International African Institute

Proverbes et vie yaka by Alain van der BekenReview by: Wauthier de MahieuAfrica: Journal of the International African Institute, Vol. 49, No. 4 (1979), pp. 440-441Published by: Cambridge University Press on behalf of the International African InstituteStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1159249 .

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REVIEWS OF BOOKS REVIEWS OF BOOKS

An Anthology of Hausa Literature in Translation. By NEIL SKINNER. Madison: African Studies Pr6gram, University of Wisconsin, 1977. Pp. 189, bibl. n.p.

NEIL Skinner, now Professor of Hausa in the Department of African Languages and Literature in the University of Wisconsin, has given noble service to the promotion of Hausa literature among non-Hausa speakers through a series of important publications over the past few years, in particular through his multi-volume translation of Frank Edgar's classic Tatsuniyoyi na Hausa. Now he gives us a college textbook.

After a one page introduction to place in the context of Hausa society and culture the specimens of Hausa prose and poetry which are to follow. Skinner sets forth his own classification of twelve genres of Hausa literature. Is there not, as this reviewer believes, an apter term to express his final category, 'Tongue Twisters', than the reiteration of the standard term for 'Proverbs', karin magana? Again, to voice another minor criticism, this reviewer is, sadly perhaps, too much of a purist and perfectionist to take comfortably to such sloppy anglicised plurals as labaris and tatsuniya's [sic], especially when Skinner has taken the trouble to introduce the accepted plural forms labaru and tatsuniyoyi only a couple of lines earlier. From here onwards we are in the midst of an Aladdin's cave of literary treasures. Felicitous translations are illuminated by notes and guidance on related reading, while most of the principal sections are introduced with a concise, enlightening discussion of the genre under consideration, e.g. Tales, Modern Drama, Proverbs, Islam and Hausa Literature. Traditional Verse, Modern Prose and Modern Poets. The whole of the last quarter of the translations, some fifty pages in all, represents one of the first consolidated attempts (individual translations have, of course, been published before, notably by Robinson, Hiskett and Arnott) to present an accurate English version of a substantial corpus of Hausa verse. Given the severe problems attaching to Hausa poetry, here is a major contribution to the cause of Hausa literature and a particular boon to students learning Hausa.

Indeed, if we are to believe the statement in the present publication that its contents represent a series of Professor Skinner's lectures 'recorded and painstakingly transcribed' by one of his students, then we can conclude that those enrolled in that course on Hausa Lit. at Wisconsin may consider themselves among the fortunate few. This is surely a text that deserves to find a place in every programme where Hausa literature is taught, whether it be to linguists, to comparative literature or to social anthropology specialists.

No price is given and the use of two very different typewriters has confusingly not been correlated with any difference in the kinds of texts. A. H. M. KIRK-GREENE

Proverbes et vie yaka. Par ALAIN VAN DER BEKEN. St. Augustin: Anthropos-Institut; Haus V6lker und Kulturen; 1978. (Collectanea Instituti Anthropos 15.) Pp. 240, map, bibl. DM 29.00.

PRPSUMANT que 'c'est tout le milieu et toute la vie qui sont mis en scene dans les proverbes', l'auteur, qui travaille depuis sept ans comme missionnaire dans la region, se propose de 'presenter une image de l'homme yaka et de sa vie dans ses principales articulations'. A cet effet une serie de 750 proverbes, recueillis, avec leur interpretation, 'directement des chefs et des notables'-ce qui n'est peut-etre pas identique a 'recueillir sur le vif'-ont 6et classes sous un certain nombre de rubriques (tradition-chef-notables, parente, mariage, relations sociales, l'homme dans son univers magique, sagesse, experience, Dieu), pourvues, chacune, d'une in- troduction et de commentaires plus ou moins developpes, servant a retracer le cadre socio- culturel plus large et a regrouper des ensembles de proverbes selon des themes secondaires. L'ouvrage mene ainsi de front deux preoccupations moins heureusement integrees, presenter un arrangement de proverbes et presenter une culture dans son ensemble, et dont aucune n'est entierement satisfaisante. La premiere, parce que la dimension m6taphorique des proverbes et ses implications semble echapper a l'auteur. C'est en effet le plus souvent sur la base de

An Anthology of Hausa Literature in Translation. By NEIL SKINNER. Madison: African Studies Pr6gram, University of Wisconsin, 1977. Pp. 189, bibl. n.p.

NEIL Skinner, now Professor of Hausa in the Department of African Languages and Literature in the University of Wisconsin, has given noble service to the promotion of Hausa literature among non-Hausa speakers through a series of important publications over the past few years, in particular through his multi-volume translation of Frank Edgar's classic Tatsuniyoyi na Hausa. Now he gives us a college textbook.

After a one page introduction to place in the context of Hausa society and culture the specimens of Hausa prose and poetry which are to follow. Skinner sets forth his own classification of twelve genres of Hausa literature. Is there not, as this reviewer believes, an apter term to express his final category, 'Tongue Twisters', than the reiteration of the standard term for 'Proverbs', karin magana? Again, to voice another minor criticism, this reviewer is, sadly perhaps, too much of a purist and perfectionist to take comfortably to such sloppy anglicised plurals as labaris and tatsuniya's [sic], especially when Skinner has taken the trouble to introduce the accepted plural forms labaru and tatsuniyoyi only a couple of lines earlier. From here onwards we are in the midst of an Aladdin's cave of literary treasures. Felicitous translations are illuminated by notes and guidance on related reading, while most of the principal sections are introduced with a concise, enlightening discussion of the genre under consideration, e.g. Tales, Modern Drama, Proverbs, Islam and Hausa Literature. Traditional Verse, Modern Prose and Modern Poets. The whole of the last quarter of the translations, some fifty pages in all, represents one of the first consolidated attempts (individual translations have, of course, been published before, notably by Robinson, Hiskett and Arnott) to present an accurate English version of a substantial corpus of Hausa verse. Given the severe problems attaching to Hausa poetry, here is a major contribution to the cause of Hausa literature and a particular boon to students learning Hausa.

Indeed, if we are to believe the statement in the present publication that its contents represent a series of Professor Skinner's lectures 'recorded and painstakingly transcribed' by one of his students, then we can conclude that those enrolled in that course on Hausa Lit. at Wisconsin may consider themselves among the fortunate few. This is surely a text that deserves to find a place in every programme where Hausa literature is taught, whether it be to linguists, to comparative literature or to social anthropology specialists.

No price is given and the use of two very different typewriters has confusingly not been correlated with any difference in the kinds of texts. A. H. M. KIRK-GREENE

Proverbes et vie yaka. Par ALAIN VAN DER BEKEN. St. Augustin: Anthropos-Institut; Haus V6lker und Kulturen; 1978. (Collectanea Instituti Anthropos 15.) Pp. 240, map, bibl. DM 29.00.

PRPSUMANT que 'c'est tout le milieu et toute la vie qui sont mis en scene dans les proverbes', l'auteur, qui travaille depuis sept ans comme missionnaire dans la region, se propose de 'presenter une image de l'homme yaka et de sa vie dans ses principales articulations'. A cet effet une serie de 750 proverbes, recueillis, avec leur interpretation, 'directement des chefs et des notables'-ce qui n'est peut-etre pas identique a 'recueillir sur le vif'-ont 6et classes sous un certain nombre de rubriques (tradition-chef-notables, parente, mariage, relations sociales, l'homme dans son univers magique, sagesse, experience, Dieu), pourvues, chacune, d'une in- troduction et de commentaires plus ou moins developpes, servant a retracer le cadre socio- culturel plus large et a regrouper des ensembles de proverbes selon des themes secondaires. L'ouvrage mene ainsi de front deux preoccupations moins heureusement integrees, presenter un arrangement de proverbes et presenter une culture dans son ensemble, et dont aucune n'est entierement satisfaisante. La premiere, parce que la dimension m6taphorique des proverbes et ses implications semble echapper a l'auteur. C'est en effet le plus souvent sur la base de

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REVIEWS OF BOOKS

leur sens litteral qu'il les classe et les explique, les ramenant a tel type de situation, alors que c'est plutot le proverbe lui-meme qui, en raison de son caractere metaphorique, sert de clef de lecture et permet, de par son application, de classifier des situations et &venements divers et imprevus, de maniere a les rendre culturellement significatifs et maniables, comme le suggere le pr. 11. La seconde, parce que, plutot que de rechercher davantage la signification culturelle des images mises en jeu par les proverbes, l'auteur tient a presenter la realite socio-culturelle qui doit aider a situer ceux-ci, mais le fait alors de maniere fort fragmentaire, parfois incom- pr6hensible, et au moyen d'un cadre conceptuel, de tournures de pensee et d'un francais qui ne cessent de surprendre (voir, par exemple, l'emploi du terme 'tradition', p. 17 et passim). De plus, certaines facons assez gratuites de typifier les Yaka denotent, chez l'auteur, une reference implicite a sa culture d'origine, mettant en cause cet 'enracinement' dont il qualifie son approche. Si l'ouvrage eit gagne a integrer davantage les resultats de recherches anthropologiques anterieures, effectuees par E Roosens, R. Devisch et d'autres, il n'en con- stitue pas moins un recueil de donnees ethnographiques importantes dont profiteront surtout ceux qui etudient les Yaka ou vivent parmi eux. WAUTHIER DE MAHIEU

LIST OF BOOKS REVIEWED

Wilson, Monica For Men and Elders: Change in the Relations of Generations and of Men and Women among the Nyakyusa-Ngonde People 1875-1971 (ALISON REDMAYNE)

Cohen, D. W. Womunafu's Bunafu: A Study of Authority in a 19th Century African Community (JOHN BEATTIE)

Dalby, David, R. J. Harrison Church and Fatima Bezzaz (eds.) Drought in Africa/Secheresse en Afrique 2 (ANDREW WARREN)

Glantz, Michael H. (ed.) Desertification: Environmental Degradation in and around Arid Lands (MICHAEL F.-THOMAS)

Dodge, Doris Jansen Agricultural Policy and Performance in Zambia (A. K. H. WEINRICH) Radwan, Samir Agrarian Reform and Rural Poverty: Egypt, 1952-1975 (MICHAEL

GILSENAN) Konczacki, Z. A. and J. M. (eds.) An Economic History of Tropical Africa (C. C.

STEWART) Johnson, Walton R. Worship and Freedom: A Black American Church in Zambia (M. F.

C. BOURDILLON) Dillon-Malone, C. M. The Korsten Basketmakers: A Study of the Masowe Apostles

(M. F. C. BOURDILLON) Shorter, Aylward Prayer in the Religious Traditions of Africa (HAROLD W. TURNER) Shorter, Aylward African Christian Theology-Adaptation or Incarnation? (HAROLD W.

TURNER) de Craemer, Willy The Jamaa and the Church: A Bantu Catholic Movement in Zaire

(WYATT MACGAFFEY) McCracken, John Politics and Christianity in Malawi 1875-1940 (IRVING HEXHAM) van Binsbergen, W. M. and R. Buijtenhuijs (eds.) African Perspectives 1976/2: Religious

Innovation in Modern African Society (RICHARD P. WERBNER) Crowder, Michael West Africa: An Introduction to its History (A. H. M. KIRK-GREENE) Law, Robin The Oyo Empire c. 1600-c. 1836 (J. S. EADES) Wylie, K. C. The Political Kingdoms of the Temne (A. I. ASIWAJU) Karis, Thomas and Gwendolen Carter (eds.) From Protest to Challenge: A Documentary

History of African Politics in South Africa 1882-1964. Volumes 3 and 4 (DAN O'MEARA) Dunn, John (ed.) West African States: Failure and Promise (C. P. MACCORMACK) Panter-Brick, Keith Soldiers and Oil (MARGARET PEIL) de Blois, K. F. Bukusu Generative Phonology and Aspects of Bantu Structure (K.

MATEENE) Skinner, Neil An Anthology ofHausa Literature in Translation (A. H. M. KIRK-GREENE) van der Beken, Alain Proverbes et vieyaka (WAUTHIER DE MAHIEU)

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