African Literature

African literature could be divided by North Africa and Southern Africa do to the different cultural and ethnic influences. The northern part is highly influenced by Europe and Arab countries. While the Southeastern part of Africa,  also called sub Saharan Africa, is more traditional and based only in their original beliefs that include proverbs, songs, chants, rituals, stories, tales and their own religion and culture. There were some performers that went from region to region called griots that narrated myths or important happenings in form of chants or plays. These griots were responsible for getting the people informed of any news. The first African history ever written was "History of the Sudan" by Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi. The major language spoken throughout Africa is the Swahili and the first written work in this language was "Utendi waTambuka" which speaks about Muslim traditions. This works where important because they where the first ones of their type. European countries started to colonized Africa. England, France, Netherlands where some of them. Do to the fear of the native practices their traditions  beliefs, culture and rites where prohibited and the catholic religion was imposed. This contributed to the lost f many important cultural aspects of Africa. Although many years after, the Swahili started to return to their roots, back to Bantu form. The Africans where spread thought the world and they wanted to have a voice. They started the Negritude Movement and started to speak writing important works. Finally the world started to get interested on them. Many excellent novels came out such as "The Dark Child" by Camara Laye, "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe among many others.                  


Holtz, E, 2013, African Literature, Mexcio City.