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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:Kanuri and Islamic elements in the Kayawar
Author:Karta, Yaganami
Year:1994
Periodical:Frankfurter afrikanistische Blätter
Issue:6
Pages:87-95
Language:English
Geographic term:Nigeria
Subjects:Kanuri
epics (form)
Abstract:On the surface, the 'Kayawar', a Kanuri Islamic epic, looks like an entirely Islamic song, recounting the holy wars, and in particular the expedition of Kaiwara, undertaken by Prophet Muhammad during his lifetime. However, the 'Kayawar' also contains African elements, including instances of Kanuri culture and society, Kanuri variants of characters' names, and African-style adversaries, as the present author indicates in his analysis. In keeping with most African epics, the 'Kayawar' is multigeneric and multifunctional, satisfying both the local Kanuri community in Nigeria and the wider Islamic world. Three versions of the text of the 'Kayawar' serve as the basis of the discussion: two recorded by the author in 1991, and one of Mai Kale, as transcribed by Alhaji Mustapha Muhammad in 1976. Bibliogr.
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