Indigenous knowledge, visualization and communication in African societies

Abstract

Africans have various ways of communicating thoughts, beliefs systems, cultural practices, traditional knowledge and so on, to individuals and groups in societies. These methods are mainly through verbal and non-verbal languages. The non-verbal forms could be categorized into demonstrative, visual and institutionalized ways of expression. These are vital aspects of African oral traditions that people inherit and use to transfer information to successive generations. In this research, attempt is made to examine some visual folkloric elements which serve as traditional techniques for communication. The study is both field and library-based research which enable the researchers generate more data and information. The relevant materials for this work, therefore, are carefully gathered from both primary and secondary sources to support the discourse. The photographs presented in this study are carefully selected because of their relevance to the subject under discourse and they are qualitatively analyzed using the analytical and descriptive approaches. The research affirms that nonverbal and visual methods are employed by Africans to communicate indigenous knowledge to individuals and society in general. These are evident in the visual texts inserted in the body of the work.