Oral tradition played an important role in Africa's history and it is
through this mode of communication, rather than through the written
mode, that the stories of the old times and the history of the continent
was preserved. Oral tradition encompassed stories, songs and folklore
which were related by the older members of the society to the new
generation at the end of the day while sitting around a fire. Or they
would be performed to give a richer and more expressive way of
communication as well as providing enjoyment and entertainment for all
the villagers. A lot of the African cultural ways and beliefs were
passed on from generation to generation through oral tradition.
The storyteller (griot) was an artist in himself as he had to make the
stories interesting and colourful to relay the message and also to keep
the interest of the people who were listening to him. The myths and
legends would relate how the world began and the meaning of life on
earth. Some of the folktales which were told were meant to teach a
lesson to those listening to deter them from making mistakes or behaving
in a selfish or mean way as some of the characters in these stories
did.
Folk songs were expressive and included animals or some aspect of the
African natural heritage in their content. This can be seen in the Zulu
song 'Where is the rain?' The song is about a giraffe and an elephant
who go for a walk and wonder when it will rain. They describe in detail
the dry land just waiting to be watered and then they hear the thunder
and they look up at the sky "And heard the black eagle give forth his
cry, the rain has come, the rivers will flow; the dry season is over;
now the green grass will grow!" This one song gives details of the
entire African scenario at that point in time and is both descriptive
and informative.
Music also played a large part in African oral
traditions and was both an educational and expressive tool in oral
tradition. The drum was widely used to pass messages to the people of
the village and also to the surrounding villages. The drummer was
considered very important because it was his choice of words and the way
he composed his songs that would relay the right message to those
listening. The drum he would use was considered almost sacred. The
phrase "talking drums" aptly describes this method of communication.
Dance was also an integral part of the African life, a way of
communicating and performing ceremonial rituals.
Proverbs and
riddles were also used to teach those listening about the good and bad
qualities in human beings and how to judge a good character. A West
African proverb goes like this "A large eye does not mean keen vision"
which cautions a person not to be too trusting of another and not to
take things at face value. Another one says "If you run after two hares
you will catch neither." This obviously teaches the listener not to be
greedy and to be content with what you have no matter how little.
Oral
traditions were therefore a rich part of African history and to this
day some of these folktales and stories have been preserved proving that
oral literature can be passed on across the generations as effectively
as the written word can.
