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SWAHILI LANGUAGE The predominant language of Zanzibar, in common with the rest of the East African coast is kiswahili. As its name implies, kiswahili is the language of the swahili people and as such is very much a Bantu language, with strong Arab influence. The name of the language comes from the Arabic word 'sawahil', meaning 'coasts' and many Arabic words can be easily recognised , such as the use of 'marahaba', meaning 'hello' (said in response to 'shikamoo', which is the respectful form of address to older people). Similarly, equivalents of many of the words in kiswahili can be found in other tongues. In Portuguese for instance, words such as 'mesa', meaning 'table' are common to both languages and lay testament to the two hundred years of Portuguese occupation. As is common in other languages, English words are commonly used as an expedient for technical and business terminology. More than sixty million Africans now speak kiswahili and the language is used predominantly in this part of the world as the langua franca in preference to any of the European languages. Zanzibari's claim that their island is the home of the kiswahili language and the twenty or so dialects are said to be purer than those of the mainland. The Institute of Kiswahili and Foreign Languages is located in Zanzibar Town. The cultural mix on Zanzibar has led to a development of rich traditions of storytelling, poetry, songs, riddles and sayings, especially in the South of Unguja, where the people speak in a particularly lilting, creole style, which seems to suit their laid-back country lifestyle. English is the second language in Zanzibar and is widely spoken and understood.
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Swahili origins : some examples of word origins |
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| ARABIC | SWAHILI | ENGLISH |
| kurb | karibu | welcome |
| aidha | aidha | also |
| akhbar | habari | news |
| maalim | mwalimu | teacher |
| bhar | bahari | sea |
| samak | samaki | fish |
| GUJIRATI | SWAHILI | ENGLISH |
| bajia | bajia | |
| chori | chori | |
| PORTUGUESE | SWAHILI | ENGLISH |
| meza | meca | table |
| ananas | nanasi | pineapple |
| kasha | kasha | container |
| Acknowledgement : Hamzah Rijaal | ||
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The Tradition of Swahili Sayings
There is a great Swahili tradition of making up sayings and expressions. Old men sit around in the afternoon and evening and entertain each other with reruns of old expressions and the creation of new ones. When anything dramatic or happy or sad happens, there will always be an old man around somewhere who will run out some instant wisdom. These expressions often demonstrate wit ... Siku utakayokwenda uchi, ndiyo siku utakayokutana na mkweo The day you go naked, is the day you will meet your mother-in-law ... others perception ... Nazi mbovu harabu ya nzima A rotten coconut in a heap spoils its neighbours ... or look on the bright side ... Mchumia juani, hilla kivulini He who earns his living in the sun, eats in the shade ... but most characteristic is an air of good-humoured resignation to the innevitabilities of life ... Heri nusu ya shari kuliko shari kamili Better half a disaster than a complete disaster Others sound good too (try reading the swahili) ... Haraka, haraka, haina baraka Hurry, hurry, gets no blessing And then there are those which are quite bizarre ... Mgeni hachomi chaza mtaani akanuka A stranger does not roast an oyster in a village and then get accused of smelling of it. A collection of these expressions was published in the 1950's : Sayings and Expressions of Old Zanzibar by SS Farsi, but the book is now long out of print. The selection below owes much to that book and to many hours sat around on beaches, under shady trees and on the barazas of Stone Town.
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Kitanda usichokilala, hujui kunguni wake You cannot know the bugs of a bed you have not lain on
Alisifuye jua, limemwangaza The sun has shone on he who praises it
Siku utakayokwenda uchi, ndiyo siku utakayokutana na mkweo The day you go naked, is the day you will meet your mother-in-law
Mpemba hakimbii mvua ndogo A native of Pemba does not run away from a small shower of rain
Zanzibar ni njema, atakae aje Zanzibar is beautiful, please enjoy
Nifae la mvua nikufae la jua Do me a favour in the rainy season and I'll return it in the dry season
Mchama ago hanyeli, huenda akauya papo A traveller does not leave his camp in a mess if he knows he may return
Mgeni ni kuku mweupe A stranger is like a white fowl
Leo wi leo, asemaye kesho ni mwongo Today is today, he who says tomorrow is a liar
Shimo la ulimi mkono haufutiki A hole dug by the tongue cannot be covered over by the hand
Kinywa ni jumba la maneno The mouth is the home of words
Nazi mbovu harabu ya nzima A rotten coconut in a heap spoils its neighbours
Ukuukuu wa kamba si upya wa ukambaa A well-worn coir rope is better than a new raffia rope (There is no substitute for quality)
Ukiona vinaelea, vimeundwa When you see vessels afloat, remember that first they had to be built
Usisahau ubaharia kwa sababu ya unahodha Do not forget what it is to be a sailor because of being a captain yourself
Dau la mnyonge halendi joshi A poor man’s boat cannot sail as close to the wind
Heri nusu ya shari kuliko shari kamili Better half a disaster than a complete disaster
Kucha Mungu si kilemba chempe The fear of God is not the wearing of a white turban
Wanja wa Manga si dawa ya chongo Even the antimony of Manga is not a medicine for being one-eyed
Anayekataa wengi ni mchawi A person who dislikes company is a wizard
Njia ya siku zote haina alama A regular path has no signpost
Ukenda kwa wenye chongo, vunja lako jicho When you go amongst one-eyed people, put out your own eye
Mtembezi hula miguu yake The aimless wanderer wears away his legs
Hapana marefu yasiyo na ncha There is no distance that has no end
Taratibu ndiyo mwendo Slowly is indeed the way to walk
Kiingiacho mjini si haramu That which is fashionable in town is never prohibited
Mwenye pupa hadiriki kula tamu A hasty person misses the sweet things
Mgeni hachomi chaza mtaani akanuka A stranger does not roast an oyster in a village and then get accused of smelling of it. |
Anayekuja pasi na hodi, huondoka pasi na kuaga He who arrives without a 'may I come in ?' leaves without a 'goodbye'
Mlimbua nchi ni mwana nchi He who enjoys the fruits of a country is a son of that country
Hapana masika yasiyo na mbu There is no 'masika' (rains) without mosquitos
Mwenye shoka hakosi kuni He who has an axe does not lack firewood
Bandu, bandu. Huisha gogo Chop, chop. Finishes the log
Kwenye miti hakuna wajenzi Where there are builders there are no trees
Usikaange mbuyu ukawaachia wenye meno watafune Do not roast baobab kernels and leave those who have teeth chewing them
Mlevi kama komba Drunk as a bushbaby
Mpanda ovyo, hula ovyo He who sows in a disorderly fashion will eat likewise
Amnyimae punda adesi, kampunguzia mashuzi He who witholds lentils from a donkey reduces its passing of wind
Mstahimilivu hula mbivu A patient man eats ripe fruit
Mke ni nguo, mgomba kupalilia A wife is clothes as a banana plant is weeding
Msitukane wagema na ulevi ungalipo Do not abuse palm-wine tappers while drunkenness persists
Udugu wa nazi hukutania chunguni A brotherhood of coconuts is a meeting in the cooking pot
Mchumia juani, hilla kivulini He who earns his living in the sun, eats in the shade
Mvuvi anajua pweza alipo A fisherman knows where to look for an octopus
Uso wa samaki hausikii viungo The face of the fish does not react to the pickle (gob-smacked)
Mvunja nchi ni mwana nchi The destroyer of a country is the son of the country
Chovya-chovya ! Yamaliza buyu la asali A constant dripping will empty a gourd of honey
Uwongo wa mganga ni nafuu ya mwele ni, mwele kupona Even the lies of a witchdoctor are a relief to the sick
Kila mwamba ngoma, ngozi huivutia kwake Everyone who stretches a skin on a drum pulls it to his own side
Ngoma ivumayo haidumu A noisy drumming never lasts long
Kukopa harusi, kulipa matanga Borrowing is like a wedding, repayment is like a mourning
Mke ni nguo, mgomba kupalilia A wife is clothes as a banana plant is weeding
Kizuri chajiuza, kibaya chajitembeza Good produce sells itself, bad produce advertises itself
Mzigo wa mwenzio ni kanda la usufi A companion’s burden is no more than a bundle of kapok
Kila mlango kwa ufunguo wake Every door has its own key
Kupotea njia ndiko kujua njia To lose the way is to learn the way
Mteuzi haisha tamaa A connoisseur never reaches the end of desire
Mpemba akipata gogo hanyii chini If a native of Pemba can get a log, he does not relieve himself on the ground
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