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ORALTRADITIONS. Chapter 14. STORIES AND NARRATIVES. stories often creation stories set long ago in mythical age communicate moral traditions and knowledge origins of landscape, human and animal inhabitants often told in performance setting accompanied by songs and dancing narratives - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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ORALTRADITIONSChapter 14
STORIES AND NARRATIVES• stories
o often creation storieso set long ago in mythical ageo communicate moral
traditions and knowledge origins of landscape,
human and animal inhabitants
o often told in performance setting
accompanied by songs and dancing
• narrativeso meet a concrete needo pass along specific skills and
knowledgeo record oral history
• oral tradition not have single meaningo rich traditions vary from nation to nationo each First Nation gives own oral tradition a name in its own language
• each Nation own traditions and procedureso individuals, families or clans own stories or narrativeso other stories can be told by anyoneo permission must be obtained before passing on a story
• once in print, story becomes statico “oral literature”o no longer strictly oral
SONGS OF THE NISGA’A• historically, Nisga’a family
histories, lineages, prime hunting and fishing locations, love and loss, lullabies, tales of victory and defeat, passed down orallyo smallpox and measle
epidemics killed population by half
o many “songcatchers” died before able to pass on musical heritage
Chinook SongCatchers performing Nisga’a songs
In tribute to Bill Reid
• 1927, 2 outsiders recorded the songs of the Nisga’a using an Edison wax cylinder recording machine
o 2 elderly chiefs recorded Txalahaet (Frank Bolton) Pahl (Charles Barton) sang dozens of songs – some learned by own great-grandfathers
o 7 decades the recordings were in basement of Canadian Museum of Civilization
only small fraction transcribed into music now able to make copies stored on computers created CD and played 75 years later to Nisga’a
ancestral songs sacred many First Nations want songs returned so young people can relearn
own history and culture
Marius Barbeau working a wax cylinder recording machine
IN THE TIME OF THE TRANSFORMERS
• many songs set in ancient time long agoo time of the Transformerso moral truths, cultural
knowledge, standards of human behavior passed one generation to next
origins of landscapes origins of people and
communities origins of certain plants
or animals explain special
relationship to land and resources
o before Transformers, world chaotic, disorganized, filled with monsters animals and humans shared some characteristics
o Transformers travelled the land changed things to how they are today changed the monsters to land features, plants or animals traditional west coast Transformer – Raven traditional interior Transformer – Coyote
• different than European “creation stories”o First Nations as continuous flow of timeo emphasize continuity of existence
THE TRICKSTER• Transformer characters can be
tricksterso special, often witty, humourous
character demonstrating opposite characteristics valued in humans
o shows consequences of acting in unacceptable manner
o reverse way of teaching moral, ethical and philosophical manner
o often plays a creator role but is liar, cheat, lazy and lustful
o ageless, genderless, free of stereotypes
o can take form of human, animal or inanimate object
o supernatural powers not constricted to human
limitations allow for explaining creation
to people
• links humans to animal worldo people appear after mythical period where animals were like peopleo First Nations able to maintain respectful and holistic relationship because animals came first and humans learned from them
animals as relatives or forefathers trickster as lost relative educating his relations
• trickster stories often funnyo proactive, powerful way to prevent wrong-doing and uphold lawo person in error can save face by listening and learning from trickster stories
ORAL NARRATIVES• focus more on transmitting skills,
news and history than cultural values• like creation and trickster stories, also
want to entertain• narratives that record history
o become important in establishing Aboriginal title to nation’s territories
o Delgamuukw case judge ruled oral history must be accepted as evidence
set precedence for future cases
• not been used as evidence to record BC history until recentlyo historians of Cdn West beginning
to use traditional accounts of events to give balanced history of BC
• oral traditions written down become oral history
FAMILY NARRATIVES• one special type of story recording
history and traditions of a familyo told within the familyo concern family members and
their skills and experienceso may describe participation in
community evento may describe special skill a
family member has to pass down
• each story helps listeners place themselves and family in particular context of time and place
TEACHING STORIES• oral tradition one of most lasting and
effective ways of educating First Nations childreno trickster stories teach them how
to act and behaveo creation stories teach where they
came fromo family narratives teach about
family history• older people teach younger through
stories reflecting experienceo some stories have specific
purposeso some transmit cultural
knowledge in general way• learning in oral setting different than
printed texto have to listen to procedure and
remember it
ORATORY• the art of delivering a formal speech
in a public placeo requires training and gives great
dignity and respecto many First Nations use a special
form of language for such speeches
speaking reflects individual and the people for whom speaking
ability to state position in respectful way important
respect a two-way street• First Nations using formal oratory are
trainedo great honour to speak for family,
clan, house or tribeo spends time listening so doesn’t
misrepresent group art of listening important
• part of oral tradition