The nanga bards of Tanzania: are they epic artists

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Periodical article

Title:	The nanga bards of Tanzania: are they epic artists
Author:	Mulokozi, M.
Year:	1983
Periodical:	Research in African Literatures
Volume:	14
Issue:	3
Pages:	283-311
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Tanzania
Subjects:	griots epics (form)
External link:	https://www.jstor.org/stable/3819155
Abstract:	Enanga (or nanga) is a seven-stringed trough zither that the Bahaya-Banyambo of Kagera Region and other interlacustrine peoples of East Africa play as they recite, sing, or chant songs, ballads, panegyrics, and epics. The poems so delivered are also collectively called enanga. Within this general category one comes across different literary genres e.g. ekizina, short topical, song; enanga.y'engonzi, ballad; enanga, y'emanzi, epos. This paper is concerned only with the enanga: y emanzi and its bard, the omutezi w'enanga. Good enanga bards were always attached to the Hima-Bito royalty and noblemen. The earliest enanga epic poetry was probably first performed around 1400 while the latest was composed and performed in 1979-1980. The status of the enanga bards has changed tremendously since independence, particularly after the postindependence abolition of kingship. In order to demonstrate that the enanga bards are epic artists, one enanga narrative, Kachwenyanja, is analyzed. The analysis should demonstrate: enanga poetry is epic, enanga bards are epic bards, and epic literary genre exists in sub-Saharan Africa. Bibliogr., graph., map, notes, photogr.