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Izibongo

World Traditional Verse Forms

Izibongo is a genre of oral literature among various Bantu peoples of Southern Africa, including the Zulu and the Xhosa. It is often considered a poetry of praise, though scholars such as Jeff Opland consider the term praise too limiting, since izibongo can contain criticism as well as praise.

Facts
Place of Origin
Southern Africa, among Bantu peoples including the Zulu and the Xhosa 1
Defining Trait
Poetry rooted in the concrete, often praise but also able to contain criticism 1
Sources
1. Izibongo, Wikipedia
  • Opening paragraph
    Izibongo is a genre of oral literature among various Bantu peoples of Southern Africa, including the Zulu and the Xhosa.
  • Subject matter
    izibongo 'is a poetry rooted, in subject and imagery, in the concrete.'
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