The Song to the Magaram

Another song which is difficult to interpret  is "The Song to the Magaram." Patterson's translation appears to capture the repetition of the song, which uses a repetitive structure to list the areas where the magaram held lands and much influence. For instance, her land included parts of the Komadugu (presumably fertile areas near the river?) and the walled town of Nguri (Nguru?). Without a thorough knowledge of toponyms in Borno and Kanem, however, it is difficult to interpret this list. This honored sister of the mai does seem to be associated with fertile lands and even compared to the rains and harvest. It brings to mind references to pre-Islamic Kanem in which the mai is associated with fertility and as a source of provision. If our own speculative understanding of the ritual and sacral functions of pre-Islamic Kanem's royalty is probable, then the praise song associated the sister of the mai could also be drawing on this ancient, non-Islamic tradition. Naturally, this is pure speculation on our part that requires further investigation. 

The rest of the praise song for Aisa, a daughter of Dunama (which Dunama?), however, focuses on her genealogy. Here is where it becomes rather difficult to connect the names based on various girgams and the Diwan as Kanuri and Arabic names for the same figure appear and some names were repeatedly used by multiple rulers of the Sayfawa dynasty. Nonetheless, the Aisa named here appears likely to have been a Magaram in the 1500s or so, if she was indeed the great-granddaughter of "Kalima." This appears to have been a deposed mai named Uthman ibn Dawud. Named Uthman K.l.n.ma in the Diwan,  we know he was deposed by kaygama Nikali b. Ibrahim and yerima Kaday Ka'aku in c.1422. He later died in Kano. Other ancestors of this Magaram appear to have lived even earlier in the history of the Sayfawa. For instance, the earlier ancestor, Tsilim of Njim, appears to be a reference to the first "black" mai of Kanem, a Salma b. Hawa who reigned c. 1182-1210. The genealogy is a little hard to follow, but the ancestors of the Magaram seem to include multiple past rulers of the dynasty. If one of the more recent ones had reigned in the early 1420s, we assume the Aisa named here to have lived sometime in the late 15th century or 16th century, perhaps yet another song for the mother of Idris Alooma? If the Magaram held lands along the Komadugu and other areas of Borno which were not fully under Sayfawa rule until the late 1400s or 1500s, then this woman may have lived after the initial consolidation of Sayfawa rule in Borno. Alternatively, the song may conflates details of different women, including the mother of Idris Alooma who was said to have reigned as a regent on behalf of her son. 

The Song to the Magaram

Magaram, Magaram Aisa, Dunama’s daughter

Of the fruitful land of the “kurna” trees

You are the owner, Magaram

Of Hadisharam Gabala,

You are the owner, Magaram

Of Damarkaba

You are the owner, Magaram

Yours Kindaguri, Magaram

Of Alagarno, the Sultan’s camp

You are the owner, Magaram

Of Damaji,

You are the owner, Magaram

Of the walled town Nguri

You are the owner, Magaram

Of Chegone with its rich farm-lands

You are the owner, Magaram

Of Komadugu,

And of Karnowa, you are the owner, Magaram

Of Ragunde

You are the owner, Ya Magaram

Of Wuli Bagori, Wuli Bagori established by force,

You are the owner, Magaram

The owner of Dagumo, you

And you the owner of Ilasri, Magaram

Of Malleya with its cattle-trough, a trough of gold

You are the owner, Magaram

The owner of Dalarge-on-the-hill, you

Of Labarwa you are the owner, Magaram

A mist has obscured the Sun

The land in the East, is yours

And you, Magaram, the owner of the land in the West

Of the women of small importance, you are the mother, Magaram

Of the great women you are the elder sister, Magaram

During the rainy season, you are the rains, Magaram

In the harvest, you are the harvest, Magaram

Derman son of Nguli (is your paternal uncle)

Nguli son of Atiman

(Your great-grandfather) Kalima, son of Daudu

(One of your maternal ancestors) a man named Liguma ‘son of Gaji’

(An ancestor) Gandange, son of Derman son of Dakkane

(An ancestor) Dalla whose mother was Amina and whose town Wuzudu

Amina, a daughter of Njimi Town

Njimi of Tsilim, Hawa’s son

And (Tsilim’s) son the Prince Kara, whose mother was Amimi

Magaram, who even when she camped in deserted bush,

Distributes a thousand bowls of food

God give to our mother Magaram, 

The long life of a frog,

And the dignity of an eagle

And we shall be happy