Article

M-Diag | Nani?, Who?

Author: Nyambura Mpesha

Abstract

Keywords:

How to Cite: Mpesha, N. (2019) “M-Diag | Nani?, Who?”, Absinthe: World Literature in Translation. 26(0). doi: https://doi.org/10.3998/absinthe.9535

Uanzaye mwaka mosi sikiliza za DIAG
  Ipo hapo mbele, puani pa Hatcher
  
  Habari hizi sikiliza
    
  	Si mzaha, si mchezo
    
  Iko wazi ya buluu, na herufi yake
    
  M
    
  'Sikanyage 'sichezee, uko mwaka mosi
  'Kikanyaga 'taanguka, mitihani utafeli
  Utafeli, utashindwa
  Miaka yote utashindwa
  ‘Sikanyage M-DIAG
    
  Ni mwiko!

You starting first year, listen about DIAG
  
  It’s there in front of Hatcher’s nose
    
  Listen to these news
    
  	It’s not a joke, it’s not a game
    
  		It’s open, in blue, its letter
    
  M
    
  Don’t step on it, don’t play with it, in first year
    
  Step on it, you’ll fail, you’ll fall, exams you’ll fail
    
  You’ll fail, defeated
    
  All years defeated
    
  Don’t step on M-DIAG
    
  It’s taboo!

Walinizunguka wengi wao
  Bila kunipa shikamoo
  Na mie nikanyamaza
  Nione walilowaza
  Ya mkongwe wa misimu elfu.
    
  Mwanifungiani jamani
  Mwanivuta kwa nini
  Tangu lini akahama
  Mzee wa misimu elfu, kahama
  Mmesikia wapi kahama?
    
  Japo sitembei
  Nyumba ninazo mbili
  Ya sasa ya lazima
  Japo si ya kuazima
  Na ya kwanza nisahau.

Many surrounded me
  Without a respectful greeting
  I kept silent
  To see their plan
  Concerning the old one of a thousand seasons.
    
  Why tie me
  Why pull me
  Since when did one move
  An old one of a thousand seasons
  Where did you hear of such a move?
    
  Though I don't walk
  I have two homes
  The current one is forced on me
  Though not a borrowed one
  And the first I forget.

Notes

1. This poem was written in Swahili for my Swahili students. I could not find a better title in Swahili because M-DIAG is presented as a proper noun and I wanted the readers to recognize the place name. Translating the poem into English proved challenging. The verbs –ANGUKA, –FELI, -SHINDWA mean the same thing and in Swahili they are emphatic. The English words FAIL, FALL, and DEFEATED do not seem to convey the same seriousness. The Swahili poem and its English translation have different rhythms. Hatcher Library is personified as having a nose but the image only makes sense in Swahili suggesting the proximity of M-DIAG with reference to Hatcher as similar to the proximity EYE to NOSE on a human body. ⮭
2. The poem was first written in Swahili when a tree was removed from the University of Michigan’s campus. It was written as a riddle for Intermediate Swahili students. With time the tree has been forgotten and often the students are not able to decipher the riddle. The answer to question WHO is THE BUSINESS SCHOOL TREE. This riddle is used when the class is learning Swahili riddles and conundrums. ⮭