# Swahili literature

Swahili literature is 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 the Swahili language. It is an offshoot of the Bantu culture.
The first literary works date back to the beginning of the 18th century, when all Swahili literature was written in Arabic script. Jan Knappert considered the translation of the Arabic poem Hamziya from the year 1652 to be the earliest Swahili written text. In the second half of the 19th century, European missionaries and scholars of African languages introduced the Latin script for writing the Swahili language.

## Characteristics

Swahili literature has been an object of research by many western scholars since the 19th century. There is a debate regarding objectivity as a few scholars tried to establish a canon of Swahili writing.
One of the main characteristics of Swahili literature is the relative heterogeneity of the Swahili language. One can find works written in Kiamu (see for example the poetry by Ustadh Mau), Kimvita, Kipemba, Kiunguja, Kimrima, Kimtang'ata, Ki-Dar es Salaam and Ki-Nairobi which are considered varieties of Swahili.
Swahili literature has been sometimes characterized as Islamic by some western scholars such as Jan Knappert. This approach was criticized by others such as Alamin Mazrui and Ibrahim Noor Shariff. In fact, Swahili poetry has produced many secular works by poets such as Muyaka bin Ghassany and Muhammad Kijuma.
Because of this orientalist exploration and interest in the Swahili culture and language, most of the theses made on the Swahili literature have been done outside of the native place.

## Classification

Swahili literature is classified into three genres: Riwaya (the novel), tamthilia (drama/play) and ushairi (poetry). Scholars, however, cite the problem in the literary classification because the association to Western genres does not correspond properly to Swahili literature. The lack of clear and decisive characteristics for genres can be illustrated by the convergence of oral and written literary forms. Rajmund Ohly noted that the names of genres are not well defined while denominations are too vague to distinguish genre divisions.

## Fiction

Historically, fiction in Swahili literature mainly consisted of oral narrative traditions. It was not until the 1940s that Swahili started to have a written fiction. Modern Swahili literature is a direct result of the standardization of Swahili. Previously, writers would write in a particular dialect to show their attachment to this local language, such as in Lamu, Tanga or Mombasa. The normalization of Swahili motivated writers such as George Mhina and Lyndon Harries to promote the development of Swahili by creating a literary corpus.

## Poetry

Swahili poetry shares many similarities with Arabic poetry. Swahili poetry or "ushairi" (from Arabic: Shîir, poetry) is still written in the traditional manner. According to an account, the traditional poetry is created to be sung rather than read. It began in the northern Kenya coastal towns of Lamu and Pate before spreading to Tanga Region, Zanzibar and other nearby areas. The poetic tradition is still alive today as pieces are often published in local newspapers or used in taraab songs and musical theater popular in Zanzibar and on the Swahili coast.
However, there are a few fundamental differences between the Swahili and Arabic poetry. With much of African influence, the two poems can hardly be compared for it is sui generis.
Traditional poetry can be classified into different groups according to its form and content. It can be epic, lyrical or didactic, as well as religious or secular. Examples of narrative poetry, known as utenzi, include the Utendi wa Tambuka by Bwana Mwengo (dated to about 1728) and the Utenzi wa Shufaka.
Use of Swahili prose was until recently practically restricted to utilitarian purposes. However, the traditional art of oral expression in poetry has produced a number of valuable works. It is characterized by its homiletic aspects, heroic songs, folklore ballads and humorous dialogues which accurately depict Swahili life, cultural beliefs and traditions. Because of the immediate historical aspect of the Swahili literature, especially in the 19th century, it is still a hard job to interpret many of the poems due to the lack of knowledge of the context in which the poem was written.

## Drama

Ebrahim Hussein (born 1943 in Lindi, Tanganyika Territory) is a Tanzanian playwright and poet. His first play, Kinjeketile (1969), written in Swahili, and based on the life of Kinjikitile Ngwale, a leader of the Maji Maji Rebellion, is considered "a landmark of Tanzanian theatre". His works have been studied both in Tanzanian and Kenyan schools and universities.
Hussein's work stands in a literary tradition expressed in Swahili following Tanzania's independence from the United Kingdom in 1961. Since his works, with the exception of Kinjeketile and another play, have not been translated, his work has not become well-known outside of East Africa. Referring to the absence of Hussein's international recognition and the predicament of African literature written in African languages, Ricard wrote:
   A truly innovative and creative writer, a perceptive thinker, a gifted poet, he has often suffered neglect precisely because he has remained steadfastly committed to Kiswahili. His predicament illustrates the double-bind situation that menaces African literature in African languages. An international reputation is only possible when African-language works are translated into European languages, but few African-language works are translated.
Other notable Tanzanian playwrights are Amandina Lihamba and Penina Muhando.

## Notable literary people

* Farouk Topan, Zanzibar
* Christopher Mwashinga (1965-), Tanzania
* Dada Masiti (c. 1810s–15 July 1919), Kenya
* Ebrahim Hussein (1943- ), Tanzania
* Muhammed Said Abdulla (1918-1991), Tanzania
* Fadhy Mtanga (1981 -), Tanzania
* May Balisidya (?- 1987), Tanzania
* Said Khamis (12 December 1947-), Zanzibar
* Abdilatif Abdalla (14 April 1946-), Kenya
* Ali Alamin Mazrui (1933-2014), Kenya
* Shaaban bin Robert (1909-1962), Tanzania
* Haji Gora Haji, Zanzibar