A short poem sent to us by Laju Ereyitomi Oyewoli (see also Mother is Gold), about the costs of comparing one thing to another that is really not related.
And the foolish Rat
Followed the Lizard…
Oral Poetry from Africa
Filed Under: Modern Poetry in Oral Manner
A short poem sent to us by Laju Ereyitomi Oyewoli (see also Mother is Gold), about the costs of comparing one thing to another that is really not related.
And the foolish Rat
Followed the Lizard…
Filed Under: Modern Poetry in Oral Manner
A new poem by Amore David Olamide, in praise of Oníkòyí one of the provincial chiefs in the Ọ̀yọ́ Empire (see also Oníkòyí, the Warrior King).
Oníkòyí played an important part in the political and military administration of the kingdom, defending the Ọ̀yọ́ Empire against external forces and leading the army to battle as their Field Marshal. It was also his responsibility to lead all provincial kings to the metropolis at Ọ̀yọ́ on the annual festival when these chiefs paid homage and tribute to the Aláàfin, ruler of the empire.
Tell them about an unflappable warrior
A warrior both at home and on the battlefield…
Filed Under: Modern Poetry in Oral Manner
This is a song composed by Barton Harry, one of the popular banjo players in Malawi who played in a duo with Kausale on acoustic guitar. A few of the pioneers of this tradition recorded in Lusaka, Zambia and later on in Zimbabwe as migrant Malawian artists.
Oooh, Absalom my child
Absalom, why have you died?
He died at war with his brethren…
Filed Under: Modern Poetry in Oral Manner
Fatoumata Diawara was born in the Ivory Coast to Malian parents, but grew up in Bamako in Mali. Kokòrò (“Our Heritage” or “Our Traditions”) is a song standing in defence of the cultural heritage of Mali.
Let’s not turn our backs to our traditions
Let’s embrace them, be proud of them…
Filed Under: Modern Poetry in Oral Manner
A new praise-poem by Amore David Olamide dedicated to the city of Ìbàdàn, the capital of Ọyọ State in Nigeria. Founded in the 19th century as a warriors camp, Ìbàdàn has grown into one of Africa’s most populous cities.
According to local historians, Ìbàdàn was founded by a military commander from Ilé Ifè called Lagelu in 1829. Lagelu chose the forest site to be a camp for warriors as its elevated hills made it easy to defend. The city-state became a wealthy trading centre ruled by a warrior class rather than the traditional kingship institutions that dominated other Yoruba cities. Ìbàdàn’s military associations led to the city being nicknamed idi Ibon (“butt of a gun”).
Ìbàdàn, the home of heroes
Who could not be opposed…
Filed Under: Modern Poetry in Oral Manner
A new poem by Amore David Olamide, part lamentation, part evocation of the spirit of an ancestor to come forth from the grave.
Igbo biribiri, Okunkun biribiri
The commiserator of fallen trees…
This site opens a window on something that will be new to most people, namely, the vast amount of superb poetry hidden away in the 3000 different languages spoken in Africa … More