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MEANING OF ORAL LITERATURE
Oral literature is a type of literature that is handed down or presented orally through the words of mouth from one generation to another.
Historically, oral literature was practiced much before the invention of writings. Until today oral literature is still dominant in various societies. Sometimes, in literature, oral literature is called folklore because the former has more and inclusive meaning than the later one.
Folklore; by definition refers to the collection of traditional stories, customs, beliefs and culture of a particular society or country. It is any of the beliefs, customs and traditions that people pass on from one generation to the next.
FORMS OF ORAL LITERATURE
Oral literature is still dominant in various societies due to the existence of different forms or types of folklores in the societies as follows;
1. Folktales
These are the traditional stories about animals or human beings that are usually passed down from one generation to another in a particular society. Most of these tales are not set in any particular time or place and they begin and end in a certain way.
For example, they begin with expressions like “once upon a time…” and end with “they live happily ever after”. The story of SINDERELLA is one of the examples of folklores.
2. Fables
These are animal stories that try to teach people how to behave. They are a particular type of narrative in which animals, plants or similar characters are anthropomorphized or made to seem as if they were human. Fables are sometimes called beast stories.
Fables often deliver a moral lesson which may or may not be explicitly stated at the end. The best known collection of fables is Aesop’s fables. Examples of fables are “The Hare and the Tortoise”, “The Lion and the Mouse and others.
3. Fairy tales
These are fictional stories that usually involve magic and mythical
creatures such as witches and fairies which posses supernatural powers. Fairy itself is an imaginary creature.
Fairy tales have magic powers to perform good and bad deeds and are set in imaginary land, long time ago and far away. They also contain imaginary creatures like evils, goblins and troll. They also feature fantastical elements and they have a happily ever after ending.
The famous fairy tales are CINDERELLA, SNOW WHITE, THE SEVEN DWARVES and SLEEPING BEAUTY. Fairy tales are meant for entertainment.
4. Trickster tales
These are folktales in which a trickster is a hero. Most tricksters are animals which act like human being by playing tricks to other animals and human beings as well. Trickster tales are ones of the most popular folktales because they are found in every culture. Every culture has its own trickster hero or character. In Africa, tricksters include tortoise, the hare, and Anansi the spider.
In east Africa the hare (kalulu in Kiswahili) is the most famous trickster hero. The book “Kalulu the Hare” by Frank Worthington has a lot of wonderful stories about the clever and cunning hare.
5. Parables
These are religious stories that teach a basic truth, a moral lesson or religious principle. They usually involve ordinary people who are faced with a moral dilemma or who make a moral decision and then deal with the effects of that decision. Examples of parables include “The Man and His Two Wives and all biblical stories.
6. Legends
These are old and well-known stories that tell about brave people, adventure or magical events. Legends are told from one generation to another as though they were true. They are set in a real world and in relatively recent times.
Many legends tell about human beings how meet supernatural creatures such as fairies, ghosts, vampires and witches. They are also associated with the famous people who have died.
Examples of legends include;
Paul Bunyan who as a child, he could clap hands and breaks the windows in his house.
Davy Crockett who is said that he was the frontiersman and he killed his first bear when he was just three years old.
7. Myths
These are traditional stories usually religious stories that explain how the world and humanity developed into the present form. Many myths describe the creation of the earth and they are different from other types of folk stories because they are considered to be true among the people who develop them.
Myth itself by definition is an idea or story that many people believe but which is not true. A number of myths describe the creation of human race and the origin of death. Every society has its own myth. Examples of myths are “African myths about Anansi the Spider” by Abbey Baker.
8. Anecdotes
These are short, amusing and interesting stories about real incidents or people’s life. It is used to illustrate a point. Anecdotes are short stories that are told but that are not always published or given out.
For example, parables from the bible like THE GOD SAMARITAN could be called an anecdote because it is presented and based on a real incident involving actual persons whether famous or not but usually in an identifiable place.
Like parables, anecdotes are often used by philosophers and teachers of schools and religions to point out truths about real life. For instance, in the daily life you may tell others about yourself but you can give them an anecdote when you were suddenly caught by your mother stealing a piece of bread.
9. Epics
These are long narrative poems, books, or films that tell a long story about brave actions and exciting events done by the hero. The epic hero is usually a man of high social status and who have a great historical and legendary importance. Epics often involve supernatural events, long time journeys, distant journeys and life and death struggle between good and evils.
In Africa, the most common epic is that of SUNDIATE (an African epic about an old Mali Empire).
10. Tall tales
A tall tale is folklore about a larger-than-life hero who solves an over-the- top problem in a humorous or outrageous way. Tall tales are typically feature highly exaggerated, improbable details and were created by several culture including the ancient Greeks, Romans and Celts.
American folk heroes like Paul Bunyan, Davy Crockett, Pecos Bill and John Henry are also regarded as tall tale heroes.
11. Ballads
These are short stories in form of poems or songs in which there are two or more people speaking in turn. It is a dramatic type of poem as it presented like drama. The purpose of a ballad is to tell a story, so all elements of a story are included that is plot, character, narrator, dialogue, setting, drama and so on. Examples of ballads include BALLAD OF THE LANDLORD by Langston Hughes and BALLAD OF JOHN HENRY.
12. Riddles
These are puzzling questions; statements especially ones intended to test the cleverness of those who wishing to solve them. They are very confusing and have humorous or clever testing ingenuity in divining its answer or meaning and every culture has its riddles which were passed down orally from one generation to another.
A successful riddle often fancifully describes an inanimate object as if it were a living thing. Examples of riddles and their answers
- I have three hands, but just one face. I will link arms with you as I run my race… THE WRISTWATCH
- I wear my jacket all the time. I stand with my back to you, showing my spine…A BOOK.
- I am all over the place, but I know where I am at. My life goes in circles, but I never feel flat… that is GLOBE
- I have the voice of a dog and the pages of a book. I have the chest of an elephant and you will find me if you look… that is A TREE.
- I will take you to the top; I will wear my hair in plaints. But if you cannot stop I will burn you and after, leave you flat…that is CLIMBING ROPE.
- What has to be broken before you can use it…? AN EGG
- It goes up but never comes down…AGE
- It gets wet while drying… TOWEL
- I shave every day, but my beard stays the same…A BARBER
- I have branches but no fruits, trunk or leaves… A BANK
- It cannot talk but will reply when spoken to…AN ECHO
- The more of this there is, the less you see…DARKNESS
- David’s parents have three sons; Snap, Crackle and what is the name of the third son? … DAVID
- I follow you all the time and copy your every move, but you cannot touch me or catch me. What I am? … SHADOW
- What has many keys but cannot open a single lock? …PIANO
- What is black when it is clean and white when it is dirty? … CHALKBOARD
- It gets bigger when more is taken away… A HOLE
- I am light as a father, yet the strongest person cannot hold me for five minutes. What I am? … I AM A BREATH
- If you have got me, you want to share me; if you share me, you have not kept me. What I am? … I AM A SECRET
- What has one eye but cannot see? … A NEEDLE
- What has lots of eyes but cannot see …A POTATO
- What has hands but cannot clap? … A CLOCK
- What has many needles but does not sew? … CHRISTMAS TREE
- What has legs but does not walk? … A TABLE
- What has one head, one foot, and four legs? … A BED
- What kind of band never plays music? … A RUBBER BAND
- What has many teeth but cannot bite? … A COMB
- What has a head and a tail but no body? … A COIN
- What has thumb and four fingers but has not a hand? … A GLOVE
- It stalks the countryside with ears that cannot here… CORN m)Sayings
These are well-known short statements that express ideas that most people believe are true and wise. In other words, sayings include proverbs and idioms.
13. Proverbs
These are phrases which contain above all wisdoms, truth, morals, experience, lessons and advice concerning life and which has been handed down from generation to generation.
Proverbs are also defined as short well-known sayings that state a general truth or give advice and they can be orally transmitted or put in written forms. They can help you perfect your conversational English skills and deepen your understanding as they often come up in conversation.
Some common examples of proverbs
- You cannot judge a book by its cover
- Do not run before you can walk
- Do not teach an old dog a knew trick
- As you saw, so you shall reap
- Beggars cannot be choosers
- A short cut is often a wrong cut
- Rome was not built in one day
- Keep your mouth shut and ears open
14. Idioms
An idiom is defined as a group of words that has a special meaning that is different from the ordinary meaning of each separate word.
It is also defined as a phrase or sentence that is not clear from the meaning of its individual words and which must be learnt by heart as a whole unit. Therefore, the meaning of a whole unit of idiom is not clear, that is its expression has a meaning other than its literal meaning.
Some common examples of idioms
- Kick the bucket: DIE
- Under the weather: BEING ILL/HEALTH UNFIT
- On the fence: UNDECIDED/DILEMMA
- Hold your horses: BE PERTIENT
- Give the cold shoulder: IGNORE ONE’S PRESENCE
- Bite your tongue: AVOID TALKING
- Blue moon: A RARE EVENT
- Do not like a fish: DRINK HEAVILY
- Tie the knot: GET MARRIED
- Till the cows come home: A LONG TIME
15. Tongue twister
These are words, phrase or sentences that are difficult to articulate because of a succession of similar consonantal sounds. They are great way to practice and improve pronunciation and fluency to children.
Some examples of tongue twisters
- Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers
- Betty Bother bought some bitter
- How much wood would a wood luck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
- She sells seashells by the seashore
- How can a clam cram in a clean cream can?
- I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream
- I saw Susie sitting in a shoeshine shop
- If a dog chews shoes, whose shoes does he choose
Oral Literature
FEATURES OF ORAL LITERATURE
Oral literature is passed through a word of mouth.
It involves life performance such as dancing, clapping hands and singing.
It involves both the performer and audience as both the narrator and listener come together during presentation.
It takes place in an actual setting for instance during evening, the folktales can be handed at home after work.
It is owned by the whole society as all society members (literate and illiterate) individual have chance to access it.
It is dynamic such that it adopts changes depending on time and place.
ADVANTAGES OF ORAL LITERATURE
Oral literature entertains people through music (sacred/folksongs), riddles and proverbs.
- It promotes cultural identity in the society.
- It identifies the society it dwells in.
- It broadens people’s thinking in the society.
- It preserves and transmits peoples’ culture.
- It educates people through its dynamism.
- It creates employment to people.
THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ON ORAL LITERATURE.
Oral literature has encountered many challenges in the course of development from time it immerged. Some of the challenges include the following;
- It becomes expensive if preserved or stored in modern storage devices like DVD, tapes recorders, computers etc.
- There is no face to face interaction between the artist and the audience since it preserved in modern devices.
- There is a delay in feedback. It is very difficult for the artist to get feedback from the audience.
- It changes the medium of presentation because there is the absence of performance effect and actions are not heard.
- Due to copyright issues, it is no longer belonging to the whole community.
- It does not involve the all members of the community due to science and technology.
- The vulnerability of storage devices like CD, DVD, and VCD may undergo serious damage endangering the intactness of oral literature.
QUIZZES
Quiz 1: Does oral literature still exist in the Tanzania society today? Discuss Your arguments basing on nature and transmission.
Quiz 2: what are the positive impacts of science and technology on oral Literature? Give at least five (5) points.
