The World and the Word: Tales and Observations from the Xhosa Oral TraditionA master storyteller of the Xhosa people of South Africa, Nongenile Masithathu Zenani gives us an unprecedented view of an oral society from within. Twenty-four of her complex and beautiful tales about birth, puberty, marriage, and work, as told to the renowned collector of African oral tradition, Harold Scheub, are gathered here. Accompanying the stories are Zenani’s detailed commentaries and analyses and Scheub’s striking photographs of her in performance. The combination of these historical and cultural observations with a richly symbolic collection of tales from a single traditional storyteller make The World and the Word a remarkable document. |
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... married . I tell you , Father , my sister cannot marry ! There's only one thing she can do : she must remain here at home with you and me . " Vel'ekhaya's grandfather said , " Vel'ekhaya , whose child is this sister of yours ? " Vel ...
... marry . I say that she shouldn't marry because I'm here — I , Vel ́ekhaya . I didn't think that she would ever marry . I thought that she would remain here without getting married . But go on , marry my sister off , Father . You marry ...
... married woman casually hopped around in her response because such comments are a Xhosa custom . That is how it is done ; even though everyone knows what is going on , including the young married woman , the game must be played through ...
Contents
Introduction | 3 |
PrologueOrigins | 9 |
Masithathu Zenani on Storytelling | 19 |
Copyright | |
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