2007/2008 COURSE CATALOGUE

NAIROBI, KENYA

Course: MARY AFST 570: Introduction to East African Literature: Focus on Religious Conflicts 

Course Overview:
An Introduction to East African literature with a focus on religious ideas as reflected in oral and written materials. An hour of directed field research for every hour of lecture is an integral part of the course design.

Course Description:
The course will utilize the wealth of both African oral and written literature to analyze the religious ideas of various African cultures. Such issues as the nature of creation, the relationship between human beings and their god, the religious and cultural similarity and synthesis between African and Judeo-Christian and Islamic religious and the tasks of contemporary church will be scrutinized. We will also have individual and group field trips for research, attending theatre, cultural activities and poetry reading.

Course Outline:

-Introduction to Literature as rich source for African religious ideas and thought systems;
-Discussion of some oral literature from specific cultures 

-Creation myths
-Origin of life and death;

-Discussion of sacred oral poetry from specific cultures.

-Cultural conflict as a reflection of African religious ideas versus Western Jude-Christian ideas as seen through major writers such as Achebe, Ngugi, Senghor, Soyinka and Okot p'Bitek.

-Similarities and differences between African religious ideas and Judeo-Christian ideas a s expressed in contemporary literature. 

-Discussion of the possibility of synthesis of and diversity in religious ideas. 

-Discussion of the contemporary Christian Church as depicted in written literatures. 

-Possibilities for the future. 

- Final Discussion. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Lo Liyong, Taban. (Ed.). (1972). Popular Culture of East Africa: Oral Literature. Nairobi: Longman Kenya., 

p'Bitek, Okot.  (1989). Song of Lawino & Song of Ocol. Nairobi: Heinemann.

_______. (1985). Acholi Proverbs. Nairobi: Heinemann. 

_______. (1973). Africa's Cultural Revolution. Nairobi: Macmillan Books for Africa. 

Ray, Benjamin.  (1976). African Religions: Symbol, ritual and Community. Engelwood cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Shorter, Aylward. (1975). Prayer in the Religious Traditions of Africa. Nairobi: Oxford University Press. 

Dorson, Richard M. (1972). African Folklore. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.

Radin, Paul. (1964). African Folktales. New York: Princeton University. 

Beier, Ulli. (Ed.). (1966). Origin of Life and Death: African Creation Myths. London: Heinemann. 

Odaga, Asenath Bole. (1984). Yesterday's Today: The Study of Oral Literature. Kisumu: Lake Publishers and Enterprises. 

Mbiti, John S. (Ed.). (1985). Akamba Stories. Nairobi: Heinemann. 

Knappert, Jan. (1971). Myths and Legends of the Congo. Nairobi: Heinemann.

Chesaina, C.  (1991). Oral Literature of the Kalenjin. Nairobi: Heinemann.

Finnegan, Ruth. (1970). Oral Literature in Africa. Nairobi: Oxford University Press. 

Kabira, Wanjiku Mukabi. (1983). The Oral Artist. Nairobi: Heinemann. 

Kieti, Mwikali and Peter Coughlin.  (1990). Barking, You'll Be Eaten: The Wisdom of Kamba Oral Literature. Nairobi: Phoenix.

onango-Ogutu, B and A. A. Roscoe. (Eds.). (1974). Keep My Words. Nairobi: Heinemann. 

Kipury, Naomi. (1983).Oral Literate of the Maasai. Nairobi: Heinemann. 

Hussein, Ebrahim N. (1969). Kinjeketile. Nairobi: Oxford University Press. 

Mulwa, David. (1990). Redemption. Nairobi: Longman. 

Thion'go, Ngugi Wa. (1965). The River Between. Nairobi: Heinemann Educational Books. 

Achebe, Chinua.  (1974). Arrow of God. (2^nd ed.). Nairobi: East African Educational Publishers.

Makila, F.E. (1986). Bukusu Folktales. Nairobi: Kenya Literature Bureau. 

Westerlund, David. (1985). African Religion in African Scholarship: A Preliminary Study of the Religious and Political Background. Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell International Stockholm. 

Adagala, Kavetsa and Wajiku Mukabi Kabira (Eds.) .(1985).  Kenyan Oral Narratives: A Selection. Nairobi: East African Educational Publishers.