Anthills of the Savannah | Literary Heritage & History

Anthills of the Savannah Literary Heritage

Typical of African cultures, Nigeria's storytelling comes from a long oral tradition. This tradition allowed generations to benefit from African literature despite widespread illiteracy. Folktales, legends, verse, myths, and proverbs were preserved in the memories of the people and communicated by performance or simple recitation. As in other societies, myths in African culture explain the wonders of nature, provide creation narratives, and relate the activities of divine beings. Legends, on the other hand, generally describe the actions of people and often commemorate heroes. The purpose of oral literature is not only to entertain, but also to instruct and honor.

The strong oral tradition in Africa is a major influence for twentieth-century Nigerian writers such as Amos Tutuola, Chinua Achebe, and Nobel Prize-winner Wole Soyinka. Achebe, for example, writes in the traditional novel form in a personalized way that draws from the deep resources of his Nigerian heritage. In her...
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