The Canon of Feminine Beauty in West-African Oral Sources

Abstract

The aim of the article is to show the female beauty standard that some oral sources in western Africa countries transmit. We have selected epic, Manding hunters’ stories, zamu or brief poetic compositions linked to the names, and songs. The beauty standard extolled is usually accompanied by comments which reveal the behavior that is expected of young women and opinions of the oral poets. That standard is based generally on the colour and thickness at some parts of the body and, to a lesser extent, on movement