Novelists and the literary world play an important part in shaping languages. The Swahili they write influence the readers and their languages. The literary obstacle in Tanzania is not that people do not read, but that they don’t read because there are no interesting writers.

~ Enock Maregesi

Enock Maregesi Interesting Writers Languages Literary Obstacle Literary World Novelists People Read Readers Shaping Languages Swahili Tanzania Write Writers

I have written all the 406 pages of my book in Swahili words. Even the countries are in Swahili. Instead of 'Nigeria', for example, I have written 'Nijeria'. That is how it is written in the Swahili dictionary. This can seem as a minor detail and that people may find my mission close to ridiculous! However, single letters and commas matter.

~ Enock Maregesi

Enock Maregesi 406 Pages Book Commas Countries Minor Detail Mission Nigeria Nijeria People Ridiculous Single Letters Swahili Swahili Dictionary Words

i DO NOT WHY BUT i KEEP THINKING OF YOU, WHAT DID YOU EVER DO TO ME?I have tried na nikashindwa kukudelete from my system, IMEKATAA.i KNOW YOU HAVE TRIED TOO, IT LEAVES ME WONDERING WHAT IS THESE.It can only be explained by the gods.

~ Hanimoz Obey

Hanimoz Obey Affection Born Again Brethrens Gods Hanimoz Kenya Love Nairobi Poetry Sheng Stress Swahili Swahili Language Thinking Thoughts Trust

People speak broken Swahili on purpose. Business people for instance will speak Sheng – a mixture of Swahili and English – because that’s what people want to hear. And what is the government doing? They speak broken Swahili most of the time. Swahili is getting lost and I am really sorry for the future generations.

~ Enock Maregesi

Enock Maregesi Broken Swahili Business Business People English Future Generations Government Hear Lost People Purpose Sheng Sorry Speak Swahili

For the rest of my life, Zanzibar will be the Swahili word for rain. The rain would drizzle, spit, mist, downpour, shower, torrent, gust, deluge and blast. At one point it hit the ground so hard it created a haze as it bounced back up two feet and fell a second time.

~ Kristine K. Stevens

Kristine K. Stevens Rain Swahili Tanzania Travel Zanzibar

An Indian child is brought up in England, and he will speak both English and Hindi very well. English in school and Hindi at home. But here it’s English both in schools and at home. Why can’t you speak Swahili with your child at home? If this continues we will turn into an English speaking country.

~ Enock Maregesi

Enock Maregesi Child England English English Speaking Country Hindi Home Indian School Schools Speak Swahili Turn