Language of Performance in Quest for Identity and Relevance: The Mupun Folktales in Perspective

Abstract

Itis evident that language is not only a tool for communication but also for cultural identity. It is a means of communication and a carrier of culture. Every human being possesses and speaks one form of language or the other. The understanding of once language is a badge of his or her identity and membership of the society. In effect, human identity and dignity are manifestly depicted in language. This is because language offers enormous privilege for self-expression and exploration of a people's material environment. In this paper, the authors seek to revisit the position of the Kenyan post-colonial theorist, NgugiWaThiongo on the fundamental question of the relevance of language used in African oral performance and the quest for identity. The paper uses the Mupun folktale (Njingkook) as paradigm. The paper proposes that in an attempt to discuss the philosophy of language in African literature and oral performance, then the question of identity as well as relevance are imperative. How can African audience or readers identify themselves with literature written in English language and performance performed in the language other than African? What then is the relevance of the literature and performance to the African audience? These are some of the questions this paper tries to interrogate. The aim of this paper therefore is to discuss the possibility of aligning most African literatures and oral performances to a language which seeks to market African ‘anguages to the world. The paper concludes that globalization has become a global phencmenon that has syncretized the world culture. It has come to stay. Cultures today are integrating and interacting and because they are involved in this, there is no any single culture that can stand on its own, hence the need to identify with other cultures in order to project and market the Mupun literature and oral performances across the world.