Question

Describe how oral traditions, proverbs, and music are key features of Africa's cultural legacy.

Answer 1

The people in Africa, sub-Saharan Africa more specifically, did not had their own written languages throughout their history. This meant that they were not able to preserve their cultural heritage in a written way, and that of course can be a problem on the long term. In order to preserve their culture, the African people used the oral way of keeping the traditions alive, mostly by telling stories to the younger ones, thus it was continuing from one generation to other. Also, the music and the dances where crucial for the preservation of their culture, by being able to see and hear the sounds and dances of their ancestors, they were able to easily accept and be interested in their culture, thus learn it, and continue to keep it alive.