Preliminary lists of Swahili names for fishes of the western Indian ...

"1 I' ...... \"
the middle of the twenty-first century, only fifty years
on, the culture ofcentral Swahililand will probably be
no more alive - although the sadness of culture death
in central Swahililand is softened somewhat by the
continuity of culture in northern and southern
Swahililand, for a while at least. Undoubtedly the
pseudo-Swahili now spoken by millions as a second
language will spread far and wide, but it will not be
the Swahili tongue of the Swahili people. While not a
creole language, pseudo-Swahili is increasingly
conditioned by English syntax (or so it seems to me),
is bereft of the cultural conventions accumulated over
a millennium, and lacks the charm and humour and
finesse of the original.
A recent phenomenon relating to the whole of the
Swahili coast is that fishermen who are not nativespeakers
of Swahili - both from the east African
interior and from as far afield as Japan and Korea - are
now fishing east African waters, while the wholesale
marketing of sea-fish is mainly in the hands of non­
Swahili entrepreneurs.1> For various reasons it seems
probable that the number of Swahili fishermen will
continue to decline.? Lexically, this points to the
probability that as time goes by there will be fewer
and fewer Swahili intimate with the Swahili names for
marine fishes.
This publication is intended for both lexicographers
and marine biologists. Much effort has been expended
to make these lists as complete as possible, yet no one
is more aware than the compiler just how incomplete
they are in their present form. Sacleux is particularly
strong on fish names from the Mrima coast (extending
from Vanga to Kilwa, approximately). Fish names from
maSiwani 'the eomoro Islands' (in the speech of the
Comoros known as kiNgazija) remain to be collected,
and also from the Baml.Qir coast (a region whose
Swahili-speaking communities have been displaced
sinee the 1970s due to civil strife amongst the
dominant Somali-speaking population). The sections
which deal with shark and crab are at a preliminary
stage only. As is demonstrated in the following
6
A discussion relating to the destruction of the marine
habitat by overfishing, explosives, and pollution falls
outside the scope of this introduction.
The decline in the number of Swahili fishermen is
accompanied by a decline in the number of Swahili
engaged in other traditional economic occupations; the
consequences for an already impoverished people are
serious indeed.
sections, Swahili lexicographers, Sacleux excepted,
have shown themselves to be inadequate in the matter
ofcompiling the names of marine fishes. Surely, then,
the lexicographers will have been inadequate in other
registers too, and will continue to be, unless and until
their target language be kiSwahili eha kiSwal!ili
'Swahili Swahili', the speech of the Swahili people.
Alas the core of the language is steadily contracting,
but there seems to be no shortage of students who
pursue projects and researches at the ever-expanding
circumference. These lists have been compiled by one
who is not trained as a biologist, and so the reader
should not anticipate a fish taxonomic publication.
What this publication does provide is, as the title
indicates, preliminary lists ofSwahili names for fishes
of the western Indian Ocean, together with related
topics. May additions and corrections be made to
these lists while there is yet time.
The work is divided into seven sections, as follows:
lchthyonymy and names for other marine
creatures I
chiefly bony fishes I (a)
cartilaginolls fishes I (b)
sea-turtles I (c)
crabs and lobsters I (d)
marine mammals I (e)
Anatomy II
Halieutics III
Literature IV
Lieitness V
In the kitchen VI
Fabulous marine creatures VII.
The regional varieties ofSwahili referred to in the text
arc as follows:
DN northern and central dialects:
(the islands and the coast from Gasi
northwards, to the shores of southern
Somaliland).
DS southern dialects:
(the islands and the coast from Gasi
southwards, to the shores of northern
Msumbiji [Mozambique]).
kiA kiAmu, the dialect of Amu town, on the
island of the same name (Lamu in Arabic
and English).
kiB kiBanagiri, the dialect of the Swahilispeaking
communities along the southern

" ,
LETHRINIDAE.
ch 'angll chole: see under l 'angll.
ch 'angll dizi: nom d'un poisson de mer (S
169).
northern kiMr.
CH8 chatota (za-):
kiG.
CLUPEIDAE.
Petit poisson mann du genre dagaa (S
135).
CH9 chawa:
Nom d'un poisson de mer. '1Syn chaa (S
136).
CH 10 chaza: oyster; see nyama/a, shaza.
OS
OSTREI[)AE.
CH 11 II chaza: remora or shark-sucker.
DS; see (aza.
ECHENEIDAE.
CH12 chazanda (ma- or inv.): mangrove red
snapper, river snapper (Llltjanlls
argen/imacula/lIs); see /azanda.
kiMr.
LUTJANIDAE.
LUTJANUS ARGENTIMACULATUS (River Snapper)
CH I3 cheche: frogfish (An/ennariolls sp.).
DS; kiP'emba cheche or mcheshe. kiMv sese.
ANTENNARIIDAE.
Un poisson de mer, I'antennaire ou
chironectc (S 136).
cheche-ngllre.
CH 14 ch'ena: mud bream, picnic seabream
(Acan/hopagnts herda) - and not as in Krapf
(see below).
kiMv & kiG; kiMalindi and DS / 'lIkll.
SPARIDAE.
A kind of shell-fish ['1] (K 37).
CH 15 ch'cndc: see I 'elll/e.
kiG.
TERAPONIDAE.
CH 16 chenje-vule: batfish'1 (P/a/ax sp.)'1
kiMr; also seejogoo mWC:'lIsi &jIlIlIlSi.
EPHIPPIDAE'1
Nom d'un poisson de mer, la ehauvesouris
de mer: slIra yake kama popo, ana
miiha ki/la pahali (S 139) 'name of a sea-fish,
the sea-hat: its appearance is like a hat, it has
spines everywhere'.
PLATAX PINNATUS (Ba(/ish)
chellpe: see kellpe.
CH17 ch'ewa: rockcod (grouper); see (ewa.
DS.
SERRANIDAE.
CH 18 chichi [baby-talk]: fish.
kiA, kiG & kiNgazija.
Termc infantin pour nsi 'poisson'
(samaki); na/aka chichi 'je desire du poisson'
(S 141) 'chiIdish expression for Ilsi "fish" ';
however, see Bwana Muyaka's line (in
Section IV - literature).
CH 19 ch'ochovu: diodon, porcupinefish; see
/ 'O/OVlI.
kiG & kiSiyu; other northern dialects kibora;

S.Afr.J.Afr.Lang., 200:?, 16, Supplement (I)
.14
J5
KI
K2
K3
K4
K5
K6
­
K7 I{angaja (/l/a-): painted or powder-bille
surgeon (Acanthurtfs
hirillji.
kiMv & OS.
!eucostallon); see
jozari: see joza.
kiMr.
junusi: see jogoo mweusi.
ACANTHURIDAE.
A kind of fish without mamba [scales]
and a little hom projecting from the head
[actually a reference to puju, the lInicomfish]
(K 128).
Un poisson de mer a chair mol Ie et pell
estimce exhalant une odeur d'aissclk
kaa-mbisi (ma- or inv.): trevally, kingfish,
(kikwapa) I'acanthure (S 327) 'sea-fish with
king mackerel, horse mackerel Caranx spp.
flabby flesh, poorly rated and giving off an
(large k 'olek 'a/e).
arm-pit smell'.
kiMv & OS (sometimes pronounced kara­ A kind of fish with a disagreeable smell
mhisi by Europeans); kiG il'ae.
(J 172).
CARANGIDAE.
This is a seasonal fish, hence the saying
or the Swahili: 1I1lllltho I/i kal/gaia, !III'Clldll
Fllkllill 'Ihe trials or lire are like a kallgaia,
they come and they go'.
joza: secjozl/J'i. [Ihe same as joJ.l/J'i?J
OS.
Nom d'un tres grand poisson de mer (S
193).
(K 322, Item IX).
('oq de Iller, dor0e des Indes - (.allichlhys
(S 313) 'sea-cockerel, dory from the Indies'.
The horse mackerel (J 167, 'under
kalambezi).
kabwiri:
kiU.
A very small kind of fish (J 164).
kahange: cardinalfish (Apogon sp.); Bianchi
gives dogao-donzi, dogaa-!a-gege, I 1/1111c/a.
i\POUON IlJi\E.
kamhorc>: see shol1ll'i and (o//(/i.
k'anda: trirletail (Lohotes sllJ'illamensis) - the
Swahili name k '{/Iu/a possibly derives rrom a
Swahili-type bag which is broader at the
bottom than at the mouth.
kiMr, kiMv, kiMalindi; kiG & kiApawizi.
LOBOTIDAE.
Nom d'un poisson de mer, premnade? (S
325).
k'ande: triggerfish - see kikandi (kikande),
gona.
kiP'emba.
BALISTIDAE.
Nom d'un poisson de mer (S 326).
k'anga macho: Arabian spinecheek; see
sorora.
kiU.
NEMIPTERIDAE.
Un pclit poisson de Iller - Sc%psis
ghanam (S 327).
ACANTlIU/?ff)AE
KX k'angll:
kiMr.
SCARIDAE.
Nom d'un poisson de mer; k'ollgu ya
l1laweni: Pseudoscorus trosche/ii (S 327) [It
has not been possible to identify this name so
far].
K9 kara-mamba: grunter (Pol11adas)'s sp.);
(Bianchi 78). See p 'all1amba.
kiMr.
HAEMULIOAE.
Un poisson de mer, chair estimee ­
Diagral11l1lo pUllctatissil/l/ll1/'! (S 329).
kara-mhisi: sec k 'aa I1lhisi.
K 10 k'arwe: stonefish; see hocho, (1'eda.
kiVumha; kiHaQimu k 'atwe.
SCORPAENIOAE.
K II kaslllllba: pickhandlc barracuda (SphyJ"(/C>lla
.ieI/o).
13

IX S.Afr..J .Mr.Lang., 2002, 16. Supplement (I)
(Acanlhurlls sp.).
kiMr.
ACANTHURIDAE.
Un poisson de mer armc sur les deux
cotes de la queue d'une sorte de lancette
recourbee, Pacanthure ou chirurgien ­
Acanthurus (S 410) 'a sea-fish armed on both
sides of the tail with a kind of curved laneet'
[i.e. a sharp erectile spine on each side of the
caudal pcduncle].
kiLasi (zi-): see {'aji.
kiG & kiA.
K6R kilasi mareno: Bcnnett's butterflyfish
(Chaelodon belll/eUi).
kiMr & kiU.
CHAETODONTIOAE.
K69 kit'alange (vi-): butterflyfish (Chaelodon
.\jJ.); see kipepeo. The name derives from the
verb -{anga 'roam here and there', a reference
to its characteristic of darting hither and
thither.
Most dialects; kiG cha-lliende and peperu.
CHAETOOONTlDAE.
(K 321, Item R).
Nom d'un petit poisson de mer
(Cha('{ot!on seli/er [unidentified]) qu'on voit
sOllvent roder autour du panier de peche delila,
Oll il entre et sort librement, attirant it
I"intcrieur de plus gros poissons qui sont pris;
kit 'a{allKe flUvu pariant d'un traltre, d'ul1c
personne perfide (S 410) 'name ofa small seatish
often seen hovering round the fish trap
dema which it enters and leaves freely,
attracting into it bigger fish which are caught;
kiL 'a{allge huyu when speaking of a traitor, a
perfidious individual' [also used of a person
who flits from one sexual partner to another].
A bright-coloured sea-tish with spines, a
sea porcupine (.J 209).
kilemhwe (l'i-): see I 'embo.
kiU & kiMr.
K70 kiti cha p'weza: starfish.
kiMv & OS; kiG kichi cha nambo.
ASTEROIDEA (various orders).
Etoile de mer (S 412).
kilembo, kilembwe: see I'embo.
kiLewa (zi-): see {'ewa.
K71 kilomo: sweeper (Pempheris sp.).
kiG; kiMv makarenge (Glaesel 175).
PEMPHERIDAE.
K72 kitumbako: spotted butterflyfish.
CIIAETODONTI DAE.
[Reputed to smell of tobacco].
K73 kiua (vi-): probably the riverbream
Acalllhopagrus berda.
kiMv, kiA & kiG; kiG kiuva.
SPARIDAE.
The name of a fish (K 162).
Un poisson de mer estime ressemblant a
la carpe. 11 abonde it la saison des pluies
masika dans les criques, ou il est pris au
moyen de bordigue uzio (S 417) 'a highly
valued sea-fish looking like a carp. It is
plentiful in the rainy season masika, in creeks,
where it is caught by means of a reed-trap
uz/(}
. , .
A kind of fish (J 211).
K 74 kiunga (vi-): red snapper, humpback snapper,
humpback red snapper (Llllianus gibbus).
kiMv; [kiMr haraki? (Bianchi 65)].
Similar but not identical is kiG i{adhanda; ON
Lazanda.
LUTJANIDAE.
A kind of red fish (K 163).
Nom d'un poisson rouge de mer (S 418).
K75 kivurugaza: catfish?
kiMr.
PLOTOSIOAE?
Nom d'un petit poisson de mer, sura ya
fJl1fJl1, lIlwili 111 t!ogo, kichwa kiklfbwa, hana
meno: fzakal1lalwi kwa mkono, ukimkamala,
mkono una regea (S 421) 'name of a small
sea-fish, the shape of a shark, a small body, a
large head, no teeth; it cannot be caught by
hand, if you catch it, your hand beeomes
limp',
K76 koana (koWalll1): threadfin bream.
OS.
NEMIPTURIL)AU (this family is closely
related to the snappers).
Nom commun it plusieurs poissons de
mer estimes du genre Synagris, de couleur
generalement rose ou rougeatre; S. blakari, S.
ruber el S. jilamenlosus (S 428) 'name
eommon to several sea-fish of high value,
belonging to the Synagris family, generally
pink or reddish in colour'.
Kind of fish, considered good eating by
Europeans (J 224).
koana-usinga: threadfin bream.

JO
P7 panji: common dolphinfish, dorndo
(COIyphaena hippurus); see./ulusi.
kiMr.
CORYPHAENIDAE.
Nom d'un poisson de mer (S 729).
[Perhaps the word panji may be nssociated
with p 'allzi.J
CORYPIIAENUS
PR panju:
A kind of lish not considered good eating
by Europeans (J 366); [if Johnson is correct,
then pal/ju cannot be the same ns panji, since
dolphinfish make good eating - or possibly
tnstes have changed over the years?]
P9 p'anzi-bahari (ma-): (Iiternlly 'ocean
grasshopper') flying fish.
kiA & kiG p 'andi-bohari (the deep-sea variety),
and p 'andi-mai (the off-shore variety).
EXOCOETIOAE (capable of gliding
considerable distances above the water by
means of winglike pectoral fins).
(K 296).
Poisson volant (S 731) 'flying fish'.
[Flyingfishes, haltbeaks, sauries and
needlcf'ishes all belong to the Order
Ueluni formcs.J
1'10 patundu (Illll-): snapper; see .Iilll-llIlldu,
k'lIngll, SflOgO.
kiMr & kiU.
LUTJANIDAE.
Nom u'un poisson de mer de couleur
rougcatre ' ... reddish colour' (S 738).
P 11 p'awale: East African tarpon, Indo-Pacific
tarpon, ox-eye tarpon (Megalops eyprinoides).
kiMv & kiA; kiG p 'awadhi.
MEGALOPIDAE.
(K 321, Item 36).
PI2 pawali: saw-bellied herring, kelee shad
(Macrura kelee).
Most dialects; also dagaa.
CLUPEIOAE.
S.Mr.J.Afr.Lang., 2002, 16, Supplement (I)
PI3 pawizi: triplctail.
kiA & kiG; kiMr k 'anda.
LOBOTIf);\E.
Samaki ... anayeishi katika mdomo wa
mto, yaani katika maji ya chumvi na maji
baridi; nyama yake si tamu lakini akikaushwa
IIg'tlllua wake ni lalllll (Nabhany I).
pillgllzi: see pOllgozi.
PI4 pazi-maji: pilotfish (Nollcmles dlle/Of;
N.illdica).
kiMr.
CARANGIDAE.
(S 738).
P 15 peperu: butterflyfish; see kipepeo.
kiG, also eha-fuend.e.
CHAETOOONTIDAE.
Samaki ambaye ni kipepco mwenye rangi
nyeusi (Nabhany I).
P16 pipa (ma-):
OS.
Nom d'un petit poisson de mer (S 752).
P 17 pongusi (also punguzi):
kiG.
Nom d'un petit poisson (S 757).
[Not to be confused with pongozi, a kind
of ray.]
PI8 p'ono: parrotfish, parrot wrasses.
Most dialects.
SCARIDAE and some LABRIDAE.
Yuna usingizi kama p 'ono 'he is as sleepy
as a p 'ono fish' (Tnylor Item 597).
;\ fish which is generally in a slate or
torpor ... this lish is not goou lor loou l! J (K
]OR ).
Nom commun a plusieurs poissons de la
famille des labrides, habitant les bancs de
corail (S 757) 'name given to several fish of
the labroid family, living among the coral
reefs' .
Name ofa fish said to be often in a torpid
state (J 384).
Numerous varieties, some of which are:
p 'ono-ehozi.
p 'ono-gege: bluestreak cleaner wrasse
(Labroides dimidialus), (Bonde 3, 354).
p 'ono-kangu: dusky parrotfish?
(Pseudosearus nigrispinis?).
p 'ono kasiki: greenband parrotfish (Searus
col/ana).

36
A poisonous fish (K 379).
Un poisson de mer, Ie diodon, ainsi
nomme de ee qu'il se gonfle rappelant la
hemic du nombril kitovu; totovu ukimgusa
huvimba; ana tumbo kama totovu il a un
ventre comme Ie diodon (S 903) 'sea-fish, the
diodon, thus called bccausc it swclls likc an
umbilical hernia kitovu; "if you touch the
totovu it swells up; he has a belly like the
diodon" '.
t 'otovu-nungu (kiMv); porcupinefish, see
bunju-nungu.
'1'19 tuguu, tuguru (ma-): moonfish (the Swahili
name tuguu refers to a kind of round mat on
which Swahili women grind grain).
kiSiyu ell 'uguu; kiG ichuguu, ch 'uku; kiG &
kiA shana-mwezi.
MENIDAE; Copley 3 & Glaesel give batfish
(EPI-II PPI DAE).
(K 321, Item 15).
Un poisson de mer, plat, Ie mole ou
poisson-lune - Orthagoriscus (S 906) 'a seafish,
flat, the mole or moon-fish'.
T20 t'u.io:
kiMv.
SERRANIDAE.
'1'21 t'uku: mud bream, pIC11le seabream
(Acanthopagrus berda).
DS; kiMv, kiMalindi & kiG eh 'uku. See also
chena.
SPARIDAE.
A kind of fish considered to be good
eating by Europeans (.I 476).
1'22 t'ukwana: Glaesel has 'cut throat emperor'
(Lefllril/lls sangllincl/s).
kiMv, kiMr & northwards (also t 'ukuana);
kiSiYll & kiG ell 'lIkllono.
LETHRINIDAE.
i\ fish or ordinary size (K 383).
Nom d'lIn poisson de mer (S 9(8).
1'23 t'umbe: blacktail
saddle occurs on
(Dip/odus sargus).
kiA; kiG ell 'umbe.
SPARlDAE.
[an unmistakable black
the caudal peduncleJ:
T24 t'undwi: Picassofish / triggerfish
(Rhinecanthus aeuleatus).
kiMr & kiU; kiA & kiG gona p 'embe.
BALlSTlDAE.
S.AfrJ.Afr.Lang., 2002, 16, Supplement (J)
1'25 tunturi: halfbeak (or needlefish?); sec kule. I
kiP'emba.
faa mamba:
kiG.
Nom d'un poisson de mer rougeatre,
different de la raie raa (S 852) 'name of a
reddish sea-fish, different from the ray raa'.
12 1'aft: spinefoot, rabbitfish (Siganus spp.) ­
sometimes called 'slimy' because of the
mucus-covered skin.
kiMv & kiP'emba, also kiP'emba shaft; kiMr
& kiU ch 'afi; kiA & kiG {'asi or ki{asi.
SIGANlDAE.
Hana mamba (K 353).
Malgre 1'odeur persistante de maree
(ehambo) que ce poisson communique a la
main qui Ie touche, sa chair est estimee, hana
mamba, hukaa mwambani, hula majani (S
126) 'in spite of its persistent sea-smell
(chambo) which this fish imparts to the hand
that touches it, its flesh is much appreciated,
"it has no scales, it lives amongst rocks, it is
herbivorous" , [also common in seagrass beds].
Kind of broad black fish (J 46).
waSwahili hupenda kumpaka, yaani
kutiwa tui la nazi na kuchomwa (Nabhany 4).
{'afi-kiyenge (or mayenge): whitespotted
rabbitfish (Siganus sutor).
Nom d'une petite espece 'name of a
small species'.
Ana kijembe kidogo, lakini tafauti na
birinji (this appears to be the only member of
the family to have the lancet-like spines on
either side of the caudal pedicle).
{'aJi-msimbi:
kiA ki{asi-mtimbi.
Nom d'une espcce moyenne 'name of a
medium-sized species'.
{'afi mfl/lIga: forktail rabbitfish (Siganlls
argentcus).
['aJi-mwamba: 'brown-spotted spinefoot,
stellate rabbitfish, spotted slimy (Siganus
stellatus). Nom d'une grande espece 'name of
a large species' [max. 40cm].
{'aft uzio: Siganus laqueus (kiU). (Bonde 3,
353).
['amamba: see p 'amamba.
S.
14

40
anchovy
angcl fish
;lI1gkr
barracuda
ballish
bi II fish
blcnny (rockskipper)
Bombay duck
bondish
bonilo
boxlish (cowfish)
brcam (spinechcck)
breanl (seabream)
bliltcrtlyfish
cardinal lish
(sea) caltish
(eel) catfish
chub
cobia
coclacanlh
cofferlish (cowfish)
cOfllclfish
cowfish (boxlish)
croakcr
clitlIdish (squid)
DI, 1>2, 1\.41'1 1\.1J2, lJl
K40
scc rroglish
Section I (a): Index
A
H
KII, M43ii, M58, T16, Y2
CH 16?, J3
CH20
N7
B2, TI7
B II, CH2, 112, M36
K23,S3
G5, K28, NG'I, SI
K76
CH 14,12, K73? K75, K84, P6? T21
CH6,K44,K56,K68,K69,K72, PI4
K3
F6, 114, K55
c
18, K50, K75? N 13, N20, I9
KI6
B4, S9, I7
G6
NG'I
M43i, M60i
G5, K37, NG'I, SI
G9, 17, SH2
D8, K51, N 1'? N 12, N 15, N25
s.i\rr..I./\rr.Lang., 2002. I (l, Supplemcnl ( I)
('1.\ JPFIDAF
POMACANTIIIDAE
ANTENNAR 1II)A E
SPHYRAENIDAE
EPHIPPIDAE
ISTIOPHORIDAE
BLENNIIDAE
HARPADONTI DAE
ALBULIDAE
SCOMURIDAE
OSTRACIIDAE
NEM rPTERJDAE
SPARIDAE
CHAETODONTIDAE
APOGONJDAE
ARIIDAE
PLOTOSJDAE
KYPHOSIDAE
RACHYCENTRIDAE
LATIMERIIDAE
OSTRACIJDAE
FISTULARIIDAE
OSTRACIIDAE
SCIAENIDAE
LOLIGINJDAE
& SEPIIDAE

40 S.AfrJ.Afr.Lang.,2002, 16, Supplement (I) S
Section I (a): Index
A
anchovy Dl, D2, K41'1 K92, U I CLUPEIDAE

44
S.Afd.Afr.Lung.. 2002. 16. Supplement (I)
S
sailfish (billfish) CH20, N8, S 15 (see marlin) ISTIOPHORIDAE
sandperch? BI2 PINGUIPEDIDAE?
sardine BI, 01, 02,.03, GI, M39? S6 CLUPEIDAE s
scad F2, K24, N30, II I CARANGIDAE s
scavenger (emperor) CH7, M15, SH5, 13, 15 LETHRINIDAE s
scorpionfish (firefish) CH5, 0 I0, K53? K78 (see stonefish) SCORPAENIDAE s
seabream (bream) 12, KX4 SPARIDAE s
seahorse FI, T6 SYNGNATHIDAE S'
sergeanlfish see damselfish. s'
shad PI2 CLUPEIDAE
sharksucker(remora) CHI I, M12, 16 ECHENEIDAE
sicklefish SH3 DREPANIDAE
sillago H5, M3 I? M45? T2 SILLAGINIDAE
silverbelly CHI, Tl, T7 GERREIDAE Ii!
si Ivcrbiddy see si IverbeHy GERREIDAE
silverside U3 ATHERINIDAE
smelt H5, T2 SILLAGINIDAE
snapper
CHI2, F3, JI, KI2, KI3, K22, K29, K48,
K74, K94, M6, M15, M57? N21, PIO, SHI4i,
T8, T9, TIO? TIl
LUTJANIDAE
soldicrfish K35 I) HOLOCENTRIDAE
sole (flounder) G2, M35, WI CYNOGLOSSI DAE
spadefish J3 EPHIPPIDAE
spinecheek K6, SII NEMIPTERIDAE
spinefool (rabbitfish) CH3, SH 1,12,14 SIGANIDAE
sprat M9ii, S6 CLUPEIDAE
springer (tenpounder) H2,16 ELOPIDAE uni(
la
la
Ie
10;
tol
101
Ire
tri)
(se
triJ
1m
Iml
lun
lurl

46
S.AfrJ.Af... Lang., 2002, 16, Supplement ( I) S.
b2
b3
114
b5
b6
b7
b8

S.Afr.J.Afr.Lang.,2002, 16, Supplement ( I)
mnyiri (mi-): tentacle; also mkiya.
kiA mnyoo.
Tentacule de poulpe foctopus] et mItres
cephalopodes; syn. mikono [arms] (au mkia [tail]) ya
pweza. Fig. Fulani k 'anzu yake imepasuka minyiri
minyi,.i 'So-and-so's k 'anzll is tom to shreds [i.e. like
the tentacles of an octopus]' (S 579).
Arm, tentaele, Iceler or the eutlk-rish,
commonly Illkono or mkia wa pwcza (.I 294).
mnyoo (lIIi-): tentacle; see IIIlIl'i,.i.
kiA.
mle WlI Ilsi: spawn, roe.
kiA; kiM v 1/I('II('1"c-I/I('II('1"c; kiG maingi nlcc.
mwiba (pI. mii!Ja): spine, ray (or lin); fish-bone.
kiMv, DS; kiA mwiwa; kiG mwiva (pI. miva).
Rayon cpineux de nageoire de poisson;
arete de poisson (S 649 & (51) 'spiny ray' of the fin of
a fish; ... fish-bone'.
/l/1I'il'{l: see l/I\I'iha.
I/lwiwa: see mwi!Ja.
ndreza: tentacle (especially ofp 'weza).
kiG.
ng'ofu: fish roe.
kiG ingi.
Oeurs de poisson (S 6X7).
Roe or a fish (.I 336).
pefu (ma-): pectoral lin.
kiMr.
Nageoire pectorak de pOisson (S 739)
'pectoral fin or fish'.
pezi: lin.
kiPale, kis & ki(i Iil)('.::i ,lvee un sens spceiaI].
Nageoire dorsale ou latcrale de poisson,
surtout de requin I) 'alhl; lI.1'allla lI'ol'c lI'anga\l'ako,
mkl1za I)czi ni [J 'apa 'il y a bien d'autres monstres
marins, mais Ie requin est Ie seul a prevenir de sa
presence en dressant sa nageoire dorsale' (S 746)
'dorsal or lateral fin of a fish, especially the shark
p 'apa; there are many other marine monsters, but the
shark is the only one to betray its presence by erecting
its dorsal fin'.
shavu (ma-): gills; see [avlI.
kiU; kiP'emba & kiMrima chavl/; kiG is 11aVII.
Ou'ie de poisson, branchie, sllm'l1 la salllaki (S
X33) 'gills or lish, branehiae'.
shombo: see also i/c, kidusi. VI/mho.
kiMr.
57
Odeur de poisson rrais. CI, 'a./i (J//{/ S1101II!JO
sana (S 843) 'smell of fresh fish. ell 'aji has a strong
smell'.
sifa:
Huile de poisson importe d' Arabie, mafuta ya
simu (S 802) 'fish oil imported from Arabia, simll oil'.
Guillain writes 'elle est extraite d'un petit poisson
nomme dagoa aZanzibar, simoll [simol1] il Mombasa'
«(iuillain IX56, Vol.iii:351).
!avlI: gills; sec S!tIIl'I1.
kiMv & kiA.
tllnga: tail-bones of a skate - (aa (.I 4XO).
ugell:
kiP'emba. [For the kiAmu usage of this word see
Seetion VI below.]
Tripes de large poisson prcparees et cuites (S
937) 'tripe of large fish prepared and cooked'.
IIkomhe (wa ngisi): bone (gladius or pen) or the
squid.
kiG IIkombe wa dome; kiP'emba boml)(1 or kigome;
DS kijim ella ngisi.
(S 363, 366, 944).
vumba: the smell of fish (see i/e. kidl1si, sllOm!Jo).
Odeur de poisson - l'lllllha (ou vllmha la
samaki, n!avl/lllha .l'a sOl/laki); -lIl/ka l'II1I1IJ11, sentiI' Ie
poisson; Aph. \1'011' \l'akil1l1ko l'I1/1/!Ja, 11'0 \l'ako
allll}(/rini 'eeux qui scntaicnt Ic poisson (de pauvres
pecheurs ou marchands de poisson) sont maintenant
dans ks grandems' (S 10(3) '10 slllell or lish ...
Proverb; those who once smell or lish (poor fishenllen
or fishmongers) are now top class'.
A had slllell, always l'l)nIH:clcd with lish.
Allolll1ka 1'I1I11!Ja la salllaki 'he has a nasty smell or
lish'; 1'IIII1!Ja 10lJlIIJlI 'an cvil odom or dried shark' (.I
517).
yapa (Illa-): Ilippers or a tmtlc.
Section III: 1I:IIielltics
'It's no fish ye're buying - it's men's lives'S
llgo (usually in the locative ogoni): sec kijando.
beramu: a flag to show the location of a fisherman's
float.
kiA, kiMv, kiP'elllha & kiNgazi.ia.
Scoll, W. The Alllil/ItIIIY ( I X16), ('hapll:r II.

and stir the waleI' with their leel to lrighten away the lish
which are trapped and caught in the mesh'.
njoro: a kind of fish-spear.
kiG; kiMv & OS lIkonzo; kiA lIkongo.
numbi: a draught of fishes.
(K 286); coup de filet (S (91); (.I 341).
nyavlI: lishing nel; sec waFII.
kiP'emba, ON.
Filet de peche (S ()%).
-ova: fish with a fish-hook.
kiG; kiMr -loa.
(S717).
-paga: harpoon (a whale).
kiMv, DS.
(K 292).
harponner; harponner la baleine, -paga
mll)'angllflli (S 722).
-1-amha:L":
Cruise around looking for fish (J 3(5).
Uvuvi huu ni kama ule wa kujawishi
isipokuwa huu unakuwa ni kwa mashua miogo na
unakuwa kwenye maji ya karibu karibu. Wavuvi hulia
mishipi yao majini na kuikokota kwa mashua ya
kuendeshwa kwa makasia (Nabhany 2:75).
lin lhe twenly-lirst cenlury this verb has acquired
an additional connotation - 'to surf' the internet.]
sha:Li [/a samaki] (ma-):
OS; kiMv & ON kishazi; kiPa!e, kiSiyu & kiG
kishadhi.
Strings of fish tied together, five or eight fishes
being tied together and exposed for sale (K 155 & 429).
Poissons en fi Ics par les ou'ies sur un illig 'oligo
(S X33) 'fish strung by their gills on a strip of palmleaf'.
shubwi: a sinker; see I 'uhwi.
kiP'emba; kiMv (uhwi; kiG, kiU, kiMr eh 'uhwi.
suko (la wavlI): mesh (of fishing-net).
kiMv, kiA, OS.
-silmbika: fasten a length of line to a fish-hooX, e.g.
-slImhika mshipi.
DN & kiMr; OS -simhika.
(K 349; S 806 & 822).
-sumbiko: a length of line attached to a fish-hook.
ON & kiMr; kiG msumhiko; OS simhiko.
-tanda Ldagaa]: sec also mtanzi.
This expression refers to the cuslom of the
women to spread out a cloth in the water to catch
small (ish le.g. dagaaJ (K 35X).
Wana-ake hutenda nguo ya kuvlI!ia samaki
'Ies femmes tendent (chacune son) pagne [loin-cloth]
(bout a bout) pour prendre Ie poisson (comme dans un
fi let' (twendi IItanzi allons a la peche avec nos pagnes
tendus)), hlllallda vile dagaa 'elles prennent ainsi Ics
dagaa (S X64 & 97X) ' ... the women join their loincloths
(end-to-end) to calch lhe lish as in a net ... let us
go fishing with our stretched loin-clolhs .,. thus they
calch the dagaa'.
Calch dagaa by spreading a large piece of
calico in the water, and then when it submerges,
dragging it under a shoal of fish, as native women do
(J 450).
!'3!3: plural of IIlala.
kiMv & kiA.
-suka l'ala: faire une sorte de barrage de
baguettes ou de cotes de palme (k '1I1i ZlI tIlllazi) pour
prendre Ie poisson (S X74) 'to make a kind of dam
wilh lalhs or palm ribs ... lo catch lhe lish'.
(Nabhany 2:73).
-!eleya: descend - walalelel'([ p 'walli kcsllO 'tomorrow
lish will descend on lhis shore in shoals' (e.g. II/ki=i,
sill/II ).
-!OIml: lish (-loll/a isi).
kiG; kiA -va nsi; DS -vila sall/aki.
Pecher a la ligne kwa mshipi, a la ligne kwa
Ylla, ou autrement (S 89X) 'to fish with mshipi, with
yua, or in any other way'.
-totwe:
kiHagimu.
A method of fishing, standing in shallow water
rnot above the waistl, generally using a fishing line.
!'lIbwi: a sinker attached lo a fishing-line.
kiMv; kiP'emba shuhwi; kiG eh 'u/Jwi.
A piece of lead or stone which is tied to the
fishing-hook, so as to be able to throw it far and cause
it to sink (K 3XO).
ukonzo (k'olldo): a kind of fish-spear.
kiMv & OS; kiA ukongo; kiG njol'O.
(S 945).
11100: (ny-): sec hiloo and kioo, also mazdaha.
kiNgazija & kiA.
Gras hamcl;on (S 951) 'large fish-hook'.
IImango: a piece of iron used by fishcrmen lo Iift a
sea-turtle on board.
kiA.
Chuma kilumiwacho l1a wavuvi kumkokotea
\,1

62
au kumchowea kasa iIi kumpandisha chomboni
(Nabhany 4).
u1a1a (L 'ala):
kiMv, chiJomvu & kiA.
A hurdle-work of ng 'ongo za kuti, za makuti,
ticd together and fixed in the sea to catch fish; '" a
hedge for catching fish (K 413).
Sorte de petit barrage en baguettes pour
poisson, cf. uzio, qui est plus considerable et plus
solidement eonstruit (S 978) 'Kind ofsmall dam made
of sticks for fish, cr. lIzio, which is larger and more
solidly built'.
1\ kind orwicker fence used fill' enclosing and
catching lish (J 45(,).
utupa:
A kind ofeuphorbia used as a fish poison (K 416).
Sommitcs contuses de certaines plantes, qui
ont la proprete de stupefier Ie poisson a la manicre de
la coque du Levant (S (84) 'gnarled tips of certain
plants which have the property of stunning fish after
Ihe manner of the Indian Berry [Cocculus indicus,
round .in Malabar and Ceylon, used to stupefy fish],.
The juice of a kind of euphorbia, mtupa, used
as a fish poison (J 510). Johnson distinguishes
bclween two kinds or 1111111)(/:
IIIllIfJa wa florilli - a trcc, MWllllllea sericell, with
purple pea-like flowers. It is used as a fish poison and
is said to be so strong that fish poisoned by it arc often
caten with fatal results.
IIIIIIIHI H'1I P 'w(lIIi - a shrub, Sophora tomentosa, with
silvery branchcs, pca-likc llowers and yellow pods, found
only on sandy sea-shores in shcltered situations. The
stems and leaves of these plants arc pounded and broken
up and either thrown direct into a pot-hole in a river, or
else placcd in a matting bag with some stones and thrown
inlo lI'esh or sail. waler. The toxic contents of the Icaves
and stems are dissolved in the water and cause fish to float
stomach upwards on thc surface in an intoxicated
l'Olldilion, whcn thcy ;II'C illllllcdialc1y caught.
uzio (II.\'- or 11/(/- in kiPale, kiSiyu, kiG):
kiP'emba zio.
A net of twigs to catch fish, a weir or barrier
made of sticks for catching fish; ... an enclosure of
thin Slicks, which arc fixed in Ihe ground in the sea
(ncar the beach) to catch fish. I\n opening is len for
fish to enter the IIsio, al the Ilood, bul at the ebb they
lose their way and are caught by the owncr of the llsio
(K 411).1\ hc(tgc or cnclosurc of poles or long sticks,
madc in the sca to catch fish (K 418).
Bordiguc, barrage pour prendre Ie poisson
S.AfrJ.Afr.Lang., 2002, 16, Supplement (I)
dans les criques. C'est une enceinte demi-circulaire de
gaules/ito plantees cote acote, les parties laterales du
barrage s'avan

p'weza / ngisi / p'amamba / k'aambisi:
p 'weza humwamhiya ngisi * lukae lukimarisi
maji yakiala mwamha * llilakiwao ni sisi
lukavlIliwe p 'amamha * na wangi wa /Ilakamhisi (Anon. In: Ibrahim 1988: 108).
'The octopus said to the cuttlefish, "let us be cautious;
if the tide exposes the rock, it is we for whom people arc looking;
so that we can be used as bait [to catehJ p 'amal/lha, and a lot of I/lakalllhisi" '.
samaki:
I ewe haha lIVl/wae
mshipi wako llloe
*
*
mai yamesongamana
uhad.ilishe ndowana
!lapo mnamai loe * samaki wakllhwa sana
2. pia chamho hadilislw * uehie chamho eha dome
na mshipi kl{!ilpisha * klisUgi usikingame
hapo I/lawapandisha * na hala gau lizame
1. Sir, you who go a-fishing,
the tide has come in;
reel in your line,
change your fishing hook [for a larger one];
here, where the water is deer, draw in
very large fish.
2 Furthermore change the bait,
usc some cuttlefish for bait;
and shorten your line,
with the intention of not getting it caught [on the sea-bed];
there you will land [sueh a vast eateh of fish]
that even the boat will sink.
sifa:
na ubao ni maliki
wa mwango wa kllajiki
lIkiwa hal/nemki
kwa .'Ii/a huregezeya (Nabhany 1, 1979: 10, 11, 59).
'The first plank to be joined on is the maliki, ifit does not bend to fit in, it is made pliable with fish oil'.
simbe:
kwamhiwa simhe .'Ii p 'apa * walonyi walishangaa
ingi hl!!il/lyiwa s(/il * ipwezi lake hl!!i/{/
'When they were told that the guitarfish is not a shark
the fishermen were amazed;
[for] the liver is used to make oil
[and] its fin is useful [too] - i.e. despise not the guitarfish, it also has its uses.
simu:
lls(fanya pupa * na kl!iilliliza
mwenzio kllmpa * samhe wapoleza
lahadhari hapa * simu walaoza
(Muhammag Abg aI-Karim mIangana, transmitted by Yahya Ali Omar).
These lines were composed spontaneously by a customer at Mombasa's Old Fish Market at the time of year when
sprats are abundant.
'[0 fishmonger] don't be so greedy
keeping all [the sprats] for yourself;