Monthly Archives: August 2020

South Africa Arts and Literature

Literature, English language Ever since the first European contacts, race and power have been prominent concepts in South African literature. In the 19th century, Thomas Pringle and Harriet Ward represented a settler realism, while the colonization romance was exemplified by H. Rider Haggard. Olive Schreiner questioned the prevailing view of land and people. ST Plaatje’s… Read More »

Egypt Arts and Literature

Literature The Islamic rulers conquered Egypt in the 640’s. Thus, the conditions were given for the emergence of Arabic literature in the country during the Umayyad and Abbasid times (compare Arabic literature). The 1200’s-1700’s were, for Arabic literature, generally a period of increasing stagnation. However, this was replaced by a literary renaissance (nahda) during the… Read More »

Central African Republic Music

Music The ethnographic variation of the Central African Republic is reflected in the diversity of music cultures. As elsewhere in Africa, music is performed at festivities and ritual occasions. It is closely associated with words and dance and is an important element of any oral tradition. Countryaah: Population and demographics of Central African Republic, including… Read More »

Burundi Music

Music Music played a central role at the Tutsi King and Chief Court. Drums are highlighted as symbols of royal power, e.g. in the tribute music still performed by an ensemble of 25 ingo- drums. The music in Burundi is basically pentatonic, but has variations. The song is mostly monophonic and is built on shout-answer… Read More »

Burkina Faso Arts and Literature

Art Burkina Faso is a land of masks. Most of the larger groups of people use masks, except gurma and lobi. Marka’s masks in wood and leaves produce forest sand (do) and are worn in the dance during purification ceremonies and burials. In his art, Kurumba confines itself to a few forms, primarily an antelope… Read More »

Botswana Arts and Literature

Architecture Most of Botswana’s population belongs to the Tswana people. The economy is based on livestock management and agriculture. Most tswana live in large villages with 15,000-20,000 residents. Each household occupies a plot of several fenced farms for livestock and vegetable farms; In particular, the inner yard plays an important role and serves as a… Read More »

Benin Music

Music Benin can be divided musically into a southern and a northern region. In the south, where the Aja- and Yoru-speaking peoples created a series of kingdoms, court music traditions, including epic “long song” and tribute music, live on royal instruments such as lianar bark flutes, ivory horns and drums. The region exhibits a wealth… Read More »

Angola Arts and Literature

Literature Angola’s modern literature got its breakthrough in the 1950’s with José Luandino Vieira. Prosaists such as Vieira and Uanhenga Xito and lyricists such as Agostinho Neto (president 1975–79), Geraldo Bessa Victor and Mário António have depicted Angola’s class differences. Among the most important writers of Angola in recent decades are Pepetela (pseudonym of Artur… Read More »

Eritrea Music

Music Traditional music varies between the different folk and language groups. The most important instruments include lyrinstrumenten krar and begena, drums kebero and negarit, the single-stranded string instrument Chira wata and wind instruments embelta and shambeqo. Music with traditional roots that are still performed is the party music guayla. The genre’s two biggest stars during… Read More »

Ethiopia Arts and Literature

Literature Ethiopian literature originated in the translation of the Bible from Greek and Syriac to geez (giiz) in the 400’s and 500’s. From the Aksum period, a number of important dogmatic and liturgical texts have also been preserved. In the 1300’s, the literature was enriched with translations and editions of Arabic texts as well as… Read More »