Shallon Moreen Atuhaire Department of Distance Learning Makerere university.
-
Upload
clare-riddel -
Category
Documents
-
view
229 -
download
0
Transcript of Shallon Moreen Atuhaire Department of Distance Learning Makerere university.
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
&