Oral Epics from Africa

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Author :
Publisher : Indiana University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780253211101
Total Pages : 360 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (111 download)

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Book Synopsis Oral Epics from Africa by : John William Johnson

Download or read book Oral Epics from Africa written by John William Johnson and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 1997-04-22 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It seems incredible that heretofore there has not been an introductory anthology of African epics presented in English. Western literary culture has long emphasized the heritage of such well-known epics as the Iliad, the Odyssey, and Aeneid. But it is only recently that scholars have turned their attention toward capturing the rich oral tradition that is still alive in Africa. The twenty-five excerpts in this volume have been selected and introduced so as to offer English-speaking readers a broad sample of the extensive epic traditions in Africa. The general introduction and the background on each epic will enable readers to understand the context of each epic and will also provide leads for further inquiry.

The Epic in Africa

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Author :
Publisher : New York : Columbia University Press
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 318 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

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Book Synopsis The Epic in Africa by : Isidore Okpewho

Download or read book The Epic in Africa written by Isidore Okpewho and published by New York : Columbia University Press. This book was released on 1979 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Epic Traditions of Africa

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Author :
Publisher : Indiana University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780253212818
Total Pages : 308 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (128 download)

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Book Synopsis Epic Traditions of Africa by : Stephen Belcher

Download or read book Epic Traditions of Africa written by Stephen Belcher and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 1999-10-22 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Belcher's volume contains a much needed and extremely well-integrated overview and discussion of a vast inter-related West African culture complex that deserves and requires the kind of original, insightful treatment it receives here." —David Conrad Epic Traditions of Africa crosses boundaries of language, distance, and time to gather material from diverse African oral epic traditions. Stephen Belcher explores the rich past and poetic force of African epics and places them in historical and social, as well as artistic contexts. Colorful narratives from Central and West African traditions are illuminated along with texts that are more widely available to Western readers—the Mande Sunjata and the Bamana Segou. Belcher also takes up questions about European influences on African epic poetry and the possibility of mutual influence through out the genre. This lively and informative volume will inspire an appreciation for the distinctive qualities of this uniquely African form of verbal art.

Heroism and the Supernatural in the African Epic

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Author :
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 113693264X
Total Pages : 134 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (369 download)

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Book Synopsis Heroism and the Supernatural in the African Epic by : Mariam Konaté Deme

Download or read book Heroism and the Supernatural in the African Epic written by Mariam Konaté Deme and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2010-09-13 with total page 134 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There exists a strong tendency within Western literary criticism to either deny the existence of epics in Africa or to see African literatures as exotic copies of European originals. In both cases, Western criticism has largely failed to acknowledge the distinctiveness of African literary aesthetics. This book revises traditional literary canons in examining the social, cultural and emotional specificity of African epics. Mariam Konate Deme highlights the distinguishing features that characterize the African epic, emphasizing the significance of the fantastic and its use as an essential element in the dramatic structure of African epics. As Deme notes, the fantastic can be fully appreciated only against the cosmological background of the societies that produce those heroic tales. This book not only contributes to the scholarship on African oral literature, but also adds reshapes our understanding of heroic literature in general.

Sunjata

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Author :
Publisher : Hackett Publishing
ISBN 13 : 9780872206977
Total Pages : 258 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (69 download)

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Book Synopsis Sunjata by : David C. Conrad

Download or read book Sunjata written by David C. Conrad and published by Hackett Publishing. This book was released on 2004-01-01 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A pillar of the West African oral tradition for centuries, this epic traces the adventures and achievements of the Mande hero, Sunjata, as he liberates his people from Sumaworo Kanté, the sorcerer king of Soso, and establishes the great medieval empire of Mali. David Conrad conveys the strong narrative thrust of the Sunjata epic in his presentation of substantial excerpts from his translation of a performance by Djanka Tassey Condé. Readers approaching the epic for the first time will appreciate the translation's highly readable, poetic English as well as Conrad's informative Introduction and notes. Scholars will find the familiar heroes and heroines taking on new dimensions, secondary characters gaining increased prominence, and previously unknown figures emerging from obscurity. "Thanks to his careful editing and translating of Condé's narrative, Conrad offers a highly readable version of the epic that is about a third of its original length. The translation communicates not only the poetic qualities and the essential events of the Sunjata legend but also the master bard's performance values. Thus, this rendering will fascinate those who already know the story and culture and those coming to the epic for the first time. Conrad provides an excellent introduction to Mande oral tradition, the role of the griot, and the Manding belief system. Though he makes no claim for this as the complete scholarly edition, he does provide helpful scholarly notes, a glossary, and a good bibliography. . . . Summing up: Highly recommended." --L. W. Yoder, CHOICE

The Epic of Son-Jara

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Author :
Publisher : Indiana University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780253207135
Total Pages : 166 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (71 download)

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Book Synopsis The Epic of Son-Jara by : Fa-Digi Sisòkò

Download or read book The Epic of Son-Jara written by Fa-Digi Sisòkò and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 1992-08-22 with total page 166 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: " . . . a major addition to the literature on oral traditions." —Journal of Religion in Africa This 750-year-old epic celebrates the exploits of the legendary founder of the Empire of Old Mali. It constitutes a virtual social, political, and cultural charter and embodies deep-rooted aspects of Mande cosmology. The fully annotated translation is accompanied by an introduction that provides a historical and contextual framework for understanding the recitation of this African epic.

Into Africa

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Publisher : Crown
ISBN 13 : 0385504527
Total Pages : 442 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (855 download)

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Book Synopsis Into Africa by : Martin Dugard

Download or read book Into Africa written by Martin Dugard and published by Crown. This book was released on 2003-05-06 with total page 442 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What really happened to Dr. David Livingstone? The New York Times bestselling coauthor of Survivor: The Ultimate Game investigates in this thrilling account. With the utterance of a single line—“Doctor Livingstone, I presume?”—a remote meeting in the heart of Africa was transformed into one of the most famous encounters in exploration history. But the true story behind Dr. David Livingstone and journalist Henry Morton Stanley is one that has escaped telling. Into Africa is an extraordinarily researched account of a thrilling adventure—defined by alarming foolishness, intense courage, and raw human achievement. In the mid-1860s, exploration had reached a plateau. The seas and continents had been mapped, the globe circumnavigated. Yet one vexing puzzle remained unsolved: what was the source of the mighty Nile river? Aiming to settle the mystery once and for all, Great Britain called upon its legendary explorer, Dr. David Livingstone, who had spent years in Africa as a missionary. In March 1866, Livingstone steered a massive expedition into the heart of Africa. In his path lay nearly impenetrable, uncharted terrain, hostile cannibals, and deadly predators. Within weeks, the explorer had vanished without a trace. Years passed with no word. While debate raged in England over whether Livingstone could be found—or rescued—from a place as daunting as Africa, James Gordon Bennett, Jr., the brash American newspaper tycoon, hatched a plan to capitalize on the world’s fascination with the missing legend. He would send a young journalist, Henry Morton Stanley, into Africa to search for Livingstone. A drifter with great ambition, but little success to show for it, Stanley undertook his assignment with gusto, filing reports that would one day captivate readers and dominate the front page of the New York Herald. Tracing the amazing journeys of Livingstone and Stanley in alternating chapters, author Martin Dugard captures with breathtaking immediacy the perils and challenges these men faced. Woven into the narrative, Dugard tells an equally compelling story of the remarkable transformation that occurred over the course of nine years, as Stanley rose in power and prominence and Livingstone found himself alone and in mortal danger. The first book to draw on modern research and to explore the combination of adventure, politics, and larger-than-life personalities involved, Into Africa is a riveting read.

The African Epic Controversy

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Author :
Publisher : Mkuki na Nyota Publishers
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 576 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

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Book Synopsis The African Epic Controversy by : Mugyabuso M. Mulokozi

Download or read book The African Epic Controversy written by Mugyabuso M. Mulokozi and published by Mkuki na Nyota Publishers. This book was released on 2002 with total page 576 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mulokozi discusses African epic poetry from a context-performance perspective, and asserts that oral epic poetry is a living and lived event, besides being a literary text. His work is based on previously unpublished material from the Enanga epic tradition of the Bahaya of Tanzania, and material on the African epic, gathered from West, Central, Southern and Eastern Africa since 1970, and arises from the controversies about the occurrence of the epic in Africa from this time. It includes full texts of the poems themselves in the original Luhaya language and set alongside English translations. For each poem, the author presents a profile of the singer, and an introduction and anaylsis of the socio-historical context, literary content and stylistic features of the poem. Adopting a sociological, generative approach, he re-examines questions of oral composition, oral poetics, the nature and role of music in epic performance, the concept of heroism in African epic poetry, and how it stands in relation to history and philosophy. As a whole, the study reaffirms the existence of the African epic, and generates new definitions and theoretical approaches taking forward scholarly debate on epic poetry in Africa.

Explore Africa

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Author :
Publisher : Pogo Books
ISBN 13 : 9781645272830
Total Pages : 24 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (728 download)

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Book Synopsis Explore Africa by : Veronica B. Wilkins

Download or read book Explore Africa written by Veronica B. Wilkins and published by Pogo Books. This book was released on 2019-12-15 with total page 24 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "In this book, early fluent readers will learn about the unique and defining characteristics of Africa. Young readers will learn more about this continent's landscape, biomes, climate, wildlife, culture, and more. A Take a Look! infographic aids understanding, sidebars present interesting, supplementary information, maps help readers locate the continent, and an At a Glance summary provides quick facts for easy reference"--

Africa

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Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781602533462
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (334 download)

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Book Synopsis Africa by : Mary Lindeen

Download or read book Africa written by Mary Lindeen and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A very simple introduction to the geography, topography, flora, fauna, and people of Africa.

The Lianja Epic

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Publisher : East African Publishers
ISBN 13 : 9789966467669
Total Pages : 146 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (676 download)

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Book Synopsis The Lianja Epic by : Mubima Maneniang'

Download or read book The Lianja Epic written by Mubima Maneniang' and published by East African Publishers. This book was released on 1999 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since around the fourteenth century this heroic narrative has been handed down the generations orally within the Mongo People, and has now been published in English for the first time. The translation captures the African imagery, idiom and forms of literary expression. With the themes of peace, unity and reconciliation at its centre, the author encompasses and depicts the rich cultural heritage of the Mongo people. The narrative is simultaneously an expose of the great deeds of a legendary Mongo hero and the fascinating socio-historical, economic and religious context in which the Mongo have lived and continue to live.

Son-Jara

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Publisher : Indiana University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780253343376
Total Pages : 360 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (433 download)

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Book Synopsis Son-Jara by : Fa-Digi Sisòkò

Download or read book Son-Jara written by Fa-Digi Sisòkò and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 2003-10-30 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The epic of Son-Jara (also known as Sunjata or Sundiata) celebrates the exploits of the legendary founder of the Empire of Old Mali and is still widely recited among Mandekan-speaking peoples of West Africa today. As performed by griots, or professional bards, it embodies deeply rooted aspects of Mande cosmology and worldview. This edition of the epic presents the full, linear Mandekan text side by side with John William Johnson's important English translation. Fully annotated and explained, the text provides historical and contextual frameworks for understanding this African epic. A complete recitation of the epic by Jeli fa-Digi Sisòkò recorded in the town of Kita, Mali, is sold separately. This powerful text and inspiring performance show why the epic of Son-Jara has taken its place among the world's greatest epics.

Oral Literature in Africa

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Author :
Publisher : Open Book Publishers
ISBN 13 : 1906924708
Total Pages : 614 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (69 download)

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Book Synopsis Oral Literature in Africa by : Ruth Finnegan

Download or read book Oral Literature in Africa written by Ruth Finnegan and published by Open Book Publishers. This book was released on 2012-09 with total page 614 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ruth Finnegan's 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. Based on years of fieldwork, the study traces the history of storytelling across the continent of Africa. This revised edition makes Finnegan's ground-breaking research available to the next generation of scholars. It includes a new introduction, additional images and an updated bibliography, as well as its original chapters on poetry, prose, "drum language" and drama, and an overview of the social, linguistic and historical background of oral literature in Africa. This book is the first volume in the World Oral Literature Series, an ongoing collaboration between OBP and World Oral Literature Project. A free online archive of recordings and photographs that Finnegan made during her fieldwork in the late 1960s is hosted by the World Oral Literature Project (http: //www.oralliterature.org/collections/rfinnegan001.html) and can also be accessed from publisher's website.

African Lion, The

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Author :
Publisher : Bellwether Media
ISBN 13 : 1612115993
Total Pages : 24 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (121 download)

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Book Synopsis African Lion, The by : Lisa Owings

Download or read book African Lion, The written by Lisa Owings and published by Bellwether Media. This book was released on 2009-08-01 with total page 24 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Wildebeests, zebras, and other African animals live in danger of being strangled to death by an African lion. Even people in small villages face the threat of an attack from a ruthless lion! You will be terrified as you read about these ferocious cats with appetites for human flesh!

Explore Africa

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Publisher : Crabtree Publishing Company
ISBN 13 : 9780778730705
Total Pages : 36 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (37 download)

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Book Synopsis Explore Africa by : Bobbie Kalman

Download or read book Explore Africa written by Bobbie Kalman and published by Crabtree Publishing Company. This book was released on 2007 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An introduction to Africa, a continent of fifty-four countries, discussing Africa's climate, waterways, landforms, forests, grasslands, deserts, rural and urban areas, resources, and culture, and looking at popular sites in Africa.

Gassire's Lute

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Author :
Publisher : Waveland Press
ISBN 13 : 1478609109
Total Pages : 65 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (786 download)

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Book Synopsis Gassire's Lute by : Alta Jablow

Download or read book Gassire's Lute written by Alta Jablow and published by Waveland Press. This book was released on 1990-11-01 with total page 65 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A rousing tale of wars and heroes, Gassires Lute recounts the fall of the city-state Wagadu and tells how Gassire, warrior son of the ruling family, renounced his noble birth to become his peoples first bard. As an example of the relatively unknown oral literature of Africa, this poem is rich in historical and cultural interest. But it can be read and enjoyed simply as a beautiful and exciting story that shows clearly the universality of art and of human experience. The Waveland reprint includes an essay by the translator (The Origin of Soninke Bardic Art), which is meant to provide pertinent information for understanding and enjoying the poem.

The Epic of Askia Mohammed

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Author :
Publisher : Indiana University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780253209900
Total Pages : 108 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (99 download)

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Book Synopsis The Epic of Askia Mohammed by : Thomas Albert Hale

Download or read book The Epic of Askia Mohammed written by Thomas Albert Hale and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 1996-02-22 with total page 108 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Askia Mohammed is the most famous leader in the history of the Songhay Empire, which reached its apogee during his reign in 1493-1528. Songhay, approximately halfway between the present-day cities of Timbuktu in Mali and Niamey in Niger, became a political force beginning in 1463, under the leadership of Sonni Ali Ber. By the time of his death in 1492, the foundation had been laid for the development under Askia Mohammed of a complex system of administration, a well-equipped army and navy, and a network of large government-owned farms. The present rendition of the epic was narrated by the griot (or jeseré) Nouhou Malio over two evenings in Saga, a small town on the Niger River, two miles downstream from Niamey. The text is a word-for-word translation from Nouhou Malio's oral performance.