ORAL LITERATURE TERM PAPER (original) (raw)
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2017
This paper presents a descriptive analysis of the literary devices in Dangme traditional work songs. The Dangme people are known for their traditional industries, agricultural and native economic activities. These activities create the occasion for some sort of songs to be used. Their traditional work songs are used in contexts in which wearisome labour is involved. The songs are considered ‘special purpose poetry’ because they have some direct connection with particular occasions and actions. This paper analyses these traditional work songs and brings to bear the literary devices deployed in them as they accompany specific work(s). Data for this paper was collected from both primary and secondary sources. The data analysis is descriptive with much emphasis on the literary devices in the songs. It has been revealed that literary devices such as repetition, idiophones, parallelism and the like provide aesthetic and beauteous values to the work songs. This aids to soothe the worke...
2016
S’wamba is a collection of terse slow-paced antiphonal traditional folk songs performed by the people of Edina in the Central Region of Ghana. This verbal art of the people is expressed in work songs, play songs, traditional verses, riddles, stories and prayers, but the folk song, from the researchers’ observation is arguably the most popular of their oral forms. The folksong owes its popularity among the people to the fact that it is found in almost every aspect of their lives since almost every significant event is celebrated in song. The study sought to find out how suggestive references in the diction of the song texts are used to communicate ideas to enrich meaning. The study combined the use of both purposive sampling and random sampling methods to select respondents to reach the well-informed among the informants who were contacted for information on the songs. The deconstructive literary theory was adopted. In all, fifty (50) songs were recorded, transcribed, translated an...
A Stylistic Analysis of Selected Igbo Oral Poems
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), 2022
This study documents and analyzes oral poetry of traditional Igbo society in the aim of discovering how language is manipulated to create the poems, and what the patterns, forms, and variants of the language convey, and reveal about the nature of the traditional society which produced them. The main thrust of this study is to explore into the role of language in elucidating the meaning of poems in the context of the socio-historical realities of the traditional society which created them. It is argued here that understanding the linguistic resources of poems is instrumental to appreciating them as works of arts. Though Eme and Nwankwere, (2020) carried out a stylistic analysis of Igbo folktales in musical rendition, little has been done to analyze Igbo oral poetry stylistically. A total of eight poems were recorded from the writer"s introspection and used for this study. Formalism and sociological theories are the theoretical frameworks guiding the work, while Simpson"s 2004 framework is adopted for the analysis. The analysis reveals that such devices as repetitions, neologisms, figures of speech, unique word choices and parallelism are used to create stylistic effects in the poems. The study, therefore, concludes that the beauty of poetry is in understanding the meanings communicated by the nuances of its language.
The Functions and Uses of Oral Poetry among Ewatto People of Edo State
Oral literature has flourished in Nigeria for many centuries and has taken variety of forms which includes myths, epics, funeral dirges, praise poems and proverbs. However, this study evaluates the functions of Oral Poetry in Ewatto in Esan South East Local government Area of Edo State. Oral poetry is a dynamic art form and like other oral art forms in Nigeria, it is spoken, chanted and sung. In addition, this art form can be accompanied with flutes, gongs, slit-drums, horns and others in its performance and rendition. Oral poetry in Ewatto dialect plays a significant role in the locale where it is utilized and is infrequently investigated in Nigerian literature. Consequently, this study is an attempt to discuss the styles and themes of Oral poetry in Ewatto apparent in social commentaries, praise poems, protest, rituals, wedding songs and children songs. Taken together therefore, this paper demonstrates that with the proliferation of globalization, urbanization and its corollary, the oral artist who is an observer and commentator in the traditional setting is no longer a treasured focal point to the Ewatto people as he once was. This to a large extent is threatening the traditional life that upholds such literature.
This research explores the literary meaning encompassed in songs as a sub-genre of literature. It examines selected Bongo Flava songs that are chosen based on the assumption that Bongo Flava artists use language stylistically when writing the songs and in their style of performance. The objectives of the research were to explore literary meaning encompassed in the stylistic use of language at the lexical level and in the manner of singing. The design of the study was fieldworkbased research, with interviews and questionnaires being the mode of inquiry. Data was drawn from a population of over 200 participants comprised of students of literature, theatre and performance, and music as well as music producers, sound technicians, and fans of Bongo Flava songs. The population was sampled from the University of Nairobi,
STYLISTIC PATTERNS IN ORAL LITERATURE: THE FORM AND STRUCTURE OF BAKWERI DIRGES
This article examines and analyses the language of dirges among the Kpe (or Bakweri), a homogenous ethnic group of semi-Bantu stock in the Southwestern region of Cameroon. By so doing, it exposes the fascinating language variety of the Kpe dirge form as poetry. The article is of the view that the structure of the dirges, their chant and antiphonal form, the figurative language employed by the performers (that includes lyrical repetition, personification, symbolism, imagery, apt metaphors, and allusions) constitutes some of the essential components that are utilized in the realization of this funeral poetry. The article also highlights the use of a free rhythm (that is most often enhanced by the collaboration of a lead singer and chorus) in the performances of Kpe dirges. This rhythm is articulated by dance, the accompaniment of drumming, ringing of bells, and the playing of a host of assorted musical instruments. This employment of rhythm demonstrates how the individual performer has the flexibility to treat the themes in her own way and, in so doing, expressing her emotions in the words and melodies she chooses. The vivid pictures that are conjured from the performers' imagination as they perform these funeral songs generate emotive feelings that suit the mournful atmosphere of Kpe funerals.
Transcending the Versification of Oraliture: Song- text as oral Performance among The Ilaje
Niyi Akingbe, 2013
Oraliture is a terminology that is often employed in the description of the various genres of oral literature such as proverbs, legends, short stories, traditional songs and rhymes, song-poems, historical narratives traditional symbols, images, oral performance, myths and other traditional stylistic devices. All these devices constitute vibrant appurtenances of oral narrative performance in Africa. Oral narrative performance is invariably situated within the domain of social communication, which brings together the raconteur/performer and the audience towards the realisation of communal entertainment. While the narrator/performer, plays the leading role in an oral performance, the audience's involvement and participation is realised through song, verbal/choral responses, gestures and, or instrumental/musical accompaniment. This oral practice usually take place at one time or the other in various African communities during the festival, ritual/religious procession 324 which ranges from story-telling, recitation of poems, song text and dancing. This paper is essentially concerned with the illustration of the use of songtext, as oral performance among the Ilaje, a burgeoning coastal sub-ethnic group, of the Yoruba race in the South Western Nigeria. The paper will further examine how patriotism, history, death and anti-social behaviours are evaluated through the use of songs among the Ilaje.