HAUSA POETIC METERS

This paper is a provisional attempt to analyze the meters used in Hausa poetry. It is based on the following materials published by the N.N.P.C. (Northern Nigeria Publishing Company), Zaria:

I also refer to:

I make use of the following symbols:

When one symbol is placed over another, the lower one is the more common.

Almost all the meters admit variations. These will be pointed out for each one. Common variations in Hausa meter are:

Also it seems that closed syllables which have short vowels can be used as long syllables. It would help to hear a professional reader or singer to know exactly the liberties taken in fitting the Hausa to a meter. The important function of pause in rhythm could then be examined.

1.   The Arabic meter basīṭ, tetrameter

The paradigm for this meter is "mustaf`ilun fā`ilun mustaf`ilun fa`ilun", i.e. - - ⌄ -/ - ⌄ -/ - - ⌄ -/ ⌄ ⌄ -. The first and third feet may have the variations ⌄ - ⌄ -, - ⌄ ⌄ -, or ⌄ ⌄ ⌄ -. The second foot may have ⌄ ⌄ -, and the last foot in the second line may have - -.

Hausa poetry also takes the license of substituting two short syllables for a long one. -Or you may view this as the addition of a short syllable.

An example of this meter is "Annamimanci, luwaɗu da ashararanci", in Waƙoƙin Mu'azu Haɗeja, p. 35. The first two stanzas are:

Īnnī bădă'/ătŭ bīs/mīllāhĭ hā/ŭƙŭnā,

Nā fāră wā/ƙă dă sū/nān Jāllă Răhă/mānū.

Āllāh kă bā/ nĭ făsā/hă măi yăwān/ hĭkĭmā,

Kāi nē Hăkī/mŭ, Gwănī,/ Hānnānŭ, Mā/nānnū.

2.   The Arabic meter ṭawīl, tetrameter

The paradigm for this meter is "fa`ūlun mafā`īlun fa`ūlun mafā`īlun", i.e. ⌄ - -/ ⌄ - - -/⌄ - -/ ⌄ - - -. The first and third foot may have the variation ⌄ - ⌄; the second foot may have the variation ⌄-⌄-.

An example of this meter is "Baƙin mari", in M. Umaru Gwandu, Waƙoƙin wa'azi, vol. 3, p. 7. The first two stanzas are:

Kŭ yī năzār 'yān/'ūwā kŭ sā/mŭ kŭ dūbā,
Dūk năsīhă/ kū zām făɗī/ dōn mŭhībbā,
Mŭ yī tă bīn gō/ dăbē mŭ tsē/rē ăzābā,
Dūk kŭ sāură/rĭ zānĭ wāƙă, kŭ tūbā,
Dōn mŭ sāmŭ/ mŭ tsīră tāb/bān hăƙīƙān.

Also in this meter is "Waƙar bushiya," ed. N. Skinner et al.

3.   The Arabic meter wāfir, trimester

The paradigm for this meter is "mufā`alatun mufā`alatun fa`ūlun", i.e. ⌄ - ⌄ ⌄ -/ ⌄ - ⌄ ⌄ -/ ⌄ - -. The first or second foot may also have ⌄ - - -.

A long syllable sometimes substitutes for a short one in the first or second foot, giving the patterns ⌄ - ⌄ - - or ⌄ - - ⌄ -. Rarely also a short syllable is added to the beginning of the third foot.

An example of this meter is Waƙar Bagauda ta Kano:

Mŭ gōdĕ Ŭbān/gĭjīnmŭ dă yā/ yĭ kōwā,
Dă yā āikō/ fĭyāyyēn Ān/năbāwā.
Mŭnā yīn ās/sălātŭ dă sāl/lămāwā,
Bĭsă măi kyāu/ Shărīfĭ ɗān Lā/răbāwā.

Notice also the substitution of two short syllables for a long one. See the study of this poem by M. Hiskett, "The 'Song of Bagauda': a Hausa king list and homily in verse," BSOAS 27 (1964), pp. 540-567; 28 (1965), pp. 112-135; and 364-385, especially pp. 370 and ff. Also of this meter is Sarkin Zazzau Aliyu Ɗan Sidi's "Waƙar mu sha falala", in Waƙoƙin Hausa, p. 11.

4.   The Arabic meter khafīf, trimester

The paradigm for this meter is "fā`īlātun mustaf`ilun fā`ilātun", i.e. - ⌄ - -/ - - ⌄ - / - ⌄ - -. The first and third feet may have the variations ⌄ ⌄ - -, - ⌄ - ⌄, and ⌄ ⌄ - ⌄. The second foot may have the variation ⌄ - ⌄ -.

Sometimes a short syllable is added to the beginning of the first foot as an upbeat. See below, lines 1 and 3.

An example of this meter is "Waƙar Mujaddadi Shehu Ɗan Fodio Ta Tabban haƙiƙan" in Waƙoƙin Hausa, p. 32. The first stanza is:

Kŭ yī năzār 'yān/'ūwā kŭ sā/mŭ kŭ dūbā,
Dūk năsīhă/ kū zām făɗī/ dōn mŭhībbā,
Mŭ yī tă bīn gō/dăbē mŭ tsē/rē ăzābā,
Dūk kŭ sāură/rĭ zānĭ wā/ƙă, kŭ tūbā,
Dōn mŭ sāmŭ/ mŭ tsīră tāb/bān hăƙīƙān.

Skinner places his transcribed recording of Aliyu Na-Mani ("The slattern") in this meter, in a variant form: - - -/ ⌄ - ⌄ -/ - ⌄ - -// - - -/ ⌄ - ⌄ -/ ⌄ - ⌄ -/ -⌄ - ⌄.

5.  The Arabic meter rajaz

a. Trimeter acatalectic

The paradigm for this meter is "mustaf`ilun mustaf`ilun mustaf`ilun", i.e. - - ⌄ -/ - - ⌄ -/ - - ⌄ -. Variations in any foot are ⌄ - ⌄ -, - ⌄ ⌄ -, and ⌄ ⌄ ⌄ -.

Hausa poetry takes the license of substituting two short syllables for a long, of adding a short syllable as an upbeat at the beginning of a foot, and of using a short syllable in place of a long one at the end of a foot.

An example of this meter is "Yabon fasahar mutanen da" in the book of Alhaji Mudi Sipikin, p. 23. Note in the second line that for the penult a long syllable with a low tone is used in place of a short syllable; the same is true of the fourth line.

Nāi wō sălāt/ĭ dă sāllămā/ bĭsă Mūsɗăfā,
Săhăbāi dă Āl/ăyēnsă mā/tā zūrìyā.
Nīyărmŭ kān/ bĭsă tsāră wā/ƙă 'yān'ŭwā,
Zān wō băyān/ĭn kākănīn/mŭ nă tūn jìyā.

b.   Trimeter catalectic

This meter is the same as before, except that the last foot of the second line in each stanza is shortened to ⌄- - or - - -.

An example of this meter is "Halayen mutane" in Waƙoƙin Mu'azu Haɗeja, p. 48:

Nā fāră wā/ƙān nān dă sū/nān Rābbănā,
Āllāhŭ māi/ tsārkī bĭsă/ zātīnsā.
Kă dăɗĕ nī īl/mŭ săbŏdă gīr/mān Ānnăbīn-
kă Mŭhāmmădūn/ dă Ălīyū ɗān/ āmmīnsā.

For other examples, see Alhaji Mudi Sipikin's "Halayen mutanen dad a kirkinsu", p. 86, and "Haɗa kai shi ne ƙarfi", p. 90, and the poem edited by M. Hiskett, "The Arab star-calendar and planetary system in Hausa verse," BSOAS 30 (1967), pp. 158-176.

c.  Dimeter acatalectic

This meter is the same as "a" above, except that there are two feet instead of three.

An example is in the book of Alhaji Mudi Sipikin, p. 101, "Kecewar wata gun Annabi":

Yā Rābbănā/ yā Rābbănā/ yā Rābbănā,
Yā Hālĭkī/ yā Mūnkĭzī/ yā Wāhĭdū.
Nāi wō sălāt/ĭ dă sāllămā/ gūn Ānnābī,
Nā ɗāură nīy/yă zān yăbō/ gūn Āhmădū.

d.  Dimeter catalectic

In this meter the third foot of the second line of each stanza is shortened, as was the third foot in "b" above.

An example of this is in the same book, p. 9, "Neman taimako ga Allah":

Āllāh Tă'āl/ā Jāllă nā/ bĭɗĭ tāimăkō,
Nā kō făkē/ ă gărē kă yā/ Āllāhū.
Nāi wō sălāt/ĭ gă Ānnăbīm/mŭ Mŭhāmmădū,
Săhăbāi dă Āl/ăyēnsă yā/ Āllāhū.

Another example is "Saduwa da Manzon Allah", p. 122 of the same book.

6.  The Arabic meter kāmil, dimeter

This meter can be either dimeter or trimester. I have an exampleonly of the dimeter. The paradigm is "mutafā`ilun mutafā`ilun", i.e. ⌄ ⌄ - ⌄ -/ ⌄ ⌄ - ⌄ -.

In addition, Hausa poetry often substitutes two short syllables for the antepenultimate or the ultimate long syllables. A short or a long syllable is also sometimes added in the first half of a foot, giving patterns such as ⌄ - ⌄ - ⌄ - and - ⌄ - ⌄ -.

An example of the meter is "A mu gode baɗini zahiri", in M. Umaru Gwandu, Waƙoƙin wa'azi, vol. 3, p. 23:

Ă mŭ gōdĕ bā/ɗĭnĭ zāhĭrī
Jămă'āg gă kărīm/īn Ƙādĭrī.
Ă mŭ zān kā Sălāt/ĭ dă Sāllămā
Gă fìyāyyē Ān/năbī ɗāhĭrī.

Notice in the the first foot of the last line the use of a long instead of a short penult.

7.   Other Arabic meters

After doing this paper, I came across Hiskett's A history of Hausa Islamic verse. In addition to the above Arabic meters, he gives the following:

a.  Mutaqārib

This consists of four feet, each of which is ⌄ - ⌄ or ⌄ - -. He describes this on p. 78, and gives further examples on pp. 204, 221, 238.

b.  Ramal

This consists of two feet: -̌ ⌄ - -/ - ⌄ - -. He describes this on p. 78, and knows of only one example of this (p. 233).

c.  Sarī`

This consists of four feet, the first three as in rajaz, with the last shorter: - - ⌄ -/ - - ⌄ -/ - ⌄ -. He describes this on p. 178.

d.  Mutadārik

A line may have two, three, or four feet, each of which consists of ⌄⌄ - or - ⌄ - or - -. He describes this on p. 177, and gives an example on p. 235.

8.  Hausa trimester 4/4/4

This meter in some ways resembles the khafīf or rajaz above (nos. 4 and 5). Its pattern is freeer, but some usual consistencies can be observed. In the first foot the second and fourth beats are long. In the second foot the second beat is long. In the third foot the penult is long. This long beat may be substituted by two short syllables or at least by a high toned (accented) short syllable. Thus we have the pattern x - ⌄̄ -/ x - ⌄̄ -̌/ x x -́ ⌄̄.

At any time there can be the usual Hausa variations, such as substituting two short syllables for a long one, and adding a short syllable, especially as an upbeat at the beginning of a foot.

An example of this meter is "Munafunci da annimimanci" by Salihu Kwantagora, in Waƙoƙin Hausa, p. 27:

Yā Rābbănā,/ Jāllă măi ƙŭdú/ră dă ādálcĭ,
Kāi nē kă yō/ ɗăukákă, kā/ hălĭccí ƙănƙáncĭ.
Kă tsārĕ mŭ shār/rĭn ɓătāttū, măsū/ sā fĭtínă,
Ă gărī, ă kán/ áikĭn dă sŭ kāi, mŭnāfa´ncĭ.

Other examples of this meter are in Waƙoƙin Sa'adu Zungur, p. 1 "Waƙar bidi'a" (which might also fit basīṭ) and p. 10 "Waƙar 'yan baka", with has five lines to a stanza (and might also fit mutaqārib); in Salihu Kwantagora, Kimiyya da fasaha, p. 1 "Girman sani ga mutum" (which might also fit kāmil), p. 21 "Waƙar fahimta"; in Waƙoƙin Mu'azu Haɗeja, p. 1 "Yabon Ubangiji"; and in Umaru Gwandu, Waƙoƙin wa'azi, vol. 3, p. 1 "Lalura", and p. 15 "Ina gode Allah".

9.  Hausa trimester 4/3/3

The first foot of this meter is the same as the first foot of the Hausa trimester 4/4/4 (n. 7 above), together with its variations of additional short syllables.

The second foot often, and in some poems usually, has four syllables. But the first or second two syllables are usually short, being the equivalent of one long: _̌_̌ ⌄̅⌄̅. In other cases (- ⌄ - ⌄ and ⌄ - ⌄ -) the extra short syllable can be considered additional, according to usual Hausa poetic license. On rare occasions the second foot consists of two long syllables.

The third foot is characterized by a long, or at least high-toned short, second syllable and usually a short final syllable: ⌄̄ -́ ⌄. Whether the stanza consists of five or two lines, the last line is usually catalectic, that is, the last short syllable of the third foot is omitted.

Thus we have the general pattern x - ⌄̄ -/ x x -/ ⌄̄ -́ ⌄̄. An example is "Waƙar ta'aziyar rasuwar Sarkin Kano Alhaji Abdullahi Bayaro a 1953", p. 17 of the book of Alhaji Mudu Sipikin:

Mŭ gōdĕ wă Sārk/ĭn dă bā shĭ dă fárkō,
Bā shĭ dă ƙărshē/ fă shī kē/ dă īkŏ.
Mŭ gōdĕ wă Mān/zānsă wăndă/ yă áikō.
Mŭ ƙārā sălā/tĭ wăjēn mă/sū fīkŏ,
Ălāi Săhăbbăn/să bākī/ ɗăyā.

This meter occurs again in the same book, p. 41, "Waƙar ziyararmu Makka da Madina don aikin hajji" and the continuations of this poem on pp. 42, 44, 47, 55 and 58; p. 59, "Ta'aziyar Malam Mu'azu Hadeja, Malam Sa'ad Zungur da Malam Abdulkadir Makama"; p. 106 "Gadar zare"; and p. 125 "Zuwanmu Ingila a gyaran mulki cikin 1953 a London" (the last line of which is not catalectic, ending always with "Ingila"); in Alhaji Aliyu Namangi, Nuniyatul Amdahi (which has stanzas of two lines); in Madauci Ibrahim Bagudu, Gangar wa'azu in Tauhidi mai dalilai, p. 43 "Waƙar Sarkin Musulmi Muhammadu Bella ta tauhidi"> (But this sometimes does not have a long syllable at the end of the second foot, and it has other irregularities.)

10. Hausa dimeter 4/4

This meter, which comes in stanzas of two, four, or five lines, is by far the most common. Because of the erratic addition of short syllables it is sometimes difficult to see a pattern, but generally in the first foot we can find xx⌄-, but xx-⌄ and xxˊ⌄ are also found.

In the second foot two common patterns exist for the last three syllables: (a) x -̌ ⌄ -̌ and (b) x⌄ - -̌. But in pattern "a" a long syllable with a low tone is often substituted for the short penult: x -̌ ˋ -̌, and conversely in pattern "b" a short syllable with a high tone is often substituted for the long penult: x ⌄ ́ -̌. Moreover the same terminal pattern ́⌄ is often used in pattern "a". (See the first line of the second stanza in the example below.)

Were it not for such frequent irregularities, we could consider pattern "a" the same as the Arabic kāmil (n. 6 above: _̌_̌- ⌄ -/ _̌_̌ - ⌄ -), and pattern "b" the same as the Arabic mujtathth (-̌ - ⌄ -/ -̌ ⌄ - -).

a.  The pattern x x ⌄̄ -̌/ x -̌ ⌄̀ -̌

An example of this is "Waƙar yabon Madina garin Manzon Allah", p. 13 of the book by Alhaji Mudi Sipikin:

Nā gōdĕ Āl/lāh măi dărē,
Rānā dă hās/kēn sāfìyā.
Shī Wāhĭdūn/ nē bā mŭsú,
Shī Rābbĭ bā/ shĭ dă kīshìyā.

Other poems which follow this pattern are, in the same book: p. 38 "Waƙar maraba da watan Mauludi"; p. 63 "Nasiha ga 'yan siyasa"; Yusuf A. Bichi, Waƙar tarihin rikicin Najeriya; Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Waƙar Nijeriya; and in Waƙoƙin Hausa: p. 1 Na'ibi Sulaimanu Wali, "Gargaɗi don falkawa"; p 4 Na'ibi Sulaimanu Wali, "Waƙar damina"; p. 24 Salihu Kwantagora, "Waƙar hana zalunci"; and p. 29 Salihu Kwantagora, "Waƙar sha'anonin duniya".

b.  The pattern x x ⌄̄ -̌/ x -̌ ⌄́ ⌄̄

An example of this pattern is "Ƙasa aikin Jalla, ta fi kome bad a mamaki", p. 37 in Salihu Kwantagora, Kimiya da fasaha:

Mūn gōdĕ Āl/lāh măi Tsārkī,
Shī yă fī ƙărfīn/ zămā ɗākī,
Shī āg Gwănī/ kō wŭrĭn áikĭ,
Āyyūyŭkān/ bā dă màmākĭ.

Other poems which have this pattern are Alhaji Mudi Sipikin, "Karaya 1967", p. 97 in his book; Sa'adu Zungur, Waƙoƙi, p. 6 "Waƙar maraba da soja"; and p. 13 "Arewa, jumhuriya ko mulukiya?"; Salihu Kwantagora, Kimiyya da fasaha, p. 29 "Ɓarnar munafuki da na munafunci ga jama'a" (like the Arabic mutqārib 3/3/3 ⌄-⌄/⌄-⌄/⌄-⌄); p. 37 "Ƙasa aikin Jalla, ta fi kome bad a mamaki" (also like the Arabic mutqārib); and p. 50 "Mutum cikin binciken aiki ya tsere kowa ga mamaki" (also like the Arabic mutqārib); Mu'azu Haɗeja, Waƙoƙi, p. 10 "Ilimin zamani"; p. 15 "Mu yaƙi jahilci", p. 22 "Gaskiya bat a sake gashi"; p. 27 "Karuw" (which ahs 4 lines to a stanza); p. 31 "Mu nemi ilmi"; and p. 40 "Waƙar giya".

All of the Waƙoƙin imfiraji, by Alhaji Aliyu Namangi, are of the above pattern, but the last line of every stanza is usually extended by the addition of a short syllable to each foot as an upbeat. The Waƙoƙin imfiraji are notably loose and variable in metric pattern, and in the first foot the exception xx-́⌄ iscommon. Take his "Littafi na biyar", p. 1 of his second volume:

Wănda kē dă/ ūwā ă zăuné,
Kō ŭbā nāsă/ ín yă gānĕ,
Shĭ rĭkē sŭ dă/ tāusăyī nē,
Cī dă sú kŭmā/ wājĭbī nē,
Dă tŭfāfĭ bā/ dă sūn rásă bă.

11. Hausa dimeter 3/4

The first foot is characterized by xx-. Added short syllables are frequent, either as an upbeat, or by combining with another short syllable to become the equivalent of one long one, or after a first or second long syllable.

The second foot is generally xx-́-̌ but xx⌄- is also found. (See the third stanza of the poem quoted below.)

And example of this meter is "Waƙar maraba da Shehu Ibrahim Kaulah", p. 27 in the book of Alhaji Mudi Sipikin:

Yā Tă'ā/lā tăimăkē nĭ
ľn yī wā/ƙă măi tŭnānī.
Híkĭmă Āl/lāh kă bā nĭ.
Ɗān'ùwānā/ zō kă jī nĭ
Bĭsă wāƙār/ gĭrmămāwā.

Also of this meter are, in Waƙoƙin Mu'azu Haɗeja, p. 5 "Totocin Shaihu da waninsu" (although the first part of this poem is loosely patterned because of many proper names), and p. 20 "Birrul walidaini". I would also place Aƙilu Aliyu's Waƙar soja in this meter, although Skinner tries to make it fit the Arabic meter munsariḥ.

 

Tammat 16 April 1974. Supplementary material was then added, going up to 1977.

 

APPENDIX
TOPICAL INDEX OF POEMS IN THE PUBLICATIONS STUDIED

Tawḥīd

Imfiraji, n. 9, with meditation on man
S. Kantagora, pp. 21 -qadar & thanksgiving, 37 -wonder of creation, the world, 50 -wonder of creation, man
Aƙilu Aliyu, n. 4, p. 12, n. 9 (especially lines 82-83, p. 50, on ocean)
Ibrahim Yaro Muhammed, pp. 1 "Tauhidi", 57 "Yabon gwani"
Mu'azu Haɗeja, p. 1

Mawlid or praise of Muḥammad

Namagi, Nuniyatul Amdahi
Imfiraji, after n. 9: "Fasali mauludi Nabiyi Mohammadu"
Sipikin, pp. 38, 101
Maƙamar lada (compares prophets)
Aƙilu Aliyu, n. 10
Ibrahim Yaro Muhammed, p. 25, "Yabon Manzon Allah"
Sipikin, pp. 49-54, prayer to Muḥammad & companions in Medina.

Desire to go to Mecca & be near Muhammad

Imfiraji, n. 1
Sipikin, pp. 13, 111, 122 (conversation with Muḥammad)
Robinson, Poem E, p. 60 (on Usman Ɗan Fodio & jihad)
Aƙilu Aliyu, nos. 1, 14
Ibrahim Yaro Muhammed, p. 19

Prayer

Sipikin, p. 1
Ibrahim Yaro Muhammed, p. 4 "Roƙo"
Cibiyar, pp. 24, 56, 67, 70-72
Aƙilu Aliyu, n. 6, p. 29 (for forgiveness)
Ibrahim Yaro Muhammed, pp. 5, 10 (fast), p 15 (zakat)

Death always near

Imfiraji, 2
Robinson, Poem B, p. 14
Waƙar wa'azi, pp. 7 "Baƙin mari", 15, 23 "A mu gode baɗini zahiri"

Descriptions of after-life

Imfiraji, 8
Robinson, Poems A (p. 2), D (p. 44), F (p. 68).
Madauci Ibrahim Bagudu (world ending, punishment for various sins)
Waƙoƙin Hausa, pp. 1 (evil of times, end soon), 22 "Tabban hakikan" (judgment coming)

General moralizations

Imfiraji, nos. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Sipikin, pp. 63 (to politicians), 76, 86, 90, 97, 106, 117
Sa'adu Zungur, 1 (against bid`a)
Ibrahim Yaro Muhammed, p. 28 "Wa'azin zaman duniya"
Cibiyar, p. 48
Waƙoƙin Hausa, pp. 10 "Waƙar mu sha falala", 29 "Waƙar sha'anonin duniya"
Umaru Gwandu, p. 1 "Lalura"
Mu'azu Haɗeja, pp. 5, 22, 48
Cibiyar, p. 48 "Waƙar gadar zare"

Avoid worldly attachments

Robinson, Poem C, p. 36
Aƙilu Aliyu, n. 5, p. 17
Waƙar Bagauda, ed. Hiskett, III, pp. 379 ff.

Respect for people

Ibrahim Yaro Muhammed, p. 48

Honor parents

Mu'azu Haɗeja, p. 20

Value of knowledge, secular pursuits

Salihu Kwantagora, Kimiyya da fasaha, n. 1
Aƙilu Aliyu, nos 2 (p. 4), 13 (p. 64)
Ibrahim Yaro Muhammed, p. 51 (wisdom)
Cibiyar, p. 63
Mu'azu Haɗeja, pp. 10, 15

Work

Akilu Aliyu, n. 11 (p. 59) on farming

Trouble

Aƙilu Aliyu, n. 8 (p. 38) on his motor accident
Waƙoƙin Hausa, p. 24, on injustice

Truth amid hypocrisy

Salihu Kwantagora, p. 29

Against harlotry etc.

Aƙilu Aliyu, nos. 3 (p. 7), 12 (p. 62, against homosexuality)
Ibrahim Yaro Muhammed, p. 38
Waƙoƙin Hausa, p. 18
Mu'azu Haɗeja, pp. 27, 40 (against beer)

Treatment of kāfirs

Umar Gwando, p. 3