The idea of oral knowledge is still sort of confusing to me as types of knowledge are not things that I learned in high school- but anyways… I figured I might as well start with one of the first types of oral knowledge I learned. Bedtime stories and songs.
Storytelling is unique to our human race. Although we are animals, we are the only kind that has imaginations enough to produce creative stories. In the 1900s, French children discovered 35,000 year old paintings on the walls of the Lascaux Caves in the Pyrenees Mountains. These drawings are considered the first recorded evidence of storytelling. Storytelling creates a kind of bond between the storyteller and the listener that a “real story” cannot do. Many stories, especially the ones that have been carried from generation to generation often have a moral theme to them. The Catholic church created stories, or plays “for telling the didactic morality stories the Church wanted to spread.” Due to the illiteracy of the common people, storytelling was an effective way for the church to relay its principles to its followers. Storytelling was a way of teaching. In fact, it still is.
There was something so magical to my seven year old self as my hilarious uncle would tell us stories to us girls on dark nights camping in the backyard about the “loose-meat” sandwich man and his crazy aunt “Helga.” Humans live for creativity and imaginary ways of thinking. It lets us forget about the “real” stuff of life. Even now the occasional ridiculous made up story is amusing.
 |
| We're cool. Obviously. |
I am fortunate to be one of 4 granddaughters to my dad’s parents (he was the only child). Yay for free gas and Café Rio! (Just kidding… I really do love my grandparents- even if I wasn’t spoiled. They are wonderful.). Anyways. Because of this, I have spent a lot of time at their house. Growing up, my grandma would tell me stories about a beautiful girl with castles and adventures (that girl was me of course ;). I just loved it. It was so fun. Although make believe—storytelling, to me at least, is still a form of knowledge. I learned, or heard something that I hadn’t before. Not only was it knowledge, but through those stories, I learned of my grandma’s love and pride for me and my sisters. That’s an irreplaceable memory for me. After a bedtime story, I would receive a slobbery kiss on the cheek! I don’t have fond memories of that one, however…
Songs have been a way for me to learn of my German culture and heritage. Music is much more accessible than traveling to the land of my family. I pride myself in my 25% German blood (my mom’s mom and her family immigrated to the United States in the late 20s, along with 14 CHILDREN). Ever since we were babies and up until we were about ten, my Grandma Rhea would sit us on her lap and bounce us and sing a cute little song in German that is about a little boy who is riding a horse, falls off on “da greena grass,” gets embarrassed and pees his pants. This is the literal translation of the first sentence or two (thanks to my brother-in-law) “Hoppla hoppla reit er. Fallt er um und schreit er.” This silly little song that I have since bounced the kids I babysit to (and will continue to do with my future children) is something that ties me to the land that my grandma hails from. Although I have never been to Germany, this piece of oral knowledge that my grandma has given me is a little taste as to what her childhood must have been like.
P.S. I have a video of my grandma singing this song to my sister Emily (it’s super cute), but I can’t connect to the server at my house in Arkansas, and my dad is asleep (darn that time difference) and therefore unable to help me out, so maybe tomorrow I’ll embed the video. In the meantime, pictures of my family will have to suffice J
It's great how you pointed out the connection that you can have to your grandfather and ancestors as you have learned and now sing some of the same songs. Probably really neat for you to think about that!
ReplyDeleteDoes you're family have any text on the song, or what would happen if you forgot it or didn't pass it on to your posterity?
Oral knowledge that came before written or text always had a risk in the preservation and undoubtedly the amount it can change over time, think of the game "telephone".
Neat post though, great family pics as well!
We unfortunately don't have any text for the song. It really has been transferred 100% orally. Since my grandma no longer speaks german (her native language), I doubt we'd be able to write it down. And speaking of the game telephone- that has sort of happened. My grandma prounounces all the words right, but somehow in the transfer from her to my mom to me, I definietly don't pronounce the words right at all. My german speaking brother in law couldn't figure out what my sister and I were singing until they heard my grandma sing it :)
ReplyDeleteHow cute! I think this proves that learning things through poem or song helps make them stick better, not just through lifetimes but through generations!
ReplyDeleteThat's really interesting about the song and just how much it was different between 2 generations. I don't know if it's appropriate, but i feel as though oral knowledge can be fairly fragile..Any thoughts? Maybe my view is very narrow and i don't understand a lot of things about it
ReplyDeleteMy family told a lot of stories when I was little, mostly fictional and made up as we went. My brothers and I would grab blankets and gather around while my dad told us stories about our recurring characters Terry and Daniel. When I got a little older my older brother took over the storytelling, and now my younger brother and I swap stories. We'll probably tell stories to our children and they will tell them to their children. The stories will probably be different, but the telling will be the same.
ReplyDeleteWell, since there isn't any firm way to allow strictly oral knowledge survivability over the ages (maybe tape cassettes or voice recorders I guess, but that's more modern), one generation is the end of oral knowledge. That's probably one of the largest reasons we made a transition into written and print - for ease of accessibility for future generations.
ReplyDelete