Ọba Kòso: a fixed cultural memory project in a changing world. Issue 4 (1st October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Aluko-Kpotie, Bukola
• Is Part Of: African identities. Volume 18:Issue 4(2020)
• Page Start: 491
• Page End: 503
• Publication Date: 2020-10-01
• Subjects: Cultural memory -- cultural identity -- living cultural practices -- Yorùbá heritage -- cultural archive; National characteristics, African -- Periodicals; Africans -- Periodicals; African diaspora -- Periodicals; Africa -- Civilization -- Periodicals; 305.896
• DOI: 10.1080/14725843.2020.1779657
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1472-5843

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Living cultural practices survive over time, when they are revived and re-imagined for contemporary generations. But what happens when these same fluid practices are 'preserved'? How do we keep archived 'living' cultural practices relevant across generations? This paper is a commentary on how socio-economic and historic factors are integral to the formation of living cultural practices and their continued relevance. I discuss how narratives of Ṣàngó's life and death were interpreted by early nineteenth century Yorùbá scholars, and later 'fixed' as cultural memory in performance by a mid-twentieth century Yorùbá playwright. I argue that this playwright's act of preservation rendered the same practices static, and potentially obsolete, to those who should take some meaning from it.