Its name derives from the fact that it usually describes heroic deeds, like the medieval European gesta (lit.
[1] Utendi, plural tendi, meaning "act" or "deed", is derived from the Swahili verb ku-tenda "to do".
[2] Reciting utenzi is a popular pastime on weddings and other ceremonies and feasts; often, specialized narrators are invited to do this.
[3] Utenzi verse form consists of four-line stanzas, with each line having eight syllables.
The verse form can be illustrated by the first stanza of the Utend̠i wa Tambuka:[4] The first three lines all end in -bu.