WHY HISTORICAL ACCURACY MATTERS IN AFRICAN STORYTELLING

Playwright and screenwriter Tony Kushner once said during an interview on writing historical narratives, “Accuracy is paramount in every detail of a work of history. Here’s my rule: Ask yourself, ‘Did this thing happen?’ If the answer is yes, then it’s historical. Then ask, ‘Did this thing happen precisely this way?’ If the answer is yes, then it’s history; if the answer is no, not precisely this way, then it’s historical drama.” Kushner’s words point us to a truth every storyteller must wrestle with: the balance between fact and interpretation. In storytelling, especially when dealing with history, accuracy is not just about getting dates or names right. It is about honoring cultures, respecting memories and creating narratives that can teach, inspire and build trust. In African storytelling, where histories have often been erased, appropriated or distorted, accuracy plays an essential role in reclaiming narrative power. Historical accuracy means research. Verifying traditions, costumes, settings, the relationships between events. It also includes representing cultural values, language, title norms and community remembrance, elements that often do not make it into written archives but live powerfully in the memories of people.

Getting details right shows that you value the real lives behind the story. When storytelling bends too far from truth, it risks becoming caricature or stereotype. Accurate storytelling earns trust from the audience. It signals that the storyteller is serious about their craft and about the source material. Many African histories exist through oral traditions. When written or visual media misrepresent them, aspects of culture can be lost forever. Many audience members learn history through stories. When those stories are accurate, they become tools of learning, not misinformation.

What Accuracy Looks Like in Practice

1. Researching oral histories or traditional accounts and cross‑checking them with available archives or scholarly work.
2. Using authentic language, accents, names, cultural symbols.
3.  Fact‑checking costumes, architecture, environmental details that reflect the correct period or region.
4. Ensuring that the spirit (values, beliefs, rituals) of the culture is portrayed truthfully, not merely for drama.

Historical accuracy in storytelling is more than a technical requirement, it is a moral and cultural responsibility. When we tell African stories with precision and respect, we do more than entertain, we preserve memory, reclaim identity, and challenge distortions that have lingered for centuries. Accuracy ensures that the people, cultures and histories we bring to life are not reduced to stereotypes or mere backdrops but are honoured in their full humanity. For storytellers, this is the path to credibility, cultural preservation and a legacy of truth that future generations can build upon.