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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:A study of riddles among the Dagara of Ghana and Burkina Faso
Author:Kyoore, Paschal K. SiekyoghrkureISNI
Year:2010
Periodical:Journal of Dagaare Studies (ISSN 1608-0130)
Volume:7-10
Pages:22-40
Language:English
Geographic terms:Burkina Faso
Ghana
Subjects:riddles
Dagari
Abstract:The author examines riddles of the Dagara people of West Africa, emphasizing the importance of the genre as a cultural tradition. The riddles that are analysed were collected during a folktale narration session in the Nandom area of the Upper West Region of Ghana. The author argues that the distinction between riddle and other folklore genres such as the proverb is a very nebulous one, and that Western definitions of folklore terms do not always fit neatly into Dagara definitions of the same terms. He argues that, in some cases, an enigma or a puzzle can also be a riddle and a folktale at the same time. He demonstrates his argument with an analysis of puzzle enigmas that were narrated as riddles during a folktale session. Drawing on previous studies on African riddles such as that of Ruth Finnegan (1970), the author identifies the main characteristics of Dagara riddles, a genre that is ultimately inspired by the flora and fauna of Dagaraland. The author argues that riddles as metaphors are a logical association of objects or human behaviour, and he concludes with a call for the inclusion of folklore study in elementary school curricula. Bibliogr., note, ref., sum. [Journal abstract]
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