Shaaban bin Robert, also known as Shaaban Robert (1 January 1909 – 20 June 1962), was a Tanzanian poet, author, and essayist who supported the preservation of Tanzanianverse traditions.[2] Robert is celebrated as one of the greatest Tanzanian Swahili thinkers, intellectuals and writers in East Africa and has been called "poet laureate of Swahili" and is also known as the "Father of Swahili."[3] He is also honoured as the national poet.[4]
Shaaban was born in the sleepy village of Vibamba, Tangasisi ward of Tanga District, located south of Tanga City in Tanga Region, Tanzania (then German East Africa). The surname Robert is a name of a British colonial officer who requested his parent to name him after him. Thus in real sense, Robert was his second name (not his surname or last name), his first name being Shaaban. Shaaban himself for a time wrote it 'Roberts' rather than 'Robert'. From 1922 to 1926 he was educated in Dar es Salaam, coming in second in a class of 11 to receive the School Leaving Certificate under the then British colonial educational system in Tanganyika.[3]
Career
After receiving the school certificate, Shaaban worked at various posts as a colonial government civil servant. From 1926 to 1944 he was a customs official at different locations throughout the territory. From 1944 to 1946 he worked for the Game Department. From 1946 to 1952 he worked in the Tanga District Office, and from 1952 to 1960 he was in the Survey Office there. He worked very closely with the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) and Julius Nyerere. Many of his civil service experiences are woven into his writings. During his lifetime he received the Margaret Wrong Prize and Medal for African Literature and was honored by the British government as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (M.B.E.).[3][5]
Intellectual work
Robert contributed to the promotion of the Swahili language and the struggle for the dignity of mankind. He was a celebrated humanist. He worked for freedom and gender equality, and was against racial and religious discrimination in Tanzania. Tanzania's first president, Julius Nyerere, had complete admiration for the late Shaaban Robert, and greatly valued and promoted his intellectual work. His was also equally respectful of both Muslims and Christians. That is reflected in his two unusual names (Shaaban—Muslim name and Robert, a Christian name).[The name Robert was in fact one of his father's several names, the others being Selemani and Ufukwe]
Sheikh Shaaban Robert succeeded in writing essays, books, prose and poems and some of his literature is part of school curricula and higher education reading. Some of his books included Maisha Yangu na Baada ya Miaka Hamsini, Kusadikika, and Wasifu wa Siti binti Saad. His works are still being discovered and published. To date he has 24 known works.
Shaaban Robert Street, a street in the Dar es Salaam CBD
Bibliography
Robert, Shaaban (trans.): Omar Khayyam Kwa Kiswahili London: Macmillan, 1952, (Swahili translation of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, translator's pref. (in Swahili) dated Tanga, 1948.)
Bin Robert, Shaaban: Utubora Mkulima (Diwani Ya Shaaban 8) Nelson, London, 1968
Robert, Shaaban: Koja La Lugha Oxford Univ, Nairobi, 1969
Further reading
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
Mulokozi, M.M. (ed). Barua za Shaaban Robert 1931–1958 (Shaaban Robert's Letters 1931–1958), Institute of Kiswahili Research, Dar es Salaam, 2002.
References
^Frank M Chipasula (5 August 2009). Bending the Bow: An Anthology of African Love Poetry. SIU Press. pp. 283–. ISBN978-0-8093-8638-3.
^Killam, G. D.; Ruth Rowe (2000). The Companion to African Literatures. Indiana University Press. ISBN0-253-33633-3.
^ abc"Shaaban Robert". Encyclopedia.com. 2004. Retrieved 27 June 2008.
^J. Cameron; W. A. Dodd (17 May 2014). Society, Schools and Progress in Tanzania: The Commonwealth and International Library: Education and Educational Research. Elsevier Science. pp. 57–. ISBN978-1-4831-5914-0.
^"Margaret Wrong Prize and Medal for African Literature". Indiana University. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
External links
Shaaban Robert, Tanzania's Forgotten Hero
Shaaban Robert: Father of Kiswahili literature
January 31, 2023
shaaban, robert, also, known, shaaban, robert, january, 1909, june, 1962, tanzanian, poet, author, essayist, supported, preservation, tanzanian, verse, traditions, robert, celebrated, greatest, tanzanian, swahili, thinkers, intellectuals, writers, east, africa. Shaaban bin Robert also known as Shaaban Robert 1 January 1909 20 June 1962 was a Tanzanian poet author and essayist who supported the preservation of Tanzanian verse traditions 2 Robert is celebrated as one of the greatest Tanzanian Swahili thinkers intellectuals and writers in East Africa and has been called poet laureate of Swahili and is also known as the Father of Swahili 3 He is also honoured as the national poet 4 Shaaban RobertMBEBornShaaban bin Selemani 1909 01 01 1 January 1909Vibamba village Tangasisi TangaDied20 June 1962 1962 06 20 aged 53 Dar es Salaam Tanzania 1 Resting placeMachui Tangasisi Tanga RegionNationalityTanzanianOccupation s Civil servant writer poetYears active1932 62Known forkiswahili literatureNotable workKusadikikaSpouseAminaChildren10AwardsMargaret Wrong Prize and Medal for African Literature Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Career 2 Intellectual work 3 Legacy 3 1 Eponyms 4 Bibliography 5 Further reading 6 References 7 External linksBiography EditShaaban was born in the sleepy village of Vibamba Tangasisi ward of Tanga District located south of Tanga City in Tanga Region Tanzania then German East Africa The surname Robert is a name of a British colonial officer who requested his parent to name him after him Thus in real sense Robert was his second name not his surname or last name his first name being Shaaban Shaaban himself for a time wrote it Roberts rather than Robert From 1922 to 1926 he was educated in Dar es Salaam coming in second in a class of 11 to receive the School Leaving Certificate under the then British colonial educational system in Tanganyika 3 Career Edit After receiving the school certificate Shaaban worked at various posts as a colonial government civil servant From 1926 to 1944 he was a customs official at different locations throughout the territory From 1944 to 1946 he worked for the Game Department From 1946 to 1952 he worked in the Tanga District Office and from 1952 to 1960 he was in the Survey Office there He worked very closely with the Tanganyika African National Union TANU and Julius Nyerere Many of his civil service experiences are woven into his writings During his lifetime he received the Margaret Wrong Prize and Medal for African Literature and was honored by the British government as a Member of the Order of the British Empire M B E 3 5 Intellectual work EditRobert contributed to the promotion of the Swahili language and the struggle for the dignity of mankind He was a celebrated humanist He worked for freedom and gender equality and was against racial and religious discrimination in Tanzania Tanzania s first president Julius Nyerere had complete admiration for the late Shaaban Robert and greatly valued and promoted his intellectual work His was also equally respectful of both Muslims and Christians That is reflected in his two unusual names Shaaban Muslim name and Robert a Christian name The name Robert was in fact one of his father s several names the others being Selemani and Ufukwe Sheikh Shaaban Robert succeeded in writing essays books prose and poems and some of his literature is part of school curricula and higher education reading Some of his books included Maisha Yangu na Baada ya Miaka Hamsini Kusadikika and Wasifu wa Siti binti Saad His works are still being discovered and published To date he has 24 known works Shabaan Roberts Grave in Tangasisi Ward Tanga Museum Plate Tangasisi Ward TangaLegacy EditEponyms Edit Shaaban Robert Secondary School Dar es Salaam Shaaban Robert Street a street in the Dar es Salaam CBDBibliography EditRobert Shaaban trans Omar Khayyam Kwa Kiswahili London Macmillan 1952 Swahili translation of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam translator s pref in Swahili dated Tanga 1948 Bin Robert Shaaban Utubora Mkulima Diwani Ya Shaaban 8 Nelson London 1968 Robert Shaaban Koja La Lugha Oxford Univ Nairobi 1969Further reading EditLyndon 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 Mulokozi M M ed Barua za Shaaban Robert 1931 1958 Shaaban Robert s Letters 1931 1958 Institute of Kiswahili Research Dar es Salaam 2002 References Edit Frank M Chipasula 5 August 2009 Bending the Bow An Anthology of African Love Poetry SIU Press pp 283 ISBN 978 0 8093 8638 3 Killam G D Ruth Rowe 2000 The Companion to African Literatures Indiana University Press ISBN 0 253 33633 3 a b c Shaaban Robert Encyclopedia com 2004 Retrieved 27 June 2008 J Cameron W A Dodd 17 May 2014 Society Schools and Progress in Tanzania The Commonwealth and International Library Education and Educational Research Elsevier Science pp 57 ISBN 978 1 4831 5914 0 Margaret Wrong Prize and Medal for African Literature Indiana University Retrieved 6 January 2015 External links EditShaaban Robert Tanzania s Forgotten Hero Shaaban Robert A legendary poet and freedom fighter Shaaban Robert Father of Kiswahili literature Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Shaaban bin Robert amp oldid 1091563168, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
