SPEAKING TO THE SOUL THROUGH THE HEART: A PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH TO SWAHILI POETRY

In poetry, culture and history, the concept of the heart, the soul and the mind play a pivotal place in the body of the human being. René Descartes (1596-1650) philosophy, cogito, ergo sum is noted by philosophers as the first principle of his theory of knowledge and concept of self. As illustrated by researchers who employed Descartes philosophical thinking, the heart has its reasons, which reason does not know. The heart is considered as the source of emotions, passion and wisdom. It is the center of action. The soul, heart, mind and spirit are correlated or rather coordinated with the physical body. All these arguments complement the dualism philosophy of Descartes theory. This paper investigates the concepts of self-identity, self- consciousness, self-discovery, and self assurance as presented in two Swahili Poetry: Al-Inkishafi by Said Abdalla bin Ali bin Nassir (1720-1820) and Moyo Iwa na Subira by Abdilatif Abdalla (1973). The interwoven poetic artistic device of the soul-heart, mind and body connect the poets with their holistic being in a self-examination, evaluation, revelation and assurance amid the environmental and social challenges of their time.