Jan Knappert

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Dr. Jan Knappert (Jan 14, 1927, Heemstede - May 30, 2005, Hilversum, Netherlands) was a well-known expert on the Swahili language. He was also an Esperantist, and he wrote an Esperanto-Swahili dictionary.

Knappert translated many literary and historical works from Swahili; including Utendi wa Tambuka ("The Epic of Heraklios"), a very early Swahili epic poem. He also translated the Finnish national epic, The Kalevala, 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 as TEJO.

He fathered seven children and was grandfather to eight.

[edit] 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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