Visual storytelling and comic adaptation a review of the Bakiga folktale of Nyabwangu and Nyabucurera

Abstract

This article explores the comic adaptation of the Kiga folktales (Nyabwangu and Nyabucurera), emphasizing the power of visual storytelling to revive indigenous stories while reiterating moral teachings and cultural values. Stemming from Afrocomic aesthetics, the article synthesizes existing literature on folklore, visual narrative, and resilience, while incorporating elements of visual ethnography and narrative analysis to inform character design, panel composition, and culturally grounded settings. Thus the article seeks to understand how comics serve as a multimodal medium that helps to preserve oral traditions, fosters intergenerational interaction, and improves moral and emotional understanding. Through situating the folktale within both its traditional oral context and contemporary visual culture, the article demonstrates the potential of comics as tools for cultural preservation, education, and creative reinterpretation. In addition to providing a conceptual foundation for upcoming Afro-comic interpretations of indigenous stories, the analysis advances research on African folklore, visual culture, and narrative adaptation.