UHIMILI WA HEJEMONIA NA NAFASI YA VIJANA KATIKA RIWAYA TEULE ZA KISWAHILI

Abstract

Ingawa wasomi wengi wa fasihi wameweza kuangazia masuala yanayohusu hejemonia, suala la ni kwa namna gani hejemonia inahimiliwa na kudhalilishwa mintarafu ya riwaya za kisasa bado lilihitaji kumulikwa. Hivyo, utafiti huu ulidhamiria kuchunguza safu za hejemonia zilizojitokeza katika jamii mintarafu ya riwaya teule. Pia, mtafiti alijadili mikakati iliyotumika kuhimili hejemonia katika jamii. Hatimaye, mtafiti alitathmini nafasi ya vijana katika jamii huku akiangazia namna vijana walivyohimili na kudhalilisha mfumo wa hejemonia katika riwaya teule. Malengo ya utafiti yaliafikiwa kwa kuhakiki riwaya nne: Msimu wa Vipepeo, Dharau ya Ini, Msururu wa Usaliti na Majilio ya Mkombozi. Utafiti uliongozwa na nadharia ya hejemonia ilioasisiwa na Antonio Gramsci na kuweka wazi suala la utawala wa mabwanyenye juu ya raia. Nadharia hii inaeleza udumishaji wa uwezo na mamlaka juu ya watawaliwa kupitia maafikiano na makubaliano yanayopatikana kutokana na ushawishi na ugagamizi wa raia. Mintarafu ya nadharia hii, hejemonia huendelezwa na kudumishwa sio tu kwa ushurutishaji bali pia kupitia maafikiano, lugha, wataalamu, siasa, maagizo, burudani, ujumbe na nyenzo nyingine za kielimu. Mtafiti alitumia sampuli ya kimaksudi ambapo aliteua riwaya za utafiti kwa kudhamiria kuwa zimesheheni masuala ibuka ya kihejemonia. Mtafiti aliteua riwaya nne kama sampuli halisi ya riwaya za kisasa zilizosheheni maudhui ya kihejemonia katika jamii. Riwaya nne za waandishi wawili tofauti zilikuwa mwafaka kwa utafiti huu kwani mtafiti alipata mtazamo mpana na tofauti wa masuala ya kihejemonia kwa mujibu wa nguzo za nadharia na malengo ya utafiti. Utafiti huu ulikuwa wa maktabani ambako usomi mpana na wa kina wa riwaya teule, vitabu vya ziada, majarida na tasnifu mbalimbali ulitekelezwa. Kikundi lengwa katika utafiti huu kilikuwa riwaya za kisasa za Kiswahili. Utaratibu wa upekuzi wa yaliyomo ulitumika kukusanya data huku mbinu ya kiuthamano ikitumika kuchanganua data hiyo. Muundo wa kimaelezi ulitumika kuchanganua data na kueleza matukio kwa uyakinifu. Utafiti ulionyesha kuwa safu tatu za hejemonia; jamii, siasa na uchumi zilihimiliwa kwa kutumia mikakati ya kimatini, kijamii, kisiasa na kiuchumi. Aidha, wapo vijana waliochangia kuhimili hejemonia huku wengine wakidhalilisha hejemonia. Matokeo ya utafiti yanatoa maarifa mapya kuhusu suala la uhimili na udhalilishaji wa hejemonia katika fasihi. Aidha, matokeo haya ni marejeleo muhimu kwa wasomi, wahakiki na watafiti wa masuala ya fasihi kando na kutoa hamasisho kuhusu safu za hejemonia na jinsi ya kukabiliana na hali hii bila ya vurugu wala parafujo.

ABSTRACT Although many literary scholars have researched and critiqued various themes in Kiswahili novels, the question of how various pillars of hegemony are buttressed on one hand and subverted on the other needed an investigation in the selected modern Kiswahili novels. This research therefore sought to: one, investigate the manifestation of various pillars of hegemony in the selected novels. Two, discuss the strategies employed by the dominant ruling class to buttress hegemony in the society. Finally, to evaluate the role played by the youth characters in buttressing and subverting of hegemony as portrayed in the selected novels. The above objectives were achieved through a critique of four Swahili novels namely: Msimu wa Vipepeo, Dharau ya Ini, Msururu wa Usaliti and Majilio ya Mkombozi. The theory of hegemony whose proponent was Antonio Gramsci was a fundamental guide to this study. The basic premise of the theory of hegemony is that human being is not only ruled by force but also by ideas, concession, language, professionalism, politics and entertainment. This theory, basically signifies domination of one sort or another whereby the ruling class dominates a culturally diverse society thereby manipulating the culture, beliefs, explanations, perceptions and values of a society and subsequently imposing the same on the society as an accepted natural norm. The selected novels were sampled purposefully as a reflection of modern Swahili novels enriched with thematic issues of hegemony. The four novels rendered the researcher a wider and varied perception of hegemonic issues in the society in relation to the pillars of the theory of hegemony and the research objectives. Library based research was applied whereby extensive and intensive reading of the selected novels, magazines, journals and dissertations was done with regard to the research objectives. The research design applied in this research was descriptive whereas the target population was modern Swahili novels. Perusal and content analysis method of data collection was used while descriptive qualitative analysis method was used to analyse data. Research findings showed that hegemony was entrenched in three societal pillars namely; social, political and economic pillars whereby it was buttressed by use of cultural, economic and political strategies. Furthermore, some of the youth characters played a role in buttressing hegemony while another group was instrumental in subverting of the same. The results of this research contribute to knowledge in that the question of the entrenchment of hegemony and the role of the youth in Kiswahili literature has been addressed. From the outcome of this study, literary scholars and researchers of literary works, language and linguistics will benefit immensely as this will enrich their references. On the other hand, the society is enlightened on the pillars of hegemony and how to contest dominan by the ruling class without necessarily turning chaotic and violent.