Southern Sotho poetry, 1833–1931: Historical and literary aspects of the oral-written interface

Abstract

Written poetry in Southern Sotho is just over 150 years old, and it is generally agreed that the interaction between the oral and the written traditions has been considerable. A complicating factor appears to be not only the extent of the interaction but also the exact properties of the new literary system. Although they are influenced by foreign, mainly western, written traditions, there are firm indicators that characteristics and attitudes of the oral system persist. The historical progress of the communication between the two systems over one century, which has taken place in a multifaceted interface, is addressed.