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Periodical article | Leiden University catalogue | WorldCat |
Title: | Rhyming riddles or Swahili songs of secrets |
Author: | Knappert, Jan |
Year: | 1988 |
Periodical: | Afrika und Übersee: Sprachen, Kulturen |
Volume: | 71 |
Issue: | 2 |
Pages: | 287-298 |
Language: | English |
Geographic term: | East Africa |
Subjects: | riddles Swahili language |
Abstract: | A striking characteristic of Swahili riddles is their poetic form. They share this feature with Swahili proverbs, many of which can be extended into proverb songs. Another connection between Swahili riddles and proverbs is that a certain proverb often contains a clue to a certain riddle. This paper analyses several Swahili riddle songs in order to show the complex network of associations that holds together the imagery of Swahili poetry and proverbs. The riddles are presented in Swahili with an English translation. Notes, ref. |