A.C. Jordan
A01=Jeff Opland
Abantu-Batho
amabali
Author_Jeff Opland
Books
Category=DH
Category=DSBF
Category=DSBH
D.L.P. Yali-Manisi
David Yali-Manisi
Democracy
eq_bestseller
eq_biography-true-stories
eq_isMigrated=1
eq_isMigrated=2
eq_nobargain
eq_non-fiction
Essays
Fiery Poetry
First Xhosa Novel
Greatest Novel
Historical Narratives
imbongi
Ingqumbo yeminyanya
isiXhosa Oral Literature
izibongo
Johannesburg Newspapers
Journalism
Literary Critics
Nelson Mandela
Newspapers
Nineteenth Century
Nineteenth Century Literature
Nontsizi Mgqwetho
Novels
Poet
Praise Poetry
Press Appropriation
Recordings
Ritual Function
S.E.K. Mqhayi
Social Function
Southern African Development Community
Spoken Word
Tales
Twentieth Century
U-Samson
Umteteli wa Bantu
University of KwaZulu-Natal Press
UNkosi Rolihlahla Nelson Mandela
Xhosa Editors
Xhosa Literature
Xhosa Oral Poetry
Product details
- ISBN 9781847014528
- Dimensions: 150 x 230mm
- Publication Date: 09 Dec 2025
- Publisher: James Currey
- Publication City/Country: GB
- Product Form: Hardback
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Essays examining isiXhosa oral literature, novels and journalism and the interconnections between them in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries
Xhosa Literature: Spoken and Printed Words consists of fourteen essays addressing Xhosa literature in three media - the spoken word, newspapers and books. Literary critics tend to focus on Xhosa literature published in books; some attention has been paid to Xhosa oral poetry and tales, but by and large the contribution of newspapers to the development of Xhosa literature has been overlooked. This book explores aspects of Xhosa literature in all three media, and their interconnections.
Six of the essays treat historical narratives (amabali) and praise poetry (izibongo), setting out the social and ritual function of poetry and the poet (imbongi), mapping changes in the izibongo of three poets as South Africa moved towards democracy in the 1990s, and analysing recordings of two poems recited by S.E.K. Mqhayi. Three essays are devoted to the first Xhosa novel, Mqhayi's U-Samson (1907), to the publication of the greatest novel in Xhosa, A.C. Jordan's Ingqumbo yeminyanya (1940), and to the first published poem in praise of Nelson Mandela, D.L.P. Yali-Manisi's 'UNkosi Rolihlahla Nelson Mandela' (1954). There follow accounts of Xhosa literature in the nineteenth century and the appropriation of the press by Xhosa editors towards the end of that century, of Nontsizi Mgqwetho's fiery poetry published in Umteteli wa Bantu and of poems by Mgqwetho and Mqhayi published in Abantu-Batho, two Johannesburg newspapers. The volume concludes with an exposition of an imaginative response to David Yali-Manisi and his poetry.
University of KwaZulu-Natal Press: Southern African Development Community
JEFF OPLAND held appointments at the University of Cape Town, University of Durban-Westville and Rhodes University and taught at the Universities of Toronto, Yale, and Leipzig as well as Vassar College before his retirement.
