Authors: John William Johnson, Thomas A. Hale, Stephen (Eds.) Belcher, Thomas A. Hale (Editor), Stephen Belcher
ISBN-13: 9780253211101, ISBN-10: 0253211107
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Indiana University Press
Date Published: March 2008
Edition: 1st Edition
"The editors... must be congratulated... Long live the African storytellers!" Africa Today
"It is difficult to imagine a more practical introduction to contemporary African epic than this anthology... no other single volume comprehends the full scope of African epic (as opposed to praise poetry) the way this one does.... The stories are engaging, and the free-verse translations are surprisingly readable.... Recommended for all academic collections." Choice
Western culture traces its literary heritage to such well-known epics as the Iliad and the Odyssey and Gilgamesh. But it is only recently that scholars have turned their attention toward capturing the rich oral tradition that is still alive in Africa today. These 25 selections introduce English-speaking readers to the extensive epic traditions in Africa.
Preface | ||
Acknowledgments | ||
Introduction: The Oral Epic in Africa | ||
Soninke Epics | 3 | |
1 | The Epic of Wagadu | 4 |
Mande Epics | 8 | |
2 | The Epic of Son-Jara (Maninka) | 11 |
3 | The Epic of Fa-Jigi (Wasulunka) | 23 |
4 | The Epic of Bamana Segu (Bamana) | 34 |
5 | The Epic of Sonsan of Kaarta (Bamana) | 50 |
6 | The Epic of Almami Samori Toure (Bamana) | 68 |
7 | The Epic of Musadu (Maninka) | 80 |
8 | The Epic of Kelefa Saane (Mandinka) | 92 |
9 | The Epic of Kambili (Wasulunka) | 100 |
10 | The Epic of Sara (Maninka) | 114 |
Songhay and Zarma Epics | 124 | |
11 | The Epic of Askia Mohammed | 126 |
12 | The Epic of Mali Bero | 133 |
13 | The Epic of Issa Korombe | 140 |
Fulbe Epics | 147 | |
14 | The Epic of Hambodedio and Saigalare | 149 |
15 | The Epic of Silamaka and Poullori | 162 |
16 | The Epic of Silamaka and Hambodedio | 172 |
17 | The Epic of Samba Gueladio Diegui | 185 |
Wolof Epics | 200 | |
18 | The Epic of Njaajaan Njaay | 201 |
19 | The Epic of Lat Dior | 211 |
Egyptian Epics | 227 | |
20 | The Epic of the Bani Hilal: The Birth of the Horo Abu Zayd. I. (Northern Egypt) | 228 |
21 | The Epic of Bani Hilal: The Birth of Abu Zayd. II (Southern Egypt) | 240 |
Central African Epics | 255 | |
22 | The Epic of Mvet Moneblum, or The Blue Man | 257 |
23 | The Epic of Jeki la Njambe Inono | 274 |
baNyanga Epics of Zaire | 285 | |
24 | The Mwindo Epic | 286 |
25 | The Epic of Kahindo | 294 |
Bibliography | 303 | |
Index | 315 |