African Poetry as a Concept and an Introduction to Pan-Africanism: «Run Away, Samory!» By Alpha Blondy as an Example

Abstract:

Poetry is a cultural act through which the poet articulates existence, events, experiences, and emotions across past, present, and future. In the African context, poetry and musical performance have formed an integral component of the Pan-African discourse, serving today as essential gateways to the study of Pan-Africanism—as exemplified by Alpha Blondy's seminal 1984 work, "Bory Samory" ("Run, Samory").

The study demonstrates that poetic conventions can be legitimately applied to musical compositions across diverse African languages and genres, such as Reggae and Zikiri. It situates these forms within broader concepts of free verse, oral drum poetry, and lyrical traditions in both Arab and Western cultures, highlighting the intersection between Pan-African ideology and the African literary movement.

Furthermore, the paper examines Alpha Blondy’s poetic artistry in reggae, through which he defended Samori Touré, dismantled the distorted colonial narratives fabricated by French authorities, and documented the systemic violence, persecution, and coercive practices inflicted upon Africans resisting foreign domination. In doing so, the study frames its findings not as definitive conclusions, but as an open scholarly dialogue on the role of political art in historical revisionism.