688:
and avid practitioner of the traditional religion meant that he was of a relict species. Especially for one so highly educated, it was an even rarer phenomenon. That awareness, not only that he was a relict specimen as an individual, but that the entire culture was suffering entropy, may have come through his poems in a manner that would suggest at first that he was writing about his mortal end. Besides the personal and cultural lament, Awoonor also shrewdly decried what he would have considered the decadent spectre of
Western influences (religions, social organisation and economic philosophy) on the history and fortunes of African people in general. He would lambast the thoughtless exuberance with which Africans themselves embraced such things, and gradually engineered what he would have considered a self-degradation that went far beyond a loss of cultural identity. He would often construct his writings to look at these things through the lens of his own Ewe culture.
687:
It is said that
Awoonor wrote a great number of his poems as if he was envisioning his own demise. But he is a peculiar and unique writer, one who strives, almost too hard, to bring his ancestry and culture into his poems, sometimes even borrowing words from the local Ewe dialect. Being such a strong
479:, who was attending the same literary festival, has written about meeting him for the first time that day. The Ghanaian government confirmed Awoonor's death the next day. His son Afetsi Awoonor, who had accompanied him, was also shot, but was later discharged from hospital.
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The Breast of the Earth: A Study of the
History, Culture, and Literature of Africa South of the Sahara is another work of literary criticism (1975).
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Paula
Kahumbu of Princeton University and director of the Story Moja Hay Festival relates her time with Awoonor the Friday evening before his death
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Awoonor was Ghana's ambassador to Brazil from 1984 to 1988, before serving as ambassador to Cuba. From 1990 to 1994, Awoonor was Ghana's
475:, a four-day celebration of writing, thinking and storytelling, at which he was due to perform on the evening of his death. His nephew
289:, present-day Ghana. He was the eldest of 10 children in the family. He was a paternal descendant of the Awoonor-Williams family of
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people with contemporary and religious symbolism to depict Africa during decolonization. He started writing under the name
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and then proceeded to the
University of Ghana, graduating in 1960. While at university he wrote his first poetry book,
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392:(then called SUNY at Stony Brook) where he obtained his Ph.D. in 1972. While in the United States he wrote
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The Breast of the Earth: A Survey of the
History, Culture, and Literature of Africa South of the Sahara
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The early poetry of
Awoonor borrows from the Ewe oral tradition. In his critical book Guardians of the
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is rooted in
African oral poetry. His early works were inspired by the singing and verse of his native
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524:(Doubleday, 1971) – poems that explore Awoonor's roots, and the impact of foreign rule in Africa
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Republika: Časopis za kulturu i društvena pitanja (Izbor iz novije afričke književnosti)
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800:"Nairobi shopping mall attacks: Kofi Awoonor, Ghanaian poet, killed in Westgate Attack"
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poet, author and diplomat. His work combined the poetic traditions of his native
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Awoonor returned to Ghana in 1975 as head of the
English department at the
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Africana: The
Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience
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He spent the early 1970s in the United States, studying and teaching at
1005:
Postcolonial African Writers: A Bio-bibliographical Critical Sourcebook
476:
318:
181:
173:
1118:
1282:"Kofi Awoonor's new book The Promise of Hope: New and selected poems"
1093:"Permanent Mission of Ghana to the United Nations – Past Ambassadors"
1018:"Kofi Awoonor killed in Kenya mall attack, was Stony Brook professor"
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421:
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The Ghana Revolution: Background Account from a Personal Perspective
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After graduating in 1960, Awoonor worked as a researcher for the
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1172:"Senior Ghanaian citizen, Awoonor killed in Kenya gun attack"
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Ghana: A Political History from Pre-European to Modern Times
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On 21 September 2013, Awoonor was among those killed in an
249:. Professor Awoonor was among those who were killed in the
822:"Somalia's al-Shabab claims Nairobi Westgate Kenya attack"
332:, earning a Master's Degree in 1970. He got his Ph.D. at
1534:
Permanent Representatives of Ghana to the United Nations
780:"Prof. Awoonor dies in Al-Shabab attack in Kenyan Mall"
765:
Hans M. Zell, Carol Bundy & Virginia Coulon (eds),
381:
While in England, he wrote several radio plays for the
563:(Doubleday, 1971) – a cross between a novel and a poem
546:
The Promise of Hope: New and Selected Poems, 1964–2013
432:, serving in that position from 2009 to January 2013.
567:
Comes the Voyager at Last: A Tale of Return to Africa
1169:
493:and buried at a particular spot in his hometown at
1044:. London: Simon & Schuster. 1999. p. 41.
1208:Kofi Anyidoho, "African Postman: Death of a Poet"
959:"A Tribute to Kofi Awoonor: The Story of Sankofa"
277:George Kofi Nyidevu Awoonor-Williams was born in
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1034:
1032:
1030:
635:(1971). Eds. Kofi Awoonor & G. Adali-Mortty.
540:Until the Morning After: Selected Poems, 1963–85
313:, published in 1964. Like the rest of his work,
1399:Permanent Representative to the United Nations
366:. In the 1960s, he edited the literary journal
1539:Academic staff of the University of Cape Coast
548:(Amalion / University of Nebraska Press, 2014)
418:Permanent Representative to the United Nations
61:Permanent Representative to the United Nations
1147:. University of KwaZulu-Natal. Archived from
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482:Awoonor's remains were flown from Nairobi to
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769:, Heinemann Educational Books, 1983, p. 355.
849:"Kofi Awoonor: Remembering a Ghanaian poet"
793:
791:
789:
742:Bedrock: Writers on the Wonders of Geology,
229:; 13 March 1935 – 21 September 2013) was a
897:
767:A New Reader's Guide to African Literature
626:
471:. He was in Kenya as a participant in the
1549:Academic staff of the University of Ghana
1239:
1182:
1170:Emmanuel K. Dogbevi (22 September 2013).
917:
612:The African Predicament: Collected Essays
385:, and began using the name Kofi Awoonor.
1308:"Kofi Awoonor - Poet Kofi Awoonor Poems"
786:
683:Understanding and interpreting his works
639:Guardians of the Sacred Word: Ewe Poetry
444:, he rendered Ewe poetry in translation
420:, where he headed the committee against
323:Guardians of the Sacred Word: Ewe Poetry
1524:Members of the Council of State (Ghana)
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702:West African Poetry: A Critical History
424:. He was also a former Chairman of the
14:
1416:
1137:
968:, Africa is a Country, 1 October 2013.
782:. citifmonline.com. 22 September 2013.
245:. He taught African literature at the
1366:Poem: Songs of Sorrow by Kofi Awoonor
1210:, Petchary's Blog, 18 September 2013.
1190:"My hero: Kofi Awoonor by Nii Parkes"
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704:, Cambridge University Press (1986),
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413:(1978) is about his time in jail.
293:descent. His grandmother was an Ewe
265:, where he was a participant at the
227:George Kofi Nyidevu Awoonor-Williams
123:George Kofi Nyidevu Awoonor-Williams
27:Ghanaian poet and author (1935–2013)
1464:Alumni of University College London
1339:Report on the death of Kofi Awoonor
898:Foundation, Poetry (3 March 2023).
798:Alice Vincent (22 September 2013).
212:Poet, author, academic and diplomat
24:
1362:newspaper (Nigeria), 18 June 2006.
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691:
606:Africa: The Marginalized Continent
25:
1560:
1372:"A Tribute to Prof. Kofi Awoonor"
1332:
1254:[Biographic appendices].
884:
875:"Ghana Mourns Kofi Awoonor Death"
1095:. United Nations. Archived from
978:Innes, Lyn (23 September 2013).
934:"Kofi Awoonor (Ghanaian author)"
428:, the main advisory body to the
402:, both books published in 1971.
42:
1514:Ghanaian people murdered abroad
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614:(Sub-Saharan Publishers, 2006;
542:(Greenfield Review Press, 1987)
536:(Greenfield Review Press, 1978)
486:, Ghana, on 25 September 2013.
372:and was an associate editor of
348:and began participating in the
1469:Ambassadors of Ghana to Brazil
1352:, University of KwaZulu-Natal.
999:, Pushpa Naidu Parekh (eds),
951:
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814:
772:
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725:, Basic Civitas Books (1999),
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13:
1:
824:. BBC News. 22 September 2013
752:
669:Had Death Not Had Me in Tears
346:Institute for African Studies
272:
1504:Ghanaian non-fiction writers
1474:Ambassadors of Ghana to Cuba
1284:. Joy Online. Archived from
740:and Judith E. Moores (eds),
641:(1974). Trans. Kofi Awoonor.
300:
241:, and was also published as
200:State University of New York
7:
1449:21st-century Ghanaian poets
1434:20th-century Ghanaian poets
1270:: 1424–1427. December 1978.
1071:. Greenfield Review Press.
666:Lament of the Silent Sister
516:Rediscovery and Other Poems
509:
10:
1565:
1544:University of Ghana alumni
1484:Deaths by firearm in Kenya
1119:"Ghana | General Assembly"
633:Messages: Poems From Ghana
569:(Africa World Press, 1992)
518:(Mbari Publications, 1964)
442:Sacred Word and Ewe Poetry
1459:Alumni of Achimota School
1454:21st-century male writers
1439:20th-century male writers
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1397:
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1007:, Routledge, 1998, p. 53.
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330:University College London
328:He studied literature at
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1529:People murdered in Kenya
1519:Male non-fiction writers
1221:"Prof. Awoonor cremated"
806:. London. Archived from
746:Trinity University Press
645:
504:
454:
407:University of Cape Coast
1499:Ghanaian murder victims
980:"Kofi Awoonor obituary"
938:Encyclopædia Britannica
627:As editor or translator
336:, in New York in 1972.
239:George Awoonor-Williams
1444:20th-century novelists
1235:– via JoyOnline.
1065:Awoonor, Kofi (1978).
1001:"Kofi Awoonor (1935–)"
560:This Earth, My Brother
473:Storymoja Hay Festival
465:Westgate shopping mall
395:This Earth, My Brother
390:Stony Brook University
363:The Lion and the Jewel
267:Storymoja Hay Festival
255:Westgate shopping mall
1479:Awoonor-Renner family
1258:(in Serbo-Croatian).
810:on 23 September 2013.
582:(Anchor Press, 1975;
285:of what was then the
251:September 2013 attack
1378:, 23 September 2013.
1350:Biographical details
1341:, 22 September 2013.
1288:on 26 September 2013
1198:, 28 September 2013.
1068:The House by the Sea
1041:Who Wrote What When?
1024:, 22 September 2013.
964:28 June 2014 at the
957:Nii Ayikwei Parkes,
881:, 25 September 2013.
715:Kwame Anthony Appiah
534:The House by the Sea
411:The House by the Sea
243:Kofi Nyidevu Awoonor
195:University of London
1494:Ghanaian male poets
1252:"Biografski dodaci"
1176:Ghana Business News
1125:. 26 September 2013
1022:Long Island Newsday
855:. 23 September 2013
804:The Daily Telegraph
663:On the Gallows Once
375:Transition Magazine
334:SUNY at Stony Brook
291:Sierra Leone Creole
247:University of Ghana
190:University of Ghana
1509:Ghanaian novelists
1393:James Victor Gbeho
1370:Francis Kwarteng,
1151:on 4 November 2007
738:Eldridge M. Moores
430:president of Ghana
94:James Victor Gbeho
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1411:
1405:Succeeded by
1385:Diplomatic posts
1078:978-0-912678-33-7
1016:Deon J. Hampton,
997:Siga Fatima Jagne
904:Poetry Foundation
873:Jocelyn Edwards,
736:Lauret E. Savoy,
719:Henry Louis Gates
657:Across a New Dawn
522:Night of My Blood
400:Night of My Blood
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153:21 September 2013
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1145:"Kofi Awoonor"
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1188:Nii Parkes,
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155:(2013-09-21)
101:Succeeded by
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1429:2013 deaths
1424:1935 births
1312:Poem Hunter
1155:9 September
1129:15 December
859:15 December
574:Non-fiction
350:pan-African
315:Rediscovery
311:Rediscovery
89:Preceded by
1489:Ewe people
1418:Categories
1402:1990–1994
1268:SR Croatia
1231:4 February
753:References
477:Nii Parkes
319:Ewe people
287:Gold Coast
273:Early life
209:Occupation
182:Alma mater
174:Nii Parkes
140:Gold Coast
129:1935-03-13
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1356:Interview
422:apartheid
325:, 1973).
301:Education
297:singer.
281:, in the
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78:President
73:1990–1994
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1103:28 April
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176:(nephew)
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721:(eds),
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340:Career
225:(born
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1003:, in
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484:Accra
455:Death
295:dirge
279:Wheta
263:Kenya
164:Kenya
144:Ghana
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1233:2014
1157:2007
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1105:2010
1073:ISBN
1046:ISBN
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830:2013
727:ISBN
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119:Born
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