Why Orature Is Important In American Culture

Tradition is a vital part of any culture or society, especially when it comes to the spoken word. There are many stories that have been passed down from generation to generation; those stories are known as orature. Orature is a very important part in American history because it is representative of the time when the written word was scarce, and is adroit because it reminds people of the impact of stories told by mouth and not pen. Folk tales and myth are two subgenres of orature that greatly influence the definition of orature, and its importance in society. Folktales and myth have extreme importance in American history because of their first use as entertainment, their shaping of community values, and their creation of cultural tradition and

Folktales and myths that teach lessons are known as trickster tales, which are mostly Native American. An example of a trickster tale is “Coyote and the Buffalo.” “Coyote and the Buffalo” is about Coyote that breaks his promise to Buffalo Bull, through which all of the Buffalo leave Swah-netk’-qhu country. This teaches a lesson about keeping promises and building trust and avoiding deviation. It is also said that Coyote “was made to help humans survive on earth” (Reilly). Contrary to trickster tales, creation myths explain how something came to be. Every culture has creation myths, but some of the more popular ones are Native American, such as “World on Turtle’s Back.” This story tells how the Earth was created on the back of an enormous turtle, and the turtle carries the land on its back while it swims through the water. This story originates from the Iroquois tribe; they fabricated it to explain Earth’s creation, which became a well-known explanation. These two types of stories, combined with many others, helped to create a set standard of beliefs in the Native American culture, and are still studied today. These Native American folktales and myths are important in American history because they help people in the present day gain insight to what the indigenous

Each impact is different, but all are important. Folktales and myths have shaped the way people view the world through many generations by teaching young, callow ones what is right and wrong through trickster tales, to entertaining people for thousands of years, to connecting those who are long gone to those still alive today. They give insight to thought processes from long ago, such as those of the Native Americans’ pre-European world. They provide different perspectives and opinions of how something was believed to be created or what was found entertaining. In conclusion, folk and myth are supremely important because they show us what an impact orature can have on people through its uses of entertainment, shaping a community’s common beliefs, and binding people together with tradition, as one culture in the world we live