LIT 420: MODERN AFRICAN POETRY Lecture II
BY ESTHER WANJAU
Relationship between African oral and
written poetry
The relationship between African oral and written poetry
is largely historical.
The relationships can be looked at in terms of both
similarities and differences.
African oral poetry preceded the written poetry; hence
the influence of oral on written poetry.
With the introduction of literacy, there was influence of
oral poetry by written poetry
01/02/2024 07:18 E.WANJAU 2
Similarities between African oral and written
poetry
Themes
Since both oral and writer-poets are human they are liable to respond to
situations and experiences in largely the same way.
Both address the same thematic concerns e.g. the theme of death; which is a
significant factor of human experience which inevitably attracts the
imagination of both the oral and writer-poet.
It is only their reaction to the phenomena that differ depending on the
inclination of the individual poet.
01/02/2024 07:18 E.WANJAU 3
Similarities cnt’d…
Both act as a means of social criticism
Both oral and written poetry act as a social
commentary whereby the bad is castigated.
Both comment sensitively on the evils prevailing
in the social or political life of their people.
01/02/2024 07:18 E.WANJAU 4
Similarities cnt’d…
Creative use of language
Both oral and writer-poets stand out from the rest of the
community through their imaginative use of language
which in turn influence the community.
They make use of words as their raw material to
influence the feelings and the minds of the people. In the
African context the two are interdependent.
01/02/2024 07:18 E.WANJAU 5
Similarities cnt’d…
Influence from African culture and customs
One of the major elements of modern African poetry is the reaction
against the harmful influence of the colonial experience on African culture.
Many African poets believe it is their duty as Africans to reach back at
their ancestral poetic traditions and give them a new lease of life.
To achieve this, they have gone back to age old customs, beliefs, and
ideas which western civilizations had branded primitive and ignorant. This
includes oral poetry most of which was banned after being branded
heathen.
01/02/2024 07:18 E.WANJAU 6
Similarities cnt’d…
Overlap between the two
Modern African literature has looked into traditional oral poetry for the flavor
of its language. In the 1960s and 1970s African writers in an attempt to come
as close as possible to their oral traditions, debated rather sharply whether
the language of poetry should be simple or complex.
This was encouraged by the practice of some poets who were writing pieces
very much in the style of European poets who had influenced them such that
their works became inaccessible to their fellow countrymen.
01/02/2024 07:18 E.WANJAU 7
Similarities cnt’d…
Overlap between the two
Some people felt that poetry makes its greatest impact when it is
easily understood, and that the charm of most traditional poetry lies in
an easy flow of meaning which the audience can readily grasp and
respond to.
This explains the instant success of Song of Lawino when it was
published in 1966.
01/02/2024 07:18 E.WANJAU 8
Similarities cnt’d…
Overlap between the two
Modern written African poetry borrows and echoes the rhythms
of speech and some indigenous words and sounds which is a
common feature of African oral poetry.
Added to this some African poets have resulted to writing poetry
in indigenous languages. This is seen as a way of reasserting the
African culture which was transmitted through oral poetry.
01/02/2024 07:18 E.WANJAU 9
Similarities cnt’d…
Overlap between the two
Modern written African poetry also echoes the musical basis of the traditional poetry. Many oral
poems use music in one form or another: whether in the actual singing of songs, or in the meaningful
control of tonal accents or else in the playing of musical instruments to provide background rhythm.
Writer-poets make an effort to come as close as possible to achieving this.
E.g. the Malagasy poet Ranaivo uses call-and response structure of the hain-teny folk song of his
people; here one character sings and another responds.
This is also a common feature of Swahili poetry, Ngonjera most of which is now written.
01/02/2024 07:18 E.WANJAU 10
Similarities cnt’d…
Overlap between the two
The other way is paying recourse to rhythm e.g. through
suggesting the local instruments to which the poem should
be recited.
e.g. Nnadi Azikiwe’s, poem, “Drum Language”
01/02/2024 07:18 E.WANJAU 11
Drum language
nnadi azikiwe
‘Godogba, Godogba, Godogbam gba!
The tomtom drums the secret news:
‘the white devils are on the loose,
‘Be careful of their crafty ruse,
‘Godogba, Godogba, Godogbam gba!
01/02/2024 07:18 E.WANJAU 12
Similarities cnt’d…
Overlap between the two
The rhythmic pattern is also achieved through the use of repetition, which is a
product of the emotional excitement which music inspires.
African poets just like European poets use repetition for emphasis but use it
more to lend their poetry a musical quality which reflects the rhythmic basis of
the traditional poetry
01/02/2024 07:18 E.WANJAU 13
Similarities cnt’d…
Overlap between the two
The intertextual influence is however two-sided. Oral poetry has also been
influenced a lot by literate cultures such as Islam which has existed in Africa since
the middle ages.
Some of the traditional African poets who have been converted to Islam have
imbibed some of the structures and idioms characteristic of Arabic poetry.
E.g. poetry from the Swahili and Somali, whose languages have a long contact with
Arabic are good examples of influence of literacy on traditional African culture.
The influence has also been felt on the content of traditional African poetry.
01/02/2024 07:18 E.WANJAU 14
Differences between African oral and
written literature
Despite similarities and borrowings,
there a few notable differences
between oral and written African
poetry. These differences are mainly
due to the fact that the writer exists in
a different social and political climate
from that in which the oral poetry has
traditionally had in its place.
01/02/2024 07:18 E.WANJAU 15
Differences cnt’d…
Context
E.g In traditional praise singing the poet does
everything possible to glorify his subjects; he that for
him to be well rewarded (with gifts) he has to make
the subject happy, so the negative aspects of the
subject’s life are often twisted to appear positive.
01/02/2024 07:18 E.WANJAU 16
Differences cnt’d…
Context Cnt’d…
The modern poet does not have to praise anyone to survive. While
traditional praise poetry celebrates a figure for his own sake and as
unchallenged master of his world, modern praise poetry admires him
rather for showing much courage despite the problems surrounding him.
Modern poetry differs from the traditional one largely because it
concentrates more on the problems of present-day social and political life.
01/02/2024 07:18 E.WANJAU 17
Differences cnt’d…
Locale
The oral poet was traditionally very much limited to the small local or ethnic
environment with which he was familiar, mainly because the means of
communication by travel was generally very limited.
Thus, the oral traditional poet seldom refers to communities beyond his
immediate ethnic or geographical neighbors, commenting mainly on those his
people have been associated in trade, war or other experiences.
E.g. in Yoruba poetry there are negative references to nearby Dahomey (now
Benin Republic).
01/02/2024 07:18 E.WANJAU 18
Differences cnt’d…
Education
Education has exposed the modern poet to very distinct
societies, giving him adequate knowledge of events in
places he may never have been.
E.g. Kariara in his poem, “Vietnam” captures events
happening in Vietnam during the Vietnamese war.
01/02/2024 07:18 E.WANJAU 19
Differences cnt’d…
Performance
Oral poetry makes use of aspects of performance to
contribute to the meaning.
E.g. call and response and repetition. These give oral
poetry a sense of fullness and of a communal event.
01/02/2024 07:18 E.WANJAU 20
Differences cnt’d…
Performance cnt’d…
Lack of live audience in written poetry has two effects:
• Because he does not have to cope with any distractions, the writer has
time to arrange the argument of his poetry in an orderly way. Thus,
where orally performed poetry often has a certain loose impromptu
quality in the order of movement of its ideas, written poetry
progresses in a logical order carefully plotted for it by the poet.
• Because there is no live audience to please or account to, there is
frequently an abstract, impersonal element in written poetry.
01/02/2024 07:17 E.WANJAU 21
DIFFERENCES CNT’D…
Performance cnt’d…
In oral poetry there are various ways of emphasizing ideas or
situations. For instance, if a character in a song is supposed to
shout, the performer will raise his voice to make the point; if a
soft speech is required, the performer will lower his voice, if
performer wishes to indicate fright, he will either tighten his
brows or lower them.
01/02/2024 07:18 E.WANJAU 22
DIFFERENCES CNT’D…
Performance cnt’d…
In written poetry it is so difficult to capture these dramatic moments
that arrest the attention of the audience.
However, there are a few non alphabetic symbols used in writing which
are valuable for indicating certain situations e.g. when Brutus wishes to
mention a fact that we should all be ashamed in his poem, “Their
Behavior”, he ‘hides’ it in brackets.
01/02/2024 07:18 E.WANJAU 23
DIFFERENCES CNT’D…
Communal vs individualistic
That spirit of sharing and participation for which traditional culture is well known is
noticeably lacking in modern literate culture. Because the modern poet is trying to
appreciate the world around him through the inner paths of his private mind and
conscience, much modern African poetry is rather difficult to understand.
E.g. the poetry of Soyinka. Whereas in oral poetry the fuller the text is, the more
pleasing the performance is. In written poetry tightness and economy are more
often upheld as the proof of poetic skill. This is another reason why the modern
poetry is so difficult.
01/02/2024 07:18 E.WANJAU 24
01/02/2024 07:18 E.WANJAU 25
