Praise Poetry

To praise means to express admiration, give homage and to proclaim the positive attributes of someone. Praise poetry can be found in many cultures, but the form we are working with is from the West African tradition of oral poetry.

These poems are created so that the young people in the tribe know who they are, who their ancestors are, why they are loved, and what special gifts they bring to the tribe and the world. In Africa, praise poetry has served as a form of oral documentation. Professional poets carry and recall the narratives detailing the history of the people, the great leaders, and their outstanding achievement.

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It is not unusual for African praise poetry to be performed accompanied by musical instruments. These poems began typically as oral poems that were either sung or chanted. In writing praise poems, we will make astute astute observations about our surroundings, our past, and our present as they pertain personally to us.

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If so desired, we may begin with some collaborative writing warm-ups or some praise poetry warm-ups before we begin writing our praise poems. Dimensions of Praise Poems As poets, each of you will utilize the following information in your praise poem:. You will be balancing your descriptions of yourself with some concrete examples of what you look like and how you act on the outside, with more abstract ideas about how you feel on the inside. Note how the poets incorporated the six dimensions of praise poems. Share your insights with a partner.

Research Family of Origins Talk with your families and do some research to learn more about your heritage. Then brainstorm ways that your heritage may be represented poetically. Brainstorm Write words in a brainstorm box using the following prompts for praise poems. Create Poems Respond to the prompts freely, not necessarily in the order they are listed in step 1.

Revise Poems Revise your poem, eliminating anything that does not add to the poem—cut to the bone. Add or change anything else that will strengthen your poem.

Share Share your poems with a partner or a small group. First and foremost, because it is fun! In most clan praises the name of the sikarudzi is constantly made reference to. The first was a name for the second known earliest ancestor of the Shona people and the second is a name for the early Shona people that is derived from Mambiri, the earliest known ancestor of the same people. The totem of each clan was adopted by the founder of the clan and is therefore supposed to be inherited by all his descendants, male and female alike.

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The principal praise name is used in addition to the totem if there is need to distinguish people who have the same totem but belong to different clans. For instance, there are many Shona clans whose totem is Shava Eland and these clans are differentiated by citing the totem together with the praise name. He is the guardian of the clan's traditions and customs.

The founding fathers and other ancestors of the clan communicated with him and other living descendants through spirit possession, dreams, events such as natural catastrophes, voices from shrines and other oracular messages. The reference of Clan Praise Poetry First and foremost the praises of the clan are phrases in terms of the totem.

For instance, the praises of the clans whose totems are Soko Monkey , Tembo Zebra and Nzou Elephant are characterised by imagery that is directly implied by these animals. Thus we have such praises as 'soko makwiramiti' monkey, the climber of trees , 'mbizi njuma yerenje' zebra, the hornless beast and 'nzou samanyanga' elephant, the owner of huge horns. However, the praises of other clans whose totems are not animals but organs of human beings or animals, such as Moyo Heart and Tsiwo Male genitalia are differently inspired.

The imagery of the Moyo totem is derived from the heart while that of the Tsiwo is allusive of the male genitalia and its domain as well as its field of operation, the female genitalia. Secondly, clan praises are based on ancestral references; names of forefathers of the clan, their sisters including the names of placed they once lived in and were buried. Such places record milestones in the history of the clan and remain culturally and historically symbolic to the clan.

In short they were part of the clan's non-tangible heritage.

Who We Are:

The person only represented the clan in extending its good deeds. To illustrate the main features of Shona praise poetry that have been highlighted above, below are the praises of the Soko - Vhudzijena and Shava - Museyamwa clans: Note that although I have given the translations 'titles', strictly these titles don't need to be translated because in Shona culture they primarily function as clan names through the totem as well as sur names used to identify a particular member of the clan.

However, praises like "Those who have the same totem as the chief", "Those who come from Guruuswa", "The descendants of Pfumojena", "The rain-makers of Matonjeni", "Those who come from Hwedza", "The Iron-smelters", refer to the history and the professions of the long departed ancestors of the clan. However, the epithets, "Thank you Mutekedza, those in Uhera Mukonde", "Those who lie in the Hills of Mbwenya", "We thank you Muchimbare, those of Guruuswa", "Those who yearn for the original one" and "Those who were given wives in the country of the Njanja people" are drawn from the history and deeds of the clan's ancestors.

C and Fortune, G. He also teaches music and culture ant the Zimbabwe College of Music. He may be contacted by e-mail on toyindepi yahoo. Monday 8 September Shona praise poetry is referred to in Shona as nhetembo dzemadzinza , which means clan praise poetry.

Chapter 12. Poetry of Praise, Poetry of Blame

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