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Swahili Epic Literature

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 August 2012

Lyndon Harries
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Extract

The Swahili people are unique among the Bantu of East Africa in possessing an heritage of written literature of considerable range and antiquity. The earliest reasonably authentic examples consist of mashairi, song-poems, attributed to Liongo Fumo, prince of Ozi, c. A.D. 1150–1200. Many of the well-known mashairi were impromptu compositions of the minstrels who vied with one another at the songtourneys.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Africa , Volume 20 , Issue 1 , January 1950, pp. 55 - 59
Copyright
Copyright © International African Institute 1950

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References

Biblography

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