clinics, homes, schools, villages, churches, government offices, during tribal ceremonies and throughout the commission of heinous crimes. The reader will meet an African mission's peculiar band of residents up close and personal, their unsparing good, bad and ugly. The author herself is not immune to this intense scrutiny. Quite the opposite, in fact. No pious filter softens this writer's lens. A living newsreel of realities informs the narrative. Candid conversations and interviews are recorded verbatim and in their entirety. The real "AIDS in Africa" will be disclosed. Western definition does not apply. In fact, the reader may come to realize that few concepts familiar to them can be applied in Kenya. The term "lost in translation" emerges as a gross understatement. Fellow volunteers who find themselves trapped in the foxholes during a horrific national political revolution witness and report from the front lines.Secret tribal rituals are described in graphic detail. Long-established cultural traditions are examined. Western religion's influence is dissected. Foreign intervention is challenged. History is revisited. Kenya is deconstructed. The reader is invited into a tiny school where the students create a children's picture book for the author in the hope that she can get it published for them in America. Vignettes from the Orphan Feeding Program and the Mobile Medical Clinic will break hearts. Tribal chiefs, church bishops, heads of Non-Governmental Organizations, leaders of Faith-Based Operations, representatives of all manner of self-righteous American and European groups desperate to leave their idealistic fingerprints on the continent, hold forth. Those with their fingers truly on the pulse of the people furiously demand to be heard as well. However, it is the locals themselves who provide the most unwaveringly transparent view of the Kenyans and their condition. Muzungu is complete with color photographs that will touch anyone who has ever had a financial, spiritual, anthropological, sociological or humanitarian interest in Africa, or those who are simply adventurers at heart. Unlike other books on the subject of Africa, this one is specific to the author's own uniquely personal experience with Kenya - too fantastic to be believed. Almost.