Tale
The Ila-Speaking Peoples of Northern Rhodesia
Edwin Smith and Andrew Dale · 1920
Synopsis
A work in two volumes devoted to the Ila-speaking peoples, the second volume of which gathers their proverbs, riddles and tales, arranged in four parts: stories explaining the origin of things, such as that of the mud-wasp who goes to fetch fire from God; adventures of Sulwe the hare, who ties up the lion and tricks him; tales of people and animals; and finally stories of fools. Many were collected from the storyteller Mungalo.
Context
Published in London by Macmillan in 1920, the two volumes cover the environment, history, society, religion, games, music and language of the Ba-ila before turning to proverbs and tales. The authors warn there that the stories lose their savour in writing, having heard them told in the evening around the fires, voice and gestures included. Smith had lived thirteen years in the country, and his handbook of the Ila language remained the standard work for half a century.
Who it is for
A scholarly work in English; the tales, gathered at the end of the second volume, can be read separately.
Prizes and reception
The study remains a reference source on the Ba-ila, and the full text is freely accessible online.
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