Songs in selected folktales of the Iteso.

Abstract

This study investigates the effectiveness of songs as employed in the selected Ateso folktales in a way they utilize stylistic or language devices to develop meaning as well as their significance to the society. Some among these songs in their performance effectively utilize sound devices like rhyme, rhythm, repetition and figures of speech like imagery, symbolism among others. The research was carried out in Soroti district within the sub counties of Asuret, Arapai, kamuda, counties of Gweri, Dakabela and other areas. It was mostly conducted through face to face interview which involved a research having a direct interaction with the respondents of choice, critical and analytic observation which enabled the researcher to pay attention to both verbal and non verbal cues in expression for effective and meaningful interpretation as well as ethnography and focus group discussions. The people who were engaged with were elders, retired civil servants, youth as samples of selection and interest according to the belief that they were right ones to give necessary and justifiable data concerning the research study. Data collected involved basically the use of phone audio recordings and camera, pens and note books which were so useful in keeping records of data collected to ease processes of transcription and translation sorting as well as selection as per the demand and requirement of the research study topic. The indings proved that songs in Ateso folktales were effectively performed given the language devices that they depicted which significantly helped in developing different thematic concerns hence meaningful creation and interpretation .It is truly noted that with the employment of songs in folktales, meaning and themes are developed but then the question in point is that how are they developed using the different language styles like sound devices of rhythm, rhyme alliteration, repetition among others inclusive of the figures of speech hence probing the focus of this research study among the Iteso and the selected folktales. The conclusion derived from the study was that the employment of songs in Ateso folktales play significant roles in developing thematic concerns which help in shaping the lifes of the Iteso in one way or another. One outstanding thing here in this study is that it specifically looks at the effectiveness of songs in thematic development in selected Ateso folktales unlike the common studies which have generally been conducted on just the analysis of songs employed in selected Ateso folktales hence prompting the researcher to investigate on this particular topic of the research study