内容简介：
This work sketches the historical developments of the oral tradition within the Xhosa culture. It examines the changing role of the Imbongi from the 19th Century to present day, from the time where their prime responsibility was praise or reproof of those in power, through their continuance throughout their uneasy relationship with authorities in the apartheid years, and finally to their increasingly public recognition in recent times, particularly in the contexts of political action and public celebration.