Oral Literature in Africa

Description

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. Oral Literature in Africa has been accessed by hundreds of readers in over 60 different countries, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda and numerous other African countries. The digital editions of this book are free to download thanks to the generous support of interested readers and organisations, who made donations using the crowd-funding website Unglue.it. Oral Literature in Africa is part of our World Oral Literature Series in conjunction with the World Oral Literature Project. Contents Online Resources Illustrations Foreword Preface Preface to the Second Edition Acknowledgements Acknowledgements: Addendum 2011 Abbreviations Note on Sources and References I. INTRODUCTION 1. The ‘Oral’ Nature of African Unwritten Literature 2. The Perception of African Oral Literature 3. The Social, Linguistic, and Literary Background II. POETRY 4. Poetry and Patronage 5. Panegyric 6. Elegiac Poetry 7. Religious Poetry 8. Special Purpose Poetry—War, Hunting, and Work 9. Lyric 10. Topical and Political Songs 11. Children’s Songs and Rhymes III. PROSE 12. Prose Narratives I. Problems and Theories 13. Prose Narratives II. Content and Form 14. Proverbs 15. Riddles 16. Oratory, Formal Speaking, and other Stylized Forms IV. SOME SPECIAL FORMS 17. Drum Language and Literature 18. Drama Conclusion Bibliography Index