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The Role of Storytelling in Preserving African Traditions

How storytelling preserves Africa’s cultural heritage and adapts in modern times

by Adenike Adeodun

KEY POINTS


  • Storytelling preserves African history, traditions, and moral values across generations.
  • Traditional tales teach cultural practices and virtues, fostering identity and community pride.
  • Digital platforms and modern adaptations are ensuring storytelling remains relevant in a globalized world.

Storytelling has been a cornerstone of African societies for centuries, serving as a means of preserving history, passing down traditions, and instilling values.

When writing was out of question, people had to rely on word of mouth as a way of passing on the lessons of generations without losing them.

Today, as globalization influences the continent, storytelling continues to play a vital role in preserving African traditions, fostering a sense of identity, and connecting past and present.

Storytelling as a historical archive

Traditional African societies particularly the ethnic groups are known to have largely used story telling as the primary method of passing history. Griots, or traditional storytellers, have long been the custodians of oral histories, recounting tales of kings, warriors, and societal changes.

For instance, in West Africa griot like those from Mali narrate the actual story of Sundiata Keita, the founder of the Mali Empire. Apart from social history, these stories foster documentation of history and uplift the spirit of African communities.

In addition to oral and written text structure, proverbs and idioms used within stories also teach history and useful life tips. In Yoruba culture, the saying, “The river that forgets its source will dry up,” emphasizes the importance of honoring one’s roots, a message that resonates deeply across generations.

Preserving cultural practices and values

Oral history is an essential aspect of African culture, particularly where there was no written media; it was used appropriately to impart knowledge about cultural practices, norms and beliefs, and other important aspects in the society to the young generation.

Folktales like “Anansi the Spider” from the Akan people of Ghana teach lessons about cleverness, resourcefulness, and the consequences of greed.

Likewise, the Zulu of South Africa, then and now, their folklore concentrate on such aspects as honoring the elderly, the role of collectivism, harmony with natural environment.

By so doing, a child is put through real-life events that teach them the values of patience, honesty and courage to name but a few. These stories offer templates of how to read and live culture and they seek to endow young people with an identity and pride in their cultures.

Adapting storytelling in modern times

New techniques of African storytelling have emerged as technology and globalization recast African societies. Podcasts, blogs and twitting and social media have now emerged as new forms of telling African stories wherein these stories are unleashed and disseminated to world citizens.

YouTube channels and African Storybook Project enable a storyteller to record stories in local languages to avoid their disappearance in the revolving world.

Also, the African writers, filmmakers, etc., are also reprinting the telling of folklore as novels, movies, animations and such like products. Realistic animation movies such as Disney’s “The Lion King” adapt stories from African native tales and provide people all over the world with samples of the African lore tradition.

Such adaptations make many traditional tales suit the modern world but, at the same time, do not change their core idea.

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