Mwana Kupona

Mwana Kupona binti Msham (born on Pate Island, died c. 1865) was a Swahili poet of the 19th century, author of a poem called Utendi wa Mwana Kupona ("The Book of Mwana Kupona"), which is one of the most well-known works of early Swahili literature.

Relatively little is known about her life. Her grandson Muhammed bin Abdalla

hemorrhaging

.

Utendi wa Mwana Kupona

The poem dates to about 1858 (year 1275 of the Islamic calendar), and is centered on the teachings and advice of Mwana Kupona to her daughter, concerning marriage and wifely duties.^[2] Despite the seemingly secular subject, the book is prominently religious and even mystical, and it has been compared to the Biblical Book of Proverbs. A few lines of the poem are dedicated to the author herself:

Swahili:	Translation:
Mwenye kutunga nudhumu Ni gharibu mwenye hamu Na ubora wa ithimu Rabbi tamghufiria Ina lake mufahamu Ni mtaraji karimu Mwana Kupona Mshamu Pate alikozaliwa Tarikhiye kwa yakini Ni alifu wa miyateni Hamsa wa sabini	The author of this work is a sorrowful widow her worst sin The Lord will forgive Know her name she is Reliant-of-the-Provider Mwana Kupona Mshamu born in Pate. The date in reality Is one thousand two hundred Seventy-five.

References in culture

The
children's book
entitled Mwana Kupona: Poetess from Lamu, based on the work and life of Mwana Kupona.

Notes

^ MS 53508c, manuscript, Hitchens Collection
^ Extracted in Margaret Busby (ed.), Daughters of Africa, Cape: 1992, pp. 67–69.

References

Kitula King'ei, "Aspects of Autobiography in the Classical Swahili Poetry: Problems of Identity of Authorship", Folklore, vol. 16, 2001.

[1] MS 53508c, manuscript, Hitchens Collection

[2] Extracted in Margaret Busby (ed.), Daughters of Africa, Cape: 1992, pp. 67–69.

[2]

Authority control databases
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Utendi wa Mwana Kupona

References in culture

See also

Notes

References