Ibonia

Ibonia

Madagascar First transcribed in 1830. Ibonia Madagascar’s Ibonia is a tale of an immaculate conception, a fiercely contested betrothal, and a bittersweet triumph. The epic was orally transmitted until 1830 when it was first written down in Malagasy. This occurred...
The Epic of Liyongo

The Epic of Liyongo

East Africa (Swahili) Oral tradition: 9th-13th century CEFirst transcribed: c. 18th century CEThe Epic of Liyongo by Muhammad Bin Bakari Kijumwa: 1913   The Epic of Liyongo       Like many African epics, such as Sunjata (Niane 2006; Innes 1974; Suso...
Epic of Sun-Jata

Epic of Sun-Jata

West Africa (the Sudanese empire of Old Mali) Oral tradition: c. 13th century CEWritten summaries (Arabic): before 1890Translations (French, German): 1890-1898First line-by-line transcription: 1967     Epic of Sun-Jata*   Sun-Jata (Son-Jara, Sundiata) was the...
Mubila epic

Mubila epic

Democratic Republic of the Congo Oral epic first collected in the 1950s   Mubila epic     Background and Recording of the Mubila Epic Narrative The long narrative recounting the feats of Mubila was recorded in 1953 by Daniel P. Biebuyck in the Pangi...
Ponnivala Nadu

Ponnivala Nadu

Southern India Oral tradition: c. 15-16th century CEFirst recorded: 1965 Ponnivala Nadu The Legend of Ponnivala Nadu is a folk epic popular in Southern India, specifically in the Kongu Nadu region of Tamilnadu. This is an extended oral epic, a story first tape...