AWS 2090 African Oral Epic Performance

This course explores the multi-generic composition of the African cosaan, or oral “epic,” which combines several forms including narrative, song, praise poetry, theater, music and historical oratory. Using a comparative approach, the course will examine aesthetic issues of orality, performance, the written word, interactions between music and voice, poetry and prose narrative forms. The performance-texts will be augmented by field recordings and, when possible, in-class demonstrations by a professional griot.
Credits: 3.0