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Transcription: [00:02:22]
Secondly, one can see in African oral poetry explanations on the roles that individuals should play in the very tightly knit African communal or tribal society.
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Poems on the chief, the chief's role, the warriors role, the fathers role or the head of the clan and even the roles of women and of children.
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And thirdly, we see the theme of the beautiful and sometimes the not so beautiful aspects of African culture.
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The customs, the elaborate weddings, funeral rites and so on. All of this in African oral poetry.
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Clearly the simplicity and clarity of African oral poetry accomplished what it was intended to accomplished. And many critics feel the same about it.
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In that, as you have seen, oral poetry acts as an explainer or as a definer and as kind of record keeper. Now this you will find true about most of oral literature in general.
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Now when Africans finally started writing, uh in the 19th century, it was primarily in non-English languages.
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However, the poetry that was written was primarily in European languages i.e. French and Dutch and German.
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And outside of the- of this realm you have some poetry written in Arabic as well.
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Now, the most significant poetry of the non-English African poetry came out of the 1930s and 40s during what has since been called the Negritude movement.
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The major Negritude poets of that period were personalities like Aimé Césaire, Léon Damas, Léopold Senghor, David and Birago Diop.
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The emphasis of the Negritude poets and the basis for that title as well was blackness.
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Um, the Negritude poets rejected in every way European cultures and customs, just all aspects of life brought to Africa by the Europeans.
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The Negritude poets Africans major aim was to get Africans to turn away from and reject European cultural education on an even economic domination and revendicate African self esteem.

Transcription Notes:
movement: Negritude names: Aimé Césaire, Léon Damas, Léopold Senghor, David and Birago Diop