Stars and Keys: Folktales and Creolization in the Indian Ocean

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Indiana University Press, 2007 - Fiction - 413 pages

In Stars and Keys: Folktales and Creolization in the Southwest Indian Ocean, Lee Haring introduces readers to the rich folklore traditions of the islands of the southwest Indian Ocean. The culture of Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Réunion, and the Comoros is a unique blend of traditions that have been brought from Africa, South Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. The folktales from these islands reflect the diversity of this culture and provide a rare opportunity to observe the fluidity of traditions and the process of creolization. Haring presents the tales in a uniquely innovative style: he interrupts the text as if he were reading aloud and directly addresses the reader. His words and those of the storytellers are clearly distinguished, making this folktale collection useful to a wide range of readers and scholars.

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Contents

Land of the ManEating Tree
1
THE BIRDS Choose a KING
12
THE ORIGIN OF WOOD SCULPTURE
18
Copyright

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About the author (2007)

Lee Haring is Professor Emeritus of English at Brooklyn College of The City University of New York. He is author of Verbal Arts in Madagascar: Performance in Historical Perspective; Ibonia: Epic of Madagascar; and several other books.

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