COURSEWORK

in ELS 114 (Survey in Afro-Asian Literature)

Prepared by Mr. REVELYN G. ENDERES

AFRICAN LITERATURE: POETRY

After reading and studying literatures from the Philippines, you shall now travel to the beautiful
and majestic continent of Africa. Here, you shall be reading some of the known literary works of the
known literary writers in Africa. Enjoy!

Africa
by David Diop

Africa my Africa
Africa of proud warriors in ancestral savannahs
Africa of whom my grandmother sings
On the banks of the distant river
I have never known you
But your blood flows in my veins
Your beautiful black blood that’s irrigates the
fields
The blood of your sweat
The sweat of your work
The work of your slavery
Africa, tell me Africa
Is this your back that is unbent
This back that never breaks under the weight of
humiliation
This back trembling with red scars
And saying no to the whip under the midday
sun
But a grave voice answer me
Impetuous child that tree, young and strong
That tree over there
Splendidly alone amidst white and faded
flowers
That is your Africa springing up a new springing
up patiently, obstinately
Whose fruit bit by bit acquires
The bitter taste of liberty.

Let’s try this!

Directions: Now that you are done reading the poem, carefully read the statement and give what is
asked. Write your answers in the spaces provided below.

1. To understand a poem, one has to be adept in identifying its literary elements. In the discussion
above, you have read and studied the literary elements of poetry. By careful analysis, identify the
literary elements of the poem “Africa”.

a. Who is the speaker of the poem?

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b. What is the poem all about? What happens in the poem?

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c. What is the meaning of the poem? What do you think the author wants to communicate to the
readers?
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 d. What is its shape and form? Is it structured or in free verse? Support you answer.
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e. What are the mood and tone of the poem? (These two should have different answers.) Support
your answer.
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Tone:_______________________________________________________________________
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f. What image or picture is formed in your mind after reading the poem?
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g. What words/phrases are used in the poem that invoke strong emotions? How did the poet used
these words/phrases to support the message of the poem? Cite ten words/phrases.
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h. What figures of speech are used in the poem? Choose three figures of speech and give the
meaning of each.
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Let’s try this!

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Directions: After reading and studying Africa, our next piece is a song titled Buffalo Soldier by Bob
Marley. You have to listen to this song. Lyrics are provided below so you can sing along. The links are
also provided below. After listening and singing, be sure to answer the questions that will follow.
Links youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eksV02us5DQ

BUFFALO SOLDIER
by Bob Marley

Buffalo soldier, Dreadlock Rasta
There was a buffalo soldier in the heart of
America
Stolen from Africa, brought to America
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival
I mean it, I analyze the stench-
To it makes a lot of sense
How the Dreadlock Rasta was a Buffalo soldier
and he was taken from Africa, brought to
America
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival
Said it was Buffalo soldier, Dreadlock Rasta-
Buffalo Soldier in the heart of America
If you know your history
Then you would know where you’re coming
from
Then you wouldn’t have to ask me
Who the heck do I think I am
I’m just a buffalo soldier in the heart of America
Stolen from Africa, brought to America
said he was fighting on arrival, fighting for
survival
said he was a buffalo soldier win the war for
America
Said woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy,
woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy,
woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy,
woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy!
Buffalo soldier troddin’ through the land, wo-ho-
ooh
said he wanna ran, then you wanna hand
troddin’ through the land, yea-hea, yea-ea
Said he was a Buffalo soldier win the war for
America
Buffalo soldier, Dreadlocked rasta
fighting on arrival, fighting for survival
driven from the mainland to the heart of the
Caribbean
Singing woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy,
woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy,
woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy,
woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy!
Troddin’ trough San Juan in the arms of
America
Troddin’ through Jamaica, a Buffalo soldier-
fighting on arrival, fighting for survival
Buffalo soldier, Dreadlocked rasta
woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy,
woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy,
woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy,
woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy!

1. After listening to the song and singing along, what do you think does the singer want to tell the
world? Who does the term Buffalo Soldier refer to?
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2. What social and historical issues are talked about in the song? Did the writer succeed in expressing
his message?
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3. Why do you think the singer sang the song? Does the song reflect the biography of the singer?
Support your answer.
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4. How do you relate the song to the fuming Black Lives Matter movement that spread all over the
world?
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MOVIE: CRY FREEDOM

Let’s try this!
Directions: After singing the song Buffalo Soldier by Bob Marley. You shall now watch the movie
titled Cry Freedom. The link is provided below. After watching, be sure to answer the questions that
will follow.
Link: youtube: https://youtu.be/uMUQMSXLIHM
1. Write your reaction after watching the video. You may use the guide questions in your answering.
What do you feel after watching? How did it affect your emotions? What lessons did you get after
watching? What motives of the characters in the movie that you think are relatable? What experiences
of the characters do you think are existing in real life in your context?

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Let’s try this! Analysis.

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 In the study of literature, one has to use an approach to craft an interpretative yet scholarly
judgement. Below is one approach that can be used to analysing a literary text. Carefully read the
description of the Marxist criticism.

Marxist criticism is a type of criticism in which literary works are viewed as the product of work and
whose practitioners emphasize the role of class and ideology as they reflect, propagate, and even
challenge the prevailing social order. Rather than viewing texts as repositories for hidden meanings,
Marxist critics view texts as material products to be
understood in broadly historical terms. In short,
literary works are viewed as a product of work (and
hence of the realm of production and consumption we
call economics).

1. The picture on the left shows an Iranian master

and an African slave. Using Marxist Approach,
construct a poem (in Free verse or structured)
depicting the meaning of the picture. The guide
questions in the construction of the poem is
provided below.
 What other conditions stemming from their class
does the writer emphasize? (e.g., poor education,
poor nutrition, poor health care, inadequate
opportunity)

 To what extent does the work fail by overlooking

the economic, social and political implications of its
material?
 In what other ways does economic determinism affect the work? How should readers consider the
story in today’s modern economic setting (nationally, globally, etc.)?

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 2. In the box is an excerpt of poem from The Book of Songs. Read it, then write and discuss your
answers in your answer sheet. Each question can be answered in three to five sentences. The
points of discussion are provided so you will be guided in your answer. Each question is 10
points each.

What can you infer from the excerpt? (implication, author’s state of mind, purpose, message)

IN YOUR PRESENCE (Excerpt)

by David Diop
In your presence I have rediscovered my name
My name that was hidden so long under the pain of separation
In your presence I have rediscovered the memory of my blood

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