The Yorùbá Royal Bards
The paper describes the social function performed by the Yorùbá royal bards in the society. The data are from the Oyo-Yorùbá communities, but mutatis mutandis they can be seen to represent all the Yorùbáland, because cultural variation between different areas is limited. The bards sing and chant in...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nordic Africa Research Network
2001-12-01
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| Series: | Nordic Journal of African Studies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.njas.fi/njas/article/view/593 |
| _version_ | 1797696433488396288 |
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| author | Akintunde Akinyemi |
| author_facet | Akintunde Akinyemi |
| author_sort | Akintunde Akinyemi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
The paper describes the social function performed by the Yorùbá royal bards in the society. The data are from the Oyo-Yorùbá communities, but mutatis mutandis they can be seen to represent all the Yorùbáland, because cultural variation between different areas is limited. The bards sing and chant in honour of the kings, and they also announce the advent of important guests by drumming or piping the names and attributes of such guests as they enter the royal palace. The social responsibilities of royal bards include entertainment, the description of the qualities of the character and physical appearance of patrons, historical documentation, and image-making for their patrons. Socio-economic changes, however, have caused considerable changes in the roles of these bards. Since the economic status and the social prestige of the traditional rulers has declined, most of the male bards have become freelance minstrels in addition to the traditional trade, and they go about entertaining the public at social gatherings and even on the street. Female bards, on the other hand, have stayed loyal to the palace. (Ed.)
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T03:26:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-beb31180486240a1bc11ed7494652817 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1459-9465 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T03:26:18Z |
| publishDate | 2001-12-01 |
| publisher | Nordic Africa Research Network |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nordic Journal of African Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-beb31180486240a1bc11ed74946528172023-09-03T13:37:59ZengNordic Africa Research NetworkNordic Journal of African Studies1459-94652001-12-0110110.53228/njas.v10i1.593The Yorùbá Royal BardsAkintunde Akinyemi0Obafemi Awolowo University The paper describes the social function performed by the Yorùbá royal bards in the society. The data are from the Oyo-Yorùbá communities, but mutatis mutandis they can be seen to represent all the Yorùbáland, because cultural variation between different areas is limited. The bards sing and chant in honour of the kings, and they also announce the advent of important guests by drumming or piping the names and attributes of such guests as they enter the royal palace. The social responsibilities of royal bards include entertainment, the description of the qualities of the character and physical appearance of patrons, historical documentation, and image-making for their patrons. Socio-economic changes, however, have caused considerable changes in the roles of these bards. Since the economic status and the social prestige of the traditional rulers has declined, most of the male bards have become freelance minstrels in addition to the traditional trade, and they go about entertaining the public at social gatherings and even on the street. Female bards, on the other hand, have stayed loyal to the palace. (Ed.) https://www.njas.fi/njas/article/view/593Divine kingshipYorubabard |
| spellingShingle | Akintunde Akinyemi The Yorùbá Royal Bards Nordic Journal of African Studies Divine kingship Yoruba bard |
| title | The Yorùbá Royal Bards |
| title_full | The Yorùbá Royal Bards |
| title_fullStr | The Yorùbá Royal Bards |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Yorùbá Royal Bards |
| title_short | The Yorùbá Royal Bards |
| title_sort | yoruba royal bards |
| topic | Divine kingship Yoruba bard |
| url | https://www.njas.fi/njas/article/view/593 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT akintundeakinyemi theyorubaroyalbards AT akintundeakinyemi yorubaroyalbards |