African Literature

African Literature
The first African Literature appeared from the 2300 to the 2100 BC. This literature is generally divided in two, the North Africa (NAf) and the Sub-Saharan African (SSAf). The first appearance of a North Africa Literature is in a papyrus as burial texts and the first written is "Memphite Declaration of Deities". The Sub-Saharan African was more like an oral culture that had epic narratives, proverbs, riddles, songs and rituals, and more. These two were separated mainly as half of Africa, NAf belongs from the Saharan desert to the top and SSAf belongs from the Saharan desert to below. NAf had a lot of influence from the Arabs and the Islamic, well they were beside them, but SSAf had more influence from the Europeans because of the colonization they made. This colonization was hard for them because Europeans tried to change everything around them; first their beliefs, ethics and traditions with Christians manners. Then the intent to destroy the pagan and the primitive culture, but they used them as slaves (in 1789 "Gustaba Vassa" was published, a slave narrative). Finally they implement the education and developed the cultures and civilizations. Things were changing already and for the 20´s and 30´s the Negro Movement started in Paris. These people were Africans that spoke French and tried to get back to their identity with their original roots. Nowadays some important people that are known by their books or novels in the African culture are Alan Paton, Fraz Fanon,Camara Laye, Chinua Achebe and Wole Soyinka that was the first female with a published writing and won a Nobel Prize in Literature.

Holtz, E, (2013), African Literature, Mexico City.