John William Carnegie Kirk

John William Carnegie Kirk (1878-1962) was a British Army officer, and botanist working in South Africa and author of A British Garden Flora.

Biography

Kirk was commissioned a second lieutenant in The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry on 18 October 1899, and promoted to lieutenant on 16 February 1901.^[1] In August 1902 he was seconded for service under the Foreign Office,^[2] and transferred to the 3rd (East Africa) Battalion of the King's African Rifles.

Geeraar for Sultan Nur

Sultan Nur (centre) and Habar Yunis horsemen

During his time in British Somaliland he recorded many poems and translated accounts and stories in the Somali language and compiled them into a book. One of such poems was about a visit from the powerful Sultan Nur Ahmed Aman to the Habr Je'lo. The Habr Je'lo recited this geeraar praising Sultan Nur.^[3]

Hali waa iga salaan Halna wa iga sacab-qaad Halna wa iga suaal Hal wa i sacabqaad wa i Suldaanka amaanti Siraadki Berberad iyo wa haldhaa subax joga baalashi kala sidoo wax la sisto la waa Halna wa iga salan Geela, Seenyo iyo Laan Sangayaasha qararystay Gabdhahaa suurta la moodo iyo seyaxaanu ku jifna Sadadaada nabad ba leh	First we salute thee Then we shake your hands Then we ask a question First is our handshake is praise to our Sultan the light of Berbera Who is as an ostrich standing in the morning Shaking out his wings beyond compare Again we salute thee The camels, Senyo and Lan, The stallions have become fat The young girls are like straight sticks, and we lie in the dew the tribute is one of peace
—Habr Jelo Geeraar[4]

Works

A Grammar of the Somali Language: With Examples in Prose and Verse 1905