LOCAL HISTORY and ORAL TRADITIONS

LOCAL HISTORY and ORAL TRADITIONSby
Traditional knowledge (TK), Indigenous knowledge (IK), and Local knowledge generally refer to the long-standing traditions and practices of certain regional, indigenous, or local communities. Traditional knowledge also encompasses the wisdom, knowledge, and teachings of these communities.
Indigenous knowledge (IK) refers to the traditional, local knowledge that is unique to a given culture or society.
Local History
country. Local history concerns itself with
many different subject areas within the area:
factual events, cultural heritage,
LOCAL HISTORY BASIS FOR NATIONAL HISTORY
A. Sources of information
2. Provincial, town, city, barrio, sitio histories
3. Family histories and biographies – genealogies, genealogical notes, papers,
sketches, family trees, pedigree charts
4. Military records – muster rolls
5. Directories – telephones, address, provincial directories
6. Maps
10. Fiesta programs, souvenirs of founding towns
11. Audio-visual sources
2. Private letters
4. Account books and other financial records
5. Keepsakes, heirlooms and relics
C. Newspapers and periodicals – including
manuscript newspaper
1. National/private/religious archives
Gobernadorcillos, Cabezas de barangays,
c. Abstract of title and title deeds, land titles- Terrenos
d. Surveyor’s notes
e. Public school records
personnel records
births, baptismal, confirmation, marriages,
plates, old coins, ruins of churches, burial
sites, old buildings
II. ORAL/VERBAL TRADITIONS – traditions in a community circulated in time
and space by mouth or verbalized.
A. Narrative
a. animal tale – versions of “Ang Matsing ay ang Pagong”
b. Marchen or ordinary folktale (Mariang Alimango/Ema)
1. tales of magic – “Ibong Adarna”
2. novella or romantic tales
c. religious and didactic tales
d. Jokes
2. numskull tales – Juan Usong (Osong)- Bkl; Juan Pusong
(Vis.); Pilandok (Maranaw) Thailand
Thong)”
2. Myths – creation/origin myths*(heavenly bodies, first man and woman
(Si Lalaki at si Babai; Malakas at Maganda)
3. Legends
2. religious or saints
4. supernatural beings – engkantada as Mariang Makiling, sirena,
duwende, nuno sa punso, tikbalang, aswang
* “The Story of Lady White Blood” (translated from phongsawadan mang phattalung, Thailand National Library manuscript. #001.4.26)
Narrative – cont’d.
accompanied by a musical instrument
a. Epics – warriors and heroes
b. Ballads – poets counterpart of folk-tale,
awit at corido (metrical romances)
5. Memorates – stories people tell about their personal experience, particularly ghost stories, ghost legends, supernatural world
B. Non-Narrative
1. Songs – life cycle (from birth till death) children’s song (lullabies), love songs, drinking songs, pornographic songs, humorous songs
2. Folk speech
else in the group
f. phrases used in referring to one’s character or personality
g. swardspeak, language of the underworld, dialect
Vietnam
“kiêng ky”
activities
8. Dirge
9. Signs and symbols – tattoos, sign language
III. NON-VERBAL TRADITIONS – exist not in verbal form, but in behavioral, material, or musical forms
A. Behavioral traditions
b. Festival ***– involves merry-making or
a greater part of it takes part Vietnam
* “lê cuói– wedding ceremony, lê hôn nhân
“hop can - wedding ceremony (exchange of cups
of wine)
“lê an táng- fourth part of the death ceremony; burial
“lê trù tich – welcoming of the New Year
ceremony
** “lê cheo cuói” – marriage custom to pay for a bride
Thailand
“ wan wai kroo” –day for showing respect to teachers
*** “Songkran”, “Loy Kra Thong”
Behavioral traditions – cont’d
ornaments, body decorations, dance-drama,
social needs of a people*
2. Art and craft – uses a. economic activities – hunting, fishing, agriculture, mining
b. warfare, hunting games
c. musical instruments – wind/stringed/percussion
d. daily life – furniture, mats, pots, jars, salakot hat, anahaw,
raincoats
decorations for weddings and religious occasions
f. decorative ornaments – bamboo/buri/pandan (folk and ethnic
art)
saints
Vietnam
preparations must be recorded and
collected
disease, herbal medicine; folk medicine
Vietnam
* “áo tang; áo sô; áo luc su” – mourning dress, traditional funeral tunic
Conclusion
cultural heritage collections.
care about our general collections that are heavily used,
carelessly handled, and poorly stored, because they
represent the teaching core of our libraries. We care
about our cultural treasures that speak so eloquently of
the glories of our past and that we know must inform the
future.
Conclusion
that we trust will lead to some hope for these
materials.