Rethinking and Mainstreaming African Literature in the Academia
Abstract
Africa's knowledge, especially as "authored", "created" and packaged in African languages, is inspired by daily life experiences. Its expressive modes mirror traditions and innovations of oral expression. On the other hand, written literature, defined by Western parameters, is classified into different genres specific in form and style. African literature has therefore struggled to fit into this pigeonhole and its strata although a significant component characterising its uniqueness is in the process left out. In such are components laden with African-specific forms of expression, metaphor and rendition when packaged in foreign languages. This observation inspires a rethinking of alternative theoretical approaches to the discursive modes of what is African literature. This article dialogues literary expressions hardly located among traditional literary genres. African feminism as a guiding framework is applied.
Opsomming
Afrika se kennis, veral hoe dit in die Afrika-tale "geskryf', "geskep" en "verpak" is, word deur alledaagse lewenservarings geinspireer. Die uitdrukkingswyses weerspieel die tradisie en innovasie van mondelinge vertelling. Daarteenoor word geskrewe literatuur, wat aan die hand van Westerse maatstawwe gedefinieer word, in bepaalde genres met hul kenmerkende vorme en style gekategoriseer. Gevolglik worstel Afrika-literatuur om in hierdie voorafbepaalde hokkies in te pas en die lae wat 'n belangrike onderskeidende kenmerk daarvan uitmaak en dit uniek maak, bly in die proses agterwee. Dit is wat gebeur wanneer 'n literatuur wat belaai is met uitdrukkingsvorrne, beeldspraak en vertolking wat eie aan Afrika is, in uitheemse tale "verpak" word. Hierdie waarneming het daartoe gelei dat alternatiewe teoretiese benaderings tot die diskoers oor wat Afrika-literatuur is, opnuut deurdink word. Hierdie artikel bespreek literere uitdrukkingswyses wat nie gewoonlik in tradisionele literere genres aangetref word nie. Die raamwerk wat gebruik word om rigting aan hierdie bespreking te gee, is Afrika-feminisme.
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