{"id":509,"date":"2015-08-17T15:33:19","date_gmt":"2015-08-17T22:33:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swahilipoetry.humnet.ucla.edu\/?page_id=509"},"modified":"2026-05-27T10:48:37","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T17:48:37","slug":"kongowea-ni-tuu","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/swahilipoetry.humspace.ucla.edu\/?page_id=509","title":{"rendered":"K’ongowea ni T’uu"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
K\u2019ongowea ni T<\/span>\u2019<\/em>uu<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nMombasa is a Termite Mound<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
I. Kongowea ni t<\/em><\/span>‘uu haimelezi mgomba<\/span><\/td>\nMombasa is a termite mound; it does not allow a banana plant to flourish.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hait<\/em>awali mnyau, mt<\/em><\/span>ezat<\/em><\/span>eza na vumba<\/span><\/td>\nA cat, one who fiddles around with smelly fish, is not a ruler (lit., does not rule)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Haiyebu[1]<\/a><\/sup> mwenyi makuu nd<\/em><\/span>iani mwenda sambamba,<\/span><\/td>\nIt (Mombasa) does not want an arrogant person, walking along with others in the streets,<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Humwangusha kwa mimba juu lat<\/em><\/span>‘i kamwawaa.<\/span><\/td>\nIt knocks him face down to\u00a0the ground and annihilates him.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

[1]<\/a><\/sup>Hichens (1940:11) renders this as haiebu.<\/em><\/p>\n

Summary<\/h5>\n

This short poem is directed against Suleiman bin Ali, elected governor of Fort Jesus after the death of the Liwali Abdulla bin Hemed in 1823. Though elected governor by the Mazrui, he proved to be weak and unpopular. Muyaka\u2019s poem expresses the scorn in which he was held by the people (Abdulaziz 1979:138).<\/p>\n

Glossary<\/h5>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
angusha mimba<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n[v. phrase]<\/span><\/td>\nKnock to\u00a0the ground on the stomach (TJH). See -angusha mtu kwa mimba <\/em>jeter qqn ventre contre terre (Sx). Knock facedown on the ground (MHA). See mimba. Humwangusha kwa mimba juu lat<\/u>‘i kamwawaa<\/em>, It knocks him face down\u00a0to\u00a0the ground, and annihilates him (MY-KT).<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
awaa<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n[v. redup.]<\/span><\/td>\nSee\u00a0-uaua\u00a0<\/em>‘annihilate’ (TJH).<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ebu ~ yebu<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n[v. i.]<\/span><\/td>\nWant, wish, desire (TJH). Vouloir, permettre, syn. -taka. <\/em>N’est gu\u00e8re usit\u00e9 qu’au pr\u00e9sent de l’ind. d’une fa\u00e7on exclamative, et en po\u00e9sie (Sx). Note: Sacleux quotes Muyaka: Kongow\u00e9a hayebu mwenyi makuu, <\/em>Mombasa ne supporte pas le fastueux. Haiyebu mwenyi makuu ndiani mwenda sambamba<\/em>, It (Mombasa) does not want an arrogant person, walking along with others in the streets (MY-KT).<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
kwa mimba<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n[adv.]<\/span><\/td>\nFace down, on the stomach (TJH).\u00a0Humwangusha kwa mimba\u00a0juu lat<\/u>‘i kamwawaa<\/em>, It knocks him face down\u00a0to\u00a0the ground, and annihilates him (MY-KT).<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
makuu<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n[n. 6]<\/span><\/td>\nArrogance, haughty attitude, conceit, pride; as mwenye makuu<\/em> a pompeous, ostentatious person (TJH). Haiyebu mwenyi makuu nd<\/u>iani mwenda sambamba<\/em>, It (Mombasa) does not want an arrogant person, walking along with others in the streets (MY-KT).<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
meleza<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n[v. cs.]<\/span><\/td>\nGrow, nurture, flourish (of plants) (TJH). Faire germer ou pousser (Sx). See \u2013mea<\/em> grow (FJ). Kongowea ni t<\/u>‘uu haimelezi mgomba<\/em>, Mombasa is a termite mound; it does not allow a banana plant to flourish (MY-KT).<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
mimba<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n[n. 9\/10]<\/span><\/td>\nPregnancy, fetus, etc.; stomach (arch.); see \u2013angusha mimba<\/em> knock down on the ground (TJH). See -angusha mtu kwa mimba <\/em>jeter qqn ventre contre terre (Sx). Humwangusha kwa mimba juu lat<\/u>‘i kamwawaa<\/em>, It knocks him face down\u00a0to\u00a0the ground, and annihilates him (MY-KT).<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
mnyau\/mi-<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n[n. 3\/4]<\/span><\/td>\nCat (TJH). Chat; a borrowing from neighboring Bantu languages, e.g., Digo, Bondei, Shambala, etc. (Sx). Grimalkin cat; a sick cat (MHA). Haitawali mnyau, mt<\/u>ezat<\/u>eza na vumba<\/em>, A cat, one who fiddles around with smelly fish, is not a ruler (lit., does not rule) (MY-KT).<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
mt<\/u><\/em>ezat<\/u><\/em>eza<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n[n. 1\/2]<\/span><\/td>\nOne who plays a lot, one who messes around, fiddles about, a meddler (TJH). See \u2013cheza<\/em> play FJ. Haitawali mnyau, mt<\/u>ezat<\/u>eza na vumba<\/em>, A cat, one who fiddles around with smelly fish, is not a ruler (lit., does not rule) (MY-KT).<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
mwenyi\/w-<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n[n. 1\/2]<\/span><\/td>\nOwner, possessor, one possessing a quality (TJH). See \u2013enye<\/em> (FJ). Haiyebu mwenyi makuu nd<\/u>iani mwenda sambamba<\/em>, It (Mombasa) does not want an arrogant person, walking along with others in the streets (MY-KT).<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
nt<\/u>\u2019<\/em>i<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n[n. 9\/10]<\/span><\/td>\nLand, country, etc. (TJH). See nchi<\/em> (FJ). Humwangusha kwa mimba juu lat<\/u>‘i kamwawaa<\/em>, It knocks him face down\u00a0to\u00a0the ground,\u00a0and annihilates him (MY-KT). Note the loss of the nasal prefix when combined with the preceding la<\/em> \u2018of\u2019.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
sambamba<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n[adv.]<\/span><\/td>\nAlongside, abreast, side by side, shoulder to shoulder, in line, parallel (FJ). Haiyebu mwenyi makuu nd<\/u>iani mwenda sambamba<\/em>, It (Mombasa) does not want an arrogant person, walking along with others in the streets (MY-KT).<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
t<\/u><\/em>\u2019<\/em>uu<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n[n. 9\/10]<\/span><\/td>\nTermite mound, mound, knoll; ND form t<\/u><\/em>\u2019<\/em>uu\u00a0::\u00a0SD chuguu<\/em>) (TJH). Nchi ya changarawe; hard coral land (MHA). Butte, tertre, monticule; termiti\u00e8re (Sx). Note: Termite mounds are often formed of hard, dry earth which is not conducive to plant growth. Kongowea ni t<\/u>‘uu haimelezi mgomba<\/em>, Mombasa is a termite mound; it does not allow a banana plant to flourish (MY-KT).<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
uaua<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n[v. redup.]<\/span><\/td>\nAnnihilate; ponda, ua (MHA). See\u00a0-ua<\/em> kill, etc. (FJ). Humwangusha kwa mimba juu lat<\/u>‘i kamwawaa<\/em>, It knocks him face down\u00a0to\u00a0the ground, and annihilates him (MY-KT). Note the phonological alternant in the citation:\u00a0ka+m+ua+ua+a > kamwawaa.<\/em> The final \/-a\/ is analogous to the vowel addition found in emphatics such as kulee<\/em> \u2018way over there\u2019 in contrast to kule<\/em> \u2018there\u2019. This would fit MHA\u2019s glosses and translation\u00a0(TJH).\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
vumba\/ma-<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n[n. 5\/6]<\/span><\/td>\nStinky, rotten-fish smell (TJH). Bad smell, always connected with fish (FJ). Haitawali mnyau, mt<\/u>ezat<\/u>eza na vumba<\/em>, A cat, one who fiddles around with smelly fish, is not a ruler (lit., does not rule) (MY-KT).<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

K\u2019ongowea ni T\u2019uu Mombasa is a Termite Mound I. Kongowea ni t‘uu haimelezi mgomba Mombasa is a termite mound; it does not allow a banana plant to flourish. Haitawali mnyau, mtezateza na vumba A cat, one who fiddles around with smelly fish, is not a ruler (lit., does not rule) Haiyebu[1] mwenyi makuu ndiani mwenda … Continue reading K’ongowea ni T’uu<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-509","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swahilipoetry.humspace.ucla.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/509","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swahilipoetry.humspace.ucla.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swahilipoetry.humspace.ucla.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swahilipoetry.humspace.ucla.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swahilipoetry.humspace.ucla.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=509"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/swahilipoetry.humspace.ucla.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/509\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":965,"href":"https:\/\/swahilipoetry.humspace.ucla.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/509\/revisions\/965"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swahilipoetry.humspace.ucla.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=509"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}