Joubert, The Power of Performance (2004)

[Julia Ulrich]

New from Mouton de Gruyter


Annekie Joubert
THE POWER OF PERFORMANCE
Linking Past and Present in Hananwa and Lobedu Oral Literature

2004. xiv, 499 pages. Cloth. Book and DVD. 
EUR 118.00 / sFr 189.00 / approx. US$ 142.00
ISBN 3-11-017998-9
(Trends in Linguistics. Studies and Monographs 160)

Date of publication: 10/2004

http://www.degruyter.de/rs/bookSingle.cfm?id=IS-3110179989-1&l=E


In "The Power of Performance," Annekie Joubert uncompromisingly
challenges the textmaker's biggest problem, namely to understand the
limitation of print as a receptor medium for performance. She
re-examines the problems facing the textmaker in transforming a
performance event (oral-physical sign system) to a transcribed text
(visual-written sign system) without losing visual and auditive aspects
of performance events. The author has practiced this principle by using
a multimedia approach in the transcription and interpretation of oral
art. With this approach she has affirmed the fact that multimedia
recordings of performance events become irreplaceable instruments in the
documentation and preservation of oral art.  

In her analysis, the author uses a collection of invaluable data
pertaining to Hananwa and Lobedu oral art, history, and culture that has
never been filmed, recorded, or published before. The display of
performance events gives the reader/listener a profound experience of
the rich and resilient forms of oral art which, deploy not only the art
of verbal utterance, but also mime, music, dance, dramatic enactment,
drumming, display of costume, special effects, and ambience. Both groups
are quite unique in particular respects. The Hananwa with regard to the
brutal war of 1894 in their mountain abode. The bravery and pragmatic
leadership of their chief Kgalushi Leboho, made the forces of the
Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek regard him as the most fearsome and
dangerous chief of his time in South Africa. On the other hand the
Lobedu, represents the greatest female authority in South Africa with
regard to their famous female ruler "Modjadji" the rain Queen. 

In "The Power of Performance," the author has combined her literary,
linguistic, cultural, and historical insight to link performers in
context, with their past and present through the power of performance.
The study reveals a long overdue "insider" view on the oral art of these
two communities in its totality. It gives for the first time the
opportunity to the performers of oral art to share their thoughts, and
speak for themselves, and in this way salvage, document, audit, and
promote their own heritage and oral history. The author engages with her
display, discussion, and interpretation of performance-directed texts
into a total process of transmitting life in a given culture: its pride
and fear, myths and rites, creed and guidance, and its honour and
admiration. 
  
Annekie Joubert teaches and researches at the Department of Asian and
African Studies of the Humboldt-University, Berlin, Germany, and is
Visiting Professor for Southern African Studies at the School of English
of the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poland. 


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