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Introduction ---
Ritual and ceremonial words ---
Thirteenth century to 1916: the age of African empires ---
Lullabies and songs of young women 1916 to 1970: the rise of nationalism ---
Work songs ---
The 1970s and 1980s: negotiating new social identities ---
Songs and tales of social negotiation ---
The 1990s and the new century. Introduction / Tusyline Jita Allan, Dierde L. Badejo, Abena P.A. Busia, Aminata Diaw, Christiane Owusu-Sarpong, Esi Sutherland-Addy --
Ritual and ceremonial words --
Oya, or the wind behind the lightning / Ede Court Historians --
Praise poem for Osun / Olorisa Osun --
Maïéto, or the battle of the sexes / Béatrice Djedja --
The plump woman's song / Communal --
Marriage song cycles --
Dyula songs / Young women of Kong --
Hausa songs / Communal --
She who destroys her harp / Dior Konate --
Arrival of the new bride --
Xaxar, or satirical song / Communal --
Welcoming the bride / Communal --
Celebrating birth --
Where is it from / Communal --
If not for childbirth / Communal --
Kanyeleng, or childless / Binita Bojang --
Lamentations --
Nyaako / Afua Siaa (Fofie) --
We offer you condolences / Manhyia Tete Nwonkoro Group --
Dry your tears, little orphan doe / Communal --
Ntam, an oath / Nanahemmaa Toaa Ampofo Tua III --
Thirteenth century to 1916: the age of African empires --
Two songs for Sunjata / Communal --
Elegy for Inikpi / Communal --
Letter of petition / Madalena Van Poppos --
Poems / Nana Asma'u --
Give us victory --
Be sure of God's truth --
Elegy for Zaharatu --
Makori, or the triumph of slaves / Nditi Ba --
The warring hosts / Ola Bentsir Adzewa group --
Letter from a former slave / Malinda Rex --
Letters of Queen Victoria's wards --
Letters of Sarah Forbes Bonetta --
Letters of Victoria Davies --
Letter from the women of Senehun / Mame Yoko and others --
Two letters to the editor / Anonymous --
Lullabies and songs of young women --
Lullabies --
Ayo, my baby / Samba Tew Sew --
Lullaby / Communal --
Hindatou / Maman Ibrah Hinda --
Who did my baby wrong / Miriam Gaye --
I'd like to stay / Communal --
An old man / Communal --
Carry on and have fun / Communal --
Circle songs --
Even if you beat me / Communal --
I will buy you a shirt / Communal --
Maidens in a group / Communal. 1916 to 1970: the rise of nationalism --
A mother's plea: two letters / N'della Sey --
Anti-colonial songs / Women of Passoré and Ladre --
The white man has come --
Bamko --
Poko --
A petition / Houleye Diop --
The Aba women's war --
Nwanyeruwa --
Satire from the "Women's corner" --
To Miss Bridget Thomas / Yaa Ampongah --
Stupefied / Odarley Koshie --
What we women can do / Efwa Kato --
Champion of twins / Elizabeth Mgbeke Ezumah --
My little country / Mariama Bâ --
Nothing so sweet / P.A. Itayemi Ogundipe --
The march on Grand Bassam --
That is how the women woke up / Anne-Marie Raggi --
My name is Lucie Traoré / Lucie Traoré Kaboré --
From the "Women's column" / Mabel Dove-Danquah and others --
The blackman's burden / Adjua Mensah --
An ode / Akua Amaku --
I have tamed my wife / Akosua Dzatsui (pseud. for Mabel Dove-Danquah) --
Mother and daughter --
Profile of Gladys / Adelaide Casely-Hayford --
Africa schoolgirls' song / Gladys Caseley-Hayford --
New life / Efua Sutherland --
The roadmakers --
Foriwa --
We women of the Upper Volta / Celestine Ouezzin Coulibaly --
On widowhood / Kate Abbam --
We were with you, dedicated to Ethel Kennedy --
We shall overcome --
Christianity and widowhood rites --
Mayor of Freetown / Constance Agatha Cummings-John --
Affirmations and remembrances / Olufunmilayo Ransome-Kuti --
The status of women in Nigeria --
Autobiographical notes --
The causes for revolt remembered --
Work songs --
Greetings and Praise --
You of the house / Communal One single measure / Communal --
Invocation at milking / Communal --
Praise song / Zebuglo of Loho --
Songs of migration --
The beauty of Kumasi / Communal --
These west-coasters are liars / Communal --
The non-migrant's song / Communal --
Songs of insult --
Tabardé, or blanket making / Communal --
The sisters-in-law Diedhiou / Communal --
Seybata, or my backside, insult her / Communal. The 1970s and 1980s: negotiating new social identities --
Tanofia / Selma Al-Hassan --
The traveller / Flora Nwapa --
Two poems / Adja Khady Diop --
The work of Senegalese women --
The year we looked up at the balloon --
Conversation with midwife Sokona Diaoune / Aoua Keita --
Rural poems --
Tribute to Yaxa Ma Jam women / Khadi Diop --
Emigration terrifies me / Ndeye Seck --
A necessary evil / Buchi Emecheta --
Two songs / Daughters of Divine Love --
How the Daughters of Divine Love congregation started in the year 1969 --
We love you, Jesus --
Allah is the light in the darkness / Hadjia Coge --
Jesus of the deep forest / Afua Kuma --
Listen to me, child of a Griot / Toelo --
Love poems for the Sultan / Shaïda Zarumey --
Incense --
Taka --
Nawa's lament / Nawa Kulibali --
President Doe's prisoner / Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf --
Songs and tales of social negotiation --
The man who dug up yams / Nyano Bamana --
Name poems / Communal --
Hasan --
Sîta --
Eyidi, or naming / Communal --
Recitatives for drum and dancers --
Play for me, drummer man / Sadi Habi --
Taasu / Marame Seye --
The gazelle / Communal --
Types of wives and husbands / Salle-ka-ma-kani --
Five types of wives --
Three types of husbands --
The poor orphan: a folktale / Nana Yaa Tiakaa --
Bodies and babies: three songs --
The torments of labor / Communal --
I have hope / Communal --
Did you say I am old / Kunak Bonat --
I am not a cow / Bohintu Kulibali. The 1990s and the new century --
Eclectic connections / Werewere Liking --
Interview --
From Singuè Mura, or given that a woman --
A decent woman / Bernadette Dao Sanou --
Speaking as a woman / Ama Ata Aidoo --
The African woman today --
A young woman's voice doesn't break, it gets firmer --
The ugliest girl in the kingdom / Deborah Nazi-Boni --
A trader caught in ethnic violence / Afua Kobi --
Russians under Accra / Amma Darko --
Regrets for Rwanda --
From There is no suitable word / Tanella Boni --
Where to find the proper word --
Silence came reluctantly --
Thousands of specks of dust we were --
From The shadow of Imana / Véronique Tadjo --
The story of Cansolata --
Anastasio and Anastasia --
Kapro, the royal gift / Nana Adwoa Anokyewaa --
The importance of work / Adja Dior Diop --
Teaching the Qur'an / Adja Mariama Niasse --
A Wassoulou singer / Oumou Sangare --
A perfect wife / Anna Dao --
Child soldiering / Isatou Alwar Cham-Graham --
The hunger project award speech / Nagbila Aisseta --
En route to the twenty first century / Mariama Ndoye --
Africa is not poor: an interview with Debra S. Boyd / Aminata Traore.