A Traditional Poetry of the Ga of Ghana

Bibliographic Data

ID18969262
AuthorsAbu Abarry (University of Jos), Abu Shardow Abarry (University of Jos, corresponding author)
Year1984
Volume14
Issue4
Pages493-506
Publication date1984-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Black Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0021-9347 • E-ISSN: 1552-4566
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/002193478401400406
OpenAlexW2069475278
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited7

Ga traditional poetry,' like its counterparts among the Akans and Ewes of Ghana (Beier, 1967), is available mainly in spoken, sung, or chanted forms. Like them, it also consists of the religious and the secular. But the present analytical effort is directed toward the latter-the secular poetry that is more pervasive in the community and admits of direct popular participation.' The fact that this secular material is sung does not in any way negate its poetic and literary status. Among the Gas, the term for song is lala; and the same term modifying wiemo lala (talking song), refers to poetry. Thus, a distinction is seen to be made by the people between lala, ordinary generic song, and wiemo lala (poetry), where a special demand is made on language, skill, and creativity. This Ga poetic attribute seems to be shared by most West African languages where the terms for song and verse are significantly the same (Barry, 1960). Poetry, therefore, does not exist separately from song in the society. Moreover, one does find in traditional African literature texts that contain obvious characteristics of poetry by reason of their compositions, the verse structures, tonal patterns

Art · Creativity · Literature · Poetry · Political science · Sociology · African history and culture studies · History · Law · Philosophy · Postcolonial and Cultural Literary Studies

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