The Major Themes and Motifs of Southern Agaw Folktales
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Date
1990-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
In a heterogenous society like ours, the dominant culture naturally
exerts its influence over the others directly or indirectly. Amharisation
has hence drastically affected the numerous nationalities of the country
chief amongst wham are the Southern Agaws. As a result of this unchecked
process of assimilation which emerged by the end of the 15th - century,
their traditional oral treasures and the language are in the process
of dying out.
It then becomes imperative that attempts either to revive the
language or to record, study and preserve their oral treasures for
reasons of historical, cultural and literary significance should be
made before they disappear altogether. The purpose of the study was
thus to record some of the Southern Agaw folktales and examine their
socia-cultural significance through a thematic analysis as well as
to detennine their major motifs.
The study has three main divisions. The first part which runs
from chapter one to chapter three lays the foundation for the study
by describing the purpose and the scope of the study, the magnitude
of the problem and the Socia-Historical background of the .Ag~~ in
general and that of the Southern .Agaws in particular. Area of the
study, methods of data collection and classification, the definition
of terms used and an etyrrological explanation have also been included
here. The second part which constitutes chapters IV and V, deals
with a descriptive analysis of the selected tales. In chapter IV, abrief description of each tale or that of a group of tales as the case
ffi'ly be, is given after which the major themes they errbody are pointed
out, In chapte r V, an attempt has been ~ade to bring forth the major
motifs of Southern Aga# folkta l es, This part has many di visions and
subdivisi()ns since the bulk of the work occurs here, The third part,
the conclution, recaptulates the significant therres and motifs observe
in the ana l ysis and draws their significance in the Southern Agaw
socia-cultural milieu.
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Major Themes and Motifs