African Folklore: An Encyclopedia - Marshalls University

African folklore 422
acquired the blacksmith’s skills from his father. He managed to maintain the skill of
smelting and working iron, becoming one of the main suppliers of metal implements,
such as hoes, spears, and arrows.
Conclusion
Legends among the Abaluhyia represent some of the typical fea- tures of historical
narratives common in African oral literature. They are mainly expressed in prose and
complemented by proverbs and songs. The legends mainly focus on genealogies,
migrations, warfare, and the successes and failures of personalities whom people believe
lived in particular historical contexts. These legends reflect the responses of different
ethnic groups to needs that press them in contemporary circumstances. These narratives
have been handed down to successive generations over the years as true accounts. Yet the
passage of time and the weakness of memory may allow for fictional aspects to become
included alongside factual material in the legend.
References
Fedders, A, and C.Salvador!. 1998. Peoples and Cultures of Kenya. Nairobi: TransAfrica.
Finnegan, R. 1970. Oral Literature in Africa. Nairobi: Oxford University Press.
Makila, F.E. 1978. An Outline History of the Babukusu of Western Kenya. Nairobi: Kenya
Literature Bureau.
Okpwewho, I. 1983. Myth in Africa. Cambridge University Press.
Rosman, A, and G.P. Rubel. 1995. The Tapestry of Culture: An Introduction to Cultural
Anthropology. New York. McGraw-Hill.
Sangree, W.H. 1966. Age, Prayer and Politics in Tiriki Kenya. Wagner, G. 1970. The Bantu of
Western Kenya: With Speical London: Oxford University Press.
Reference to Vugusu and Logoli. London: Oxford University Press.
Were, G.S. 1967a. A History of the Abaluhyia of Western Kenya: C1500–1930. Nairobi: East
African Publishing House.
Were, G.S. 1967b. Western Kenya: Historical Texts. Nairobi: East African Literature Bureau.
Werner A. 1968. Myths and Legends of the Bantu. London: Frank Cass.
BENSON A.MULEMI
See also Epics; Myths
LESOTHO (Kingdom of Lesotho)
With a temperate climate, Lesotho is a small country with a population of approximately
2.29 million people that is completely surrounded by South Africa. The capital Maseru is
the country’s largest city and home to 367,000 people. Lesotho is one of Africa’s most
homogenous nations, as the population is 98 percent Basotho and 2 percent Xhosa; most
live in the rural areas. English and Sesotho are the two commonly spoken lan guages.