Oral Traditions as Philosophy

Samuel Oluoch Imbo is assistant professor of philosophy at Hamline University and author of An Introduction to African Philosophy.

• Chapter 1 Visions of AfricanityChapter 2 Defining the Philosophical, the Religious, and the SpiritualChapter 3 Oral Traditions as TextsChapter 4 Roles for Women in African Oral TraditionsChapter 5 Western Scholarship, African ReligionsChapter 6 Problems of Translating Western Concepts into African LanguagesChapter 7 Authentic African SelfhoodChapter 8 Responsibilities of African Philosophers

Samuel Imbo's book explores the philosophical significance of a remarkable African man-of-letters. Okot p'Bitek was a pioneer in the debate about 'the invention of Africa,' in the discourse about the alleged 'Christianization' of African indigenous religions, in the choice of an African language by a Westernized African writer as a literary medium, and in giving voice to 'negritude' in a non-European language at long last. P'Bitek also remains as the only male African writer whose most famous work is about a woman's perspective on the gender-divide. Samuel Oluoch Imbo takes us to those philosophical and social areas—and beyond.