ORAL TRADITION AS LEARNING AND CHILDREN’S EDUCATION IN MANDE SOCIETY
Authors :Sekouba Doumbia ,
Rajesh Komath
Abstract
Oral tradition has played an important role in the education of children in traditional
West African societies, such as the Mande in Mali. Before Western schooling, oral
media were essential for engaging young people, communicating societal norms and
preparing them for their future jobs and responsibilities. It has helped to preserve
culture and pass on knowledge from one generation to the next through stories,
beliefs, rituals, proverbs, songs, and so on. However, this tradition is now threatened
by the disappearance of ancient guardians such as griots, the degradation of
important cultural sites, and the fact that young people educated in Western schools
identify more with Western culture. This has led to a decline in links with cultural
heritage. The fact that school curricula pay little attention to the study of oral
traditions because the Ministry faces the challenge of allocating funds, and
organising staff training programmes to effectively integrate oral tradition practices
into the school curriculum. This research explores different folklore and their role in
the education of Malian youth. The study analyses documents on oral tradition and
the education of children in Africa and Mali. It examines the web literature on the
use and content of what is transmitted to children and the challenges facing oral
traditions in the context of modernisation and globalisation. The study recommends
collaboration between traditional and educational authorities in Mali to put in place
mechanisms for transmitting ancestral knowledge to young people and preventing its
loss.
