The Song of the Babuma to the Sultan Ume Jilmi

The following is Patterson's translation of "The Song of the Babuma to the Sultan Ume Jilmi" from his Kanuri Songs. As a praise song for a mai of Kanem who lived in the 11th century, the text is full of anachronisms that require careful consideration and interpretation. While the general tenor of the praise song may reflect, to some degree, the high regard with which the first Muslim ruler of Kanem was viewed. However, anachronistic elements and the transformations over time in Kanem (and later, Borno) undoubtedly shaped the song and how early Islamic Kanem was remembered by the Kanuri of the early 20th century. For an example of anachronisms, note how the song ends with a reference to Birni Njimi, the ancient capital of Kanem. However, the sources are not exactly clear when Njimi replaced Manan as the capital of Kanem. Similarly, there is no way to know if the first Muslim Sultan of Kanem really did attack the land of Mobber or scatter captives in Bagirmi. While Lange seems to believe in the deeper antiquity of the name Bagirmi and perhaps a longer history of a polity there, we have no way to know to what extent Kanem was active in Bagirmi during the late 11th century. However, the song does record the name of Humme's maternal grandfather, Aji of Gagara Wunji. If the Diwan is reliable, Humme's mother was of Kay extraction, but the grandfather was named Ghumar. Was one name Kanuri (Aji?) while Ghumar reflected what may have been an already Islamized Muslim background of Hummay's mother? Intriguingly, like other traditions and sources, this Muslim ruler was remembered as having fair skin. 

Hail all powerful! To-day you are the world’s health-giver

Who hold destiny in your hands,

to-day you have made the world a paradise:

With whom lies the power for good

or evil, to-day you are the world’s

sweetness

Islam’s disposer, to-day you are the

pillar supporting the world

Who hold destiny in your hands, 

to-day, you have made the world a 

paradise

Sultan, who owns the town of Beskur,

leave off pleasure-seeking

Yours the market of the finest horses,

Ume Jilmi

Her whose mother was Tika, son of 

a warrior, a bush cow among men

Whose town is Umuru, who is a 

cause for wonder amongst all men

Went to the Wabe war three hundred and thirty-three times:

Three were undecided, but of your

goodness lead an army into battle 

You have fought in many parts and

put up the (mosque in the) ‘dandal’

Yours the corn measure in the daily 

markets and in the large ones too

Head of a troop of horse to-day you

are the greatest of all horsemen

Your protection spreads like wings

o’er your men, your men spread out 

behind you like wings

I (i.e. the Babuma) shall tell of

your greatness 

You are our protector whose acts are

done in secret

You are Sultan of all the great

Protect us and we shall protect you 

here on earth 

O! Sultan, you are the Ark of the 

Koran 

Whose grandfather was Aji of

Gagara Wunji

Son of Aji’s daughter 

You are a Sultan, fair of skin,

 who own the land of Kanem

On Sunday night you make you

plans, day dawns

On Monday forenoon, as it were

now, (you carry them into effect)

On your shoes, a piebald horse, on a 

fine stallion do your prancing

Send out the heat of your fiery 

spirit: no one can oppose your

plans

You put to flight a warrior, Dalla,

son of Mukka, chief of the land of 

Mobber, during the freshness of the 

rainy season

Again and again you put him to

flight 

Then forced him on to a raft of papyrus grass

Then you returned to your camp:

And came back and again forced him

on to his raft

And captured (from his following) a thousand slaves

And took them and scattered them 

in the open places of Bagirmi

The best you took (and sent home) as

the first fruits of battle

The children crying on their mothers

you snatched away from their 

mothers

You took the slave wife from a slave,

And set them in lands far removed 

from one another 

O! Sultan, the good, whose sleep is

(light as that) of a hare

Sultan, truly a Sultan, who stays 

not in the house of his father’s

sister 

Of noble birth from both his father 

and mother

Of noble birth indeed, of noble birth

from both his parents

(Where you sit) costly carpets are

spread for you, above your head is

a canopy of gold

O! Sultan, (who can discomfit one) 

like pebbles on one’s eyelashes

O! Sultan, Angel of God.

As (there is a) protector of the 

camel’s tongue, do you protect us

The friend of youth

Whose writing slate is made of ‘kabwi’ wood

At night (a warrior) on a coal-black

Horse; but when day dawns he (is

to be seen) with his Koran in his hand.

We wait upon your blessing

Babuma Amadu said to Mai Aji Fannami at the Sugu war,

“Sultan, even if you are mounted

on your bay horse called ‘Kite

Kiteram”.

Birni Njimi is a long way off if you

want to run away.

Songs for the Sayfawa

J.R. Patterson's Kanuri Songs are a fascinating collection of praise songs from precolonial Borno. Collected by Patterson in the 1920s from descendants of the professional praise singers who once occupied an important position in the Sayfawa court, all the songs commemorate rulers, leaders, or relatives associated with the Sayfawa dynasty. Intriguingly, several (about 4) are in honor of people associated with Ali b. Umar's reign in the 17th century. Perhaps this attests to memories of his reign as one of prosperity and a Golden Age for the state. One, the earliest, which was certainly reworked over the generations and likely contains anachronisms, is a praise song for the first Muslim mai, Humme. Even more interesting is the fact that two of the songs are for women, including a magira and a gumsu, both of whom appear to have not only occupied prominent positions in the state but held extensive fiefs. Indeed, a more thorough familiarity with the Kanuri language and toponyms in Borno and surrounding areas might be necessary to locate some of the places where these powerful women once held land. 

Naturally, a deep familiarity with the conventions of praise songs among the Kanuri, as well as other oral and written literary traditions is necessary. Patterson was praised by Palmer for his deep familiarity with the Kanuri language, but one wonders if future scholars noticed errors in translation and interpretation. Of course, by the very nature of their genre and function, the praise songs must be interpreted very carefully for any historical content. The genealogies are useful and likely one of the sources for the various girgams and the Diwan, but they undoubtedly focus on military triumphs, celebrate the ruler (or elites) and likely obfuscate defeats, problems, or unjust practices by the Sayfawa dynasty. Moreover, one must also wonder about the larger corpus of praise songs for the Sayfawa. If a song was still in use on the very first Islamic king of Kanem, surely some songs likely survived on other medieval kings of Kanem. For example, Patterson translated a song in honor of Dunama Dibalemi's daughter, yet there is no song for Dunama Dibalemi himself? Similarly, prominent Sayfawa mais like Idris b. Ali, Ali b. Dunama, or Idris b. Katakarmabe almost surely were the subjects of praise songs.

If, however, the once respected positions of the ngijima, babuma and zakkama were no longer an important part of the Shehu court, then it is perhaps understandable why the repertoire might have shrunk by 1926. Perhaps the most glorious Sayfawa kings, whose dynasty was wiped out in 1846 by al-Kanemi's son, would not have been a popular subject matter to the al-Kanemi dynasty's court. For instance, by the time of Barth's travels in Borno, finding detailed records on the previous dynasty was difficult for him. It may have been the case that by the 1920s, when Patterson's translation of these songs was published, Kanuri praise songs might have been lost or hidden. 

So, what types of historical information can be gleamed from these songs? A closer examination awaits us, but they highlight the role of the Sayfawa rulers, the kaigama, yerima, galadima, as military leaders who defend their borders, make conquests, and hail from noble lineages (the genealogical aspect is rather important here). The song for Humme, for example, even includes Bagirmi as an area of operations for the first Muslim king, which may or may not be an example of anachronisms in the song. The praise songs for women are striking for the celebration of women as elites and for their wealth and noble lineage, not just as wives, sisters, or relatives of the kings. That women were once so powerful as landowners and political forces in their own right reveals an aspect of Kanem and Borno under Sayfawa rule that is largely hidden in the Islamic sources.

Even more remarkable is the number of songs dedicated to figures associated with Ali b. Umar (r. 1639-1677). One of his wives is the subject of a praise song, as well as one each for a yerima, kaigama, and to the zerma. In short, 4 out of the 11 songs are said to date to Ali b. Umar's reign. In other words, memories of his reign loomed large, and even though no song specifically for him was recorded by Patterson, his wife and other prominent officials/relations of his were remembered positively. One even alluded to conflict with Air, something verified by other sources and traditions for Ali b. Umar's reign. Whether or not Ali b. Umar's wife truly did endeavor to stop him from going to battle is another question, yet the praise songs for leaders with military responsibilities suggest Ali b. Umar's officials were usually successful in their operations. Again, the very nature of these sources would mitigate against mention of any extreme failures.

Overall, the Kanuri Songs translated by Patterson are fascinating examples of what must have been a much larger repertoire of traditional praise singing going back several centuries. To what extent it would be possible today to find examples of praise songs for other rulers or leaders of Kanem and Borno before the advent of the al-Kanemi dynasty is hard to say, but they certainly provide a different perspective on this fascinating civilization. Those on the Kanem period or the era of Sayfawa consolidation in Borno would be particularly interesting to compare with chronicles and written sources on the same periods.