Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Saturday, February 25, 2012
KISWACENTRIC: ENGAGING THE POLITICS OF LANGUAGE
Yale University
Linsly-Chittenden Hall Room 211
63 High Street, New Haven
Friday, March 2, 2012
10am-5:30pm
This one-day symposium will explore the politics of language and representation in East African culture, art, and media, reflecting on the tension between artistic choices and conventions, on the one hand, and colonial and post-colonial legacies of "foreign" and indigenous languages, on the other.
SPEAKERS:
Omari Kaseko, Filmmaker
Zavara Mponjika, Hip Hop Artist, Emcee
Catheryn Massamu, Presenter, East African Television
Mukoma wa Ngugi, Author, Nairobi Heat
Mohamed Yunus Rafiz, PhD Student and Filmmaker
For more information and to RSVP, visit https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dEk4Q0NONUFJM3o0cmVWUmVjbmtDUlE6MQm
If you have other questions, contact zachary.enumah@yale.edu
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Thursday, February 23, 2012
UHARIBIFU WA KISWAHILI MITANDAONI
UHARIBIFU WA KISWAHILI MITANDAONI
Nimefurahishwa sana na waraka wa "Watanzania Tunavyokiharibu Kiswahili Twitter"na namna mwandishi anavyokabiliana na hili tatizo. Nimefurahi kuona kuna watu wengi wanaguswa na tatizo hili linaloanza kupevuka. Watu wengi wanaoingia humu kwenye hizi baraza za kijamii(Facebook, Twita) kiukweli wana zile athari za ulimbukeni.
Ugonjwa wa ULIMBUKENI ni mbaya yaweza kuwa pengine kuliko UKIMWI na SARATANI, ila unaweza kupona. Inasikitisha kuona hadi leo watu wanadhani eti kuongea kikoloni ndo' ujanja. Bahati mbaya pamoja na kulundikana kwa mashule yanayoitwa English Medium hicho kikoloni bado hakina nguvu. Nimeshakaa na wanafunzi kibao wa vyuo vikuu ambao hawawezi kuongea lugha hii wanayoinyenyekea. Ni aibu kweli wanachokinyenyekea hawakiwezi na cha kwao kinaanza kuwaponyoka.
Nilitarajia kwenye makala yako ungegusia kuhusu huu mtindo wa kuingiza herufi C (inatamkwa CHE kwa kiswahili) na kuingiza namba 2 na 4 kwa kujifanya kama mtu anaandika kikoloni, mtindo ulioanzia kwenye kuandika ujumbe wa maandishi kwenye simu. Kuna wanaohadaika kudhani eti ni ubunifu kuandika vile, wakati ukweli ni kwamba ni UJINGA wa hali ya juu. Maandishi na herufi hizo haziendani na lugha ya kiswahili hata kidogo. Ukiandika "m2" kwa kiswahili inasomeka "mmbili" - kitu ambacho unakuwa umeondoka kabisa kwenye mantiki. Kwanza hairahisishi lolote kwa vile inabidi utafsiri mara tatu ili kupata maana. Kwa hiyo kusudio la msingi linapoteza maana yake. Hii inadhihirisha watu hawajui kusoma na wana utata kwenye kuandika. Hili jambo limeanza kukomaa sana. utaona mtu anaandika "cina" akimaanisha sina ambapo kwa Kiswahili inasomeka C"chena". Je, hapo unawasilisha nini na kupunguza herufi gani? Kwa huo uandikaji ulikusudiwa na lugha ile kupunguza urefu wa maneno. Hapo ule ujinga niliousema unajidhihirisha.
Sasa ina maana gani kwa neno kama hilo hapo juu iwapo idadi ya herufi inakuwa ileile?
Inafaa tufanye juhudi za dhati wadau wa kiswahili hasa wa kizazi hiki kukemea na kufanya mambo mbali mbali kuonyesha madhara ya kudharau lugha na tamaduni zetu na kuendekeza vya wengine. Nimewahi kuwa na mijadala na watu wengi kuhusiana na suala hili, kuna wanaojitetea eti ndio usasa. Nilicheka sana na kuwaambia sio usasa bali ni ULIMBUKENI na kama hao wanaojaribu kuwanakili mbona hawachanganyi Kiswahili? Usasa iweje uwe unaathiri upande wetu tu?
Hongera sana kwa kukemea hili, kwa wote wanaokemea tuko pamoja kwenye mapambano haya. Nahitilafiana tu kidogo na mwandishi wa makala kule Tanganyikan pale usemapo Kenya Kiingereza ndio lugha yao ya kwanza, hilo sio sahihi lugha ya kwanza haimaanishi lugha unayokutana nayo shule. Wapo watu wengine pia wanosema na kudhania kuwa Kiingereza ndio lugha ya kwanza. Nigeria hilo pia sio sahihi. Lugha ya kwanza ni ile unayoongea ukizaliwa, unayokuta mama akiongea nawe. Kule Kenya lugha za kwanza mara nyingi ni zile asilia na Kiswahili ni ya pili kwa mantiki hiyo, ila kiswahili ni lugha ya taifa ya Kenya pia kama ambavyo ni ya taifa hapa Tanzania. Huu mjadala ni mrefu tuendelee kujenga ili tunusuru taifa letu kuangamia kwenye dimbwi la maangamizi. Upendo na amani.
Twitter: @Rhymson
Facebook: Zavara Mponjika
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Chambi Chachage
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Wednesday, February 22, 2012
chakula
Chakula
(Dedicated to those who can read the signs of times)
Want for chakula and more want …
Hunger pangs without being hungry
Greed!
Thirsting for more food, drink and pleasure
Craving!
For food, drink and pleasure
Sometime, just the notion of it
Craving for power!
To make all humanity bow at the snap of your fingers
Such a craving!
For means to sustain that POWER
Hunger pangs leading to grab, grab, and more grab!
Money grab, sex grab, land grab and more grab!
A drunken feeling of emptiness
Void!
In spirit, deeds, relations and all life’s endeavors
An empty feeling of want and more want…
Selfish pursuit for more pleasure, power and ACCUMULATION
Opulence!
Cry my beloved country
For birthing this monstrous pursuit for chakula among the least hungry
A land of abundance that feeds not its hungry bodies and minds!
©Demere Kitunga, February, 2012
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Chambi Chachage
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Sunday, February 19, 2012
MGENI KWETU NYUMBANI
Unashangaa nini?
Msiba kwetu nyumbani
Kisiwani mwa amani
Kizazi hadi kizazi
Sisi tumeuzoea…
Mgeni kwetu nyumbani
Kamwe si hayawani
Twamthamini mgeni
Kuliko hata mwenyeji
Sisi tunampokea…
Biashara kwetu ndani
Haikosi mshitiri
Bara hata visiwani
Nyanda juu hadi pwani
Sisi tunaiwezesha…
Walokuja kwa jahazi
Wakisukumwa na kusi
Wa merikebu za mbali
Mizinga zikisheheni
Sisi tuliwaitika…
Wengine wakichuuza
Na baadhi kulowea
Bara wakitangatanga
Kuzitafuta ngawira
Sisi tuliwaonyesha…
Nasi hatukukaidi
Kuwapokea kwa jadi
Walipoibisha hodi
Na misafara kuhodhi
Sisi tuliwapenyeza…
Hatukuuanza leo
Ukuwadi tufanyao
Tulianzia na hongo
Kwa kila jino la tembo
Sisi tulijitwalia…
Mambo yalipogeuka
Tukageuzwa ngawira
Ndiposa wenye dhamana
Bei walipotupiga
Sisi tuliwahofia…
Ni hawa hawa wakuu
Wa jana na leo yetu
Wanaofanya mizungu
Kutugeuza vizuu
Sisi tunawatazama…
Wametuweka jamvini
Kututia msibani
Tulie kwa ufakiri
Na mali zetu lukuki
Sisi tumehamanika…
Leo ushangae nini
Kwani ulikuwa wapi
Nyuki wakipigwa moshi
Na kulala usingizi
Sisi tukisuasua…
Masega yalipovunjwa
Na asali ikarinwa
Na wanapozindukana
Nta wakasake tena
Sisi tulinung’unika…
Lini tutakuwa mbogo
Tuyakatae makombo
Tukashikane mikono
Tusitoe shikamoo?
Sisi tunajiuliza!
©demere kitunga, 2012
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Chambi Chachage
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