The First Nations – Oral Traditions
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The First Nations – Oral Traditions
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A work is usually defined as literature when it is a written story that displays creative imagination and artistic skills. Thus, many people assume that the study of literature is about books. Every culture has its own unique literary expression. Literature can be defined more broadly to include songs, speeches, stories and invocations.
The literature of aboriginal societies was based in oral traditions best described as “orature.” Individuals who were eloquent and had a strong command of the language were highly respected in native communities. They were often storytellers. A good storyteller could transport listeners to a particular piece of hunting territory – the lapping of the water on the lakeshore and the smell of tress. A storyteller could evoke the lessons of ancestors long passed away. A storyteller could shape the opinions of people reminding them of past actions and historical events. In any oral tradition, spoken words had the power to capture the imagination and transform reality.
In this way, Aboriginals used songs, legends and stories to express their understanding of their world and to pass on the histories of their people to succeeding generations. In particular, storytelling was a vital ingredient in teaching young children and youths. Stories were often used to discipline children. This was generally done in a humorous way because teasing and joking served as a more effective social mechanism in many Aboriginal cultures than direct reproof, pointing out mistakes.
Some Europeans newcomers considered Aboriginal cultures to be inferior because they lacked written forms of communication. However, many earlier colonial administrators soon came to appreciate the verbal skill and artistry of Aboriginal leaders and orators. At treaty sessions and council meetings, government officials found themselves having to adapt to the complex oratory of Aboriginal spokespersons.
In reality, the oral traditions were intricate and full of meaning. Aboriginal orators were highly respected, and words had a great deal of power. Orators used wit, metaphor, irony, emotion, imagery and eloquence to enrich their orature. Storytelling, political oratory, invocations and songs served as forms of literary expression which were passed on from generation to generation.
Contemporary Aboriginal writer Thomas King suggests that while traditional stories and legends remained oral, they had very particular audiences, namely those who spoke a given language. He believes their translation into European languages helped introduce the stories to other Aboriginal groups and to non-Aboriginal people. It may also have helped preserve the stories by reinforcing their importance across Aboriginal cultures.
Many of the old stories have slipped away with the passing of elders and through the loss of culture because of assimilation. The precarious (uncertain) state of many Aboriginal languages also presents a challenge to storytelling traditions. Nevertheless, the oral traditions of Aboriginal societies continue today. Aboriginal storytellers are reclaiming the stories of their people, and in many cases, relating them in the context of the contemporary lives of Aboriginal societies. Contemporary storytellers are also expanding their audiences, by adapting oral traditions to radio, television, theatre, music and books.
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Question: Why is storytelling so important in traditional Aboriginal society and in more contemporary times?
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