Folklore of the African Diaspora (3)

Description

An introductory survey that traces the development of folk culture across the African Diaspora from Ancient African cultures to the importation of enslaved Africans in the New World. Students will explore folklore as an academic discipline, focusing on the various genres and groups that shape traditional expressions and the socio-historical context in which is was created. The course will cover such traditions as the African griot/djeli, blues music, folktales, vernacular speech & dialect, conjuring/hoodoo, death & burial rites, hip-hop, ancestor worship, and naming conventions.