AFRO-ASIAN

LITERATURE
GROUP 3

V E R D E F L O R , D I Z O N , PA L A J E , PA S C U A L , F R O N D O Z O ,
G U T I E R R E Z A . , G U T I E R R E Z S . , A N O, V E N T U R A ,
M A N A L O, S A N D, M E R C A D O
AFRO + ASIAN

LITERATURE
AFRICA ASIA
AFRICA
• It is the second largest continent (after Asia), covering
about one-fifth of the total land surface of Earth. The
continent is bounded on the west by the Atlantic Ocean,
on the north by the Mediterranean Sea, on the east by
the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, and on the south by
the mingling waters of the Atlantic and Indian oceans.
• ETYMOLOGY: The name Africa came into Western use
through the Romans, who used the name Africa terra –
“land of the Afri” (plural, or “Afer” singular) – for the
northern part of the continent, as the province of Africa
with its capital Carthage, corresponding to modern-day
Tunisia.
ASIA
• Asia is bounded by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the
Pacific Ocean to the east, the Indian Ocean to the
south, the Red Sea (as well as the inland seas of the
Atlantic Ocean – the Mediterranean and the Black) to
the southwest, and Europe to the west.
• ETYMOLOGY: The word Asia is originated from the
Ancient Greek word Aoia, first attributed to Herodotus
(about 440BCE) in reference to Anatolia or to the
Persian Empire, in contrast to Greece and Egypt. It
originally was a name for the east bank of the Aegean
Sea, an area known to the Hittites as Assuwa.
QUESTION # 1
WHAT IS AFRO-
ASIAN
LITERATURE?
AFRO-ASIAN LITERATURE
• It is a term for writing written by people from mixed African-Arab
ethnicity, or African-Asian ethnicity.
• It mirrors not only the customs and traditions of African and Asian
countries but also their philosophy of life which on the whole are
deeply and predominantly contemplative and hauntingly sweet.
• It is the reflection of the storm and the stress of developing nations
seeking a place under the sun which every student must understand
so he may know how this literature affects the history and culture of a
nation.
• It refers to the literary output of the various countries and cultures in
Africa and Asia. This includes their oral traditions and from the first to
the contemporary written and/or published prose and poetry.
• Asian Literature alone is diverse and vibrant. Add to that the splendor
AFRO-ASIAN LITERATURE
• The background of Afro-Asian literature dates to the very
beginning when the first mixed race individual began writing.
• Earlier written documents were based on stories passed by word
of mouth.
• Literary works were handed by mouth from generation to
generation to entertain, educate and remind the people about
their past, heroic deeds of their people, ancestry and culture.
• Afro-Asian literature is a sign of new and modern times. It also
teaches people and allow them to learn about different
experiences and cultures from all over the world.
AFRO-ASIAN LITERATURE
• Generally, literary works of Afro-Asian tell people about the unique
struggles and successes of Afro-Asian people.
• GENRES: playwriting, poems, prose
POEMS – tell about the history and culture of the Afro-Asian people.
Today, Afro-Asians still express their creativity and honor their culture
by crafting beautiful poems such as haikus, ballads or sonnets.
PLAYWRIGHTS – celebrate their own culture and ancestry by setting
plays in the past and referencing historical events in their storylines.
When performed, this will feature backdrops and costumes which will
reflects the culture and unique spirit of Afro-Asian people.
PROSE – it is used to expose truth, to describe objects, places and
people, to draw a reader deeper into a story.
QUESTION # 2
CITE AT LEAST 3
COUNTRIES UNDER
THE AFRO-ASIAN
LITERATURE
 Philippines
Indoenesi South
a Korea

North
Malaysia
Korea

Africa Vietnam

AFRO-
ASIAN
LITERATURE
Thailand Japan

Saudi
Israel
Arabia

Egypt China

India
QUESTION # 3
ENUMERATE THE NORMS
AND CULTURE ASSOCIATED
WITH THE
AFOREMENTIONED
COUNTRIES
NORMS AND CULTURE
• NORMS - a standard or pattern, especially of social behavior, that is
typical or expected of a group
• CULTURE - is defined as the shared patterns of behaviors and
interactions, cognitive constructs, and affective understanding that
are learned through a process of socialization. These shared patterns
identify the members of a culture group while also distinguishing
those of another group.

• The highest degree of culture is embodied within a virtue of

respecting other humans, either as an individual or a part of
community. It is no surprise that, in this phase, people of Asia and
Africa adapt the culture of mutual cooperation.
NORMS AND CULTURE: AFRICA
• AFRICA - Africa has 300 distinct ethnic groups, 2000 language.
Home to the most genetically diverse people on Earth. So
diverse that two Africans are more genetically different from
each other than a Chinese and European are from each other.
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous
continent. There are generations, which do define Africa, but
none that are exclusive.
• Sense of Community - A popular African proverb comes to
mind here to express the African sense of community. It says:
"Go the way that many people go; if you go alone, you will have
reason to lament“. The African idea of security and its value
depends on personal identification with and within the
NORMS AND CULTURE: AFRICA
• Sense of Good Human Relations - The art of dialogue an
conversation is a cherished value in African human
People freely discuss their problems and look for
suggestions and solutions together. The unwillingness to
talk to people about either private or public affairs can be
interpreted as bad manners or sign of enmity.
• Sense of hospitality - The African sense of hospitality is one of
the African values that is still quite alive. The Africans easily
incorporate strangers and give them lands to settle hoping that
would go one day, and the land would revert to the owner. Africans
have symbolic ways of expressing welcome. These are in forms of
presentation of kola nuts, traditional gin, coconuts, etc; in various
communities.
NORMS AND CULTURE: ASIA
• ASIA - Asian values are very much inter-related. They all support the view of the individual
as being a part of a much larger group or family, and place great importance on the well-
being of the group, even at the expense of the individual.
• Family and Education - A number of Asian students have done conspicuously well
in terms of test scores, gifted student programs, admissions to prestigious schools,
academic awards, and in classical music. Though obviously not all Asians fit this pattern,
this trend can be attributed primarily to the basic notion of the family, and the central role
that education plays in the family. Great importance is placed on child rearing, and
education is a fundamental aspect of this. Asian parents are more likely to spend much
more time with their children, and drive them harder, sometimes even at the expense of
their personal time and ambitions of the parents themselves.
• Reserve Conformity and Harmony - Since the well-being of the larger group is most
important in Asian culture, great importance is placed on maintaining harmony. The
greatest virtue that can achieve is not greatness of one’s self, which is viewed as being
selfish and self-centered, but of fulfilling his or her role in the whole of the family or
group. The achievement of an individual may be seen as really the result of the effort of
NORMS AND CULTURE: ASIA
• Benevolence and Obligation - Asian societies tend to be very hierarchical, in contrast to
African culture, where in some cases it is not unusual to consider teacher and student, o
even parent and child as equals. Asian hierarchical relationships involve a lot of
and what might be viewed as dependence or domination. But a good deal of
responsibility and benevolence is expected in return. While children might be obligated
follow their parent’s wishes very closely at the expense of their own independence,
the parents are also expected to raise support, and educate them far in excess of what
might be expected by African standards.

• Loss of face, shame and honor - Losing face is one of the better known Asian concepts
among others society. Unlike individualisticcultures, shame and honor go far beyond th
individual, and reflect directly upon ones’ family, nation,or other group, and so is taken
very seriously. Maintaining good face is a kind of measurement of howwell one has
maintained faith to traditional values, and ones’ social standing among others. It serve
asa strong control mechanism which reinforces all other Asian values.
NORMS AND CULTURE: GENERAL
• The Afro-Asian countries usually cared for their family first; then they are fond of their
social values; and specially, their love for their own country.
• They are also active in celebrating festivals that reflects their own characteristics as an
Asian.
• They are religious because they give importance to 'The Creator' by giving thanks and
offering prayers to Him.
• They are also active if we talk about literature because they are good writers.
• They are talented on different branch of sports and arts that they are about to
compete worldwide.
QUESTION # 4
WHAT ARE THE
CHARACTERISTICS OF
AFRO-ASIAN
LITERATURE?
CHARACTERISTICS OF AFRO-ASIAN
LITERATURE
• African literature is as diverse as the continent itself, but several
characteristics an themes prevail throughout much of the written
works emerging from Africa. There is often great emphasis on the
history, culture and customs of a group of people when telling
their stories.
• Afro-Asian’s literary works were handed by mouth from generation
to generation to entertain, educate and remind the people about
their past, heroic deeds of their people, ancestry and culture.
• Afro-Asian literature is a sign of new and modern times. It also
teaches people and allow them to learn about different
experiences and cultures from all over the world.
QUESTION # 5
WHAT ARE THE COMMON
THEMES ASSOCIATED
WITH AFRO-ASIAN
LITERATURE?
COMMON THEMES IN AFRO-ASIAN
LITERATURE
• Afro-Asian literature shares several common themes between African and Asian countries.
Some of these themes include nature, peace, and the highlight on emotions.
• EXAMPLE ABOUT NATURE
Petals of Blood by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o
It is a poem which suggests that there is a deadly power within nature that must be respected
despite attempts to suggest by humans that they live harmoniously with it.
• EXAMPLE ABOUT PEACE
No Longer at Ease by Chinua Achebe
It is a novel which concerns the struggle of Obi Okonkwo's grandfather Okonkwo against the
changes brought by the English.
• EXAMPLE ABOUT HIGHLIGHT ON EMOTIONS
Brave Faces: The Daring Stand Against Cancer by Nasra Al Adawi
It is a poetry and true to life stories about women with breast cancer in Tanzania. The
testimonies in Brave Faces are told through personal stories and poetry that speak to this
courage, the loneliness, the anger and the pain of loosing something.