The oral nature of african unwritten literature 3 the significance of performance in actualization, transmission, and composition. November 2018 learn how and when to remove this template messageafricana womanism is a term coined in the late 1980s by clenora hudsonweems intended as an ideology applicable to all women of african descent. The vernacular press and african literature by ntongela masilela. Mar 30, 2020 african literature is as diverse as the continent itself, but several characteristics and themes prevail throughout much of the written works emerging from africa. The concept of a person is of central importance to all the answers of both clusters. The following article is from the great soviet encyclopedia 1979. African street literature and the future of literary form diva. Shelley regards poetry as imaginative passion while coleridge and others. African american literature is the body of literature produced in the united states by writers of african descent. Written african literature is very new compared to the indige nous oral tradition of literature which has been there and is still very much alive. It begins with the works of such late 18thcentury writers as phillis wheatley. Pub date jan 96 note 17p paper presented at the annual meeting of the.
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. African countries, as colonies and even today as neocolonies, came to be defined and to define themselves in terms of the languages of europe. I do not see african literature as one unit but as associated units in fact, the sum. Ngugi wa thiongo, the language of african literature squarespace. Pdf on jan 1, 2012, daria tunca published away from a definition of african literatures find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. What is ubuntu different interpretations among south. Yet by avoiding a real confrontation with the language issue, it was clearly wearing false robes of identity. African literature article about african literature by the. The end of the naturalistic novel is usually tragic, but not, as in classical and. Modern african literature is written in indigenous african languages and in european languages used in africa. 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. As first used in ancient greece, diaspora referred to people of dominant countries who voluntarily emigrated from their homelands to colonize conquered countries. First, i contextualize the debate between the essentialist and antiessentialist views of african identity in postcolonial african philosophy. The literature it produced in european languages was given the identity of african literature as if there had never been literature in african languages.
Document resume ed 396 985 so 026 545 vidal, sherry. Characteristics of african american literature pen and the pad. Examples of precolonial african literature are numerous. African literature article about african literature by. Some of these writers will be cited in order to highlight the status of poetry in a cultural context. Modern african literature is the natural inheritor of traditional african literature and though. Lactaotao f african literature preserves the rich culture and traditions of the african nations. However, after modern imperialism, language alone cannot be the sole definer of a peoples literature. The pragmatics of english in african literature dialnet. Oral literature of west africa includes the epic of sundiata composed in medieval mali, and the older epic of dinga from the old ghana empire. 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.
African definition is a native or inhabitant of africa. Form and content, as tools of coming up with literature, complement each other in numerous ways in the process of creating literary works. The study then concludes that african, rather than eurocentric standards should be applied in the evaluation of african literature. In reply to wali, achebe expresses, you cannot cram african literature in a small, neat definition. This is the first anthology to bring together the key texts of african literary theory and criticism. The vernacular press and african literature by ntongela masilela to consider the importance of the vernacular press in the making of african literature is simultaneously to encounter the paradoxical role of christian missionaries in both enabling and equally disabling the emergence of modern african literary sensibilities. Ghana published what is probably the first african novel written in english, ethiopia unbound.
African literature has origins dating back thousands of years to ancient egypt and hieroglyphs, or writing which uses pictures to represent words. As george joseph notes on the first page of his chapter on african literature in understanding contemporary africa, while the european perception of literature generally refers to written letters, the african concept includes oral literature. Here, the recourse to fantasy and myth translates not merely. Literature is that form of writing which arouses our feelings of the beautiful by the perfection of form or excellence of ideas or by both. African literature, literary works of the african continent. African literature, the body of traditional oral and written literatures in afroasiatic and african languages together with works written by africans in european languages. Pub type speechesconference papers 150 information analyses 070 edrs price mf01pc01 plus postage. The myths and trickster tales, which typically explain the creation of the universe, the activities of the gods at the beginning of creation, and the essence of existence. Document resume ed 396 985 so 026 545 vidal, sherry racism. Before the high point of slave narratives, african american literature was dominated by autobiographical spiritual narratives. Literature definition of literature by merriamwebster. The conference produced a tentative definition as follows.
African literature written in these european languages as an extension of european literature. 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. While the european perception of literature generally refers to written letters, the african concept includes oral literature or orature, in the term coined by ugandan scholar pio zirimu. Thiongo ngugi wa, the language of african literature, nlr. Perhaps the chadwicks put it best when they defined oral poetry as speech which is sung. What is african literature history of african literature. I have broadly defined literary genres within the context of social and cultural setting. African literature is literature of or from africa and includes oral literature or orature, in the term coined by ugandan scholar pio zirimu.
We shall try to illustrate that african culture and values can be appraised from. It is thus clearly evident that form cannot be separated from content if literature is to perform its functions fully and effectively. Pdf characteristics of african literature rony o p. East african literature the literature of the peoples of east africa who speak the swahili language and live in kenya, uganda, the united republic of tanzania, and malawi and on the island of mafia. In the global context, a global mindset is a critical leadership attribute to cultivate, developing skills. Apr 17, 2017 african american literature refers to literature written by americans of african descent.
After this work, african literature will never be the same. May 05, 2015 by definition, postcolonialism is a period of time after colonialism, and postcolonial literature is typically characterized by its opposition to the colonial. Collins english dictionary defines literature as written materials such as poetry, novels, essays, etc. The study of african oral literature okpewho, engages the reader in a discussion on the definition of oral literature.
Pdf african languages and african literature researchgate. Dec 14, 2014 the basic characteristics of african english literature are 1 written in both african and european languages. 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. Pdf on jan 1, 2012, daria tunca published away from a definition of african literature s find, read and cite all the research you need on. Pdf away from a definition of african literatures researchgate. In his death and the kings horsemen 1975, wole soyinka makes the colonial setting incidental, a mere catalyst, in what is the metaphysical crisis of a hawed. The concept of an african prose literature sage journals. The oral nature of african unwritten literature 5 said to have an independent and tangible existence in even one copy, so that questions about, say, the format, number, and publicizing of other. The novels of flora nwapa, buchi emecheta and zaynab alkali offer an alternative perspective of female characterisation in contemporary african literature than that of the demure, obeisant wife and mother and are received as a welcome diversion from the african canon chukwuma,1989. Fifty years later i would argue that the only way to define african literature is to overlook these complexities. For instance, there is often a great emphasis on the history, culture and customs of a group of people when telling their stories. African literature possessing those qualities that define it as such.
Please do not remove this message until conditions to do so are met. The comprehensive account of the development of african literature from its beginnings in oral tradition to its. African literature forms the background to what is now recognized as an african variety of magic realism, which can be seen as inherent in the inspiration and cultural embeddedness of the african novels now grouped in this category. Pdf away from a definition of african literatures daria. African literature refers to literature of and from africa. Ancient egyptian scribes, early hausa and swahili copyists and memorizers, and contemporary writers of popular novellas have been the obvious and crucial transitional figures in the movement. Brings together key texts that are otherwise hard to locate covers all genres and critical schools provides the intellectual context for understanding african literature facilitates the future development of african literary criticism. Given this africa centred consciousness, the african writers can write about what he pleases, and even about other countries, and still his work will belong to african literature. Nor was achebe the first african literary writer to be feted by the inter national publishing market. After the elimination of white rule shall have been completed, the single most important fact in africa in the second half of the twentieth century will.
Any attempt to define african literature in terms which overlook the complexities of the african scene at the material time is doomed to failure. Postcolonial literature often addresses the problems and consequences of the decolonization of a country, especially questions relating to the political and cultural independence of formerly subjugated people, and themes such as racialism and colonialism. Traditional written literature, which is limited to a smaller geographic area than is oral literature, is most characteristic of those subsaharan cultures that have participated in the cultures of the mediterranean. Culture, language and evolution of african literature. This conference produced a tentative definition of african literature as follows. What are the characteristics of african literature. Gender and generational perspectives show general agreement but provide some nuanced perspectives. The predominant african languages used are amharic, zulu, hausa, and swahili. Pdf away from a definition of african literatures daria tunca. See also african languages african languages, geographic rather than linguistic classification of languages spoken on the african continent. Second, i develop and outline the research question. In most societies the written and the spoken languages are the same in that they represent each other. Brings together key texts that are otherwise hard to locate covers all genres and critical schools provides the intellectual context for understanding african literature facilitates the future development of african. I was saying in effect that african literature would define itself in action.
African literature african literature oral traditions and the written word. The term africa appears to correspond to a geographical notion. While there are literary works in yoruba, hausa, zulu and sotho, among others, this literature in african indigenous languages is. What is ubuntu different interpretations among south africans. That african literature in portuguese has received so little attention seems surprising, for it is a formidable body of work of a varied and a most appealing originality. I still think it was excellent advice even if it carried a hint of evasiveness or even superstition. Thiongo ngugi wa, the language of african literature, nlr i. Literature definition is writings in prose or verse. Should it embrace the whole continent, or south of the sahara, or just black africa. Knowledge is not well served by asserting that definition is a male. Moreover, the centrality of the place of values in african culture as a heritage that is passed down from one generation to another, will be highlighted.
Pdf this paper, from an afrocentric point of view and postcolonial literary criticism, attempts a definition of african literature with a view to. Oral literature in africa is part of the world oral literature series published in conjunction with the world oral literature project. The conference failed to come up with any authentic identifiable definition and a year later, a nigerian critic, obi wali, writing in his famous essay the dead end of african literature. I suggested that the task might bec,me easier when more of our produce had entered the market. They tend to choose characters who exhibit strong animal drives such as greed and sexual desire, and who are victims both of their glandular secretions within and of sociological pressures without. These peoples have long maintained trade and cultural relations with arabia, india, iran, and indonesia, so that the influence exerted by the cultures of these latter countries on swahili literature is appreciable. Most of the writing comes from angola, cape verde, and mozambique, but sao tome and guinea are equally well represented.
Traditional written literature, which is limited to a smaller geographic area than is oral literature, is most characteristic of those subsaharan cultures that have. The perception of african oral literature 29 nineteenthcentury approaches and collections. Post colonialism literature is the literature by people from formerly colonized countries. Creative writing in which an african setting is authentically handled or to which experiences originating in africa are integral. African literature oral traditions and the written word. The transformation of african literatures from traditional form to high. Oral and written storytelling traditions have had a parallel development, and in many ways they have influenced each other. African literature is literature of or from africa and includes oral literature as george joseph. Lactaotao african literature preserves the rich culture and traditions of the african nations. During the atlantic trade of enslaved people of the 16th to 19th centuries, as many as 12 million people in western and central africa were taken captive and shipped to the americas.
However, for a common understanding and, to give us a working definition, we shall adopt the definition of literature as. East african literature article about east african. The term diaspora comes from the greek verb diaspeiro meaning to scatter or to spread about. African literature history, writers, books, characteristics. African literature, especially given the fact that much of modern african literature is written in english. Made up mainly of young men and women in their childbearing years, the native african diaspora grew rapidly.
315 992 89 447 394 1213 1213 1482 895 558 789 474 847 57 1622 1407 1043 1429 178 1576 568 1323 1141 89 438 964 181 498 753 495 1321 483 1032 897 1045 1245