Spelling suggestions: "subject:"poets, black - south africa"" "subject:"poets, black - south affrica""
1 |
Contemporary english oral poetry by black poets in Great Britain and South Africa : a comparison between Linton Kwesi Johnson and Mzwakhe MbuliKozain, Rustum January 1994 (has links)
Bibliography: pages 242-266. / The general aims of this dissertation are: to study a form of literature traditionally disregarded by a text-bound academy; to argue that form is an important element in ideological analyses of the poetry under discussion; and, on the basis of this second aim, to argue for a comparative, rigorously critical approach to the poetry of Mzwakhe Mbuli. Previous evaluations of Mbuli's poetry are characterised by acclaim which, the author contends, is only possible because of under-researched criticism, representing a general trend in South African literary culture. Compared to Linton Kwesi Johnson's work, for instance, Mbuli's poetry does not emerge as the innovative and progressive art - in both content and form - it is claimed to be. Mbuli and his critics are thus read as a case study of a general trend. Johnson and Mbuli mainly perform their poetry with musical accompaniment and distribute it as sound-recording. This study's approach then differs from the approaches of general oral literature studies because influential writers on oral literature - specifically Walter J. Ong, Ruth Finnegan and Paul Zumthor - do not address the genre under investigation here. Nevertheless, their writings are explored in order to show why particularly Ong and Finnegan's approaches are inadequate. The author argues that using the orality of the poetry as an organising, theoretical principle is insufficient for the task at hand. On cue from Zumthor, this study suggests an approach through Cultural Studies and conceives of the subject matter as popular culture.
|
2 |
The poetry of David Livingstone Phakamile Yali-ManisiBokoda, Alfred Telelé January 1994 (has links)
Bibliography: pages 217-232. / Yali-Manisi, a Xhosa writer, performs and writes traditional praise poetry (izibongo) and modern poems (isihobe) and can, therefore, be regarded as a bard because he also performs his poetry. One can safely place him in the interphase as he combines performance and writing. The influence of oral poems and other oral genres can be perceived in his works as some of his works are a product of performances which were recorded, transcribed and translated into English. The dissertation, among other things, examines the way in which Yali-Manisi's work has been influenced by such manipulations. In this study we examine lzibongo Zeenkosi ZamaXhosa, lmfazwe kaMianjeni, Yaphum'igqina and other individually recorded poems. His poetry is characterised by an interaction between tradition and innovation. The impact of traditional poetic canon on the poet, the way of exploiting traditional devices are the most outstanding characteristics concerning his poetry. His optimistic disposition towards the future of the South African political situation leaves one with the impression that he envisages an end to the Black-White political dichotomy. Yali-Manisi manipulates literary forms to articulate specific socio-political and cultural attitudes which are dominant among the majority of South Africans. His writings coincide with some of the major political changes in South Africa. In his recent works, he is explicit and protests against Apartheid structures especially in Transkei and Ciskei. In his earlier works he could not articulate the feelings of his people as an imbongi because of the fear of censorship and themes of protests had to be handled with extreme caution if one's manuscripts were to be published at all. He often alludes to national oppression of the majority by the minority and instigates the former to be politically conscious. In some instances (e.g. in his historical poems) he seeks to correct inaccuracies which are presented in history books. Thus showing the listener/reader another side of the coin. He displays very keen interest and deep knowledge of natural phenomena such as seasons of the year and the behaviour of animals during each period. Poems about historical figures are characterised by certain allusions which refer to realities and events in the life of the 'praised one' or his forefathers. This helps to shed light on the present situation. Although fictitious adaptations of genuine events have been done, an element of reality is still prevalent.
|
3 |
Conscientisation : a motive behind the selected poems of Sepamla, Serote, Gwala and Mtshali.Sibisi, Zwelithini Leo. January 2013 (has links)
The thesis looks at how the poets Sepamla, Serote, Gwala and Mtshali (SSGM)
make concerted efforts to demonstrate how different forms of social activities have
sought to whitewash black people in believing myths about themselves. These myths
were perpetuated by the government of apartheid policies and its related
bureaucratic organs like the education system. The fallacies were also
communicated through biased literature and denigrating terminologies. The study
analyses how the selected poems of SSGM set out to conscientize black people to
realise how they had unconsciously accepted certain behaviours. This had led them
to compare themselves to the “privileged cultures” and to strive to be identified with
those who were in power and those who were despised and were therefore
powerless.
The main aim of this study is to demonstrate how the poetry of Sepamla, Serote,
Gwala and Mtshali exposed the extent to which black people had been
psychologically subjected to internalising negative views of who they were. From the
title of the thesis we note a claim that conscientization was the motive behind the
poetry of Sepamla, Serote, Gwala, and Mtshali. This claim was discerned from the
poetry that was analysed. It was also deemed fit to verify this through structured
interviews and questionnaires that were arranged and conducted with the poets.
However the interviews did not include the late Sepamla who had been called to
higher service by the time the research was conducted. The researcher’s
interactions with the poets confirmed the claim that conscientization was indeed the
motive behind their poetry.
Aspects of peoples’ lives which had been targeted as tools for disempowering black
people were experienced in the form of racism, apartheid policies, Bantustan
institutions, and laws, demeaning terminologies, cultural superiority, and prejudiced
beliefs, arts, music, literature, theatre and sport.
An analysis of the poetry under review led to the conclusion that the poetry of SSGM
was not protest poetry as some scholars had claimed. The aim of the poetry was not
to instigate any militancy against oppressors but to make black people aware of their
identity and to affirm them in their resistance against cultural hegemony.
The study makes use of Marxist theories and specifically cites those aspects which
relate to the tools used to analyse the poetry of SSGM. Georg Lukacs’s viewpoint
that literature reflects the social reality of its time is applied to some of the selected
poetry. Eagleton and Althusser talk about the formalization of literature which makes
ideology to become visible to the reader. Gramsci says the task of producing and
disseminating ideology is performed by organic intellectuals. Writers are regarded as
organic intellectuals. In spite of the limiting circumstances the four black writers
whose poetry is being considered, managed to conscientize people around issues
that needed to be opposed or rejected.
This study is significant in so far as it exposed how poetry of black selected writers
conscientized people and indirectly contributed to the liberation of the oppressed in
South Africa. It is suggested that further studies are undertaken to re-assess the role
of literature written by the black writers during the apartheid regime. A special
attention must be given to those literary works that were banned and reasons for
such action by those who were hell bent on subjugating black people. One of the
challenges encountered during the research was that some of the books were out of
print. However, a thorough and persistent search did result in the final access to
those books which were not easily available. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.
|
Page generated in 0.056 seconds