The Kwagh-hir Theater

A Weapon for Social Action

By (author) Iyorwuese Hagher

Publication date:

14 November 2013

Length of book:

286 pages

Publisher

University Press of America

Dimensions:

236x159mm
6x9"

ISBN-13: 9780761862499

The Kwagh-hir Theater: A Weapon for Social Action represents a significant milestone in the documentation and theorization of non-Western theater. The book describes how the Tiv people of Nigeria used their indigenous theater to fight against British colonialism and oppression by dominant groups in Nigeria. It celebrates the power of the theater to give voice to the voiceless and to become a catalyst for positive change.

A Foreword and a Celebration
Preface
Introduction: The Theater as a Weapon
Chapter One: Tiv Worldview; the Context of the Kwagh-hir
Chapter Two: Searching for the Rubrics
Chapter Three: Organization and Form
Chapter Four: Kwagh-hir Aesthetics
Chapter Five: Kwagh-hir as Model Theater for Social Action
Appendix A: Tiv Kwagh-Hir Carvers and Their Works
Appendix B: Glossary of Tiv Words
Bibliography
Index

“Professor Hagher reveals and analyses these theatrical performances with keen insight and deep knowledge. A wonderful addition to the literature on African masquerade and theater.”