Why has oral traditions been so important in West Africa?

Oral Traditions make it possible for a society to pass knowledge across genera- tions without writing. They help people make sense of the world and are used to teach children and adults about important aspects of their culture. There is a rich tradition throughout Africa of oral storytelling.

How do West African written and oral traditions influence life today?

How do West African written and oral traditions influence life today? The writings tells us about the heritage and culture. West African music has influenced gospel, jazz, blues, rock and roll, and rap. West African drumming and Afro-Cuban drumming are still popular around the world.

What are some West African traditions?

7 Amazing African Tribal Traditions

The courtship dance of the Wodaabe. The Wodaabe tribe during Guérewol.
The lip plates of the Mursi. A Mursi tribeswoman with a lip plate.
The bull jumping of the Hamar.
The red ochre of the Himba.
The spitting of the Maasai.
The healing dance of the San.
The wedding ceremony of the Ndebele.

What are oral traditions in Africa?

In many African societies such material has been transmitted orally, through the spoken word. This method of passing along literature and history is oral tradition. African oral tradition involves both the material that is spoken—the oral art—and the setting in which it is spoken.

What is oral tradition in West Africa?

Folktales West Africa’s oral tradition includes hundreds of old stories called folktales. West Africans used folktales to pass along their history and to teach young people morals and values. Many traditional folktales were brought to the Americas by West Africans who were sold into slavery beginning in the 1500s.

What are griots and why are they important to West African culture?

The griot profession is hereditary and has long been a part of West African culture. The griots’ role has traditionally been to preserve the genealogies, historical narratives, and oral traditions of their people; praise songs are also part of the griot’s repertoire.

What are the two prominent oral traditions in Africa?

The history of Africa is rich with oral tradition. Much of these traditions have been preserved by griots, people who tell tales, speak proverbs and even sing songs to pass down the traditions of their culture. Folktales and proverbs are both examples of African oral traditions.

What was the oral tradition of West Africa?

Proverbs, which are also know as popular sayings, were another West African oral tradition. Proverbs would be used to tell ideas or simply to give advice to someone else. After Islam spread into West Africa, the written traditions of the West Africans became far, more important.

What was the written history of West Africa?

Although written history existed for centuries in West Africa, most writing was in Arabic, and the majority of people did not read or write in Arabic. So the transmission of knowledge, history and experience in West Africa was mainly through the oral tradition and performance rather than on written texts.

How did West Africans pass down their culture?

In the Medieval Era, the West Africans created many different ways of sharing and passing down oral and written traditions. One way that they passed down traditions from generation to generation was folktales. Folktales taught young boys and girls about their culture, and it taught them many morals and life lessons.

What did West Africans do in the medieval era?