Oral Poetry from Africa
A poem sent to us by Adjei Agyei-Baah on the theme of the Ashanti royal house. The Ashanti people live within a wealthy, gold-rich region of Ghana. Otumfuo is an honourary title bestowed upon Ashanti rulers when they ascend the throne. The Ashanti Empire was officially established in 1701 by the Ashanti King Osei Tutu and his adviser and High Priest, Okomfo Anokye.
He who knows not the Otumfuo
Let me present him…
Another in our series of Modern Poetry in the Oral Manner, this one about one of the most prominent Òrìṣà, Ṣàngó also known as Shango (see also In Praise of Shango) or Xango in Latin. The following poem not only addresses his encounter with the Owu people, now concentrated in Abeokuta, but also portrays Ṣàngó’s personality ranging from his birth, life and wives, to his controversial end.
Jakuta, son of Aganju,
Violent ruler, grandson of Oduduwa…
I have added this new section, provisionally called Modern Poetry in the oral manner, in response to readers visiting the site who have sent me their own written poems inspired by the material they have been reading here.
Modern African poetry draws on a multitude of traditions, including European and American. Some of the best, however, works very closely with oral styles and imagery, perpetuating what may best be called an oral aesthetic…
This is a modern poem by Aremu Adams Adebisi on the theme of the legend that surrounds the 12th century Yorùbá princess, Moremi Ajasoro.
In the land of Ife,
A very long time really…
A modern poem sent to us by Laju Ereyitomi Oyewoli, in the style of a traditional praise of one’s own clan. The Itsekiri people live in Nigeria’s Niger Delta area and traditionally refer to their land as the Kingdom of Iwerre.
Iwere ni mi
For I belong to the powerful bloodline…
