GRADE 8- ENGLISH

• Describe the notable literary genres contributed

by African writers.
• Describe the distinguishing features of African
chants and poems.
• Develop a sense of appreciation of African
literature through collaborative activities and self-
assessment questions.
It is defined as the literary works
written for or by Africa. Their
literature, often oral in nature,
may be in prose or poetry.
For Africans, literature is art.
It is full of beauty, unfolds mysteries, and
improve the relation between
communities.
Research results show that Africans rarely
used paper and pen for literature, and
used ‘oral-and-response’ techniques.
This is what they call, “Orature.”
1. It is a communal experience
2. Repetition is an important part of the
storytelling
3. Storytelling fulfill many purpose beyond
as a form of entertainment
4. Tone is a vital role in story telling.
African story tellers and praisers are
called “Griots.” They use techniques
in telling stories.
The reason why Africans mainly focus
in orature is because they expect
their audience to give responses or
comment.
Characteristics of African
literature

1. Slave narratives
2. Protest about colonization
3. Calls for independence
The literature of African countries are
is distinguished by a variety of genres
that are constantly evolving and
mutating.
A literary genre is a category of
literary composition. It can be
determined by technique, tone or
content, or even (as in the case of
fiction, length).
African literary types:

CHAN POE
T M
• The word chat is originated from the French word
“chanter,” which means ‘to sing.’
• It is a repeated rhythmic phrase typically one
shouted or sung in unison by the crowd.
• It tends to be repeated two to four lines over and
over.
• It is quick and makes a point
CHANT
 • It is a collection of spoken and written that
expresses ideas or emotions in a powerfully vivid
and imaginative.
• It is a comprised of a particular rhythmic and
metrical pattern.
• The main function of poem is to convey and idea or
emotion in beautiful language.
• It paints a picture on what a poet feels about a
thing, person, idea, concept or even emotion.
SOME NOTABLE AFRICAN
WRITERS
SOME NOTABLE AFRICAN
WRITERS
SOME NOTABLE AFRICAN
WRITERS
 WHAT IS MOSTLY INTERWOVEN IN
AFRICAN LITERATURE?

A. CULTURE AND
B. FOOD AND CUISINE
TRADITION

C. ARTS AND D. SCIENCE AND

TECHNOLOGY
 ALL ARE TRUE ABOUT CHANTS
EXCEPT?

A. IT IS MOSTLY B. IT IS OFTEN LONG

REPEATED

C. IT IS QUICK AND FAST D. IT IS SUNG IN UNISON

 WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING IS
NOT A CHARACTERISTIC OF A
SONG?

A. IT CAN BE WRITTEN OR B. IT OFTEN FOLLOWS

SPOKEN MEASURE AND RHYME

C. IT IS VIVID AND D. IT IS ALWAYS SHORT IN

IMAGINATIVE NATURE
Create a Venn Diagram between a
chant and a poem
CHANT POEM

DIFFERENCES SIMILARITIES DIFFERENCES

The Arab World
in Africa
GRADE 8- ENGLISH
The Arabian Empire in North Africa
The Arabs formed an Arabian empire in North Africa where they
established the Muslim Religion.
The Arabian Empire in North Africa
The sultan of Morocco, or any other Sultan, has the importance
of a pope because he is the highest religious leader in Arab
community.
The Arabian Empire in North Africa

The Arabs are extremely religious.

Their religion is Islam which

means, “submission” or
“resignation to the will of God.”
Islam; Five practices
1. Declaration of Faith (Shahadah): They recite a prayer: “There
is no god but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet.”
Islam; Five practices
2. To pray five times a day (Salah): These prayers may be said
anywhere, even in the street or in a bazaar.
Islam; Five practices
3. Alms giving (Zakat): To give alms ten percent of their income to
the poor.
Islam; Five practices
4. Fasting (Sawm): The holy Month of Ramadan during which no
food or water may be taken between dawn and sunset.
Islam; Five practices
5. Pilgrimage (Hajj): To make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least
once in a lifetime. Any Moslem who has done this adds the title
‘hadji’ to his/her name and wear a distinctive turban.
A Moorish Banquet
Moorish - relating to the group of Muslim people from
North Africa who ruled Spain from 711-1492

Moors- a Moroccan or formerly a member of the Muslim

population of what is now Spain and Portugal

Banquet – a sumptuous feast

- an elaborate and often ceremonious meal for
numerous people often in honor of a person.
 What are the very strict rules in
participating a banquet?
• The left hand is not to touch any food.
• There are no knives, forks, spoons or plates
• They use only the thumb and the first two fingers to hold the food
and it should not be touched the lips.
• The women of the household are never present at a banquet.
• Pork is forbidden for Moslems and fish is not generally served in
a banquet.
 If you were to partake of this meal, would you
enjoy the banquet? Why or why not?

Why must we respect the culture and customs of

other people?
What is your dream wedding?
 Moorish Marriage Customs

A Moorish wedding begins with a

procession. First come the
musicians playing shrill pipes and
beating small drums like
tambourines.
Then come the bearded elders of
the bride’s family, some of them
limping and supported by canes.
 Moorish Marriage Customs

Next come more musicians followed by a group

of eight men carrying a paper box on long poles.
The box is heavy because it contains the bride,
who is carried to the home of her fiancé, where
the marriage will take place.
 Moorish Marriage Customs
The bride and groom have never seen each other.
When the bride arrives at the house, there is
nobody except a female Negro servant who lifts
her out of the box because her feet must not touch
the ground. The groom himself is not at home; she
waits until he arrives. She may have to wait for a
long time; the ceremony cannot begin without
him.
 Moorish Marriage Customs
When he comes, the two eat together alone while
the members of the family eat outside, shrieking
and sounding out loud music. This is the bride’s
one and only meal with her husband, because
afterward, she will eat only with women.
 Moorish Marriage Customs
For the rest of her life, she is her husband’s slave;
she almost never goes out of her house; she will
not be allowed to go out more than once or twice
in all her lifetime. She will not go to see the
members of her family even if they live in the
same town. Once a year, with her husband’s
consent, her mother might visit her.
 Moorish Marriage Customs
To the Moslem Moors, there is no courtship
before marriage. All is arranged by the fathers.
Usually the father of the groom looks around to
size up available young ladies from thirteen to
fifteen years old.
 Moorish Marriage Customs

Then, after having made a choice, he goes out to

the girl’s father and arranges all matters pertaining
to the wedding. The arrangement is mainly
financial. The groom’s father pays the girl’s father
whatever sum is agreed upon.
 Moorish Marriage Customs

The engagement must last for months. During this period, the girl
is deliberately fattened up because to Moroccans, plumpness is
fashionable.
The Moorish ideal beauty in women is plumpness, a very small
nose, a tiny mouth and eyes as big as possible.
A Moslem can have only a maximum of four legal wives and he
must treat them equally and their children equally too.
However, he can have as many slave concubines as he can afford.