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