oral tradition
Unwritten cultural transmission
Oral tradition is the passing of knowledge, stories, customs, and history from one generation to the next through spoken word rather than writing.
Cultures without writing systems preserve their heritage this way, and even literate societies maintain oral traditions alongside written records: Folk songs are part of our oral tradition.
The phrase often implies authenticity and continuity stretching back centuries.
Senior community members
- griotAfrican oral tradition keeper
- bardPoet of epics
- storytellerOne who recounts tales
- recitationOral delivery from memory
memorization · passing down · ancestors · apprenticeship · lineage · keeper · master · preservation
Traditional untrue narratives
- godsSupernatural beings worshipped
- goddessesDivine feminine beings
- heroesAdmired courageous figures
- deitiesWorshipped supernatural beings
pantheon · creation · cosmogony · mythos · divine beings · origin myths · flood myths · underworld
Traditional oral narratives
- legendsTraditional stories or icons
- fablesDidactic animal stories
- proverbsTraditional wisdom capsules
- balladsNarrative verse set to music
epics · sagas · lore · parables · chants · folk music · folk songs · riddles
Rhythmic repetitive vocalization
- singingVocal music-making
- recitationOral delivery from memory
- call and responseAlternating vocal pattern
- rhythmPatterned stress and silence
gesture · voice · intonation · audience · improvisation · refrain · meter · drumming
elders
Senior community members
- griotAfrican oral tradition keeper
- bardPoet of epics
- storytellerOne who recounts tales
recitation · memorization · passing down · ancestors · apprenticeship · lineage · keeper · master · preservation · repetition
myths
Traditional untrue narratives
deities · pantheon · creation · cosmogony · mythos · divine beings · origin myths · flood myths · underworld · demigods
folktales
Traditional oral narratives
ballads · epics · sagas · lore · parables · chants · folk music · folk songs · riddles · nursery rhymes
chanting
Rhythmic repetitive vocalization
- singingVocal music-making
- recitationOral delivery from memory
- call and responseAlternating vocal pattern
rhythm · gesture · voice · intonation · audience · improvisation · refrain · meter · drumming · ceremony
- cultural heritagefolklore, traditions, customs, folk music revival, museum collections
- storytellingstorytelling, story, tale, narrative, narrator
- cultural elementstraditions, heritage, customs, ritual, religions
- cultural practicesmusic, dance, art, religion, marriage
- cultural traditionsflamenco, tango, kabuki, hula, capoeira
- folklorefairy tales, fairytales, folktales, folk tales, folk tale
oral traditionwritten tradition
Culture transmitted through texts
written record · literary tradition · scripture · written word · recorded history
tradition, oral, traditional, oratory, orator, orally, oration, orate, traditionally