Introduction to Oral Literature

Shallon Moreen AtuhaireDepartment of Distance Learning

Makerere university

Who I amMy Name is Shallon Moreen

Atuhaire and I will be helping you in learning African Oral Literature.

In this recording, we shall give a simple definition of oral Literature and give the generic classification of Oral Literature.

What oral literature is?In African Oral Literature for Schools, Jane

Nandwa and Austin Bukenya define oral literature as "those utterances, whether spoken, recited or sung, whose composition and performance exhibit to an appreciable degree the artistic character of accurate observation, vivid imagination and ingenious expression" (1983: 1).

Simply putOral literature refers to traditional art forms handed down across generations orally/ by word of mouth.

Self contradictionThe expression is self-contradictory in a

sense that literature, strictly speaking, is that which is written down; but the term (Literature) is in this case used to emphasize the imaginative creativity and conventional structures that mark oral discourse too. Oral literature shares with written literature the use of stylistic devices (like heightened language, metaphors, irony, rhyme and rhythm, sarcasm) in various ways.

oral writtenThey are authored by

communities not individuals

They are performed and not written

It is applicable to a defined context although it can be applied universally.

Setting and performance take centre stage in making meaning out of any oral literature piece.

Authored by individualsWritten rather than

performedThe context does not

majorly affect the meaning.

Most written Literature is not performed except drama and poetry

Relationship between oral and lit

Use of stylistic devices (like heightened language, metaphors, irony, rhyme and rhythm, sarcasm)

Oral Literature

Written Literature

Classification of oral LiteratureThere are various modes of classifying Oral

Literature, but for this lecture we shall use the generic classification to identify the various forms of Oral Literature. This kind of classification, defines oral literature terms on the basis of their characteristics. The generic mode of classification is preferred because it is the most extensive and treats oral literature forms independent of others.

3 major generic classificationsOral

Narratives

Short formulaic

forms

Oral poetry

Oral NarrativesWe shall now classify oral narratives further

Myths

Legends

Folk/Fairy tales

Fables

ORAL NARRATIVES

Let us now watch a video of a myth from the Banyankole of Western Uganda

The story of Ruhanga and his sons

AssignmentI would now like you to watch this video

again and attempt the following questions. You will give presentations during our next class session according to three groups that we shall form today.

Each group should attempt tasks 1 to 3 in your presentations.

Task number 4 should be done individually after your group discussions.

Assignment TasksDiscuss the relevance of the myth you just

watched on the video to the Banyankole. Read Ruth Finnegan’s “African Oral

Literature” and define a myth. What peculiar characteristics do Myths have

compared to other Oral Narratives?Prepare a myth from your society that you

will narrate to the class and give its implication to that society.

Look aheadIn the next lecture, we shall do a study of

another type of oral narratives, namely, Legends.

Thank you

Blessings

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