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Knowledge and Intellectual Practice in A Swahili Context: ‘Wisdom’ and The Social Dimensions of Knowledge

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 May 2011

Kai Kresse
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Abstract

This article investigates ‘wisdom’ from an ethnographic perspective that pays attention to the ways in which knowledge is performed, appreciated, negotiated and questioned in everyday life in Mombasa, on the Swahili coast. It discusses the baraza setting (daily meeting points for male social peers) as a venue for intellectual practice and the appreciation of wisdom. Basic features of communicative interaction identified there can also be found to be in play when looking at case studies of individuals and their performances. The article looks at how two genres (didactic tenzi poetry and Ramadhan lectures) are used by Swahili intellectuals who are regarded as exceptional in their field. Verbal, performative and social skills are found to be crucial aspects of wisdom, which also has to do with being able to engage with common social concerns in a manner that leads to further insight and intellectual orientation for others. In this sense, social responsibilities and moral obligations in the use of knowledge play an important role. Overall, the article seeks to contribute to a general discussion of wisdom, based on insights gained on the East African coast.

Cet article examine la « sagesse » d'un point de vue ethnographique qui tient compte des façons de pratiquer, d'apprécier, de négocier et de contester le savoir au quotidien à Mombasa, sur la côte swahilie. Il traite du baraza (cadre de rencontre quotidienne d'hommes appartenant au même groupe social) en tant que lieu de pratique intellectuelle et d'appréciation de la sagesse. Les caractéristiques élémentaires d'interaction communicative identifiées sont celles que l'on peut aussi retrouver dans les études de cas de personnes et de leurs actes. L'article s'intéresse à la manière dont des intellectuels swahilis considérés comme exceptionnels dans leur discipline utilisent deux genres : la poésie didactique (tenzi) et les discours du ramadan. Les aptitudes verbales, performatives et sociales se révèlent être des aspects essentiels de la sagesse, qui est également liée à la capacité à s'engager dans des préoccupations sociales courantes d'une manière qui conduit à offrir des éclairages et une orientation intellectuelle à autrui. Dans ce sens, les responsabilités sociales et les obligations morales de l'usage de la sagesse jouent un rôle important. D'une manière générale, l'article cherche à contribuer au large débat sur la sagesse, en se servant d'observations recueillies sur la côte orientale africaine.

Type
Research-Articles
Information
Africa , Volume 79 , Issue 1: Knowledge in Practice: Expertise and the Transmission of Knowledge , February 2009 , pp. 148 - 167
Copyright
Copyright © International African Institute 2009

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