Ebrahim Hussein (born 1943) is a Tanzanian playwright and poet. His first play, Kinjeketile (1969), written in Swahili, and based on the life of Kinjikitile Ngwale, a leader of the Maji Maji Rebellion, is considered "a landmark of Tanzanian theater."[1] The play soon became one of the standard subjects for exams in Swahili language in Tanzania and Kenya. By 1981, it had been reprinted six times.
Other plays written by Hussein include Mashetani (1971), an overtly political play, Jogoo Kijijini (1976), an experiment in dramatic performance, and Arusi (1980), in which Hussein expresses disillusionment with the Tanzanian political theory Ujamaa.[1] Short plays of his include Wakati Ukuta (1967).
Hussein was educated at the Aga Khan Secondary School in Dar es Salaam and at the University of Eastern Africa's campus in the same city, where he studied French literature and Theatre Arts. There he wrote some of his first short plays, such as Wakati Ukuta (Time is a Wall) and Alikiona - Consequences. These early works often focus on tensions between the old and new generations and the tensions resulting from European colonialism. Although he accepted elements of the European notions of a "well-made play" in the tradition of Aristotle, like the picture-frame stage, he was also interested in traditional African forms of theatre and expectations of the audience.[2] Some of his early plays, like Alikiona, incorporate elements of kichekesho, which is a comical interlude found in the middle of many taarab performances.[3]
During the early 1970s, Hussein studied at the Humboldt University in East Berlin and wrote his PhD dissertation "On the development of theatre in East Africa". Starting with Kinjeketile, he also employed elements of epic theatre as developed by German playwright Bertold Brecht. Later, he published Jogoo Kijini and Ngao ya Jadi, two texts for a single actor, where he used Swahili traditions of storytelling (hadithi).[2] Therefore, his plays have been characterized as a "dramaturgy [that] appears to fuse or blend received European models of an intimate theatre with non-Aristotelian and entirely unique techniques of his own."[4]
In his study on Hussein's importance for Swahili theatre, French scholar of African literature Alain Ricard wrote: "Ebrahim Hussein is the best known Swahili playwright, and Tanzania's most complex literary personality. Known first and foremost as a dramatist, he is also a theorist whose dissertation on the theatre in Tanzania remains the standard reference work. His plays are a corpus of theatrical material with great significance to an understanding of Tanzania's political and social development in relation to the Swahili/Islamic coastal culture, of which he is a part."[3]
Hussein's text for one actorNgao ya Judi has been summarized as follows: Sesota, a serpent, terrorizes a village, so a young peasant is called upon to defeat Sesota. The peasant succeeds and the village rejoices. Over time, the evil the serpent brought grows again, causing the village to become more and more depraved. Eventually, Sesota returns, with no one to challenge him.
This text is a retelling of a Swahili folk story in which Sesota is defeated by being trapped in a pot rather than killed and eventually returns. In Hussein's version, Sesota represents colonialism that the "peasant" desperately tries to fight. Hussein speaks about how the remnants of colonialism still remain and that any amount of Western influence on African culture brings back that evil. Through this, the retelling also shows that there's no "good vs. evil" like in traditional stories, but that the world is rather morally grey. One significant moment is when the village is celebrating after Sesota's death; names of a variety of famous African writers and artists are listed. Here, Hussein seems to be criticizing his fellow artists, saying that their work only comes during moments of joy, rather than being used to combat oppression.[5]
Ebrahim Hussein's thesis
While Hussein focused on research at the Humboldt University in East Berlin for his PhD thesis from 1970 to 1973, the first scholarly study of his work, Drama and National Culture: a Marxist Study of Ebrahim Hussein[6] by Robert Philipson was published in 1989.[7] Hussein wanted to develop Swahili literature that regarded the crisis of East Africa, specifically in the 1970s. At a conference on the meta-languages of literary studies, he published a study on Greek philosopher Aristotle (1980). Many of his colleagues began studies on his oeuvre after this publication, which focused on Kenyan and Tanzanian literary criticism expressed in Kiswahili.
Ebrahim Hussein Poetry Prize
The Ebrahim Hussein Poetry prize is an honor awarded annually since 2014 to the winner of the poetry contest under the same name. The contest was created by Safarani Seushi as per wish of the late Canadian filmmaker Gerald Belkin (1940-2012). Belkin was in the process of creating this award, to be named after "his friend and renowned filmmaker and playwright, Professor Ebrahim Hussein", when he died. Belkin's goal in establishing this award and prize fund was to foster the careers of Swahili literary authors.[8] The selected poems were published as Diwani ya tunzo ya ushairi ya Ebrahim Hussein (Anthology of Ebrahim Hussein Poetry Prize), in 2017.[9]
Ebrahim Hussein Fellowship
The Ebrahim Hussein Endowment for research in African expressive cultures was established in the College of Letters and Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2003, thanks to the generosity of Robert M. Philipson, alumnus of the College of Letters and Science (PhD’89). The College awards up to $7500 each year to one or more full-time graduate students in L&S to carry out research on African expressive cultures and/or archives outside of the United States.[10] Recent winners of the fellowship include Vincent Ogoti, a Kenyan playwright.[11]
References
^ abRicard, Alain (1992). "Ebrahim's Predicament". Research in African Literatures. 23 (1): 175–178. JSTOR 3819960 – via jstor.
^ abFiebach, Joachim (1997). "Ebrahim Hussein's Dramaturgy: A Swahili Multiculturalist's Journey in Drama and Theater". Research in African Literatures. Indiana University Press. 28 (4): 22–27. JSTOR 3820782.
^ abRicard, Alain (2000). Ebrahim Hussein: Swahili Theatre and Individualism. Tanzania: Mkuki na Nyota. pp. 19–21. ISBN9976-973-81-0.
^Philipson, Robert (1989). "Drama and National Culture: a Marxist Study of Ebrahim Hussein". Dissertation – via PhilPapers.
^Ricard, Alain (2000). Ebrahim Hussein: Swahili Theatre and Individualism. Tanzania: Mkuki na Nyota. p. 31. ISBN9976-973-81-0.
^"The Ebrahim Hussein Poetry Prize". The Citizen. 2018-10-16. from the original on 2018-10-17. Retrieved 2019-02-25.
^La Pili, Juzuu (2017). Diwani ya tuzo ya ushairi ya Ebrahim Hussein. Juzuu la pili. Juzuu la pili. ISBN978-9987-08-326-8. OCLC 1057556367.
^African Cultural Studies at University of Wisconsin. "Ebrahim Hussein Fellowship". african.wisc.edu/. from the original on 2020-04-03. Retrieved 2020-09-11.
^"Two Students Awarded Ebrahim Hussein Fellowships". African Cultural Studies. 2020-04-17. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
Further reading
Lihamba, Amandina (1992). "Popular theatre in Africa". Voices from Africa. (4): 53–64. OCLC 1248428484.
Lihamba, Amandina (1985). Politics and theatre in Tanzania after the Arusha declaration, 1967-1984 (Thesis). Leeds. OCLC 1184537252.
Mlama, Penina Muhando (1985). Tanzania's cultural policy and its implications for the contribution of the arts to socialist development. Dar es Salaam: Utafiti. OCLC 61749373.
External links
Kinjeketile - English translation and analysis
August 21, 2023
ebrahim, hussein, born, 1943, tanzanian, playwright, poet, first, play, kinjeketile, 1969, written, swahili, based, life, kinjikitile, ngwale, leader, maji, maji, rebellion, considered, landmark, tanzanian, theater, play, soon, became, standard, subjects, exam. Ebrahim Hussein born 1943 is a Tanzanian playwright and poet His first play Kinjeketile 1969 written in Swahili and based on the life of Kinjikitile Ngwale a leader of the Maji Maji Rebellion is considered a landmark of Tanzanian theater 1 The play soon became one of the standard subjects for exams in Swahili language in Tanzania and Kenya By 1981 it had been reprinted six times Ebrahim HusseinBorn1943 age 79 80 Tanganyika TerritoryOccupationPlaywright PoetOther plays written by Hussein include Mashetani 1971 an overtly political play Jogoo Kijijini 1976 an experiment in dramatic performance and Arusi 1980 in which Hussein expresses disillusionment with the Tanzanian political theory Ujamaa 1 Short plays of his include Wakati Ukuta 1967 Contents 1 Works and importance for Swahili theatre 2 List of works 2 1 Plays 2 2 Short Plays 3 Ngao ya Jadi The Shield of Tradition 4 Ebrahim Hussein s thesis 5 Ebrahim Hussein Poetry Prize 6 Ebrahim Hussein Fellowship 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External linksWorks and importance for Swahili theatre EditHussein was educated at the Aga Khan Secondary School in Dar es Salaam and at the University of Eastern Africa s campus in the same city where he studied French literature and Theatre Arts There he wrote some of his first short plays such as Wakati Ukuta Time is a Wall and Alikiona Consequences These early works often focus on tensions between the old and new generations and the tensions resulting from European colonialism Although he accepted elements of the European notions of a well made play in the tradition of Aristotle like the picture frame stage he was also interested in traditional African forms of theatre and expectations of the audience 2 Some of his early plays like Alikiona incorporate elements of kichekesho which is a comical interlude found in the middle of many taarab performances 3 During the early 1970s Hussein studied at the Humboldt University in East Berlin and wrote his PhD dissertation On the development of theatre in East Africa Starting with Kinjeketile he also employed elements of epic theatre as developed by German playwright Bertold Brecht Later he published Jogoo Kijini and Ngao ya Jadi two texts for a single actor where he used Swahili traditions of storytelling hadithi 2 Therefore his plays have been characterized as a dramaturgy that appears to fuse or blend received European models of an intimate theatre with non Aristotelian and entirely unique techniques of his own 4 In his study on Hussein s importance for Swahili theatre French scholar of African literature Alain Ricard wrote Ebrahim Hussein is the best known Swahili playwright and Tanzania s most complex literary personality Known first and foremost as a dramatist he is also a theorist whose dissertation on the theatre in Tanzania remains the standard reference work His plays are a corpus of theatrical material with great significance to an understanding of Tanzania s political and social development in relation to the Swahili Islamic coastal culture of which he is a part 3 List of works EditPlays Edit Kinjeketile 1969 Michezo ya kuigiza 1970 Mashetani 1971 Jogoo Kijijini and Ngao ya Jadi 1976 Arusi 1980 Jambo la maana 1982 Kwenye ukingo wa Thim English translation At the edge of thim 1988 Ujamaa Short Plays Edit Wakati Ukuta Time is a Wall 1967 Alikiona ConsequencesNgao ya Jadi The Shield of Tradition EditHussein s text for one actor Ngao ya Judi has been summarized as follows Sesota a serpent terrorizes a village so a young peasant is called upon to defeat Sesota The peasant succeeds and the village rejoices Over time the evil the serpent brought grows again causing the village to become more and more depraved Eventually Sesota returns with no one to challenge him This text is a retelling of a Swahili folk story in which Sesota is defeated by being trapped in a pot rather than killed and eventually returns In Hussein s version Sesota represents colonialism that the peasant desperately tries to fight Hussein speaks about how the remnants of colonialism still remain and that any amount of Western influence on African culture brings back that evil Through this the retelling also shows that there s no good vs evil like in traditional stories but that the world is rather morally grey One significant moment is when the village is celebrating after Sesota s death names of a variety of famous African writers and artists are listed Here Hussein seems to be criticizing his fellow artists saying that their work only comes during moments of joy rather than being used to combat oppression 5 Ebrahim Hussein s thesis EditWhile Hussein focused on research at the Humboldt University in East Berlin for his PhD thesis from 1970 to 1973 the first scholarly study of his work Drama and National Culture a Marxist Study of Ebrahim Hussein 6 by Robert Philipson was published in 1989 7 Hussein wanted to develop Swahili literature that regarded the crisis of East Africa specifically in the 1970s At a conference on the meta languages of literary studies he published a study on Greek philosopher Aristotle 1980 Many of his colleagues began studies on his oeuvre after this publication which focused on Kenyan and Tanzanian literary criticism expressed in Kiswahili Ebrahim Hussein Poetry Prize EditThe Ebrahim Hussein Poetry prize is an honor awarded annually since 2014 to the winner of the poetry contest under the same name The contest was created by Safarani Seushi as per wish of the late Canadian filmmaker Gerald Belkin 1940 2012 Belkin was in the process of creating this award to be named after his friend and renowned filmmaker and playwright Professor Ebrahim Hussein when he died Belkin s goal in establishing this award and prize fund was to foster the careers of Swahili literary authors 8 The selected poems were published as Diwani ya tunzo ya ushairi ya Ebrahim Hussein Anthology of Ebrahim Hussein Poetry Prize in 2017 9 Ebrahim Hussein Fellowship EditThe Ebrahim Hussein Endowment for research in African expressive cultures was established in the College of Letters and Science at the University of Wisconsin Madison in 2003 thanks to the generosity of Robert M Philipson alumnus of the College of Letters and Science PhD 89 The College awards up to 7500 each year to one or more full time graduate students in L amp S to carry out research on African expressive cultures and or archives outside of the United States 10 Recent winners of the fellowship include Vincent Ogoti a Kenyan playwright 11 References Edit a b Ricard Alain 1992 Ebrahim s Predicament Research in African Literatures 23 1 175 178 JSTOR 3819960 via jstor a b Fiebach Joachim 1997 Ebrahim Hussein s Dramaturgy A Swahili Multiculturalist s Journey in Drama and Theater Research in African Literatures Indiana University Press 28 4 22 27 JSTOR 3820782 a b Ricard Alain 2000 Ebrahim Hussein Swahili Theatre and Individualism Tanzania Mkuki na Nyota pp 19 21 ISBN 9976 973 81 0 Fiebach 1997 p 26 Fiebach 1997 pp 33 34 Philipson Robert 1989 Drama and National Culture a Marxist Study of Ebrahim Hussein Dissertation via PhilPapers Ricard Alain 2000 Ebrahim Hussein Swahili Theatre and Individualism Tanzania Mkuki na Nyota p 31 ISBN 9976 973 81 0 The Ebrahim Hussein Poetry Prize The Citizen 2018 10 16 Archived from the original on 2018 10 17 Retrieved 2019 02 25 La Pili Juzuu 2017 Diwani ya tuzo ya ushairi ya Ebrahim Hussein Juzuu la pili Juzuu la pili ISBN 978 9987 08 326 8 OCLC 1057556367 African Cultural Studies at University of Wisconsin Ebrahim Hussein Fellowship african wisc edu Archived from the original on 2020 04 03 Retrieved 2020 09 11 Two Students Awarded Ebrahim Hussein Fellowships African Cultural Studies 2020 04 17 Retrieved 2021 11 29 Further reading EditLihamba Amandina 1992 Popular theatre in Africa Voices from Africa 4 53 64 OCLC 1248428484 Lihamba Amandina 1985 Politics and theatre in Tanzania after the Arusha declaration 1967 1984 Thesis Leeds OCLC 1184537252 Mlama Penina Muhando 1985 Tanzania s cultural policy and its implications for the contribution of the arts to socialist development Dar es Salaam Utafiti OCLC 61749373 External links EditKinjeketile English translation and analysis Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ebrahim Hussein amp oldid 1144081670, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
