The Oral Tradition:Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali How Can A Historian Use Oral Tradition When Writing History Oral tradition is a history or a story passed down from generation to generation through word of mouth. ... Oral tradition is significant in all cultures and societies. The oral tradition tells stories of the past and of how things use to be. ... In this paper I will explain how historians can use oral traditions like Sundiata, African storytelling, and Native American oral traditions, in writing of history and historical reconstruction. ... Writing traditions do consist in ancien...

• Word Count: 1350
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

Thomas-Builds-The-Fire also holds a very cultural place in this tale as he fills the role of storyteller and continues the oral tradition common to many indigenous peoples as Mary Pat Fisher indicates in her book Living Religions. Her text labels the position of storyteller as a spiritual specialty among indigenous religions and states, "Because the traditions are oral rather than written, these people must memorize long and complex stories and songs so that the group's sacred traditions can be remembered and taught, generation after generation" (Fisher, 59-60). ... Lee indicates on pages...

• Word Count: 1919
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

When examining ancient Greek works, however, it is important to recognize that they are the products of a chiefly oral tradition. This is not to say that oral and literate traditions are conflicting with one another, but rather that the guiding principles of early Greek art revolve around the notions of memory and orality. The Iliad, in particular, represents the step out of an oral tradition and the beginning of western literature. ... Oral traditions pass down historical and cultural knowledge from generation to generation by means of spoken language, song and poetry. ... Repetition was ...

• Word Count: 1357
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

When examining ancient Greek works, however, it is important to recognize that they are the products of a chiefly oral tradition. This is not to say that oral and literate traditions are conflicting with one another, but rather that the guiding principles of early Greek art revolve around the notions of memory and orality. The Iliad, in particular, represents the step out of an oral tradition and the beginning of western literature. ... Oral traditions pass down historical and cultural knowledge from generation to generation by means of spoken language, song and poetry. ... Repetition was ...

• Word Count: 1392
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The Pharisees are the creators of Rabbinical Judaism, and hold Oral Torah to the highest degree. ... While the Pharisees were occupied with Oral Torah, and the traditions of oral communication, the Greco-Roman influence would soon begin to swallow up these ancient traditions. During the prominence of the Greco-Roman culture, scribes began copying oral stories and traditions into print. ... "The use of written literature, however, did not replace the use of oral tradition, but was simply constructed in order to be read aloud. ... It appears as though with the rising influence of written litera...

• Word Count: 1866
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The oral of these proverbs sometimes increases the impact. "For the westernized elite, oral traditions are useful resources for placing an authentic African stamp on writings and they can aid in the reconstructions of traditional life." ... Thus oral tradition gives more emphasis to the rhythm of the language, with repetition and short phrases making the stories, riddles and proverbs easier to understand, and in turn to recall from memory. ... This is true with all cultures where oral tradition is prevalent. When a culture relies on oral tradition to pass on legends, stories and proverbs, the...

• Word Count: 2075
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

In traditional Nigeria, oral literature was used by women to communicate customs, beliefs and traditions to their children and the young. Many of the African communities adapted oral folktales and legends that best suited their territorial beliefs. ... African food production is firmly rooted in Africa's tradition and gender division of labor. ... One of the ancient traditions that historically existed in Nigeria consisted of women trading and bartering. ... Oral tradition told of female kings (obas). ...

• Word Count: 1726
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Even though the indigenous people suffered great loss in land and culture their pride and traditions live on. It is through these surviving traditions stories of early times are salvaged. Most of the Native American traditions distinguish between songs and narratives. ... Original Native American stories were performed orally in the native language of their tribe. ... Through these orators and the stories passed down orally, eventually essays and books are written. ...

• Word Count: 1765
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

Several different authors likely wrote the Hermetic teachings, the "truths" told within them just local oral traditions and legends. ... This tradition states that Hermes was born of Zeus. ... During this time, Hermetic tradition was once again reestablished. ...

• Word Count: 1600
• Approx Pages: 6

It is helpful to the understanding of these metaphors to know that the Markan gospel was written four decades after Jesus, and therefore, the story of the Syrophoenician woman initially floated around as an oral tradition, which may not live up to the exact details but preserves, nonetheless, what Phillip Sellew refers to as description, performance and demonstration. The pericope was then retold, or more correctly put, redacted, by Matthew a decade or two after the Markan gospel was written, therefore making it possible that Matthew could have acquired the story completely from Mark rather th...

• Word Count: 2129
• Approx Pages: 9

As we embrace technology in today's mainstream world, ethical issues in medicine concerning religious and historical tradition struggle for existence. ... It is not uncommon that Muslims incorporate tradition into their daily lives. ... Traditions in Judaism regarding legal and ethical philosophies are influence by three complex sources. ... This is a set of multilayered commentaries of biblical tests and oral traditions by learned rabbis of the second and fifth centuries (Bioethics for clinicians: Jewish bioethics). ... It is obvious that historical traditions and religious values ar...

• Word Count: 1648
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Whereas The Girl Who Married the Bear is an origin story, told for centuries, instilling values and traditions in Native American cultures, "Fleur" is an example of how origin stories are connected to present-day Native American life. ... These stories show the continuation of Native American traditions, and how technology and opinions may change, but as long as history is told through these stories, their culture and spiritual beliefs will never be lost. The reason so many Native American groups refuse to give up their culture is because traditions, such as origin stories, give them a sen...

• Word Count: 1714
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

" - Plato The minute study of the history of the Indian subcontinent and the various historical processes it has experienced will reflect a rather vibrant amalgamation of various socio-cultural and religious traditions. ... The tradition, since its inception, is regarded to be a protest movement which seeks to contend and challenge all the orthodox, ritualistic norms of the established Brahmanical (Vedic and Puranic) religion2. ... In the space of the various, eclectic Bhakti traditions that emerged, however, women saints seem to own a space of their own and voice their opinions, bold an...

• Word Count: 2258
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

It was written down about the sixteenth century after the arrival of the Spaniards but has been an orally passed down story ever since the emergence of this group. ... It was also an oral story passed down from generation to generation and started by the Checas tribe living in Huarochiri, or present day Peru. ... It is a mix of Checas oral history that is seen through the eyes of Spanish Roman Catholicism. ... It is more than a creation story, it is the written documentation of people's lifestyles and founding beliefs of their traditions still alive and full in today's society....

• Word Count: 1763
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

Jazz is an offspring of a long oral tradition of African music. ... The importance of theGarner 4 oral tradition in poet Allen Ginsberg's mind leads him to emphasize the importance of sound; if a work can be sounded out in memory, then it has solidarity. ... Following the free-verse tradition of Walt Whitman, a Beat-like luminary, the meter of Ginsberg's poetry is like American dialect, wrought with rhythmic shift and "staccato abruptness" (Feinstein 81). ...

• Word Count: 2473
• Approx Pages: 10

Herodotus' Histories are the first instance of a narrative history; His work adopts a form somewhere between the previous tradition of epic and the yet non-existent novel, which has led to the understanding of it as a work of creative style, perceived as almost synonymous with fiction. ... This demonstrates Herodotus standing in a murky, grey area between accurate history and the tradition of glorifying the past, from which we might conclude that less attention should to be given to the divisions between the two, as such a medium, was appropriate for engaging a contemporary audience, and...

• Word Count: 2143
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: Graduate

The fact that the Fray immersed himself and lived with the Indians for four years indeed grants a base for his learning of the Taíno language but it is dubious whether he actually was able to grasp, appreciate and understand the meaning of their legends, traditions, customs, beliefs and general way of life. ... Next in line in the social pyramid was the behique, his position was also worthy of town dignity and respect; his functions included organizing worship cult, communicating and passing own tribal tradition, and healing the sick. ... Fray Pané's accounts were mainly of the ...

• Word Count: 1659
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

In the stories "Raymond's Run" and "Gorilla My Love," Toni Cade Bambara, writes about unusual heroines - both called Hazel. However the character in "Raymond's Run," is known as and is referred to as Squeaky, mainly because of her voice, and because of the way that she is presented. To the reader, it seems to fit her personality as well as her appearance. Both girls are, to a certain extent unusual because of the way they express themselves and the way that they behave. Trust and respect are also very significant issues raised in both of the stories. ...

• Word Count: 2209
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School

The Old Testament was first told in oral tradition and was later collected and written down over centuries primarily in Hebrew. ... Before his revelations were recorded they were told orally amongst his followers. ...

• Word Count: 1866
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

The Bible notes several roles the Holy Spirit plays in the lives of people today. The Holy Spirit works in many additional ways. For example, one of these roles is to serve as a helper or comforter to us. The writing of the Bible itself was inspired by the Holy Spirit. It was the Holy Spirit that in...

• Word Count: 2191
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School

The result in both cases is a rich artistic tradition. ... Oral tradition was paramount among the Arabs in pre-Islamic days, and poets were the memory of their tribe. ... How the pen was cut depended upon considerations like the calligrapher's usage, the traditions of his native land, and the type of text being transcribed. ... From Egypt to Andalusia, North African calligraphers, with their more austere artistic traditions, refused to give up Kufic, including the Maghribi script and the many variants derived from it. ...

• Word Count: 2239
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School

There has to have been an event that lead to an oral tradition because most of all the early civilizations have a story that includes a worldwide flood. With things such as this one then must wonder if the biblical account was written first and the other accounts learned from this, or if the biblical account was written after people knew of the other traditions. ...

• Word Count: 1824
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

Ambrose brought together Hebrew, Greek and Southwest Asian traditions to formulate Christian doctrine and liturgy. ... Islamic Poetry: Poetry and music were seen as equal to Islamic and local bards or wandering minstrels were the keepers of popular oral verse tradition. ...

• Word Count: 1861
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

Since the company was given so much freedom it was able to impose it own rules and traditions. ... The European's records show that the Indians were very impressed with the trade goods that they received, but Indian oral tradition tells of how impressed the Europeans were with the furs that the Indians did not value particularly high. ...

• Word Count: 1577
• Approx Pages: 6

A second source of guidance for most Muslims is al-Hadith (Tradition), a vast body of transmitted stories of what the Prophet said or did or what was said or done in his presence and therefore approved by him It was Muhammad's contention that Christianity had departed from belief in God's message as revealed in their Scriptures. ... While Jesus and Mohammed were on Earth, their stories and teachings were passed on orally, so the need to write them down was not necessary. ...

• Word Count: 1356
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School