Revisiting oral travel narratives and the Egyptian circumnavigation of Africa: a decolonial approach

This paper delves into the historical nuances of travel narratives, shedding light on the marginalisation of oral traditions within the broader travel writing tradition. Despite the temporal precedence of African travel narratives, they are often relegated to a belated and marginalised status within the travel writing genre, inextricably bound to colonial influences. The primary objective of this paper is to contribute to the decolonisation of the travel writing genre by scrutinising and validating the veracity of an oral travel account documenting one of the most disputed circumnavigations of Africa by ancient Egyptians. Through a thorough examination of historical evidence and sources, this research seeks to establish the factual basis of the Egyptian circumnavigation, thereby reshaping the narrative and affording oral traditions their rightful place in the annals of travel literature.

Citation

Baath, K.K. (2025) Revisiting oral travel narratives and the Egyptian circumnavigation of Africa: a decolonial approach. Journal of Comparative Literature and Aesthetics, 48(2), pp. 172-180.

Type

Journal article

Language

en

Description

ISSN

0252-8169

Collections

Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences