Orality, Literacy, and Colonialism in Southern Africa (SBL Semeia Studies 46)

Literacy is essentially about the control of information, memory, and belief, and with colonialism in Southern Africa came the Bible and text-based literacy monitored by missionaries and colonial authorities. Old and new oral traditions, however, are beyond the control of empire and often carry the resistance, hopes, and dreams of colonized people. The essays in this volume recover aspects of Southern Africa's rich oral tradition. The authors, from disciplines such as anthropology, African literature, and biblical studies, delineate some of the contours of the indigenous knowledge systems which sustained resistance to colonialism and today provide resources for postapartheid society in Southern Africa. ORALITY, LITERACY, AND COLONIALISM IN SOUTHERN AFRICA......Page 4 CONTENTS......Page 6 ABBREVIATIONS......Page 8 Jonathan A. Draper: SCRIPT, SUBJUGATION, AND SUBVERSION: AN INTRODUCTION......Page 10 PART 1: ORALITY, LITERACY, AND COLONIALISM IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE......Page 16 Jeff Opland: FIGHTING WITH THE PEN: THE APPROPRIATION OF THE PRESS BY EARLY XHOSA WRITERS......Page 18 Introduction......Page 50 Early Encounters......Page 51 Ordinary African “Readers” of the Bible......Page 58 Conclusion......Page 64 Introduction......Page 66 Introversionist Responses to Colonial Domination......Page 68 George Khambule (1882–1949)......Page 74 John’s Gospel and the Word as the Ladder between Heaven and Earth......Page 92 Conclusion......Page 97 Body, Word, and Voice as Belief in IBANDLA LAMANAZARETHA......Page 100 Voices in the Body of Isaiah Shembe, Founder of IBANDLA LAMANAZARETHA......Page 103 Mission Culture and Literacy......Page 105 The Bible: Old, New, and Nazarite Testaments......Page 106 Voicing the Word in Sermons......Page 108 The Hymn Translated: Voice and Body in Performance......Page 109 Composing IZIHLABELELO ZAMANAZARETHA......Page 110 Transcribing and Printing the Hymns......Page 112 Followers Give Meaning to the Words of the Prophet......Page 115 Belief as Voice, Word, and Body......Page 116 Conclusion......Page 117 Introduction: Christianity and Land......Page 120 Doornkop—A Model for Land Reform......Page 122 Freeholder Separatism and Independence — The BMS and Rebone Ramaube......Page 125 “We Are Scattered All Over”......Page 128 The Community and the Church Bell......Page 131 Land, Community, the NGOs, and the State......Page 134 Conclusion......Page 138 PART 2: DIMENSIONS OF ORALITY AND RESISTANCE IN MODERN SOUTH AFRICA......Page 142 Introduction......Page 144 The Evidence from the Stuart Collection......Page 145 The Izimbongi, Modernity and the Electronic Media......Page 148 Dialogue, Contestations, and Polyphony—Some Recent Examples......Page 149 Duncan Brown: “WHERE SHALL I WONDER UNDER THE THUNDER WHO’S THAT BLACK BOYS MAKING THAT BLACK NOISE STEP A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE MIC”: PROPHETS OF DA CITY AND URBAN (SOUTH AFRICAN) IDENTITY......Page 154 Introduction: What Colonialism?......Page 180 A Cloud of Witnesses......Page 181 Orality, Literacy and Colonialism: What Basis?......Page 183 Bible Translation in South Africa: What Priorities?......Page 187 The Potential of the Vernacular Bible......Page 192 Ashlee Lenta: LISTENING AGAIN: FINDING WAYS TO HOST THE TRC’S ORAL, AUTO/BIOGRAPHICAL SPACE......Page 198 Introduction......Page 214 A Shift of Emphasis......Page 216 Sharing Painful Memories......Page 218 The Dynamics of Memory......Page 220 Cultural Norms......Page 222 Conclusion......Page 224 Introduction......Page 226 This Is My Story . . .......Page 227 Discussion......Page 230 RESPONSE......Page 236 Personal Reminiscence in Southern Africa......Page 238 Photography and the African Urban Experience......Page 243 Widening the Debate......Page 245 African Christians, the Bible, and Orality......Page 249 Conclusion......Page 256 WORKS CONSULTED......Page 258 CONTRIBUTORS......Page 277 Script, Subjugation, And Subversion: An Introduction / Jonathan A. Draper -- Part 1: Orality, Literacy, And Colonialism In Historical Perspective -- Fighting With The Pen: The Appropriation Of The Press By Early Xhosa Writers / Jeff Opland -- From The Bible As Bola To Biblical Interpretation As Marabi: Tlhaping Transactions With The Bible / Gerald West -- The Closed Text And The Heavenly Telephone: The Role Of The Bricoleur In Oral Mediation Of Sacred Text In The Case Of George Khambule And The Gospel Of John / Jonathan A. Draper -- Making The Book, Performing The Words Of Izihlabelelo Zamanazaretha / Carol Muller -- The Land And The Word: Missions, African Christians, And The Claiming Of Land In South Africa / Deborah James -- Part 2: Dimensions Of Orality And Resistance In Modern South Africa -- Frozen Assets? Orality And The Public Space In Kzn: Izibongo And Isicathamiya / Liz Gunner -- Where Shall I Wonder Under The Thunder Who's That Black Boys Making That Black Noise Step A Little Closer To The Mic: Prophets Of Da City And Urban (south African) Identity / Duncan Brown -- Translation And The Vernacular Bible In The Debate Between My Traditional And Academic Worldviews / Maarman Sam Tshehla -- Listening Again: Finding Ways To Host The Trc's Oral, Auto/biographical Space / Ashley Neser -- Oral History In A Wounded Country / Philippe Denis -- Becoming Ngaka: Coming To Terms With Oral Narrative Discourses / Mogomme Alpheus Masoga. Edited By Jonathan A. Draper. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 249-267).