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The
dictionary shown in the image is only a step into understanding and reproducing
concepts in the contemporary world from an Indigenous African point of view due
to current relations of power in the world. By collective effort, a full independent Kiswahili dictionary should
be gifted to the world in due time.
Taasisi
ya Utafiti wa Kiswahili (TUKI), translated as the Institute of Kiswahili
Research was established as a research unit of the University College, Dar es
Salaam, in 1964 with the initial funding of commitment in annual allotment from
the Governments of Kenya and the United Republic of Tanzania (£800 from each
plus £175 from Zanzibar). Uganda decided, however, to withdraw its support.
Another three-year grant from the ministry of Overseas Development in London and
the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation was also provided. The institute thereby
absorbed and transformed the East African Swahili Committee which preceded it.
The
Institute is primarily concerned with research into language, literature, and
lexicography, and one of its most famous projects is the voluminous Kamusi ya
Kiswahili-Kiingereza (Swahili-English dictionary). The preceding East African
Swahili Committee had formulated what was called Standard Swahili dictionary,
but from the many lists of terms which the committee discussed, drew up, and
published, they learnt that you can tell people what they should say, but you
cannot effectively persuade them to say it unless you have really massive
resources at your disposal. TUKI took forward the work on the dictionary and
produced a list of new terms not present in the previous dictionary. It also
went ahead to produce two smaller dictionaries for schools, one at primary
level and one at secondary level. In the field of literature, the Institute is
interested in facilitating the collection of literary and historical material and
assisting in the editing of such as can be made available to the public. A
large collection of both manuscripts and microfilm has consequently been
deposited at the University of Dar es Salaam.
Around
the same time, Jumuiya ya Kustawisha Kiswahili (Association for the Advancement
of Kiswahili) was founded in 1963 and set out its main objectives at the end of
1964. They may be summarized as:
a) To discover
the origins of Kiswahili words, because understanding the origin of something
is to understand its quality, and indeed is the basis for loving and respecting
it.
b)
To cherish
Kiswahili, by correcting misleading use of words.
c)
To
co-operate with similar minded bodies.
d)
To
promulgate preferred usage.
e)
To increase
the word-stock of the language.
f)
To correct
existing grammatical descriptions.
g)
To translate
and write books.
This
association, however, did not last long. It repeatedly chastised the Institute in
media circles but didn’t get far due to its lacking in doing more in the way of
constructive criticism. The objectives it set out were very good objectives but
when subjected to whims could not go far.
Many
other Kiswahili institutes of research and language development exist
throughout East Africa, most of which are funded and managed by private
individuals and professionals.
Reference
Whiteley, W.H. (1969).
Swahili: the rise of a national language
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