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| Folklore
is a great African oral tradition that offers the teller a broad range
of improvisation and creativity. Stories can have deep moral meaning,
relay historical legends and myths, or simply provide good entertainment.
Folklore is a crossroads between the present and ancient past whereby
the narrator can create their own literature while generalizing themes
of the old. Folklore in Ghana frequently revolves around a character who usually goes by the name Anansi, or “Spider”. Anansi typically plays the infamous trickster you love to hate. Anansi is mostly admired for his cunning and for his ingenuity in solving problems that relate to his various appetites. A
common characteristic of Ghanaian folklore is the interactive nature
of storytelling. At the beginning of the story the teller will recite
a few common lines that will get a response from the listeners. Throughout
the story any of the listeners may break in and sing a song by asserting
that “they were there at the scene”. This serves to break
the monotony of the spoken word and allows others to participate in
the performance. |
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A Man-of-War Says He is Dead Told
by Akosua Agbleke This first story starts with a common theme--a famine has spread to the community. "Gli", or Lion, plays the Anansi character that is revered for its ingenuity but dispised for its cunning. |
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