Projecting Islam: Narrative in Swahili Poetry

This paper explores the role of the narrative in projecting the message of Islam in Swahili poetry. It examines a selection of verses from poems written in the utenzi form, noting the tendency in many writers to narrate the early events of Islam that occurred in Arabia and the neighbouring countries. In doing so, the poets not only project the values inherent in the events but they present their selection and interpretation of those events. The paper also briefly examines the form and language of the narratives