Social roles of riddles, with reference to Kasena society

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Periodical article

Title:	Social roles of riddles, with reference to Kasena society
Author:	Awedoba, A.K.
Year:	2000
Periodical:	Research Review (ISSN 0855-4412)
Volume:	16
Issue:	2
Pages:	35-51
Language:	English
Notes:	biblio. refs.
Geographic terms:	Ghana West Africa
Subjects:	Kasena riddles literature Kasem (African people) Social role education
Abstract:	Riddles have significant social roles which may be latent or overt. They include roles that may be described as cultural, educative, intellectual, ideological, cosmological and political. While some studies dismiss riddles as a genre lacking the capacity to improve the mind, since they involve stereotyped questions and responses, it is argued in this paper that riddles do indeed exercise the intellect more actively than the mere recollection of responses. Riddles teach logic, they compel audiences to engage in the contemplation of a variety of paradoxes and enigmas, they teach about the social and cultural environment, about social norms, about history and biology and much more. They can also be said to play a role in the formation of the intuitions that people acquire about their languages and social structures. An examination of riddle texts collected from some Kasena communities (Ghana) enhances and appreciates these varied functions of riddles. Bibliogr., notes, ref., sum. [Journal abstract]