African American Culture through Oral Tradition Essay -- Essays Papers

African American Culture through oral exam TraditionAfrican American folktales have origins rooted in watt African literary and cultural skeletal systems of expression. When Africans were taken from their homeland and brought to America as hard workers, they as well brought with them their individual cultures, languages and customs. However, their white slaveholders suppressed this part of their heritage in them. Thus they had to find other ways of expression, mainly story congress and songs. It is incredible to see how African slaves could ever smile and laugh nether the horrible and cruel circumstances, which were imposed on them by the brutal slaveholders. The on the whole body of folktales and spirituals arose from the experiences which slaves had on their plantations mingled with the memories and customs that they brought with them from Africa. They would tell stories using different methods such(prenominal) as acting, gesturing and singing. By these means they were able to elevate storytelling into an art. Most slave owners forbade their slaves from speaking their own language, and forced them to speak English. They were also forbidden from schooling to read or write. In this manner slaveholders believed that they were keeping their slaves in ignorance so that they could neither rebel nor escape. They were greatly mistaken for many slaves would make drill of their songs and stories to educate their people, and enlighten their minds and free their souls. For example the slave spirituals which they sang were a means with which they could communicate feelings of discontent and of homelessness and exile. However, not all their songs were of disparity and loss. They also sang songs expressing love, joy, and hope. Other than making use of lyrics as a form of expressi... ...Books, Inc impudently York, 1963.Hamilton, Virginia. The People Could Fly. Knopf Publishing New York, 1985.Jones, Gayl. Liberating Voices Oral Tradition in African American Literat ure. Harvard University thrust Cambridge, 1991.Okpewho, Isidore. African Oral Literature. Indiana University Press Bloomington, 1992.Plant, Deborah G. Every Tub Must Sit on Its Own nookie The Philosophy and Politics Of Zora Neale Hurston. University of Illinois Press Chicago, 1995.Radin, Paul, Ed. African Folktales. Shocken Books New York,1983.Smitherman, Geneva. Talkin and Testifyin The Language of drear America. Houghton Mifflin Boston, 1977.Wright, Lee Alfred. Identity, Family and Folklore In African American Literature. Garland Publishing New York, 1995.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------