Thanks, Mukoma, Although I already replied to you offline, I just had the chance to look at one of the websites mentioned at the end of the review - www.africanbookscollective.com - and noted a number of literature titles there that had African language content. I include these below. All the best.
Don Osborn Bisharat.net --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], "mukoma ngugi" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi Don, > I hope all is well on your end. Pasted below is a review of new African writing including Conversing with Africa. Can you pass it along? Thank you, > > Mukoma > > New Internationalist 369 July 2004 ... http://www.africanbookscollective.com/acatalog/lit_index.html Ifa. A Complete Divination Ayo Salami 'Ifa', or Ifa divinity, approximately translates as a religion or divinity brought into the world by Orunmila, who is the custodian of the Deity, and moral, economic, linguistic, and metaphysical orders of the Yoruba people and its believers. Ifa verses reflect the spiritual content as well as the literary and scientific culture of the Yorubas, and exemplify the aesthetics of the Yoruba language, music and thought. This extensive compendium of Ifa verses is presented in modern Yoruba; and all the verses are accompanied by an English translation. This important publication is a gesture to make the Ifa poem more widely accessible to Yoruba and non-Yoruba audiences; and is a valiant effort to protect the sacred Ifa poem from extinction. The author is a specialist in oral and written aspects of Yoruba, known particularly for his radical proverbs, and identification with Yoruba as a language of wisdom. 9783603566 940pp 2002[publ. 2003] NIDD Publishing and Printing Ltd. �38.95 /$63.95 - Paperback Price: �38.95 === Narrator as Interpreter: Stability and Variation in Hausa Tales S.B. Ahmad Based on a corpus of 150 tales from the many towns and villages in the main Hausa states of Northern Nigeria. The author examines the stability of the form of the tales and variations in relation to narrative freedom and constraints, narrative performance techniques, the use of song, specialised vocabulary and audience enjoyment. He identifies the major themes and moral categories of the tales, and plot structure. The tales are shown to be a potent medium of preserving and transmitting traditional values, and a dynamic contemporary art form, despite the presence of alternative means of communication, and other cultural presences in Northern Nigeria. They are discussed in English translation in the main body of the work, and the original language versions are fully transcribed in the appendices. 9780291032 246pp 2002(1st pub. 1998) Spectrum Books �20.95 /$29.95 - Paperback Price: �20.95 === Wisdom of the People. 2000 Chinyanja Proverbs J.C. Chakanza There are few published collections of Chinyanja proverbs, many of which are in danger of being lost forever. This collection of proverbs and figurative expressions is an important contribution to the preservation of traditional wisdom from this Malawian language group. Chinyanja is becoming a principal lingua franca in Central Africa and the preservation of an integral part of its culture is preserved through recording the wisdom of the ages. English translations and explanations of proverbs are given. 9990816379 472pp 2000 Kachere Series �21.95 /$35.95 - Paperback Price: �21.95 === Zambian Proverbs Nyambe Sumbwa Proverbs encapsulate and express the culture of a people, or of the speakers of a particular language group. Their documentation into written language both preserves, and sheds light on the unique and common aspects of these cultures and languages. This book brings together proverbs from the seven most common Zambian languages: Bemba, Ki Kaonde, Lozi, Luyana, Luvale, Nyanja, and Chitonga. Each proverb is given in the original language with a literal English translation. Its meaning is explained and examples of usage, and contextual notes are provided. "...recommended for university and major public libraries..." The African Book Publishing Record 9982300717 84pp 1993[reissue 2004] Multimedia �11.95 /$19.95 - Paperback Price: �11.95 === Oral Literature of the Masai N. Kipury An attempt to record and preserve part of the history of the Maasai and the rich heritage of Maasai oral literature before it is forgotten, and to draw attention to its literary values and significance. The texts were collected during the 1970s, many of which having been passed down over generations. The author has also contributed a substantial number of narratives from her own childhood, playing the role of the 'oral artist'. All texts are quoted in the original Maa Language and are accompanied by English translations. The author provides an overview of the dominant features, context and style of Maasai literature, and then texts are organised by genre into fully referenced and edited chapters on myths and legends; man and animal tales; riddles; proverbs; songs, poetry, paryers and blessings. [no ISBN avail.] 233pp 1983 East African Educ. Publ. �19.95 /$27.95 - Paperback Price: �19.95 ------------------------ Yahoo! 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