Abstract: | Folktales told in the Indean Ocean islands manifest the skill of verbal artists in manipulating and varying symbol systems. Many tales were learnt from Africa, modified in Madagascar, and brought to the Seychelles, the Comoros, Mauritius and Reunion with forced or unforced immigration. Imported tales stayed in memory; if useful, they were remodelled. Every generation remembered and recreated occasions when African verbal artists critiqued social life. The transshipping of slaves through Madagascar and the long history of cultural convergence in all the islands brought about creolization of folktales. The African trickster figure, either animal or human, is central to the common stock of island traditions. Another favourite narrative theme brought from East Africa is the defiant girl who marries a monster and must be rescued. Though information is lacking so far that would reveal why particular stories are performed in a particular island community at a particular moment, Africa offers many prototypes. Bibliogr., notes. [ASC Leiden abstract] |