Intended as comic entertainment, blackface minstrelsy was performed by a group of white minstrels (traveling musicians) with black-painted faces, whose material caricatured the singing and dancing of slaves. by The African Theatre Magazine March 5, 2021 0 1k Features In most parts of Traditional Africa, theatre was a prerogative of the woman. Its most important characteristic is that the staging is totally live, and must have as a condition that there is a spectator audience and there is a story to tell and relate that is developed through a plot in which various elements such as actors, music, sound, scenery and above all much emphasis is placed on the gestural, non-verbal language This said, it cannot be ignored that the evolution of African theatrical art was interrupted by foreign invasion and incursion. The reactions of white spectators who maligned the theater are especially telling. Theater Director Role & Techniques | What Does a Theater Director Do? It was never neutral and was based on a particular socio-psychological conception of the world. French Scene in Plays Definition & History | What is a French Scene? This is the origin of the qualifying adjectives francophone, anglophone and lusophone, used in various essays on post-colonial Africa. The radical power of his playwriting is also evident in the pessimistic play If: A Tragedy of the Ruled (1983), though a sense of satiric fun is also seen in Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again (1977) and Holding Talks (1979). People want to see what the African Company is going to do. Anyone can read what you share. Thus, his most famous drama, The Dance of the Forest (1960) was censored by the authorities, as it foreshadowed the civil war that in 1966 would break out between the Yoruba and Ibo ethnic groups. It staged an Othello the following month; other offerings, fare less known today, included Tom and Jerry; Or, Life in London; The Poor Soldier; and Obi; Or, Three-Fingerd Jack.. In this sense, early Africa offers an example of perfect harmony between theatre and society. Theatrical art demands the collaboration of the actors with one another, with a director, with the various technical workers upon whom they depend for costumes, scenery, and lighting, and with the businesspeople who finance, organize, advertise, and sell the product. William Wells Browns The Escape; or, A Leap for Freedom (1858), was the first Black play published, but the first real success of an African American dramatist was Angelina W. Grimks Rachel (1916). Through them, there is imitation of supernatural phenomena and an effort to make the celebrants one with such forces. Playwriting in Theatre: Tools & Techniques. 79 lessons. During the 1980s and 90s August Wilson, Suzan-Lori Parks, and George Wolfe were among the most important creators of Black theatre. - Tools & Systems, Josef Albers: Color Theory, Artwork & Quotes, Subtractive Color: Theory, Definition & System, Office Space Planning: Guidelines & Standards, Colonial Interior Design: British, Spanish & Dutch, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. Osofisan also reworks other texts eitherif they are Nigerianas a critique of an earlier generation (No More the Wasted Breed, 1982, in response to Soyinkas The Strong Breed, 1963; Another Raft, 1988, commenting on Clarks The Raft, 1964) or, if international, as a vehicle for his own interpretation of contemporary events (among them, Whos Afraid of Solarin?, 1978, from Russian writer Nikolay Gogols The Government Inspector, 1836; Tegonni: An African Antigone, 1999; Women of Owu, 2006, from Euripides Trojan Women, 415 bce). Uganda, on the other hand, focused its efforts on theatre for education and development such as Rose Mbowa's play, Mother Uganda and Her Children. This is essential to how Sanskrit theatre was meant to be experienced; it was written for highly educated audiences who could simultaneously derive pleasure from theatre, and detach. A Professor at Cheik Anta Diop University in Senegal, he is a former director of the Daniel Sorano National Theatre in Dakar. When connected to representations of gods, masking also almost always inspires dance and music, elements of social integration and the most characteristic elements of cultural life on the African continent. How can Black producers and artists get the support and resources they need to tell their stories? Rather than criticize the government or society, plays like this often draw on folktales and allegories from regional ethnic groups to deliver moral messages and educate communities on rising problems such as AIDS. Many different African traditions have relied onorature (think ''literature'' and ''oral''), which are stories that are passed down orally but that aren't written down. He was hugely productive, with well over 20 plays to his name. The African has always lived in close accord with theatre and the theatrical; the performative, to use a contemporary term, is an integral part of his or her identity. After World War II Black theatre grew more progressive, more radical, and sometimes more militant, reflecting the ideals of Black revolution and seeking to establish a mythology and symbolism apart from white culture. Still practiced today, it involves rhythmic body movements combined with music and sometimes . They are examined individually below. An error occurred trying to load this video. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Choreography Principles & Structures | What is Choreography? The setting was generally simple and was largely dependent upon the whims of the master of ceremonies and the events being celebrated. African theater is a theater based on discrete historical and national patterns. A collective entertainment, these performances principal aims were to represent mores observed in daily life. Created by master-celebrants and shared with participant spectators, such ritual ceremonies designate specific rolesoften supernaturalwith actions and words rooted not in aesthetics but in their efficacy as part of the whole performance construct. In this secular comic theatre, the actor must also be a highly skilled acrobat, dancer and mime. The companys life-span was short only two or three years but its founder, its performers and its legacy changed American drama. In this sense, each of these thousands of rituals constitutes the germ of a theatrical performance in its use of mask, dance and incantation. By 1940 Black theatre was firmly grounded in the American Negro Theater and the Negro Playwrights Company. They include The Reign of Wazobia (1988), Tell It to Women (1994), The Missing Face (1997), Shakara: Dance-Hall Queen (2000), and Then She Said It (2002). Finally, it should be said that secular performances provide spectacles that are much more varied and lively than do the ritual ones where things tend to be much slower and more established by precedent. While these types of performances may seem different from theatre, they each include the same basic elements: Africa has 54 different countries, each made up of many different cultural and ethnic groups, so there's no way to cover them all in this lesson. The political situation of independence was reflected in the theater, in which dramas by African authors multiplied, inserting local traditions into typical European structures. In Southern Africa, independence came much later than in other parts of Africa, and theatre was dominated by European settlers and their descendants for a much longer time. These stories passed down communal histories and myths and to share important morals. African . Aidoo, also a poet and novelist, wrote only two plays, The Dilemma of a Ghost (1965) and Anowa (1970). Theater, dance, music, poetry, oral literature and writing form an integral corpus that must be understood as a whole. It can symbolize animals as well as humans. The fact is that Africa is prodigiously rich in rituals of all kinds. Gibson Kente, a well-known South African musical theatre maker. Often the dancing is communal rather than partnered, and audience members participate along with designated performers. He was a dynamic director of his own work, forming at Ife the Ori Olokun Acting Company and later the African Cradle Theatre (ACT). African theatre, effectively, the theatre of Africa south of the Sahara that emerged in the postcolonial erathat is to say, from the mid-20th century onward. Stage Manager Overview & Duties | What Does a Stage Manager Do? And he was played by a Black man. Egyptian god of the afterlife, the underworld, and the dead; usually depicted as a man with green skin, a pharaoh's beard, mummy wrapped legs, a tall royal headdress with ostrich feathers, and holding a crook staff in one hand and a flailing whip in the other hand Prologue Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. Please select which sections you would like to print: Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Always displayed in motion (as dance) the dramatic function of masking is clear in all African communities. Garland Andersons play Appearances (1925) was the first play of African American authorship to be produced on Broadway, but Black theatre did not create a Broadway hit until Langston Hughess Mulatto (1935) won wide acclaim. Both these religions grafted themselves onto an existing system of thought that was quite rich and most original. Such rituals are numerous and varied, going back to ancient times and elaborated differently by each of the continents more than one thousand different ethnic groups. Foriwa (first performed 1962) and Edufa (first performed 1962) dealt with political issues relevant to the challenges of independence. Ngugi Wa Thiong'o who encouraged others to write in their own languages. Black Theater What it is, Characteristics and Examples, Shadow Theater Legacy, Characteristics and Evolution, Vaudeville Theater Characteristics, Definition, Concept, Farce Theater Characteristics, Advantages, Representatives, Monologue Theater Characteristics, Concept and Advantages, Eighteenth Century Theater Characteristics, Concepts and Development, American Theater Characteristic, Concept and Development. Agovi(1991) defines African theatre as that form of creativity in the theatre which is rooted in the composite tenor of African experience, embodying a relationship of relevance between the In his backyard, Brown began what became known as the African Grove, where brandy and gin and wine were poured and cake and ice cream were served, while James Hewlett, a fellow ship steward, sang for guests. The last known playbill for an African Theater production was dated June 1823. The silly decisions of humans. That was then, but also speaks to now, according to Marvin McAllister, the author of White People Do Not Know How to Behave at Entertainments Designed for Ladies and Gentlemen of Colour: William Browns African and American Theater., What William Brown was contending with, which subsequent Black leaders have contended with, is this real complex dichotomy he is a Black artist that the theatrical landscape in New York in the early 1820s both wants and rejects, said McAllister. As a result, everything that is done, said or performed in it is, in its turn, invested with a special energy. Historically, performance practices throughout Africa have been difficult to categorize in the Western world. Ghanaian Ama Ata Aidoo, considered the first African playwright, wrote her first play, The Dilemma of a Ghost (1964), when she was only twenty-two years old, making a significant career in academia. The circular space itself expresses the desire to bring the participants together and to create between them a fusion, a true physical and psychological interpenetration. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Some are in a lighter vein and give rise to comic expression, but the great majority has their origins in religious expression and magic. Drumming is the most dominant musical accompaniment for many African rituals. The mask, therefore, is an emblem, a sign which is not only used to erase the personality of the wearer, but which also identifies the wearer with an ancestor or a supernatural being. For the price of 25 cents or, for a nicer seat, a hefty 50 cents the African Theater entertained hundreds of Black New Yorkers with both classic and original work, alongside operas and ballets. The development of this theater has been regional, with its particular characteristics. Through various rituals and dances, communities pass down social patterns and rules, recite history, and encounter their gods. The form reached the pinnacle of its popularity between . A Black Theater Flourished in New York. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. Brown himself wrote The Drama of King Shotaway, an account of a Black Caribbean uprising that is considered the first play written by a Black author though the text has been lost to history. Through this dramatic space an attempt is made to replicate the conditions of ritual communion where everything comes together. Characters are painted with white ash/clay. In Africa, theater is a social phenomenon that is difficult to delimit and distinguish from other disciplines. Two other major figures emerged in the latter part of the 20th centuryTess Onwueme and Femi Osofisan. As well, the study of dramatic phenomena involves diverse approaches. He has been active for many years in the International Theatre Institute. Its a moment to celebrate. Similarly, the vibrant tradition of popular theater (such as Yoruba opera) was also a resource that the literary playwright used and drew upon as an inspiration. The countries of Ghana, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone (and to a lesser extent The Gambia), plus the English-speaking areas of Cameroon, have produced a theatre of great richness since their political independence. Probably a big stage, with bright lights and grand decorations where actors deliver their lines in front of a stadium-sized auditorium. Perhaps the most significant of Clarks plays is his 1966 version of the epic Ijo saga Ozidia seven-day community festival. Later, in 1977, Clark was to record and translate into English an oral version of the saga, but his rich play drawn from this fascinating source is not only a powerful drama in its own terms but also an informative introduction to the imaginative dramaturgy of traditional festivals. Medieval Theatre | Plays, Costumes & Staging, Production Concept in Theater: Definition, Function & Example. The fact is that early Africans never invented a generic term to designate these representations. Read more Makerere Returns to Community Theatre by Linus Mugume February 11, 2021 0 549 Features lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. There was also a competition for enterprising drama schools, which was increasingly open to all races, providing a vehicle for indigenous writing. The minstrel shows of the early 19th century are believed by some to be the roots of Black theatre, but they initially were written by whites, acted by whites in blackface, and performed for white audiences. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you She is also known for plays she wrote for children such as Vulture! If one considers the genres and styles of theatre in connection with the milieu in which they originated, if one tries to ascertain the specific elements that gave rise to African theatre and if one studies these indigenous forms as such, it can be concluded that theatre in ancient Black Africa can be clearly found in such elements as ritual gesture and communal celebrations by large rural publics where these forms first emerged; artistic forms that synthesize spectacle and the spoken word, rhythm and dance, forms that integrate many modes of expression. In West Africa, storytellers are often called griots. Barakas plays, including the award-winning Dutchman (1964), depicted whites exploitation of African Americans. Central & South American Theatre: History & Overview, Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, Western Theatre from Renaissance to Realism, Peking Opera: Definition, Characteristics & Roles, Kabuki Dance: Definition, History & Facts, Noh Theatre: Definition, Characteristics & History, Butoh Theatre: Definition, Characteristics & History, Indian Theatre: Origins, Types & Characteristics, Ancient Sanskrit Theatre: History & Characteristics, Kathakali Dance: History & Characteristics, Middle Eastern Theatre: History & Overview, African Theatre & Dance: History & Overview, Principles of Business Ethics: Certificate Program, World Religions for Teachers: Professional Development, NYSTCE Music (075): Practice and Study Guide, ILTS Music (143): Test Practice and Study Guide, What is Color Management? Lost scripts, vague details and a theaters sudden end this is essentially a ghost tale. After serving as Ghanas Minister of Education in 1982, she won the Commonwealth Writers Prize, in addition to many other awards. succeed. Rituals are often accompanied by larger festivals to celebrate or commemorate events. Certainly, the Arab conquest, dating from the eleventh century, and the subsequent introduction of Islam, did much to redirectif not to stifle indigenous artistic expression. Music can be described as any sounds made with human vocal cords or instruments; some examples of types of music include classical, pop, rock, hip-hop, country and folk. Explore the history of these performances, oral histories, characteristics of postcolonial theatre, and some famous African playwrights. Two modern plays, however The African Company Presents Richard the Third by Carlyle Brown, and Red Velvet by Lolita Chakrabarti have renewed attention to this fascinating chapter. When a yellow fever epidemic shot through New York, Browns audience dissipated; in October 1822 the National Advocate, a newspaper, announced that the theater was closing because of the fever. African theatre and dance have a long history dating back to some of the earliest forms of performance. This king stood in front of a Black audience. He was a member of the Executive of the International Federation for Theatre Research (FIRT) and Secretary-General of the Union of African Performing Artists. It has been revised for this special issue of Critical Stages by the General Editor of the WECT series and appears here with the permission of the General Editor and WECT Ltd. **Ousmane Diakhat was co-editor of the Africa volume of the World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre. Storytellers repeat words, phrases, gestures and verses or . On Monday, Sept. 17, 1821, it opened with Richard III. This wasnt the swankiest showing; the first king was played by an enslaved man who wore a makeshift robe fashioned from a window curtain, and the play was condensed for a smaller cast. Omissions? Esteemed, educated performers and living repositories of history. The objects they wear or carry, and especially the colors of the accessories (branches, feathers, animal skins), constitute a dcor endowed with special powers to transform the nature of a site. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The slightest pretext often gives rise to complex theatrical events where music, dance and verbal parody figure in equal parts. The power of the space itself then implies and explains the nature of the ceremony and determines the overall impact of the performance. In the mid-1960s the Kola Ogunmola company, in conjunction with the Nigerian theatre designer Demas Nwoko, had great success with an adaptation of Amos Tutuolas novel The Palm-Wine Drinkard. She is a writer, composed some of the most influential plays of the national theater, such as Edufa (1967), and founded the Experimental Theatre Players (1958), the Ghana Drama Studio and the Pan-African theater festival Panafest (1992). This work is licensed under theCreative Commons Attribution International License CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. The African Theatre is, as far as records report, the first known . In that same year the Federal Theatre Project was founded, providing a training ground for African Americans. In African societies, dance serves a complex diversity of social purposes. Throughout its history, Ailey's company has explored themes of African American heritage and culture. Ancient Roman Theatre Facts & Importance | What is Ancient Roman Theatre? What does an exclusively Black space look like? In their scheme of things theatre was taken for granted. I feel like its a lifeline. Foriwa (first performed 1962) and Edufa (first performed 1962) dealt with political issues relevant to the challenges of independence. Two titles of plays by Ogunde indicate the range of his writing: The Garden of Eden and the Throne of God (1944) and Bread and Bullet (1950). Across the African continent, people practice very elaborate rituals that include ornate costumes and masks, music, dancing, and storytelling. Some white South African playwrights such as Athol Fugard produced interracial theatre that critiqued apartheid, for example, Sizwe Bansi is Dead, written in 1972. Theres another narrative, said Young, of Boston University. Osofisan, however, is the colossus of Nigerian theatre in terms of output and popularity over the last decades of the 20th century. Haddy is ABD in Theatre Studies and has taught college theatre for 7 years. It is people, by their sacrifices, their cultural manifestations and their incantations, who give the gods meaning. The actor must show an ability to use dramatic space not only through movements, but also through pauses so that all spectators are included. However, there are some commonalities that help us distinguish them from theatre in the U.S. From a standpoint of space, it is also clear that in ancient Africa, no ritual act had meaning separate from the place where it was performed, or apart from the participants involved in it. Sanskrit Theater History & Characteristics | Types of Sanskrit Drama, Script, Process, Product & Audience as Elements of Theatre, Theatre Audience | Role, Rules & Participation, History of Feminist Theater & Plays | Features, Principles & Examples. Gibson Kente is one of the most well-known Black South African musical theatre makers. Drumming is the most dominant musical accompaniment for many African rituals. She wrote the landmark play A Raisin in the Sun, which opened at Ethel Barrymore Theatre in New York City in 1959. Updates? The 200th anniversary of the African Theater (which was commemorated on the 2021 International Black Theater Summits Black Theater Day on Sept. 17) coincides with an important moment in Broadway history, when all of the new dramatic productions scheduled this fall seven total are by Black playwrights. The defining characteristics of African American theatre are: plays written almost exclusively during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s productions performed by black Americans plays written by and for African Americans plays written by white American for black actors productions performed by black Americans Kenya produced powerful protest theatre that criticized how newly independent governments betrayed the people and adopted colonial strategies of control and authority. It is for this reason that so many African researchers and practitioners put ritual at the centre of both their reflection and their stage practice. He was the star of a production by the African Theater, widely considered the first Black theater in the United States. The African Theater, which had its first performance on Sept. 17, 1821, is both an inspiration and a cautionary tale. Lofty speech, such as verse or poetry, is often incorporated in dialogue. But that doesnt mean the tale of the African Theater is not a story worth telling. What do you imagine when you hear the word ''theatre''? The rich cultural heritage of the nation, particularly from the south, created the conditions for political debate, social cohesion, celebration and lament. Popular theatre practitioners such as Hubert Ogunde, writing in Yoruba, created biblical and political dramas that toured the country in trucks, performing in hotel yards or community halls to enthusiastic audiences, with lavish ingredients of song, dance, and spectacle. Nigeria stands out in the continent for the vigour and range of its theatre. Through various rituals and dances, communities pass. To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android. 200 Years Ago. And Brown had a sizable audience around 300 to 400 people, scholars estimate that could remember what his troupe brought to the stage. In Opera Wonyosi (first performed 1977) he draws on Bertolt Brechts satirical musical drama The Threepenny Opera (1928). And yet its also a moment to recognize how difficult it has been for Black artists to make it onstage and into our history. Traditional Drama: Often dealt with supernatural concepts such as fate and the role of the gods/God in human affairs. Part of what I think theyre doing is trying to destroy and dismantle expectations for Black writers and Black performers, Jones said. It is best known for Ailey's masterwork, Revelationsa work which has been in its repertory since its creation in 1960.More than 23 million people in 71 countries have seen Revelationsmore than any other modern dance work.. Ailey was only 29 when he created Revelations. Soyinkas careerfragmented by imprisonment without trial during the Nigerian civil war and subsequent exilehas produced a range of major plays, some dealing with what he saw as the bizarre antics of African leaders (Kongis Harvest, first performed 1966; A Play of Giants, first performed 1984; The Beatification of Area Boy, 1995) and others with the clash between the spiritual and the mortal world (The Strong Breed, first performed 1963; The Road, 1965; Death and the Kings Horseman, 1975the latter widely regarded as his finest play) and fierce personal assaults on tyranny (Madmen and Specialists, 1971; From Zia, with Love, 1992). Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. The principal objective of this central action is, obviously, the efficacy of the ritual, but artistic arrangement and acting are not completely foreign to it. It is the functioning of society itself which most directly dictates artistic expression in Africa, whose theatre is rooted in myths, rites and folk celebrations, which externalize the beliefs, passions and concepts that preoccupy any given group. Fortunately theater is a spectator sport, so a moment on the stage, though fleeting, will survive for as long as a single audience member can recall it. Part of that expectation is that they always have to be writing about race, for example, or they always have to be writing about some type of Black trauma or Black mourning.. Others were J.P. Clark (later known as J.P. Clark-Bekedemero), Ola Rotimi, and Zulu Sofola. Rotimis themes were always political and often were based in the re-creation of incidents of Nigerian history: Kurunmi (first performed 1969) deals with the internecine wars of the Yoruba in the 19th century; Ovonramwen Nogbaisi (first performed 1971) treats the British colonial punitive expedition to Benin; Hopes of the Living Dead (first performed 1985) examines the struggle in the 1920s for the dignified treatment for lepers; Akassa You Mi (2001)published posthumouslypresents the 1895 conflict between the Nembe people and the Royal Niger Company. It is not possible to talk of much African theatre as if it fell into discrete historical or national patterns. Pre-colonial and post-colonial drama and theatre in Africa. A few notable ones include: Even though these playwrights began writing plays in the Western style, they included elements of early African theatre, such as trickster characters, the performance of rituals, and call and response. The African Theaters history reflects many of the conversations still happening around race and the art form today. The 1960s saw the emergence of a new Black theatre, angrier and more defiant than its predecessors, with Amiri Baraka (originally LeRoi Jones) as its strongest proponent. Likewise, her Pan-African activist narratives were first in the world of cinema, in which she opened the door for African female filmmakers with Araba: The Village Story (1967) and earned respect and prestige inside and outside Africa, being an irreplaceable institution in the history of African theater and cinema. He is most famous for writing the essay ''Decolonizing the Mind,'' but he made a name as a playwright with the play The Trial of Dedan Kimathi. Shakespeare's Richard III arrived on a New York City stage 200 years ago this month. And, of course, in a space where spirits and humans reinforce one another in reciprocal fashion, in a space where sacred forces and supernatural beings manifest themselves, no arbitrary gesture can be tolerated. Type. White audiences found their stereotypes challenged when they saw Black actors perform the classics at the African Theater, according to Marvin McAllister, who wrote a history of the theater. Revelations . Experimental groups and Black theatre companies emerged in Chicago, New York City, and Washington, D.C. (Throughout the article, dates in parentheses are dates of publication rather than first performance, except where noted.). Was very structured and ended with a clear plot resolution. This article aims to sketch the broadest patterns of work and highlight some landmarks in dealing with the extensive continentwide theatrical activity. Important morals saga Ozidia seven-day community festival and Femi Osofisan a Professor at Cheik Anta Diop in! 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This king stood in front of a production by the African theatre is, as as. Was generally simple and was based on a New York Times, Audm. Licensed under theCreative Commons Attribution International License CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 New York stage. Nature of the earliest forms of performance over the last decades of the 20th century continent for the vigour range! To share important morals refreshing the page, or contact customer support that ornate..., gestures and verses or theatre maker educated performers and living repositories of.. Or poetry, is the most dominant musical accompaniment for many African rituals there is imitation supernatural! Who maligned the theater are especially telling Clarks plays is his 1966 version of the performance possible to talk much... Phenomenon that is difficult to delimit and distinguish from other disciplines invented a generic term designate! Partnered, and audience members participate along with designated performers moment to recognize how difficult it has been for Writers! Last known playbill for an African theater is a former Director of the forms. Slightest pretext often gives rise to complex theatrical events where music, dancing, and encounter their.. Has been made to replicate the conditions of ritual communion where everything comes together Prize, in addition to other! New content and verify and edit content received from contributors an attempt is made replicate. Its theatre Black producers and artists get the support and resources they need to tell their stories resources they to! Dating back to some of the qualifying adjectives francophone, anglophone and lusophone, used in various essays on Africa.

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