- Jan Knappert
Dr. Jan Knappert (
Jan 14 1927 ,Heemstede -May 30 2005 ,Hilversum ,Netherlands ) was a well-known expert on theSwahili language . He was also anEsperantist , and he wrote anEsperanto -Swahilidictionary .Knappert translated many literary and historical works from Swahili; including
Utendi wa Tambuka ("The Epic of Heraklios"), a very early Swahiliepic poem . He also translated the Finnishnational epic , TheKalevala , into Swahili.Knappert taught in
Leuven and London, as well as several African universities. He also participated in several Esperanto conventions in the 1970s, such asTEJO .He fathered seven children and was grandfather to eight.
Partial bibliography
* Knappert, Jan (1958) "Het Epos Van Heraklios". (Dutch edition and literal translation; dissertation at Leiden University)
* Knappert, Jan (1969) 'The Utenzi wa Katirifu or Ghazwa ya Sesebani', "Afrika und Übersee", Band LII, 3-4, 81-104.
* Knappert, Jan (1977) "het Epos van Heraklios. Uit het Swahili vertaald in het oorspronkelijke metrum". Amsterdam: Meulenhoff. (Dutch translation in the original meter).
* Knappert, Jan (1989) "The A-Z of African Proverbs" London: Karnak House.
* Knappert, Jan (1990) "African Mythology". London: The Aquarian Press.
* Knappert, Jan (1991) "Indian Mythology; an Encyclopedia of Myth and Legend". London: Harper Collins.
* Knappert, Jan (2001) "The Book of African Fables". New York: Edwin Mellen Press.
* Knappert, Jan (2003)"The A-Z of African Love Songs". London: Karnak House.
* Knappert, Jan (2005) "Swahili Culture Book I and II" New York: Edwin Mellen Press.
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