Oral Tradition in Different Cultures

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Work of Literature A
Work of Literature B
Comparison
Influence
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

Oral tradition is communication through speech, songs, and other forms that support sound. Verbal communication is vital in human society as it is a primary means of passing information. Preliterate communities relied on this form of communication to share information (“The Influence of Oral Traditions”). Oral texts are also present in all known cultures and were used to dictate the proper relationships between groups within and outside the community (“Oral Traditions”). Various forms of traditions exist that facilitate information sharing. For example, women usually have unique communication forms that are not always shared with other community members. Traditions are essential in binding community members together through shared values, beliefs, and practices, while others focus on establishing the hierarchy of power. Therefore, oral tradition is vital in passing down a people’s values, beliefs, and techniques from one generation to the next. Oral tradition is manifested in the Native American and African cultures through stories, tales, folklore, and legends. The use of oral tradition in the two cultures has helped to preserve their respective cultures despite the effects of modernization.

Work of Literature A

Native Americans value oral tradition by making it the primary mode of passing down knowledge about their culture and values as a community. Several factors differentiate Native Americans, like culture, politics, geographical location, language, and social values (“Oral tradition in Native America”). Despite their differences, the community maintains the tradition of ensuring that new generations acquire knowledge about their culture and values. The information they gain is passed down to new generations through oral communication. Storytelling is the most common Native oral tradition in the community based on the attention it receives. It is the most studied and can be categorized into different forms, including folktales, legends, and myths, depending on the conclusion of the listener (“Oral tradition in Native America”). The stories the communities tell also vary based on their themes. Stories can be true sacred accounts of the ancient past, folktales, and legends, with the most recent settings compared to sacred stories. Other forms of oral tradition include eyewitness accounts, poems, visions, dreams, and hallucinations (“Oral tradition in Native America”). The prevalent pattern in Native American oral tradition is that storytelling is the primary medium for passing culture down to new generations.

Oral tradition in Native Americans can be evidenced in several forms of modern communication. Seth Fairchild’s Tedx Talk is an example of modern oral tradition through storytelling. The YouTube video is a form of an oral tradition shared through an electronic platform. In the presentation, Fairchild presents the history of his people based on the stories he has learned as a member of the community (“Native American Oral Storytelling”). His speech specializes in the Choctaws, focusing on their daily lives (“Native American Oral Storytelling”). He addresses the role of Native Americans in historical moments like the Civil Rights movement, relocation efforts, and boarding school initiatives (“Native American Oral Storytelling”). He gathers the accounts of his people through stories that make them unique. His story shows how modern society preserves and shares oral tradition in a more permanent form. Oral tradition is also evident in the Legend of the Night Chant from the indigenous people. The chant shows the significance of medicine men in treating and preventing diseases. The culture’s ritualistic prayers are necessary to respective indigenous communities as they represent their relationship with nature and spiritual beings. It is an important oral tradition that helps to document essential cultural information and practices.

Work of Literature B

African cultures have based the sharing of their traditions on oral communication. Oral tradition is crucial in communities since it is the primary form of passing information. African societies have relied on oral tradition to share their values and practices within and outside the communities (“African Oral Tradition”). Verbal communication was deeply rooted in the region before the introduction of written communication. Africa’s oral tradition facilitated the passing of history from one generation to the next, especially before the introduction of written texts by the missionaries. The communities relied on communication to pass their cultures to younger generations. Early documentation of African oral tradition is characterized by the struggles that emerged from colonialism and interactions with outsiders. Factors like struggles between new religions and traditional beliefs and rural and modern.

Oral traditions are essential in documenting African history and culture, as evidenced in literary works from the region. Written literature was not widely used in the region before the coming of the missionaries. Africans relied on oral communication to share all vital information (“African Oral Tradition”). The culture was shared and passed to the next generations through stories, folklore, epics, myths, and proverbs. The Hausa preserved their stories through stories shared within and outside the community. However, the formation of the Translation Bureau in northern Nigeria led to the beginning of the publication of stories from the community. The publication of most of the stories from the community was primarily based on oral tradition, whereby stories and accounts that had been conserved and shared between generations were recorded after translation for more readers to access. While most of the modern documentation of African culture is in written texts, the information was first based on oral tradition before translation and publication. The Tiger, Monkey, and Anansi are examples of oral traditions in the African community. Folklore is used for general entertainment and provides important lessons to the audience (Mythology and Folklore). The oral tradition has been recorded for preservation. However, it used to be shared through word of mouth among community members.

Comparison

Oral tradition plays a crucial role in both Native American and African cultures. The two rely on oral tradition to preserve and pass down the beliefs, practices, and values that are unique to their cultures. Native Americans and Africans place significant value in storytelling and folklore, which are the most used in communication. “Oral tradition of in Native America” notes that storytelling and folklore were essential oral traditions that communities used to capture and share cultural information. The relationships between groups in communities are also recorded and shared through oral traditions (“Oral Traditions”). The form of communication was vital in capturing critical events in their communities and sharing them. The only difference in oral tradition between the two cultures is that Native Americans remain committed to using the communication medium to preserve and share their practices. At the same time, Africans have been heavily influenced, and most of their stories and folklore are captured in print, songs, and videos.

Influence

Oral tradition is still crucial in modern literature and art despite significant advancements that help to capture history and culture. Oral tradition is most evident through storytelling, which was used to preserve information and share it among generations (“Oral Tradition in Native America”). Contemporary society is heavily reliant on technology for communication. Traditional forms of information sharing are being replaced by technology that provides a more efficient way of preserving culture. Films and videos are the most prevalent means of preserving contemporary culture. Movies are created to capture entire cultures, practices, and values in communities. The films are shared worldwide, which expands the number of people who learn and understand the cultures of others.

Art and literature are still influenced by oral tradition because several artists rely on oral tradition to create literature and artistic works. Oral tradition is still vital in ensuring that the stories and culture of people are preserved and shared between generations (“The Influence of Oral Traditions”). Several writers still depend on the stories and folklore that have been told and passed down from one generation to the next. Artists also find inspiration in their work through oral tradition. Several artists rely on oral tradition to create works that reflect their pasts. They use the experiences of previous generations to present factors like struggles and issues affecting society. Oral tradition ensures that people can still capture and share their cultures with others worldwide and with new generations. Technology is a medium that facilitates the capturing and sharing of oral tradition.

Conclusion

Oral tradition is a crucial communication form of information sharing that continues to facilitate the capture and transition of knowledge and culture through generations. The communication approach has existed for several generations and was the primary method for sharing information between cultures. Oral tradition had several roles, including ensuring that new generations learned and practiced their cultures and defining factors like relationships between groups and hierarchy of power. The communication method was primarily in the form of stories and folklore that allowed vital knowledge to be shared. It was also achieved through poems, songs, and poetry that provides more than one method to capture and preserve the history and cultures of people. Technology has revolutionized information sharing by effectively capturing, storing, and disseminating knowledge. However, oral tradition remains influential in contemporary literature and art as creators still rely on the medium to get stories, history, events, culture, and inspiration to create and share their works. Technology has become a facilitator in capturing oral traditions through mediums like movies and books that can be easily shared worldwide.

Works Cited

“African Oral Tradition.” YouTube, YouTube, Web.

“C185. Brer Rabbit and Aunt Nancy.” BRER RABBIT: TALES of a TRICKSTER, Web.

“Jamaica: Tiger, Monkey, and Anansi.” Mythology and Folklore UN-Textbook, Web.

“Native American Oral Storytelling & History | Seth Fairchild | TEDxSMU.” YouTube, YouTube, Web.

“Oral Tradition in Native America.” Wingedmessenger, The Winged Messenger Project, Web.

“Oral Traditions: Telling, Sharing.” Encyclopedia.com, Encyclopedia.com, Web.

“The Influence of Oral Traditions on Modern Writers.” Encyclopaedia Britannica, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., Web.

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