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Periodical article | Leiden University catalogue | WorldCat |
Title: | The Impact of Islamic Writing on the Oral Cultures of West Africa |
Author: | Goody, J. |
Year: | 1971 |
Periodical: | Cahiers d'études africaines (ISSN 0008-0055) |
Volume: | 11 |
Issue: | 43 |
Pages: | 455-466 |
Language: | English |
Geographic term: | West Africa |
Subjects: | culture Islam literature (form) Education and Oral Traditions Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups) Religion and Witchcraft |
External link: | https://doi.org/10.3406/cea.1971.2796 |
Abstract: | In order to analyse the effects of Islamic literacy on oral cultures and groups in West-Africa, the author has followed two ways of approach: 1. examination of examples of the recorded literature; 2. study of the differences between Muslim and non-Muslim groups within the framework of a single state. After giving a comment on some oral texts and after describing the influence of literacy on the internal differentiation in the state of Gonja the author comes to two main conclusions: 1. The area in which the influence of Islam on non-Islamic non-literature cultures is most apparent is that of magico-religious activity; 2. writing was at first valued more for its role in superhuman than in human communication. Ref., notes. |