Oral traditions Essay

M either ancient scholars believed Africa had no narrative prior to colonialism becaexercising there was no documented proof. Professor A.P. Newton, who was a severalize British historian in the archaeozoic 20th century, believed that there was no African history because most of the African guild was illiterate before the European intrusion. record, he said, only begins when men throng to writing. He, as well as others who had the homogeneous opinion, failed to realize that African communities existed long before colonialism and so had their own history, even though it had non been put into writing at the time. oral examination traditions demand played and go by to play all principal(prenominal)(p) roles in the history of Africa as well as its present. Songs, folklores, superstitions, etcetera atomic number 18 fairish some of the things that exhaust been passed from generation to generation ad-lib examly. We detect the yard of some of these superstitions in J.P . Clarks _Abiku_ as well as Wole Soyinkas _Abiku_. two verse forms ar based on tralatitious superstitions and it is evident from the title, _Abiku_, which is a word from the Yoruba wording of Nigeria that is used to describe a shaver that dies and is reborn, normally multiple times. It is believed that such kidskinren are not of the clement world, but quite a belong to the tonicity world and so they slide by going stake and off from angiotensin-converting enzyme world to the other unless the electric razors family is able to make the child stay in the piece world, utilize traditionalistic methods most times. These beliefs and actions are results of oral traditions and, even with the rise of Hesperian knowledge in Yoruba communities and Nigeria in general, continue to be upheld by some people. Clark and Soyinka are evidence of the continued dependence and belief in oral traditions by a set of Africans, even after extensive westerneducation.These Africans could be doing this as an indirect ascension against western ideas and principles that have sought to bemock and destroy African tillage. During the colonial era, the Europeans did their go around to destroy African culture, especially those that had to do with superstitions and spiritual beliefs that did not correspond with western principles. Concepts like reincarnation were frowned upon heavily by the European missionaries seeking to change the religious beliefs of Africans and since most aspects of life were based on religion at the time, changing wholenesss religious beliefs meant changing ones political, social and economic beliefs as well. However, with the rise of pagan nationalisms, Africans began to reject European standards as the ideal and focus on transport African culture gage to the forefront. Hence, we see Soyinka and Clark as well as many other African poets saving their cultural superstitions to their literary works, even though most of them are create verbally i n European languages.In Soyinkas _Abiku_ meter, near every broth is made up of cultural beliefs and practices as they relate to the _Abiku_ child. He even dips into non-African oral traditions in the line that says, remember/ this, and dig me deeper salve into/ the graven images swollen foot. (14-16). Here, Soyinka is referring to Oedipus, the Greek mythologic figure, and his use of this in his poem suggests that he wants to show that oral tradition is not just an African phenomenon but rather, exists in different cultures all around the world. While, he doesnt expand on this line, it is important because it stands out from the rest of the poem as it is not connected to Yoruba tradition at all and it makes known to its contemplateers the incident that oral traditions are universal.Also, Soyinka writes his poem from the subjects point of view as a means of graciousizing the character. The concept of _Abiku_ is usually explained as an other- worldly phenomenon, which made it e asier for a muckle of people to disassociate themselves with the idea. However, Soyinka writes his poem in first person in hunting lodge to make known to people the fact that _Abiku_ children do exist and they are, in fact, mankind creations. He brings the _Abiku_ child to the forefront and though the rhetoric is tinged with superstitions andcultural traditions, the fact that it is being told from the childs perspective is a humanizing effort.There is no doubt that the poem emphasizes cultural and spiritual notions, especially with the child, however, the poems use of rowing like Mothers (line 26) paints a human draw in the minds of the readers. The juxtaposition of spiritual and human language used in the poem lets the readers know that both the spiritual and the human are present in this _Abiku_ child. Therefore, the poet brings to clear the idea that the spiritual i.e. traditional and the human i.e. rational can exist and hold with one another. He is saying that African culture can exist spot by side with western culture and one doesnt have to ebb the other, which is the direct opposite of what was preached by European missionaries.Also, it is important to note that these two poets as well as most African writers are invested in the concept of Africanism. safekeeping African cultures alive is important and we see the poets using their poems to remind Africans and the world in general that African culture smooth exists and has not been destroyed by urbanization. Oral traditions have never been completely pass judgment as adequate sources with which to make any kinds of analyses because of the fickle nature of the human depot and so, writing these poems allows the poets show the readers that the culture is still there and these stories and beliefs have not been forgotten. It was important for Africans in historical times to repeatedly acknowledge the oral traditions so they would not forget any parts of it and this is to a fault one of the reaso ns why African writers usually add some elements of oral tradition into their works.A push-down storage of African communities did not have any means of arranging their culture for future generations so they just made sure the younger generations became awake of these traditions from the early stages of their lives so these traditions became engrained in their minds by the time they were adults. However, with the colonization of Africa, a lot of Africans are now able read and write these oral traditions and because of this easy access, a lot of Africans have become asleep of a lot of cultural traditions that would have been passed orally. So, the writers include oral traditions in their written works to bring these stories, beliefs, practices, etc. back into the minds of Africans and the world.This is whySoyinka and Clark include some traditional processes in their poetry. Soyinka writes about the charms that people believed would keep the _Abiku_ child from going back to the sp irit world Must I call for goats and cowries/for palm oil and sprinkled ash? He takes the reader into the world of the _Abiku,_ using cultural rituals, which then reminds the Africans who had forgotten and informs those who were not orphic to this information initially. Clark takes his readers into the immediate surround of the _Abiku_ child, both the physical environment and the spiritual environment Do stay out on the baobab tree/follow where you beguile your kindred spirits/if indoors is not enough for you.In conclusion, oral traditions are very important in African culture as well as other cultures around the world and the use of written language in toss oral traditions has been helpful in bringing forgotten histories back into the minds of its people.BIBLIOGRAPHYFage, J. D., and British send Corporation. Africa Discovers Her Past. London Oxford University Press, 1970.Henige, David P. The Chronology of Oral Tradition necessitate for a Chimera. Oxford Clarendon Press, 1974. Adesanmi, Pius. Youre Not a Country, Africa A Personal History of the African Present. Johannesburg Penguin Books (South Africa), 2011.