Sharing Tradition

Sharing Tradition

It is an essay that presents the essayist worries about the culture being lost and coming generation is not paying attention on it.

It begins thinking about the death of elderly members and its impact in socio-cultural life of the society.

He explains some important contribution of the elderly members. He viewsSharing traditions help preserve cultural heritage by passing down knowledge, customs, and values from one generation to another. Through the transmission of practices, stories, rituals, and art forms, communities ensure that their unique identities and histories are safeguarded.

He further opines that interpersonal connection is needed to preserve the culture. Sharing tradition can foster social cohesion and creates the bond among individuals with in a community. It provides opportunities to come together and engaged in shared activities, which can develop the sense of belongings and solidarity. 

He critically approaches education. He views education should be a way out to understand the culture. It should contribute in acquiring knowledge about the roots and history. It can be done in different way such as story telling, music, dance and other cultural expressions. Transmission of wisdom, skill and life lesson should be handover from elderly to youngsters.  

He gives emphasis on culture simply because culture has several contributions in humans’ life. He believes it helps to preserve the culture. LaPena, emphasize the importance of preserving and revitalizing traditional cultural practices, languages, and art forms. They recognize the value of tradition as a means of connecting with ancestral roots, maintaining cultural identity, and passing down knowledge to future generations. He looks it as a fact of spiritual connection. He highlights the reverence for the land and interconnectedness to all living beings.

He looks tradition as a source of personal and collective identity. Therefore he compares tradition with art. Art draws the cultural heritage and traditional symbolism to express unique perspective. It helps for self expression, asserting cultural pride and challengind stereotypical misconception. Tradition is not stagnant but can evolve and adapt over time while retaining its core values and essence. Artists and activists may explore how tradition can remain relevant in contemporary contexts, acknowledging the need to balance preservation with adaptation to address changing social, environmental, and cultural realities.

 

What is oral tradition

LaPena looks serious regarding teaching learning process and emphasize the importance of oral tradition; He views oral tradition is important for cultural transmission. Oral tradition is seen as a crucial means of transmitting cultural knowledge, values, and beliefs from one generation to another. It serves as a way of preserving the collective memory and wisdom of the community, ensuring that important teachings and histories are passed down.

He further believes that oral tradition allows for the dynamic and interactive nature of storytelling. It is not just about reciting words but also about engaging the audience and creating a shared experience. The storyteller often adapts the narrative to suit the context and the listeners, making each rendition unique.

Likewise he thinks oral tradition facilitates the exchange of knowledge between generations. Elders play a vital role as custodians of traditional stories, passing them on to younger individuals. This intergenerational exchange promotes respect, reverence, and the continuity of cultural heritage

It further fosters  a sense of community and strengthens social bonds. It provides opportunities for people to gather, listen, and participate in storytelling events. These communal gatherings promote a shared cultural identity and a sense of belonging.  It can be seen as a form of culture resilience in the face of historical adversity and goes in the line of cultural assimilation. It asserts cultural identity and maintain a connection to ancestral heritage.

 

What is literary tradition?

Today’s literary tradition is written tradition. It is a means of preserving and documenting culture and tradition. It helps coming generation to know about the culture and tradition. In absence of such documentation, the culture could be lost.

It can work with harmonious relation in between oral tradition. It can provide additional context that  can enhance preserving oral narratives. It can reach wider audience.

Despite having such potential aspects of written tradition the essayist has some doubt about written tradition. He suppose the chances of potential misinterpretation or misrepresentation of their cultures through written tradition. They may caution against cultural appropriation or the misuse of Native American traditions in mainstream literature