Diola-Fogny Funeral Songs and the Native Critic

this paper gives a brief preliminary description of one type of Diola-Fogny funeral song called buñansaŋ. The description is based on recordings that were made in 1960–61, and later in 1964–66, as well as on commentary given by buñansaŋ singers responding to a number of questions about the songs. ¹ The most important inquiries concerned textual exegesis and criteria for excellence in solo singing. I want to emphasize at the outset that reliance on this informant commentary or ‘ethno-criticism’ was absolutely central to an adequate description of the genre; and this was as true for the seemingly obvious mechanical aspects of the songs as it was for their meaningful content.