677:
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.
676:
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
468:, 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
464:, a four-day celebration of writing, thinking and storytelling, at which he was due to perform on the evening of his death. His nephew
278:, 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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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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513:(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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789:"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
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Postcolonial African Writers: A Bio-bibliographical Critical Sourcebook
465:
307:
170:
162:
1107:
1271:"Kofi Awoonor's new book The Promise of Hope: New and selected poems"
1082:"Permanent Mission of Ghana to the United Nations – Past Ambassadors"
1007:"Kofi Awoonor killed in Kenya mall attack, was Stony Brook professor"
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410:
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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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1161:"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
238:. Professor Awoonor was among those who were killed in the
811:"Somalia's al-Shabab claims Nairobi Westgate Kenya attack"
321:, earning a Master's Degree in 1970. He got his Ph.D. at
1523:
Permanent Representatives of Ghana to the United Nations
769:"Prof. Awoonor dies in Al-Shabab attack in Kenyan Mall"
754:
Hans M. Zell, Carol Bundy & Virginia Coulon (eds),
370:
While in England, he wrote several radio plays for the
552:(Doubleday, 1971) – a cross between a novel and a poem
535:
The Promise of Hope: New and Selected Poems, 1964–2013
421:, serving in that position from 2009 to January 2013.
556:
Comes the Voyager at Last: A Tale of Return to Africa
1158:
482:and buried at a particular spot in his hometown at
1033:. London: Simon & Schuster. 1999. p. 41.
1197:Kofi Anyidoho, "African Postman: Death of a Poet"
948:"A Tribute to Kofi Awoonor: The Story of Sankofa"
266:George Kofi Nyidevu Awoonor-Williams was born in
1404:
1023:
1021:
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624:(1971). Eds. Kofi Awoonor & G. Adali-Mortty.
529:Until the Morning After: Selected Poems, 1963–85
302:, published in 1964. Like the rest of his work,
1388:Permanent Representative to the United Nations
355:. In the 1960s, he edited the literary journal
1528:Academic staff of the University of Cape Coast
537:(Amalion / University of Nebraska Press, 2014)
407:Permanent Representative to the United Nations
50:Permanent Representative to the United Nations
1136:. University of KwaZulu-Natal. Archived from
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471:Awoonor's remains were flown from Nairobi to
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915:
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758:, Heinemann Educational Books, 1983, p. 355.
838:"Kofi Awoonor: Remembering a Ghanaian poet"
782:
780:
778:
731:Bedrock: Writers on the Wonders of Geology,
218:; 13 March 1935 – 21 September 2013) was a
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756:A New Reader's Guide to African Literature
615:
460:. He was in Kenya as a participant in the
1538:Academic staff of the University of Ghana
1228:
1171:
1159:Emmanuel K. Dogbevi (22 September 2013).
906:
601:The African Predicament: Collected Essays
374:, and began using the name Kofi Awoonor.
1297:"Kofi Awoonor - Poet Kofi Awoonor Poems"
775:
672:Understanding and interpreting his works
628:Guardians of the Sacred Word: Ewe Poetry
433:, he rendered Ewe poetry in translation
409:, where he headed the committee against
312:Guardians of the Sacred Word: Ewe Poetry
1513:Members of the Council of State (Ghana)
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691:West African Poetry: A Critical History
413:. He was also a former Chairman of the
1405:
1126:
957:, Africa is a Country, 1 October 2013.
771:. citifmonline.com. 22 September 2013.
234:. He taught African literature at the
1355:Poem: Songs of Sorrow by Kofi Awoonor
1199:, Petchary's Blog, 18 September 2013.
1179:"My hero: Kofi Awoonor by Nii Parkes"
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832:
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693:, Cambridge University Press (1986),
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402:(1978) is about his time in jail.
282:descent. His grandmother was an Ewe
254:, where he was a participant at the
216:George Kofi Nyidevu Awoonor-Williams
112:George Kofi Nyidevu Awoonor-Williams
16:Ghanaian poet and author (1935–2013)
1453:Alumni of University College London
1328:Report on the death of Kofi Awoonor
887:Foundation, Poetry (3 March 2023).
787:Alice Vincent (22 September 2013).
201:Poet, author, academic and diplomat
13:
1351:newspaper (Nigeria), 18 June 2006.
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680:
595:Africa: The Marginalized Continent
14:
1549:
1361:"A Tribute to Prof. Kofi Awoonor"
1321:
1243:[Biographic appendices].
873:
864:"Ghana Mourns Kofi Awoonor Death"
1084:. United Nations. Archived from
967:Innes, Lyn (23 September 2013).
923:"Kofi Awoonor (Ghanaian author)"
417:, the main advisory body to the
391:, both books published in 1971.
31:
1503:Ghanaian people murdered abroad
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603:(Sub-Saharan Publishers, 2006;
531:(Greenfield Review Press, 1987)
525:(Greenfield Review Press, 1978)
475:, Ghana, on 25 September 2013.
361:and was an associate editor of
337:and began participating in the
1458:Ambassadors of Ghana to Brazil
1341:, University of KwaZulu-Natal.
988:, Pushpa Naidu Parekh (eds),
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856:
803:
761:
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714:, Basic Civitas Books (1999),
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1:
813:. BBC News. 22 September 2013
741:
658:Had Death Not Had Me in Tears
335:Institute for African Studies
261:
1493:Ghanaian non-fiction writers
1463:Ambassadors of Ghana to Cuba
1273:. Joy Online. Archived from
729:and Judith E. Moores (eds),
630:(1974). Trans. Kofi Awoonor.
289:
230:, and was also published as
189:State University of New York
7:
1438:21st-century Ghanaian poets
1423:20th-century Ghanaian poets
1259:: 1424–1427. December 1978.
1060:. Greenfield Review Press.
655:Lament of the Silent Sister
505:Rediscovery and Other Poems
498:
10:
1554:
1533:University of Ghana alumni
1473:Deaths by firearm in Kenya
1108:"Ghana | General Assembly"
622:Messages: Poems From Ghana
558:(Africa World Press, 1992)
507:(Mbari Publications, 1964)
431:Sacred Word and Ewe Poetry
1448:Alumni of Achimota School
1443:21st-century male writers
1428:20th-century male writers
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996:, Routledge, 1998, p. 53.
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317:He studied literature at
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1518:People murdered in Kenya
1508:Male non-fiction writers
1210:"Prof. Awoonor cremated"
795:. London. Archived from
735:Trinity University Press
634:
493:
443:
396:University of Cape Coast
1488:Ghanaian murder victims
969:"Kofi Awoonor obituary"
927:Encyclopædia Britannica
616:As editor or translator
325:, in New York in 1972.
228:George Awoonor-Williams
1433:20th-century novelists
1224:– via JoyOnline.
1054:Awoonor, Kofi (1978).
990:"Kofi Awoonor (1935–)"
549:This Earth, My Brother
462:Storymoja Hay Festival
454:Westgate shopping mall
384:This Earth, My Brother
379:Stony Brook University
352:The Lion and the Jewel
256:Storymoja Hay Festival
244:Westgate shopping mall
1468:Awoonor-Renner family
1247:(in Serbo-Croatian).
799:on 23 September 2013.
571:(Anchor Press, 1975;
274:of what was then the
240:September 2013 attack
1367:, 23 September 2013.
1339:Biographical details
1330:, 22 September 2013.
1277:on 26 September 2013
1187:, 28 September 2013.
1057:The House by the Sea
1030:Who Wrote What When?
1013:, 22 September 2013.
953:28 June 2014 at the
946:Nii Ayikwei Parkes,
870:, 25 September 2013.
704:Kwame Anthony Appiah
523:The House by the Sea
400:The House by the Sea
232:Kofi Nyidevu Awoonor
184:University of London
1483:Ghanaian male poets
1241:"Biografski dodaci"
1165:Ghana Business News
1114:. 26 September 2013
1011:Long Island Newsday
844:. 23 September 2013
793:The Daily Telegraph
652:On the Gallows Once
364:Transition Magazine
323:SUNY at Stony Brook
280:Sierra Leone Creole
236:University of Ghana
179:University of Ghana
1498:Ghanaian novelists
1382:James Victor Gbeho
1359:Francis Kwarteng,
1140:on 4 November 2007
727:Eldridge M. Moores
419:president of Ghana
83:James Victor Gbeho
1401:
1400:
1394:Succeeded by
1374:Diplomatic posts
1067:978-0-912678-33-7
1005:Deon J. Hampton,
986:Siga Fatima Jagne
893:Poetry Foundation
862:Jocelyn Edwards,
725:Lauret E. Savoy,
708:Henry Louis Gates
646:Across a New Dawn
511:Night of My Blood
389:Night of My Blood
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142:21 September 2013
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1134:"Kofi Awoonor"
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1418:2013 deaths
1413:1935 births
1301:Poem Hunter
1144:9 September
1118:15 December
848:15 December
563:Non-fiction
339:pan-African
304:Rediscovery
300:Rediscovery
78:Preceded by
1478:Ewe people
1407:Categories
1391:1990–1994
1257:SR Croatia
1220:4 February
742:References
466:Nii Parkes
308:Ewe people
276:Gold Coast
262:Early life
198:Occupation
171:Alma mater
163:Nii Parkes
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411:apartheid
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