We all have probably heard some story, myth, legend, or song that teaches us about life in the past, about some historical event, or something important in life. Those stories, legends, myths are all part of the tradition. Tradition is handing down information, beliefs, or customs from one generation to another. And these stories, myths, legends, or songs, because of the way they are transmitted, are part of the oral tradition.
In this lesson, we will learn about ORAL TRADITION, and we will discuss its
An oral tradition is a form of human communication wherein knowledge, art, ideas, and cultural material is received, preserved, and transmitted orally from one generation to another. Oral tradition is transmitted without a writing system, through speech, by telling stories or songs. Oral tradition is also called oral lore.
Oral tradition is considered the first and most widespread mode of human communication. This includes historical and cultural traditions, literature, and law. Some oral tradition examples are legends, proverbs, folktales, customs, songs (especially epic songs and poems), riddles, and so on.
The purpose of oral tradition is to pass knowledge from one generation to another without writing. That is how they will help people to understand the world and also important aspects of their own culture.
Oral traditions can be categorized into different types, and they include:
Legends are usually very old stories about human events or actions that have not been proved nor documented in real history. Legends are retold as if they are real events and were believed to be historical accounts. Some famous legends are those for Noah's Ark, Atlantis, Bigfoot.
Myths are stories that usually talk about people's early history or explain some natural or social phenomenon and involve supernatural beings or events. Some famous myths are Pandora's Box, Daedalus and Icarus, etc.
Folktales are a kind of story that gets passed on from generation to generation and do not have a single author. They develop as different people tell them over time. As such, they are creations of the people (the folk). Many folktales are very old. Some famous folktales are Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The White Elephant, Jack and the Beanstalk, and so on.
A custom is a common way of doing things, or a certain behavior, mostly between people that come from the same culture. An example of custom: In some countries, you should take your shoes off before entering the house.
A proverb is a simple and insightful, traditional saying that expresses a perceived truth based on common sense or experience. Proverbs are often metaphorical and use formulaic language. An example is: An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
A riddle is a statement, question, or phrase having a double or veiled meaning, put forth as a puzzle to be solved. Many riddles appear in similar forms across many countries. An example of a riddle is: Three eyes have I, all in a row; when the red one opens, all freeze like the snow. (Answer: Traffic light).
Oral tradition is important in all societies because it passes on history to the next traditions. These traditions account for the ways things are and often the way they should be. Oral tradition is important because it is teaching important lessons about the past and about life. It also helps us understand how individuals and communities experienced the forces of history.
Oral traditions face the challenge of accurate transmission and verifiability of the accurate version, particularly when the culture lacks written language or has limited access to writing tools. Oral cultures have employed various strategies that achieve this without writing.
Oral traditions depend heavily on human memory.
