Do you believe in oral history?

Question

* That is, transmission of facts, stories, etc. by word of mouth and passed down from generation to generation?

Answer 1

Oral history is the foundation of recorded history. Before we started to write all this stuff down, you heard it from somebody. So sure, I believe in it. Would I take everything recorded in this manner as true fact? No, things get altered and exaggerated. But it can give you important insights.

Answer 2

The Celts had a very precise oral history. They devised a way of passing exact historical facts from generation to generation without loosing any of it. Are you ready ?
First of all, it took twenty years of apprenticeship to become a Druid. They passed down historical records in this way. First they realized that simple words get lost or changed with time unless extraordinary care is taken. They selected members who were good at rhyming, then they would have a member tell what happened in the last period between important events.
When the details of the event were agreed to. the rhymers would put the entire story into a rhyme. Now because of the rhythm , the beat, and the rhyme, it was much easier to remember exact words.
But that wasn't sufficient. Now they selected members who were good at melody. Now the historical poem was sung. The rhythm and beat of the poem, and now the melody made and change very noticeable.
As if that wasn't enough every month they met. The leader would name one member to recite the history of the Celts from one event that he would select to another, for instance the like of one king.
The selected member would chant the entire historical event under the sharp ears and memories of the whole clan.At the next meeting, another event of their history was selected and reheased . And so no and so no.
This was done over and over, word for word, with expert ears and memories on the lookout for the tiniest inaccurasy.

Answer 3

Yes, I do. Time was that oral history was all we had, and people relied on the memories of older people to help settle disputes and other questions. (Watch or read the chapter 'A Matter of Fact' in James Burke's 'The Day the Universe Changed.) Of course, it sometimes depends on how recent the memory is. Things can get vastly embroidered over hundreds of years, as witness the 'Iliad' and the 'Odyssey'. (For more information, read Michael Woods' 'In Search of the Trojan War', or watch the six-part series, if you can find it.) On the other hand, Alex Hailey's book 'Roots' proves how accurate memory can be over 200-300 years or longer.

Answer 4

Isn't the old testament pretty much oral history? After all, it describes events that happened well before mankind had a written alphabet.

Answer 5

do i believe in it, as in it exists? or do i believe it, as in consider it to be a reliable record of past events? yes. and depends on the situation and story.

Answer 6

Yes, I do. It is important, and to some people has meaning they can't ever get from books, thank you.

Answer 7

yes. and sometimes (or usually), it's closer to the truth than the officially edited version

Answer 8

Belive in it? You could say that, it totally works.

Answer 9

many places - that is all they have