ORAL TRADITIONS: TELLING STORIES OF THE PAST THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE
First Nations Oral Traditions
Forming an important basis of Aboriginal societies, orally conveyed traditional stories express the collective history and values of each First Nation. Elders of each group serve as the storehouses of memory and knowledge for their respective communities. The stories connect the past and present, as well as speakers and listeners. Stories may be conveyed informally as family entertainment, or more formally through ritualistic ceremonies such as potlatches. Certain stories are told in specific seasons, at certain times of the day, in particular places, or to designated individuals. While non-indigenous cultures have often viewed writtenhistory as dominant, oral aboriginal histories may be recorded through highly complexmeans such as dancing, singing, and drumming. Although many indigenous cultures are now also employing written documentation, they all still treasure the oral preservation of their distinctive cultures and identities. Expectations regarding personal conduct, community interactions, or people’s relationship to the environment are passed on through stories from one generation to another. Oral histories are to be told accurately, often by those who are acknowledged by the community as retaining correct knowledge. Overall, oral history may be viewed as a living, dynamic, collectively unifying force, unlike static written records which often convey a single interpretation of events.