Academic literature on the topic 'Oral tradition Sudan'

One of the most curious aspects of Sudanese historiography is that it has almost completely ignored the ongoing attempts to apply the methods of historical criticism to oral tradition in reconstructing the African past. Though an awareness of these attempts on the part of Sudanese historians is not lacking, it has not gone beyond vague indications, casual remarks, and limited use of oral data. This paper investigates the apathy of Sudanese historiography with respect to oral traditions, drawing on articles on the writing of history in the Sudan, as well as on historical writings that have actually made use of oral traditions.Sudanese historiography here means writings by Sudanese on history-writing in the Sudan; general histories of the Sudan; and local histories of the Northern Sudan. The history of the Southern Sudan is excluded because the contribution of oral tradition in reconstructing the history of this region has been markedly different. I also distinguish between traditional (biographers, genealogists, etc.) and amateur historians on the one hand and modern historians on the other. The modern historians, with whom this article will deal exclusively, are graduates of the Department of History in the University of Khartoum (or a similar university by extension), which was established in the late 1940s,and who have been exposed to the Western critical spirit and modern techniques of historical research and writing.2 Unlike the modern historians, traditional and amateur historians have always made use of both oral traditions and written sources.

The political history of the medieval Western Sudan was dominated by a succession of empires exerting their domination over the region: Ghana, Mali, and finally Songhay. Oral tradition is our only evidence for the existence of yet another empire. It was called Susu and exerted its supremacy after the decline of Ghana and before the rise of Mali. Most historical treatises locate enigmatic Susu in the Kaniaga region northwest of Segou. These treatises are mainly based on oral traditions and medieval Arabic chronicles.After rereading the conventional historical sources and examining passages in Portuguese sources thus far untapped for the history of the Western Sudan, I feel induced to present a new identification for Susu. The Portuguese evidence appears to point to a vast but nearly forgotten kingdom in the Futa Jalon and Upper Niger region as the historical descendant of ancient Susu, thus indicating the latter's location. This kingdom was called Jalo and Concho. Its ethnic core were the Susu and Jalonke, and it was on its ruins that the Muslim Fula conquerors erected the state of Futa Jalon in the eighteenth century. My interpretation of oral traditions and Arabic sources also leads me to assume an identity of Susu with the kingdoms of Sankaran and Do. I will attempt to demonstrate the identity of the polities bearing these different names in sections introducing these polities, most of which have never been subjected to close historical investigation.

Samori Toure (d. 1900) is celebrated, both in written history and oral tradition, in Mali and Guinea because of the empire he founded and his fierce resistance against the French, as they sought to occupy their future colony of the French Sudan. Recently published anthologies of African epic (Johnson/Hale/Belcher 1997; Kesteloot/Dieng 1997; Belcher 1999) attest that an orally transmitted Samori epic exists in these countries. In this paper the texts hitherto presented as the Samori epic will be compared to some oral sketches about Samori which I recorded during two years of fieldwork conducted in southwestern Mali and northeastern Guinea. I will hypothesize that a Samori epic may be in the making, but does not yet exist. The texts hitherto presented as the epic of Samori are largely oral narratives produced more or less in concord with expectations about what an epic should look like. The focus is on Samori as a hero on the battefield, and this is not representative for the present-day oral narrative on Samori. Therefore, an epic of Samori, if it ever does come into being and takes the form of a standardized oral narrative, might deal with different issues than one might expect from reading the texts presented in the anthologies.

The Waalo Kingdom's tradition of origin, also identified by the name of its principal hero Njaajan Njaay (N'Diadiane N'Diaye), is not one of the better-known narrative texts of the Western Sudan, simply because there is not much of it and few variants have circulated in print; among the latter is one collected by Brasseur in 1778 and published in Jean Boulégue, Le Grand Jolof (XIII–XVI siècle), in 1987 (absent from this volume's bibliography) and another by Bérenger-Fèraud in Recueil de Contes Populaires de la Sénégambie, 1885. The 975-line variant presented here is therefore a welcome addition to that modest but interesting body of oral literature. This one includes the original Wolof-language text and an annotated English translation by the author. Appendices include two genealogies of Njaajan Njaay, one translated from the Arabic, and another from Wolof.

That is why, regarding the time between the death of one great king and the rise of another king made famous by God, If you ask whether in that intervening period there were other kings, Of course there were, But their names are not known.Some scholars search for historical evidence in the ancient traditions preserved by bards of the Western Sudan, while other writers express doubts that these sources can contain any information of value to historians. A period markedly affected by this question is the early thirteenth century, because it was then that the Mali empire was established, and because most of the evidence for this is derived from the Sunjata tradition, which is an essential part of the repertoire of many Mande bards (also known as “griots” or, in the Mande language, jeliw). A limited amount of information on thirteenth-century Mali is available from Arabic sources, but these were written a century to a century and a half after the reign of Sunjata, and although Ibn Khaldun confirms the existence of the famous mansa and reports that he subdued the Soso (Susu, Sosso), the external writings provide no biographical details about the purported empire-builder. Conversely, some episodes in the internal oral accounts are specifically addressed to the life and times of Sunjata, with elements from other time periods—some of which are identifiable and others not—regularly creeping in and out of the narratives. Some themes are obviously mythical, while others could have a historical basis but cannot be independently confirmed. Thus, any historian addressing thirteenth-century Mali must either accept the severe limitations of the external written sources and say very little indeed about that period, or face the difficulties involved in supplementing these with references to the oral sources.

Jan Jansen has substantially advanced our understanding of the “status discourse” between polities, in Mande and far beyond, through a new approach to one of the more common types of historical evidence: genealogy. At the core of his paper is an analysis of genealogical metaphors used in status discourse, combined with an awareness of the principles of lineage segmentation; he uncovered a nexus of ideology and social structure. The quintessential observation made by Jansen is that “the status of recent immigration and the position of the youngest brother is very prestigious” and that both ultimately emanate from the “principles of patrilocal settlement and patrilineal descent.”Once this is accepted, everything falls into line: the unexpected claim for the status of ‘younger brother,’ as well as the contradictory genealogies of ‘related’ lineages. His observation has escaped the attention of previous research (including my own) because it contravenes our expectation that younger age, factual or figurative, always signifies subordination under ‘older’ authority. Oral traditions from different ethnic groups in Senegambia confirm Jansen and attest to Kangaba's historical prestige.Jansen's paper should be read in conjunction with his “The Younger Brother and the Stranger,” in which he studies the social basis of status discourse in more detail and also touches on the symbolism employed. He has overcome a crucial error in a long tradition of historical writing on the western Sudan: the taking of genealogy at face value, whereas genealogy reflects the recent state of relationship between persons or groups rather than factual ancestry.

Penelitian ini dilatarbelakangi oleh kurangnya pengetahuan masyarakat terhadap tradisi nujuh bulanan. Masyarakat sudah tidak terlalu mementingkan tradisi nujuh bulanan, padahal tradisi ini merupakan warisan dari nenek moyang kita yang dapat menjadi ciri khas orang Sunda. Penelitian ini untuk mendeskripsikan: 1) tatacara pelaksanaan tradisi nujuh bulanan, 2) folklor apa saja yang terdapat dalam tradisi nujuh bulanan, 3) hasil penelitian untuk bahan pembelajaran membaca artikel budaya di SMA. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah deskriptif kualitatif, dengan menggunakan tehnik observasi, wawancara dan dokumentasi.Instrumen yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah kamera dan pedoman wawancara. Hasilnya adalah: pertama, bahwa dalam pelaksanaan tradisi nujuh bulanan terdapat tiga hal yang biasa dilakukan, diantaranya pengajian, membuat rujak dan memandikan yang sedang mengandung. Kedua, dalam tradisi nujuh bulanan terdapat folklor lisan, folklor setengah lisan dan folklor non lisan. Ketiga, hasil penelitian ini dapat digunakan sebagai bahan pembelajaran membaca artikel budaya di SMA kelas XII.Kesimpulan penelitian ini adalah agar masyarakat lebih mengenal tradisi-tradisi leluhur kita kemudian dapat menjaga dan melestarikannya.Saran ditujukan kepada peneliti selanjutnya agar lebih mencari dan menggali lebih dalam tentang mengenai tradisi masyarakat Sunda.AbstractThis study is based on the lack of people knowledge about tingkeban tradition. People have not been prioritizing tingkeban tradition lately, meanwhile this tradition is a heritage from the descent which can be defined as a thew for Sundanese. The aims of this study are to describe: 1) procedure of tingkeban tradition, 2) folklore on tingkeban tradition, 3) the finding of this study as teaching material for reading culture article at senior high school. This study uses desctiptive qualitative method by using technic observation, interview and documentation. Instrument that is used in this study is a camera and a handbook of interview. The finding shows that: first, in the implementation of tingkeban tradition there are three steps that should be done, those are reading holly Qur’an, making traditional fruits and vegetables salad dish (rujak) and bathing pregnancy woman. Second, there are three kinds of folklore in tingkeban tradition, those are oral folklore, half-oral folklore, and verbal folklore. Third, the finding of this study can be used as teaching material for reading culture article on 12th grade of senior high school. The result of this study is expected to people especially Sundanese in order to know more about their traditions so that it can be maintained and preserved. A recommendation is aimed for the next researcher to analyze and to have deeper exploration about Sundanese tradition.

Latar belakang penelitian ini adalah tradisi nyalin sudah mulai ditinggalkan oleh masyarakat pendukungnya dan belum terungkapnya niali-nilai kebaikan dalam tradisi nyalin. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mendeskripsikan (1) struktur (teks dan ko-teks) dan fungsi (konteks) tradisi nyalin dalam kehidupan masyarakat Sunda, (2) ciri kelisanan yang tampak dalam tradisi nyalin dalam kehidupan masyarakat Sunda, (3) nilai etnopedagogik dalam tradisi nyalin dalam kehidupan masyarakat Sunda. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah paradigma kualitatif dalam kajian tradisi lisan. Hasil penelitiannya, yaitu (1) struktur tradisi nyalin yang mencakup tahapan tradisi nyalin, tatahar ngawengku gempungan, kukumpul, majang, jeung riungan, ngukusan, sanduk-sanduk, mitembeyan mipit paré, dan ngaarwahan. Unsur-unsur tradisi nyalin mencakup nama kegiatan, pelaku kegiatan, barang-barang dalam kegiatan, makanan dalam kegiatan, gerakan, tempat berlangsungnya kegiatan, dan waktu berlangsungnya. Teks dalam tradisi nyalin adalah kapamalian, dongeng, mantra, diksi dan ungkapan. Fungsi tradisi nyalin sebagai (1) wujud rasa sukur pada Tuhan atas hasil panen yang didapat, (2) ciri kelisanan dalam tradisi nyalin, yaitu pemikiran lisan, ekspresi lisan, dan naratif lisan, 3) nilai etnopedagogik dalam tradisi nyalin, yaitu (1) pandangan hidup manusia dengan dirinya, (2) pandangan hidup manusia dalam lingkungan masyarakat, (3) pandangan hidup manusia dengan alam, (4) pandangan hidup manusa dengan Tuhan, (5) manusia dalam mengejar kemajuan lahir dan kebahagiaan batin. Kesimpulan dari penelitian ini, setelah diteliti secara struktur dan etnopedagogik memiliki nilai-niali luhur yang sudah ada di masyarakat sekaligus bisa dimanfaatkan sebagai teladan dalam bidang pendidikan formal dan kehidupan masyarakat umum.AbstractThe background of this research is Nyalin tradition that has begun to be abandoned by the society and the values in Nyalin traditions that have not been revealed yet. The purpose of this study is to describe (1) the structure (text and co-text) and the function (context) of the nyalin tradition in the Sundanese life, (2) the visible oral features of the tradition in the Sundanese life, (3) the ethnopedagogic value in Nyalin tradition in the Sundanese society’s life. The research method used is a qualitative paradigm in the study of oral tradition. The results of his research are the structure of nyalin tradition includes its stages i.e. tatahar ngawengku gempungan, kukumpul, majang, riungan, ngukusan, sanduk-sanduk, mitembeyan mipit paré, and ngaarwahan. Elements of Nyalin tradition include the name of the activity, the performer, the goods, the food, the movement, the place, and the time it takes place. The texts in Nyalin tradition are kapamalian, dongeng, mantra, diction and idiom. The functions of Nyalin tradition are (1) a form of gratefulness to God over the results of harvesting, (2) the verbal characteristic of Nyalin tradition i.e.oral thought, oral expression, and oral narrative, 3) ethnopedagogic values in Nyalin tradition i.e.(1) the perspective of human life with themselves (2) the perspective of human life in the society, (3) the perspective of human life with nature, (4) the perspective of human life with God, (5) the effort of human to reach physical and spiritual satisfaction. The conclusion of this study, after being structurally studied by using ethno pedagogic approach, Nyalin tradition has noble values that already exist in the community that can be used as an example in the field of formal education and public life.

Wayang Cecak is a Malay oral traditions which is almost critically extinc. This puppet remains only in the memories collective. The problem is how to preserve wayang cecak from extinction? The aim is to preserve the wayang's vitality from extinction. The method is done by reconstructing and revitalizing of wayang cecak becomes a living tradition. This qualitative research used an oral literary approach with primary sources of wayang cecak with text and context analysis. The method used literature study and field study technic observations were carried out with in-depth interviews with traditional artists, the representative community, and stakeholders. According to the eye-witnesses, wayang cecak has its unique structures. Reconstruction of wayang cecak involved the researcher, village leader, and traditional artists. Revitalization were carried out by performing wayang cecak in the community. This revitalization has a positive impact the wayang cecak increase their vitality.Wayang cecak merupakan sastra lisan Melayu yang hampir punah dan hanya hidup dalam ingatan ma-syarakat. Permasalahan penelitian ini ialah bagaimana cara melindungi wayang cecak dari kepunahan? Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk melindungi dan meningkatkan daya hidup wayang itu dari kepunahan. Caranya dengan merekonstruksi dan merevitalisasinya sehingga wayang itu menjadi sebuah tradisi yang hidup kembali. Penelitian kualitatif ini menggunakan pendekatan sastra lisan dengan analisis teks dan konteks. Sumber data berupa data primer wayang cecak. Metode yang digunakan yakni studi pus-taka dan studi lapangan dengan teknik observasi melalui wawancara mendalam dengan seniman pelaku tradisi, tetua adat, dan para pengambil kebijakan. Dari hasil penelitian diketahui bahwa pewaris aktif sudah tidak ada. Pertunjukan wayang cecak mempunyai struktur yang khas dalam pertun-jukannya. Rekonstruksi pertunjukan wayang cecak dilakukan bersama peneliti, tetua adat, dan seniman pemilik tradisi di Pulau Penyengat. Dari rekonstruksi dilakukan revitalisasi dengan mempertunjukkan wayang cecak dalam masyarakatnya. Revitalisasi ini berdampak positif, yakni meningkatnya daya hi-dup wayang cecak.

This article discusses the Gusjigang, cultural values of Kudus people through the understanding figure of Sunan Kudus, the founder of the city. The acronym of Gusjigang is derived from Javanese language, Gus-Ji-Gang, means Bagus (good, capable, or something related to goodness), Ngaji (learning the Qur’an or learn about anything in life), and Dagang (commerce, trade, or everything related to the spirit of business and entrepreneurship). Based on the oral tradition of Kudus people, “already” believed that Gusjigang could not be separated from the figure of Sunan Kudus and the history of the city.

My practice is concerned with the activation of fragmentation, concealment and evasiveness as practical tools for surviving (the danger of visibility when positioned in the margins) while moving or engaging with oppressive power structures. The aforementioned appear in my practice as complete forms of erasure, adornment and costuming, in addition to language play. My thesis’ concern is the desire to speak the autobiographical in relation to generational trauma. Herein lives the voices of three generations of survivors.