Sudanese Historiography and Oral Tradition

1985 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 117-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullahi Ali Ibrahim
Keyword(s):  
Oral Tradition ◽  
Historical Research ◽  
Oral Traditions ◽  
History Writing ◽  
Historical Criticism ◽  
Southern Sudan ◽  
History Of ◽  
Historical Writings ◽  
The One ◽  
The University

One of the most curious aspects of Sudanese historiography is that it has almost completely ignored the ongoing attempts to apply the methods of historical criticism to oral tradition in reconstructing the African past. Though an awareness of these attempts on the part of Sudanese historians is not lacking, it has not gone beyond vague indications, casual remarks, and limited use of oral data. This paper investigates the apathy of Sudanese historiography with respect to oral traditions, drawing on articles on the writing of history in the Sudan, as well as on historical writings that have actually made use of oral traditions.Sudanese historiography here means writings by Sudanese on history-writing in the Sudan; general histories of the Sudan; and local histories of the Northern Sudan. The history of the Southern Sudan is excluded because the contribution of oral tradition in reconstructing the history of this region has been markedly different. I also distinguish between traditional (biographers, genealogists, etc.) and amateur historians on the one hand and modern historians on the other. The modern historians, with whom this article will deal exclusively, are graduates of the Department of History in the University of Khartoum (or a similar university by extension), which was established in the late 1940s,and who have been exposed to the Western critical spirit and modern techniques of historical research and writing.2 Unlike the modern historians, traditional and amateur historians have always made use of both oral traditions and written sources.

scholarly journals For Oral Tradition (But Not Against Braudel)

1978 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 351-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Vansina
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
Oral Tradition ◽  
Oral Traditions ◽  
World War ◽  
History Writing ◽  
The Past ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Waves ◽  
Fernand Braudel

One wonders what Fernand Braudel and the school of the Annales have done to become a kind of Trojan Horse for the wholesale condemnation of the historical value of oral tradition. Yet they are the banner raised by W.G. Clarence-Smith in a recent article in his journal to preach jihad against its historical value. Clarence-Smith claims that the historiographical revolution effected by Annales has resulted in the definitive exclusion of oral traditions from the halls of Clio. Oral traditions are at best ambiguous “signs” about the past and are very much of the present. They lack absolute chronology and they are selective, so away with them. If they be worthy of attention at all, let anthropologists and sociologists be concerned, save in a few rare instances where a historian wants to check on some European printed source. And even then, caveat emptor. Significantly, the article is not just the expression of the views of one person; rather it is symptomatic of much of the criticism which has been leveled at oral tradition, mostly by fasionable anthropologists. And it brings this criticism to its logical conclusion.But first a word about Braudel, the Annales, and oral tradition in general. The Annales School was founded by Lucien Febvre and Marc Bloch before World War II. Fernand Braudel is its most distinguished exponent. His major theoretical pronouncements can be found in his Ecrits sur l'histoire, a collection of articles reprinted and published in 1969. This and his two major historical works should be read by those who want to know more about his views and ways of dealing with history. The basic tenets that members of the Annales School hold is that the history of events is but the spray of past developments; other time depths tell us more about the waves of the past. There is the time of the conjoncture, the trend, and the even longer time periods -- sometimes many centuries long -- the longue durée or long term. Successful history writing does not liminate the study of events, but analyzes them against the movement of these longer and deeper-running trends.

scholarly journals The Myth of Sayyidina Ali’s “Illegitimate Child” Crocodile: The Phenomenon of Syncretism Among Coastal Communities in West Kalimantan

Al-Albab ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 3
Author(s):  
Eka Hendry Ar. ◽  
Ria Hayatunnur Taqwa ◽  
Syf. Fatimah
Keyword(s):  
Oral Tradition ◽  
Coastal Communities ◽  
The Other ◽  
Oral Traditions ◽  
The West ◽  
West Kalimantan ◽  
Illegitimate Child ◽  
Local Tradition ◽  
History Of ◽  
The One

West Kalimantan has various local cultural treasures in the form of ritual traditions, arts as well as oral traditions in the form of pantun, abstinence, legends, and myths. The cultural treasures spread throughout the West Kalimantan regions, one of which is found in the coastal area of the Province. The treasure that attracts the attention of the researchers is the oral tradition of the myth found in coastal areas of Kubu and Teluk Pakedai. The myth is the crocodile of anak kampang Sayyidina Ali (Sayyidina Ali‘s “illegitimate child“). This myth contains many dimensions, ranging from the dimensions of local culture and religious views to syncretism. The researchers also assume that the myth contains a negative stereotype against Shi’a. This research attempts to reconstruct the culture of the myth in various spectra. This research uses ethnography method. It reveals some interesting aspects such as euhemerism of the figure of Imam Ali. The myth also contains a very strong syncretic content, thus arising a paradox of the existing character, between glorifying and degrading. It arises because of a thorough understanding of the history of Islam on the one hand, and the strong style of local tradition held by the community on the other. However, the myth is quite functional for society, because it indirectly instills awareness about nature conservation. Finally, in relation to the allegations of political motives in myth, the researchers found no sufficient data, but the academic suspicion of the researchers had a strong belief in it.

Thyrsa Wealtheow Amos: The Dean of Deans

NASPA Journal ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard J. Herdlein
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Affairs ◽  
Historical Research ◽  
University Of Pittsburgh ◽  
Student Personnel ◽  
Dean Of Women ◽  
History Of ◽  
Personnel Administration ◽  
The University

The scholarship of student affairs has neglected to carefully review its contextual past and, in the process, failed to fully integrate historical research into practice. The story of Thyrsa Wealtheow Amos and the history of the Dean of Women’s Program at the University of Pittsburgh,1919–41, helps us to reflect on the true reality of our work in higher education. Although seemingly a time in the distant past, Thyrsa Amos embodied the spirit of student personnel administration that shines ever so bright to thisd ay. The purpose of this research is to provide some of thatcontext and remind us of the values that serve as foundations of the profession.

The Invention of Papal History

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Bauer
Keyword(s):  
Catholic Reformation ◽  
History Writing ◽  
Historical Texts ◽  
The Past ◽  
History Of ◽  
Cultural Standards ◽  
Commissioned Works ◽  
The One ◽  
Late Renaissance ◽  
The Church

How was the history of post-classical Rome and of the Church written in the Catholic Reformation? Historical texts composed in Rome at this time have been considered secondary to the city’s significance for the history of art. The Invention of Papal History corrects this distorting emphasis and shows how history-writing became part of a comprehensive formation of the image and self-perception of the papacy. By presenting and fully contextualizing the path-breaking works of the Augustinian historian Onofrio Panvinio (1530–68), this book shows what type of historical research was possible in the late Renaissance and the Catholic Reformation. Historiography in this period by no means consisted entirely of commissioned works written for patrons; rather, a creative interplay existed between, on the one hand, the endeavours of authors to explore the past and, on the other hand, the constraints of patronage and ideology placed on them. This book sheds new light on the changing priorities, mentalities, and cultural standards that flourished in the transition from the Renaissance to the Catholic Reformation.

scholarly journals Thomas Aquinas’ influences inInfanteD. Pedro’ “Virtuosa Benfeitoria”: Scholastic tradition in History and History of Education

2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
Terezinha Oliveira
Keyword(s):  
Common Good ◽  
Thomas Aquinas ◽  
Human Relationships ◽  
The Common Good ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Common ◽  
Social Project ◽  
Methodological Principles ◽  
The One ◽  
The University

The considerations on the book “VirtuosaBenfeitoria” aim atevaluating the relevance of a social project to guide the actions of the ruler and theindividuals, with a view to practical actions that converge to the common good. The infant D. Pedro, also known as the Duke of Coimbra, wrote the work. The central focus of the book is to address the sense of improvement and how the prince should practice and bestow it and how the subjects would receive and practice it. The arguments of D. Pedro to deal with the good and the society are strongly influenced by classical authorities and authors of scholasticism, especially Thomas Aquinas. In this sense, on the one hand our study seeks to show that such knowledge was essential for him to understand the plots that build human relationships, whose premises, to him, should be the ones leading society towards the common good;on the other hand, the goal is to analyze the work we regard as essential theoretical and methodological principles of history that allow us to recover, through memory, historical events that potentially guide us through paths that show the relevance of the Master of the University, as a vector in the organization of a given society. 

scholarly journals Historical Myths or Mythological History: A Fresh Approach to Understand the History of Assam

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pranab Jyoti Sarma
Keyword(s):  
Oral Traditions ◽  
Cultural Dynamics ◽  
Indian History ◽  
North East ◽  
The North ◽  
East Region ◽  
History Of ◽  
Recent Trends ◽  
Historical Writings ◽  
Material Evidence

This paper carries out a critical review of the trends of historical writings in Assam. The historiographical study reveals that the beginning of the historical phase was, in fact, late in the North East region. Moreover, in many of these historical writings, the importance of the local histories of the communities of the region was ignored. The author highlights the fact that a pan-Indian history for the region may not be authentic enough to understand the cultural dynamics of the complex society of the Northeast. The author also focuses on corroborating ‘proper’ historical source material for reconstructing the history of the region rather than deriving inferences from mythology and legends. However, the importance of recent trends in historiography such as selective utilisation of oral traditions, folklores and memory studies has been emphasised. An alternative and more precise periodisation of the historical phase has been provided which does not, however, project any clear marker between periods and eras but emphasises on slow and steady transformations. Importance of archaeological sources and material evidence has been kept in mind while deriving periodical divisions. Relooking at the history of the Koches, Kacharis has been emphasised.

scholarly journals Challenges to Democracy in the Middle East

2002 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 124-128
Author(s):  
Kamran Asghar Bokhari
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Political Development ◽  
Third Wave ◽  
Cultural Dynamics ◽  
Senior Lecturer ◽  
Arab Nationalism ◽  
French Mandate ◽  
History Of ◽  
The One ◽  
The University

Many scholars have attempted to tackle the question of why democracy has seemingly failed to take root in the Islamic milieu, in general, and the pre dominantlyArab Middle East, in particular, while the rest of the world has witnessed the fall of"pax-authoritaria" especially in the wake of the demercratic revolution triggered by the failure of communism. Some view this resistance to the Third Wave, as being rooted in the Islamic cultural dynamics of the region, whereas others will ascribe it to the level of political development (or the lack thereof). An anthology of essays, Challenges to Democracy in the Middle East furnishes the reader with five historical casestudies that seek to explain the arrested socio politico-economic development of Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, and Turkey, and the resulting undemercratic political culture that domjnates the overall political landscape of the Middle East. The first composition in this omnibus is "The Crisis of Democracy in Twentieth Century Syria and Lebanon," authored by Bill Harris, senior lecturer of political studies at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. Haris compares and contrasts the political development of Syria and Lebanon during the French mandate period and under the various regimes since then. He examines how the two competing forms of national­ism, i.e., Lebanonism and Arabism, along with sectarianism, are the main factors that have contributed to the consolidation of one-party rule in Syria, and the I 6-year internecine conflict in Lebanon. After a brief overview of the early history of both countries, the author spends a great deal oftime dis­cussing the relatively more recent political developments: Syria from 1970 onwards, and Lebanon from I 975 to the I 990s. Harris expresses deep pes­simism regarding the future of democratic politics in both countries, which in his opinion is largely due to the deep sectarian cleavages in both states. The next treatise is "Re-inventing Nationalism in B􀀥thi Iraq 1968- 1994: SupraTerritorial Identities and What Lies Below," by Amatzia Baram, professor of Middle East History at the University of Haifa. Baram surveys the Ba·th's second stint in power (1968-present) in lraq. Baram's opinion is that a shift has occurred in B􀀥thist ideology from an integrative Pan-Arab program to an Iraqi-centered Arab nationalism. She attributes this to Saddam's romance with the past, on the one hand, which is the reason for the incorporation of themes from both the ancient Mesopotamian civiliza­tion and the medieval Abbasid caliphal era, and, on the other hand, to Islam and tribalism, that inform the pragmatic concerns of the Ba'thist ideological configuration ...

William Bulloch, 1868 - 1941

1941 ◽  
Vol 3 (10) ◽  
pp. 819-852
Keyword(s):  
Historical Research ◽  
Literary Critic ◽  
Emeritus Professor ◽  
Main Interest ◽  
The Past ◽  
London Hospital ◽  
The Family ◽  
History Of ◽  
The University ◽  
The City

William Bulloch, Emeritus Professor of Bacteriology in the University of London and Consulting Bacteriologist to the London Hospital since his retirement in 1934, died on n February 1941, in his old hospital, following a small operation for which he had been admitted three days before. By his death a quite unique personality is lost to medicine, and to bacteriology an exponent whose work throughout the past fifty years in many fields, but particularly in the history of his subject, has gained for him wide repute. Bulloch was born on 19 August 1868 in Aberdeen, being the younger son of John Bulloch (1837-1913) and his wife Mary Malcolm (1835-1899) in a family of two sons and two daughters. His brother, John Malcolm Bulloch, M.A., LL.D. (1867-1938), was a well-known journalist and literary critic in London, whose love for his adopted city and its hurry and scurry was equalled only by his passionate devotion to the city of his birth and its ancient university. On the family gravestone he is described as Critic, Poet, Historian, and indeed he was all three, for the main interest of his life outside his profession of literary critic was antiquarian, genealogical and historical research, while in his earlier days he was a facile and clever fashioner of verse and one of the founders of the ever popular Scottish Students’ Song Book .

Dramaturgy of the Body: Marcello Moretti's Construction of Arlecchino at the Piccolo Teatro of Milan

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 130-144
Author(s):  
Gabrielle Houle
Keyword(s):  
Oral History ◽  
Life Experiences ◽  
Video Recording ◽  
Assistant Professor ◽  
The Body ◽  
Historical Research ◽  
Commedia Dell'arte ◽  
Canadian Universities ◽  
History Of ◽  
The University

In this article Gabrielle Houle examines the dramaturgical process that actor Marcello Moretti applied to his creation of Arlecchino's body in Giorgio Strehler's globally acclaimed productions of The Servant of Two Masters at the Piccolo Teatro of Milan between 1947 and 1960. She provides a critical analysis of Moretti's interdisciplinary and trans-historical research and creative process, including his study of iconographic representations of the commedia dell’arte, his observation of farmers in Padua in the mid-twentieth century, and the connections he made between his life experiences and his understanding of Arlecchino. She then examines Moretti's acting style, signature postures, and footwork, both as the international press described them and as she observed them in a video recording and in photographs of the productions. The article, based on extensive archival research at the Piccolo Teatro and on interviews with artists who knew both Moretti and Strehler, concludes with a discussion of Moretti's legacy within and beyond Italy. Gabrielle Houle is a theatre scholar, educator, and artist specializing in the recent staging history of the commedia dell’arte, contemporary mask-making practices, and masked performance. She has taught in several Canadian universities, and is a member of the Centre for Oral History and Tradition at the University of Lethbridge, where she is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor.

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