Shaaban Bin Robert

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Native quarters in Tanga city, early 20th century

Shaaban Bin Robert (German: Shaaban son of Robert) or short Shaaban Robert (born January 1, 1909 in Vibamba in the Tanga region in Tanganjika (today Tanzania ); † June 22, 1962 in Tanga ) was a Tanganyican poet, author and essayist who was particularly committed to preserving the African lyric and song tradition and the Swahili language. He is considered an important Swahili writer, who was also known as the "Poet Laureate des Swahili" and the "Father of Swahili".

Life

Little is known about his parents and his early childhood. His parents were thought to be descended from a clan of Yao shamans, but this has never been proven. The family name Robert is probably the name his father got in elementary school. Shaaban himself has always called himself a Swahili person, never a Yao. From 1922 to 1926 he went to school in Dar es Salaam . He was married three times and had ten children.

After school he held various positions in the British colonial administration. He received the Wrong Memorial Prize for writing for his literary work and he was appointed a Member of the British Empire (MBE) by the British government .

plant

Shaaban Robert was a staunch humanist and has always supported the associated values: freedom, equality between the sexes and religions, and anti-racism. The first president of Tanzania, Julius Nyerere , was a great admirer of Robert and promoted his work. Some of his works belong to the canon of Swahili higher education.

Robert wrote poems, biographies (including an autobiography), stories and essays. He also wrote a biography of the Zanzibari singer Siti binti Saad , who was known far beyond East Africa.

bibliography

  • Robert, Shaaban (trans.): Omar Khayyam Kwa Kiswahili London: Macmillan, 1952, (Swahili translation by Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam , Tanga, 1948.)
  • Am Robert, Shaaban: Utubora Mkulima (Diwani Ya Shaaban 8) Nelson, London 1968.
  • Robert, Shaaban: Koja La Lugha Oxford Univ., Nairobi 1969.

literature

  • Lyndon Harries: Swahili Poetry . Oxford 1962.
  • Jan Knappert: Traditional Swahili Poetry . Mouton, The Hague 1968.
  • Edgar C. Polome: Swahili Language Handbook. 1967.
  • Wilfred H. Whiteley: Swahili: The Rise of a National Language. 1969.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ GD Killam, Ruth Rowe: The Companion to African Literatures . Indiana University Press ,, ISBN 0253336333 .
  2. ↑ a b c Shaaban Robert . Encyclopedia.com. 2004. Retrieved June 27, 2008.
personal data
SURNAME Shaaban Bin Robert
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Shaaban son of Robert; Robert, Shaaban
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Tanganyican poet, author, and essayist
DATE OF BIRTH January 1, 1909
PLACE OF BIRTH Vibamba, Tanga region
DATE OF DEATH June 22, 1962
Place of death tanga