This is one of several poems composed by Muyaka about Fort Jesus, pictured in the banner above and on this site’s home page. For Muyaka and other inhabitants of Mombasa the fort was a symbol of Mazrui resistence to Omani attempts to take control of the coast. For a detailed treatment of this period of East African history, I refer you to XXXXX.
Plaque at the entrance portal to Fort Jesus
| Ngome ni ngome ya mawe na fusi la kufusiza | The Fort is a fortress of stone with a foundation of hard packed rubble. |
| Ngome ni ya matumbawe, na boriti kuikiza | The (ceilings of the) Fort are of coral rock with mangrove beams set in place (for rafters) |
| Ngome wetwapo sikawe, enda hima na kufuza | When you are called to the Fort do not delay, go quickly and do so immediately |
| Ngome imetuumiza, naswi tu mumo ngomeni. | The Fort has harmed us, (but) we as well are now inside the fort itself. |
Translation above by TJH. The Hichens text (1940) has matumbawe not matumbwe as in MHA. For those interested in comparing my translation with those by Abdulaziz and Knappert I have included them below. It is instructive to see the differences.
MHA Translation (1979:143-145)
The Fort is a fort of stone that is reinforced with coral sand
The Fort has ceilings well-laid with boriti beams and light coral stone.
The Fort! When you are called there, do not tarry, but hurry and go there quickly!
The Fort has certainly done us a lot of harm, but we are still to be found in it.
Knappert translation (1979:162)
The Fort is a fortress of stones and lime to mason them together.
The Fort is made of coral rock and of beams to make the roof.
When you are called to the Fort, do not delay, go quickly and go through.
The Fort has hurt us, but we too are inside the Fort.
Glossary
| boriti | [n. 9/10] | Thick poles of the mangrove used to support concrete ceilings and roofs of certain kinds of houses; hence a beam, large piece of timber or steel, a girder, etc. (? Port. Barrote, beam, joist.) (FJ). Ngome ni ya matumbawe, na boriti kuikiza, The (ceilings of the) Fort are of coral rock with mangrove beams set in place (for rafters) (MY-Ngome). |
| fusa | [v. tr.] | Beat, make soft by gentle beating, e.g. atakufusa hata ulainike, he will beat you until you are tender, e.g. until you have no strength left; (2) attack. Ugonjwa ulimfusa, sickness attacked him (FJ). See fusi/ma- 5/6 ‘rubble’. |
| fusi/ma- | [n. 5/6] | Rubble used to fill a excavation for a foundation, building materials used in making a foundation (TJH). Coral sand (MHA). A fine black sand (Krapf). The mud of the walls, etc. of a house which has been demolished, also kifusi (FJ). Décombres, démolitions, plâtras, déblais [rubble], — Syn. TD. kifusi (Sx). See –fusa, -fusia, -fusiza, -fusizi. Ngome ni ngome ya mawe na fusi la kufusiza, The Fort is a fortress of stone with a foundation of hard-packed rubble (MY-Ngome). See also: Ukwasi ungapo na tafakhari, || wakanakiliwa ili safari, || washukie nyumba za makaburi || fusi na fusizi liwafusie, But now all that wealth of magnificence vast Hath vanished quite away, for the Summons forth hath passed; Down, down to the Tomb, that bourne long and last, Down, midst the rubble and the dust sped the bier (Inkishafi – Taylor 44). |
| fusia | [v. appl.] | Construct a foundation of stone and rubble (TJH). Lay down a bed of small stones and rubbish for a concrete floor or roof, or fill in foundations (FJ). Lay a foundation (Krapf). See SX: 1. (Am. = DS. –fukia), enfouir. 2. (TDO. —G.) Combler avez des pierres grossières le fond, soit d’une fondation -fusia msinji, soit d’une terrasse -fusia sakafu. [fill a depth—a deep hole–with heavy stones so it becomes a foundation]. See –fusizi (Sx). See –fukia fill in (a hole, grave, etc.), dig in, cover in, –fukia kaburi fill up a grave (FJ). See –fusiza v. intns of –fusia. |
| fusiza | [v. intns.] | Beat, pound, pack firmly especially building materials (TJH). Not in FJ. Not in Sx, but see –fusa, –fusia, fusizi (TJH definition based on Sx definition of fusizi q.v. Ngome ni ngome ya mawe na fusi la kufusiza, The Fort is a fortress of stone with a foundation of hard-packed rubble (MY-Ngome). |
| fusizi/ma- | [n. 5/6] | Heap, mass, pile, accumulation of dirt or rocks; material used in building (TJH). Amoncellement de terres ou de déblais. (Sx). See –fusa, -fusiza. Ukwasi ungapo na tafakhari, || wakanakiliwa ili safari, || washukie nyumba za makaburi || fusi na fusizi liwafusie But now all that wealth of magnificence vast Hath vanished quite away, for the Summons forth hath passed; Down, down to the Tomb, that bourne long and last, Down, midst the rubble and the dust sped the bier (INK – Taylor 44) |
| fuza | [v. i.] | Do in haste, do in a hurry, quickly, immediately (TJH). Go on, not to stop; see –fuuza go straight forward (Krapf). Not in FJ, but see ‑fulisha ~ –fuliza: ….Inten, keep on at, hammer at, cause to hammer or keep on, continue doing—in a general sense, quicken, hasten (FJ). See Sx: fuza ~ fuuza ~ fuliza njia moja kwa moja, suivre le chemin tout droit, suivre le même chemin sans prendre aucune voie latérale (Sx). Ngome wetwapo sikawe, enda hima na kufuza, When you are called to the Fort do not delay, go quickly and do so immediately (MY-Ngome) |
| ikiza | [v. cs.] | Lay across, set in position (from side to side), spread over. Ikiza nyumba boriti place in position the beams in a house to carry a concrete roof, etc…. (FJ). Ngome ni ya matumbawe, na boriti kuikiza, The (ceilings of the) Fort are of coral rock with mangrove beams set in place (for rafters) (MY-Ngome). |
| itwa | [v. ps.] | Be called. Ngome wetwapo sikawe, enda hima na kufuza, When you are called to the Fort do not delay, go quickly and do so immediately (MY-Ngome) |
| kawa | [v. i] | Be delayed, tarry, linger, delay, loiter, take a long time, be behind time, be late (FJ). See -kawia (FJ). Ngome wetwapo sikawe, enda hima na kufuza, When you are called to the Fort do not delay, go quickly and do so immediately (MY-Ngome) |
| mumo | [dem.] | There inside, inside there (TJH). Ngome imetuumiza, naswi tu mumo ngomeni, The Fort has harmed us, (but) we as well are now inside the fort itself (MY-Ngome). |
| naswi | [pro. contr.] | And we, with us, we also, we as well, etc.; contraction of na + swiswi (q.v.) (TJH). Ngome imetuumiza, naswi tu mumo ngomeni, The Fort has harmed us, (but) we as well are now inside the fort itself. (MY-Ngome) |
| ngome | [n. 9/10] | Fort, fortress, citadel (TJH). Ngome ni ngome ya mawe na fusi la kufusiza, The Fort is a fortress of stone with a foundation of hard-packed rubble. (MY-Ngome). See fusi. |
| swiswi | [pro.] | We, us (TJH). Not in FJ. See Sx: Mv. = St. sisi. |
| tu | [pro./cop.] | We, us. 1st plural subject or object prefix. Often functions as a 1st plural copula. Ngome imetuumiza, naswi tu mumo ngomeni, The Fort has harmed us, (but) we as well are now inside the fort itself (MY-Ngome). |
| tumbawe/ma- | [n. 5/6] | Light weight coral rock used with mangrove poles or beams in constructing ceilings (TJH). Coral rock in the intermediate stage between coral and rock—white and massive, but light and not fully consolidated. Used largely (from its lightness) for concrete roofs, also for cornices, being easily cut to shape, and for lime burning (FJ). See more extensive entry for tumbawe/ma- in Sx. Ngome ni ya matumbawe, na boriti kuikiza, The Fort’s (ceilings) are of coral rock with mangrove beams set in place (for rafters) (MY-Ngome). |
Ningependa kumshukuru Bi. Sarah Mirza ambaye hunisaidia sana kwa kuelewa maneno mengi ya mashairi ya Kiswahili.