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Karisi

Epic and Heroic Narrative

Karisi is the term the Nyanga people of the African Great Lakes region use for oral poems of epic length, featuring an anthropomorphic hero and performed with dancing, singing, chanting, costumes, musical instruments, mimicry and ceremonial gift-giving. Its most celebrated example is the Mwindo epic, recognized as the national epic of the Nyanga people.

Facts
Place of Origin
Nyanga people, African Great Lakes region 1
Notable Example
Mwindo epic 1
Defining Trait
An anthropomorphic hero at the center of an intricate performance involving many characters 1
Sources
1. Karisi (Wikipedia)
  • Opening infobox description
    Epic poetry genre of the Nyanga people (of the African Great Lakes)
  • Mwindo epic passage
    the best known karisi is the Mwindo epic, sometimes called the national epic of the Nyanga.
  • Performance description
    the karisi has an anthropomorphic hero at the center, and the performance is intricate and complex, involving many characters interacting with the central character
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