Literary Analysis of Kukula Praise Songs
Journal Title: Studies in Social Sciences and Humanities - Year 2017, Vol 4, Issue 4
Abstract
This study does a literary analysis of three Kasena traditional song texts sung in devotion to Kukula, a divinity revered by the Kayara of the Upper East Region of Ghana. The study defines these song texts as being part of Kasem oral literature because they have not been documented in writing but are only performed orally. The analysis reveals that the praise singers in their performances of the songs use poetics devices such as proverbs, rhetorical question, metaphor, personification, paradox, oxymoron, synecdoche, symbolism, imagery and repetitions of varying degrees. They also use allusions, alliteration and assonance. Our study of these songs reveals that these performers have a mastery of many artistic devices native to Kasem. The study clearly shows that even though the performers of these traditional songs are merely performing religious and social activities, they use literary language during their compositions; thus making Kasena traditional song texts artistic composition. These 3 songs were recorded and transcribed by the researcher in Kayᴐrᴐ, a village in the Upper East Region of Ghana.
Authors and Affiliations
Abdul-Hakim Umar
Keywords
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