demonstrate your awareness of the functions of oral African literature
identify some of the functions during practical oral performance of your people
show a mastery of the knowledge of the culture of your people
explain the social functions of oral African literature
identify the functions of oral African literature to specific aspects of your oral culture and education
do a convincing discussion of oral African literature as agent of communal socialization and productive interaction
discuss orature as the „learning field of Africa‟.
3.0 MAIN CONTENT
3.1.1 The Social Function of Orature
In the African cultural compound, it is cultural for people to gather under moonlight and tell stories in the evenings. Through such avenue the people socializes, engage each other in relevant communal and family issues, and friendly gossips as they listen to and take part in the oral performance as the aged or elderly in a family or community leads the social gathering while serving as the oral Artist for the moment. Usually, in African culture, the people take advantage of every occasion or gathering to socialize and engage in relevant communal discussions. Example is the Yoruba people of Nigeria‟s hunter‟s chant. Ijala Ode though a chant but addresses the varied economic viability of the Elephant, his physical, enormous nature and wonderful frame which all combined a mixture of awe and of great economic value to man. Trickstar tales pf the tortoise are often told in such avenue.
3.1.2 Orature as Avenue for Entertainment
The different aspects of oral African literature by nature, be it poetry, drama or prose explore every avenue to entertain the community, sometimes, singing, dancing and drumming are involved, for instance, among the Igbo, the New Yam Festival that is celebrated periodically among the Easterners is specifically indigenous and deeply cultural to the Igbos, such that every Igbo from all works of life usually return to their roots to take part in the New Yam festival. The cultural activity is both performative, cultural and entertaining. Likewise, the Pgymies of the Congo basin in their poetry of the moon, a replica of moonlight play from other parts of Africa is also an avenue in which any virgin or man who is ripe enough to have a husband or take a wife as the case may be looks around to take part in moonlight dance and looks around for a husband and wife, as the case may be. The entertaining aspect of oral African literature cannot go out of fashion, no matter African‟s level of civilization, the Adimu-Orisa festival often celebrated among Oyo‟s, Ijebus and people of Lagos though began as a ritual thing, but became an avenue for entertainment among Lagosians of the time of King Dosumu of Lagos, and has flourished greatly in modern Lagos as real
sociable and entertaining show that accommodates audience of different age group, and people from all works of life. Example is the anonymous poem of the Igbo speaking people of Eastern Nigeria, Breaking Colanut. The poem depicts the philosophical spiritual, social, economic and cultural symbol of the people.
3.1.3 Indigenous Education
Oral African literature is generally known to be avenue for the exhibition of the people‟s culture and promotion of indigenous education. Ever before Western education was imported to Africa alongside colonialism and Christianity, Africans had a way of educating their people, though the system of education may not take place in the four walls of a classroom or in informal setting still Africans are gracefully „schooled‟ in their „open air‟, under trees, market square where the people meet to entertain and discuss their culture, tell stories, legendery tales about known and unknown mysteries of the world that surrounds them, the wonders of their traditional existence of necessity in every oral African performance is the way stories and tales are education centres, essentially towards building new ideas that have moral basis into the life of who all owe the society a duty to transmit the usually moral packed indigenous education to succeeding generation; thus fulfilling the educational function of oral African literature.
3.1.4 Communal Interaction and Socialization
Most oral African practises are spiritual and physical exercises and are not entirely an indoor affair. Infact, they are conducted in open spaces that can accommodate a great number of people. There are some oral performance that involves nearby communities as it is the culture in African societies, such tales for instance, the Ekwesi festival in Eastern Nigeria where every participant are by custom should dance to be seen by neghbouring communities. Whenever such takes palce, social interactions in all forms, become inevitable among the participants, and such gives room for communal expansion, through intercultural, intercommunal marriages through wide involvement in such cultural exericise.
For instance, among the Assagai of the traditional Zulu in South Africa, tradition insists that when a virgin is to be given out in marriage, immediately she leaves the fattening house, she must be accompanied by Oral Artists who will sing the praise song of her lineage, accompanying her to neighbouring community with pomp and peageantry. This is often done in groups of virgins not less than five at a time while people will shower the virgin with material gifts in preparation for her new home.
3.1.5 „Learning Field‟ of African Culture
There are different avenues for learning African culture, the first is within the home where one lives with one‟s parents, relations, extended family members, another is the immediate community as well as when one runs into contact with an elder on the foot path, one can also learn about the people‟s culture where one
undertakes a job as apprentice like Ifa divination, hunting, weaving, pottery, farming, and in the process of learning other forms of traditional occupation. In addition orature is like a „learning field‟ or school in which one has gone to learn the underlining philosophy of the people‟s culture in all areas, and such includes moral, religion and economy; how to drum, dance, show courtesy to elders and so on. Example is the short anonymous Elegy of the Bahama speaking people of Uganda, Lekhuem that praises a war hero who decorated his compound with the skulls and skeletons of those he killed in the field of battle. He had a pot in which blood was also stored. He was also said to drink woman blood in preparation for a battle. His extreme bravery is still being discussed in Bahama-Ugandan culture in the modern time.
SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE I
Mention and discuss at least three functions of oral African literature.
4.0 CONCLUSION
In this unit, we have discussed some of the functions of oral African literature.
We have also included the discussion of orature as African‟s agent of socialization.
5.0 SUMMARY
In this unit, you have learnt that
You sill need to be familiar with the oral aspect of the Literature of your people.
You should admit that since oral African literature and culture exist, them it means that it has functions in the society.
6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT
1) Discuss the social function of oral African literature.
2) With appropriate example, discuss educational function of oral African literature.
3) We have, but a „learning field‟ in Africa that which system is unique and conventional to the Africans. Discuss.
7.0 REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING
Ayo, Ayoade (2006). Folk Narratrives. Kaduna: Lens Books.
Bode, Ken (2006). Igbo Indigenous Orature. Enugu: Excell Prints.
Chechukwu, Nzeogwu (2006). Igbo Oral Narratives. Anambra: Macmillan.
Dauda, Adeokun (1974). Singing Aloud in my Native Voice – A Collection of Selected Oral African Literature. Minna: Audu Press.
Enekwe, Onuora Ossie (1987). The Oneness of Ritual and Theatre (A Nigerian Magazine Publication). Lagos: Department of Culture, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture.
Gbotako, Ubuwomi (1980). Orature in Conflict with Orature: Voicing Hausa Praise Poetry to be Heard. Kaduna: Macmillan.
Hamilton, George (1985). Oral Narrative in Oral African Literature. Sokoto:
Sokoto State Press.
Isidore, Okpewho (1982). Myth in Africa. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Kettle, Ben (2004). Seeing through the Dim Past of our Ancestors. Dakar:
Heinemann.
Kofi, Adu (2000). Ewe Praise Poetry. Accra: Heinemann.
Letanus, Mathew (1980). Luthuli Sings, Dance, and Dance: South African Orature. Cape Coast: Macmillan.
Mphaphlele, Es‟kia (1986). Poetry and Humanism: Oral Beginnings.
Johannesburg: Witwatersrand University Press.
Noah, A.O.K. (Ed.) (1997). Folk Narrative, Folkheroism. LASU: GNS Books.
Nzeugwu, Nwankwo (1989). Igbo Orature and the People. Ikeja: BPens.
Omotunde, Bala (2012). Time and Timing in Oral African Literature. Jos: Toka Prints.