Twaweza Communications, in partnership with Foreign Language
Teaching and Research Press, have produced the first poetry book to be
translated from a Chinese dialect into Kenya's national language,
Kiswahili. The verses were written by renowned Chinese poet Jidi Majia
and translated into Kiswahili by Kenyan writer Philo Ikonya (from an
English version). The 128-page book, entitled
'Maneno Ya Moto Ya China', was launched on 22nd July 2016, at the
Confucius Institute in the University of Nairobi. Those in attendance
included Prof. Kimani Njogu, Prof. Kithaka wa Mberia, cultural analyst
Dr. Nyairo and Prof. Jane Mutiga.
Some remarks:
Prof. Kithaka Wa Mberia (poet, playright, UoN linguistics lecturer): 'Many influential works have come to us through translation - Neruda (Spanish), Pushkin (Russian). Nyerere brought Shakespeare to us...When we understand other cultures, we minimize suspicion and misconceptions...We should not just translate literature from the big powers. Hopefully, some Kikuyu, Pokomo, Kiswahili poetry will also be read in Beijing or Berlin or elsewhere because someone translated them.'
Prof. Njogu (Twaweza Communications): 'Every dissertation written by a Korean is translated at the expense of the Korean gov't...We need a National Book Translation Fund...and a National Book Policy.'
There have been a few other Sino-Swahili translations (eg. Chairman Mao's 'Little Red Book') but 'Maneno Ya Moto Ya China' is believed to be the first such translation of a creative work.
Assorted images from the book launch:
Alexander Nderitu at the Confucius Institute:
Prof. Kithaka Wa Mberia (poet, playright, UoN linguistics lecturer): 'Many influential works have come to us through translation - Neruda (Spanish), Pushkin (Russian). Nyerere brought Shakespeare to us...When we understand other cultures, we minimize suspicion and misconceptions...We should not just translate literature from the big powers. Hopefully, some Kikuyu, Pokomo, Kiswahili poetry will also be read in Beijing or Berlin or elsewhere because someone translated them.'
Prof. Njogu (Twaweza Communications): 'Every dissertation written by a Korean is translated at the expense of the Korean gov't...We need a National Book Translation Fund...and a National Book Policy.'
There have been a few other Sino-Swahili translations (eg. Chairman Mao's 'Little Red Book') but 'Maneno Ya Moto Ya China' is believed to be the first such translation of a creative work.
Assorted images from the book launch:
Alexander Nderitu at the Confucius Institute: