Ong argue that it is a contradiction in terms since the conservative view is that literature should. This work refutes this idea in its entirety by presenting 22 chapters, which firmly place the study of oral literature within contemporary african existence. The term oral literature is also used to describe the tradition in written civilizations in which certain genres are transmitted by word of mouth or are confined to the socalled folk i. Characteristics of oral tradition in world literature. African literature consists of a body of work in different languages and various genres, ranging from oral literature to literature written in colonial languages french, portuguese, and english. In the first generation of modern african poetry, there was an incarnation of a dominant tendency of reaction against colonialism. The various categories of african folktales are analyzed.
After reading oral literature in africa by ruth finnegan i know a little more. Please consider donating to obp and purchasing our books to support our work. African literature, literary works of the african continent. Therefore, it serves as a good means of introducing a nations culture when used for communication. It includes oral literature they called it as orature orature was coined by pio zirimu pio zirimu ugandan scholar african literature 10. Ruth finnegan in her study of oral literature in africa names the region of west africa as the place where one can find literary forms that have dramatic elements. Prose mythological or historical, written or spoken language calland response spontaneous verbal and nonverbal interaction between the speaker and the listener african literature.
In which, there are, use of proverbs, idioms, imagery, symbolism, figures of speeches, myths, lyrics, sonnets, etc. The comprehensive account of the development of african literature from its beginnings in oral tradition to its contemporary expression in the writings of africans in various african and european languages provides insight, both broad and deep, into the black intellect. The significance of performance in actualization, transmission, and composition. The oral nature of african unwritten literature the significance of performance in actualization, transmission, and composition. Feb 11, 2017 it includes oral literature they called it as orature orature was coined by pio zirimu pio zirimu ugandan scholar african literature 10. Characteristics of oral tradition in world literature video.
In addition, the rhythms and language of black sermons, as well as elements such as repetition and circularity, are frequently used by african american poets. Pdf the role of orature in african sociocultural space. It can also be quite diverse because of the sheer size of the continent. The study analyzes how oral literature relates to media, music, technology, text, gender, religion, power, politics. Therefore, the thematic concern in the main was 1 i th asob edm i,w v rncu p lf y generations in african literature.
The predominant african languages used are amharic, zulu, hausa, and swahili. Traditional written literature, which is limited to a smaller geographic area than is oral literature, is most characteristic of those subsaharan cultures that have. All religions of the world share one common characteristic, that is, they. Yet, despite the existence of these books on oral literature, the young generation in africa that has grown under the western school system somehow feels estranged with respect to this oral literature. African literature is literature of or from africa and includes oral literature. In considering the essential or fundamental stylistic characteristics of oral literature, there is the need to have some understanding of what constitutes style and consequently, stylistics. As george joseph notes in his chapter on african literature in understanding contemporary africa, whereas european views of literature often stressed a separation of art and content, african awareness is inclusive.
African literature is meant in large part to be educational as well as entertaining. This literature, like many others has its roots in the oral tradition. African oral genres tales, proverbs, riddles, and lullabies. If african orature depends on community and social setting, it can be said that ore grows out of tradition and keeps tradition alive. Basically, the manner of study and approach often determine how these categorizations are configured. Oral literature, the standard forms or genres of literature found in societies without writing. Songs oral narratives oral poetryriddlestongue twisters 3. Same goes for african oral literature most of which we study today in its written. Literature can also simply mean an artistic use of words for the sake of art alone. Thank you for your interest in oral literature in africa. What are the characteristics of african oral literature. Key terms in the study are oral praises, written praises, critical evaluation. Africa in precolonial times was divided into various ethnic groups. The perception of african oral literature nineteenthcentury approaches and collections.
Examples of traditional literature are divination text, drum language, poem, appellation, tales, songs, riddles, proverbs, myths and legends. Pdf on sep 29, 2018, g i n emezue and others published. This paper grapples with the question of choice of theory in the study of african oral literature. What are the characteristics of african oral literature answers. What you need to remember at this point, is that without. Before the high point of slave narratives, african american literature was dominated by autobiographical spiritual narratives. Apr 24, 2012 oral literature makes us aware of ourselves, other human beings, our environment and our history. It forms part of africas rich cultures that are expressed in diverse ways. For instance, there is often a great emphasis on the history, culture and customs of a group of people when telling their stories. Another important difference between traditional african oral art and modern african literature involves the identity and social standing of their respective practitioners. It means spoken literature, or literature by word of mouth, which makes it a controversial term. Oral literature is basically the art of verbal storytelling.
Ethiopian literatures are composed in several languages. Even though some of these characteristics can be found in written literature, you will discover that in oral literature they are unique. The aesthetics of african literature conform to cultural truths and aspirations cherished by. African oral literature for schools 1983 and finnegan ruth. Early african writing tends to tell folktales, or stories and legends passed down through a culture. African literature, the body of traditional oral and written literatures in afroasiatic and african languages together with works written by africans in european languages. This literature through narrative, poetry, song, dance, myths and fables, and texts for religious rituals provides a portrait of the meaning of life as experienced by the society at its.
It begins with the works of such late 18thcentury writers as phillis wheatley. This perspective contextualises the historical, political and indigenous cultural dynamics that shaped both the written and oral forms of literature of africa past and present. Legends and myths are prime examples of oral literature, crossing the line between fact and fiction, yet strengthened by constant retelling. A mazisi kuneneisidore okpewho, for many years professor of english at the university of ibadan, is one of the handful of african scholars who has facilitated the growth of african oral literature to its status today as a literary enterprise concerned with the artistic foundations.
The former are relatively well knownat any rate the recent writings in european languages much work remains to be publicized on earlier arabic and local written. African literature is as diverse as the continent itself, but several characteristics and themes prevail throughout much of the written works emerging from africa. Nov 30, 2011 all in all, proverbs are crystal of language and culture, loaded with accumulated wisdom and strong national characteristics and distinct cultural implications. The book is available as a free pdf and ebook download thanks to the generous support of interested readers and organisations, who made donations using the crowdfunding website unglue.
There are similarities and it is fascinating to read about african and. From roots of the oral tradition of passing down cultural stories and history through presentation and storytelling, african literature came to also be written down. African literature african literature the influence of oral traditions on modern writers. During that period different communities developed. Orature as a characteristic of the literatures of werewereliking. The scholar examines literary issues which relate to the performance of folktales in traditional africa. Presentday spokenword and performance poetry, with its. Characteristics of african american literature pen and. Morals and lessons are typically woven into wellcrafted and engaging stories. Literature both oral and written as an art form should be as entertaining as it is didactic. Oral literature in africa pdf open book publishers.
Africa possesses both written and unwritten traditions. Oral traditional poetics has some special characteristics because of the way in which it was created from the matrix of oral tradition. We will demonstrate to which extend the culture and tradition, the audience and the community and finally, through its functional characteristics, the african oral. Abstract a lot has been said about the slow death of the oral tradition aspect of indigenous communication. Oral literature by ruth finnegan investigates how culture, tradition, and various forms of communication have been passed down from different parts of africa. African literature the influence of oral traditions on. This digital version is available to download free of charge. African literature may be classified into three distinctly and widely accepted categories traditional oral literature of africa, literature written in indigenous african languages and literature written in european languages. Throughout africa, oral literature is flourishing, though it is perceived by some as anachronistic to the modern world.
This revised edition makes finnegans groundbreaking research available to the next generation of scholars. I know more about the oral tradition in nativeamerican culture than i do african culture but thats not a problem. These folktales are meant to provide guidance and pass on cultural history. Pdf comments on the literary quality of african oral literature. After this work, african literature will never be the same. Characteristics of african american literature pen and the pad. African american literature refers to literature written by americans of african descent. Themes in the literary traditions of contemporary africa are worked out frequently within the strictures laid down by the imported religions christianity and islam and within the struggle between traditional and modern, between rural and newly urban, between genders, and between generations. He comments, until these writers and their western midwives accept the fact that true african literature must be written in african languages, they would be merely pursuing a dead end. Conclusion it may be surprising to find riddles included in a survey of oral literature. Ruth takes us on a journey where you will learn several ways in which they express themselves from drums, dance, songs, parables and childrens.
Contents online resources illustrations forward by mark turin prefaces acknowledgements abbreviations note on sources. African literature possessing those qualities that define it as such. There are many characteristics which distinguish african literature from other literatures, in the world. Orature as a characteristic of the literatures of werewere. Stories, songs, proverbs, riddles and jokes in oral literature use colorful words and vivid images to describe human beings, their feelings and their behavior towards one another. That is why i trace response to oral poetic performances as of the udje and ijala and the continuation into modern works in english, french, or portuguese, among others. Although there were certainly slaves writing in the early days of slavery and colonization, the african american literary tradition began to take root in the 17th and 18th centuries, when former slaves such as frederick douglass and phillis wheatley came to the attention of the larger white audience. Modern african literature is the natural inheritor of traditional african literature and though. The term oral literature is also used to describe the tradition in written civilizations in which certain genres are transmitted by word of mouth or are confined to the socalled folk. Recent trends in african studies and the revival of interest in oral literature. Oral literature is a performed art which in most cases uses words as a medium of communication.
African american literature is the body of literature produced in the united states by writers of african descent. Key terms in the study are oral praises, written praises, critical evaluation, historical record, compositional techniques, traditional praises, modern praises. What are the characteristics of african literature. In these explanations of orature, we recognize elements belonging to oral literature. The importance of song in africa oral literature aucccom. One of the features that probably characterize african cultural lore is the richness of oral genres variously known as oral literature or orature. Based on years of fieldwork, the study traces the history of storytelling across the continent of africa.
Unlike written literary genres, oral literature is conveyed or passed down to future generations by word of mouth, typically through memorization and recitation. In an attempt to preserve this oral literature, several individual authors have collected tales, proverbs, riddles and published them in books. Poets such as langston hughes, amiri baraka and gwendolyn brooks used. The social, linguistic, and literary background 51. Influence of orature on african literature the herald. The steady incursion of foreign media content and values which were once alien to africans but are now being assimilated and exhibited. The study sets its search light on certain elements of african oral literature such as folklores, myths, legends, proverbs and oral poetry which emanate from the yoruba community. The basic characteristics of african english literature are 1 written in both african and european languages. A valuable book in the genre of african oral literature is ruth finnegans oral literature in africa. In the first chapter, there is nevertheless not a word on oral literature. Apr 17, 2017 much african american literature has an oral component that comes from the tradition of slave spirituals and poetry.
So much work has been done on african oral literature in the two decades since the publication of ruth finnegans epochmaking and immensely useful oral literature in africa that there is need for a more uptodate critical introduction such as i have tried to provide in this book. Let me, however, indulge myself by some remarks on one characteristic about the book which has struck methe way that oral literature. Hillis millers project is slightly different from widdowsons. Ruth finnegans oral literature in africa was first published in 1970, and since then has been widely praised as one of the most important books in its field. Apr 06, 2016 by bernice bessey oral literature is a spoken word that has been transmitted from generation to generation. Writers in africa today owe much to african oral tradition and to those authors who have occupied the space between the two traditions, in an area of creative interaction. In addition to the insights i have gained from the extensive fieldwork and analyses undertaken by my students. After a first chapter on what literature is, he discusses questions such as why and how we should read literature. A distinctive feature of african literature is that it can sometimes be an oral form of literature. What are the characteristics of oral literature answers.
What is african literature history of african literature. However, riddles in africa have regularly been considered to be a type of art form, albeit often of minor and childish interest, and have long been included in studies of oral literature. The paper argues that while it is easy and desirable to choose a facilitative theory in the analysis of a written work of literature, such a process poses challenges when it comes to the oral type of african literature. There is also great pride in sharing stories about history and culture, even if the stories arent always pleasant and uplifting. Oral literature in africa is part of the world oral literature series published in conjunction with the world oral literature project. Interactions and intersections edited by daniela merolla leiden university, the netherlands introduction the studies of oral literature are countless, and the educational function of storytelling is certainly one of recurring topics.