Oral traditions and oral literature have long contributed to human communication. The advent of arguably the most important technology, the written word, altered human ability to create and develop. However, this development for all its potential and scope created one of the most insidious dichotomies. As the written word developed so too the oral word became devalued and pushed to the fringes of societal development. One of the unfortunate outcomes has been a focus on the nomenclatures associated with orality and oral tradition, which although of importance, has skewed where the focus could and should have been located, namely, how to support and maintain the oral word and its innate value to human society in the face of what has become rampant technological developments. It is now ironic that technology is creating a fecund environment for a rebirth of orality. The study aims to mobilize technauriture as a paradigm in order to further embed orality and oral traditions to coherently embrace this changing technological environment. The central tenet of the study is that in order to enhance the status of orality the innate value embodied in indigenous knowledge systems must be recognized. Using the work of Bongani Sitole, an oral poet, as a backdrop the study will demonstrate a basic model that can act as a foundation for the effective integration of orality into contemporary structures. This is based on work that I published in the Journal of African Contemporary Studies (2009). Given the obvious multi-disciplinary nature of the material the work covers a wide cross section of the debate, from questions of epistemology and knowledge in general in terms of oral traditions, through the consciousness and technical landscapes, via the experience with Sitole’s material to issues of copyright and ownership. This work has also been submitted for publication together with my supervisor as a co-author. The study intends to consolidate the technauriture debate and lay a solid foundation to support further study.

Published Article / Sometimes what is not in a text is more significant than what is. This paper examines a variety of texts to establish what is and is not present. The argument presented in this paper demonstrates that skewed perspectives, closed lenses, and distorted worldviews are powerful teachers. Appropriate perspectives and lenses can provide a worldview of complex and sophisticated thought, traditioned through memory, simultaneously stretching back into the past and drawing the past into the present…and pointing a way into the future. The paper examines a well-respected account of the 'Western Mind' and then demonstrates what is not in the text which could contribute to a fuller understanding of human civilization such as is present in the texts of peoples whose knowledge predates and/or precludes scribal alphabetic writing. The paper provides examples of such knowledges from societies which demonstrate sophisticated and complex thinking, both prior to 3000 BCE in theWest and in ancient and present day Africa. The paper demonstrates that the exclusion of evidence of complex and sophisticated thinking which predates or precludes scribal alphabetic writing presents a skewed understanding of the knowledge in such societies, and that Africa can learn from such exclusions to its benefit.

Magister Artium - MA (History) / In the following two chapters I will attempt to offer a more systemic account of St. Helena immigration to South African between 1838 and 1948. To date, no such study has been undertaken, despite a vibrant oral tradition amongst the descendants of St. Helena immigrants celebrating their St. Helenian heritage and often, in peculiar fashion, romanticise their Island of provenance. The commencement date for my chosen timeframe emerges from a need to authenticate rather tenuous historical accounts of St. Helena’s first mass emigration for the Cape of Good Hope in 1838. Where cases of migration are discussed, these are either incidences of large-­scale 41, often aided, migration and settlement, or of those St. Helena migrant workers initially employed under temporary contacts to work in South Africa, specifically within burgeoning industrial sectors of the late-­nineteenth or early-­twentieth century South Africa.

Les contes merveilleux présentent des parcours dont l’issue semble systématiquement jouée d’avance : l’idée communément admise est que l’histoire de leurs héros se terminerait forcément par un dénouement du type « ils furent heureux et eurent beaucoup d’enfants ». Ces récits auraient ainsi un charme désuet, à l’aspect rétrograde particulièrement marqué concernant les personnages féminins : comment pourrait-on trouver une image de la femme d’aujourd’hui dans des schémas traditionnels aussi stéréotypés ? Notre hypothèse est que cette analyse repose sur un malentendu qui privilégie le point d’arrivée des héroïnes à la succession d’images fortes qui parsèment le récit et le rendent beaucoup plus subversif. Loin de rester sagement assises au coin du feu à s’occuper de travaux domestiques qui incombent d’ordinaire aux femmes dans les sociétés traditionnelles, nombre de personnages féminins dans les contes prennent la route, pour fuir dans un premier temps le royaume du père et sa sécurité illusoire. S’ensuit une période d’errance, dans la forêt ou dans un autre lieu figurant une plongée dans un autre monde, phase initiatique dans laquelle les personnages apprennent à se connaître eux-mêmes, sont en harmonie avec la nature, et dépassent les limites que leur avaient imposées la société. Ces étapes sont particulièrement marquées dans trois contes-types : Peau d’âne (conte-type AT 510B), Les Souliers usés à la danse (conte-type AT 306), A La Recherche de l’époux disparu (conte-type AT 425). Certes, la fin conduit généralement à une resocialisation par le mariage, mais que la transgression des héroïnes au fil du récit éclaire différemment. En comparant des versions de différents pays, de différentes époques, en les croisant avec d’autres supports (légendes, films, romans), on prend conscience que c’est une vision complexe de la femme qu’offre le conte merveilleux, susceptible de parler au monde contemporain. / Wondertales display a sequence of events whose ending systematically seems to be a foregone conclusion: the commonly admitted idea is that the outcome of their heroes’ story should only be of the type “they were happy and had many children”. Such tales are thus regarded as quaintly old-fashioned and retrograde particularly where female characters are concerned: how then could an image of contemporary women ever be found in traditional patterns whose nature is so obviously stereotyped? Our hypothesis is that this analysis rests upon a wrong perception which bestows more significance on the manner the adventures of heroines end up than on the succession of strong images which are met with all along the narration and make the story much more subversive. Far from sitting quietly by the fire and performing domestic chores which in traditional societiesordinarily devolve on women, a number of female characters in the tales take to the road in order to flee from the kingdom of their father as well as from the safety it is wrongly supposed to provide. The resultis a period of erratic wandering either in a forest or any other place emblematic of a plunge into another world, this being a phase of initiation in which the characters learn to know themselves, are in harmony with nature and go beyond the limits set up on them by society. Such stages are particularly obvious in three tale-types: Peau d’Asne (tale-type AT 510B), The Dance-out Shoes (tale-type AT 306), The Search of the lost husband (tale-type AT 425). True, with the ending there generally comes about re-socialization, which is made possible through a wedding. But the heroines’ transgression all along the narration throws a different light on that. By comparing versions from different countries and periods and setting them along side those of other media (legends, films, novels), one becomes aware of the complexity of the vision of women to befound in wonder tales and and the extent to which it is likely to appeal to the contemporary world.

The purpose of this study was to provide a model for teachers for the use of the oral tradition of the Indian in local history courses.<p>The study was based on two basic premises: that the Indian side of history is neglected in Canadian history books and school textbooks and that the Indian oral tradition is as valid an historical source as the traditional documentary evidence.<p>The Frog Lake Massacre, an incident during the Riel Rebellion in which eight white residents of Frog Lake were killed by some of the followers of Big Bear's band, was chosen to demonstrate this model. The Indian story of the Frog Lake Massacre has not been told in history books. Thus, it was proposed that the oral tradition for this event be traced, recorded and preserved for this study. Since the people involved in the Frog Lake Massacre fled from the area at the time of the troubles, three areas were chosen where it was suggested that there might be descendants of the people from the Frog Lake area. These were: Onion Lake Reserve and Poundmaker Reserve in Saskatchewan and Rocky Boy Reservation in Montana.<p>The selection of the Elders who could provide the information was left to the director of the Saskatchewan Indian Cultural Centre, Smith Atimoyoo, and the Chippewa-Cree Research team at Rocky Boy. These people have been involved in cultural retention programmes and have familiarity with the various Elders and their expertise. For the purpose of this study, one Elder was chosen from each area -- Mrs. PeeMee (Poundmaker), Mr. Four Souls (Rocky Boy), Mr. Francis Harper (Onion Lake).<p>After the initial contact was made through the intermediaries, the researcher was introduced and the intent of the research explained, a time and place was arranged for the taping of the tradition.<p>In preparation for the interviews, an extensive study was made of the literature on the oral tradition and in particular the oral tradition of the Cree. Further consultations with Smith Atimoyoo provided invaluable information on the position of the Elders and how someone should approach them when requesting their help.<p>Four Souls was taped in his home by members of the Chippewa-Cree Research team, Mrs. PeeMee was interviewed in the home of her grandson in Saskatoon. Mr. Francis Harper was recorded in a field near his grandson's farm on Onion Lake Reserve.<p>A search of the literature revealed very little work on the collection and preservation of the oral tradition on Native North Americans. Vansina, working in Africa, examined oral traditions and devised certain criteria for testing their validity as historical sources.<p>The collected stories met the criteria for reliability -- the right of the person to tell that story.<p>In applying Vansina's criteria -- the characteristics of the historian himself i.e. who he was, his acculturation level, reaction to the researcher; characteristics of the tradition i.e. origin, type and transmission; the cultural environment i.e. cultural value of the tradition, purpose and function; mnemonic devices -- it was revealed that each historian fulfilled the criteria in a similar fashion. The only difference appeared in the purpose for telling the story. The more traditional Mrs. PeeMee told her account simply to remember and let her grand-daughter relive it with her. Francis Harper and Four Souls expressed a desire to right some of the stories which they had heard and considered untrue.<p>The study revealed that there is a Cree oral tradition concerning the Frog Lake Massacre. Three people from three separate areas covering over 500 miles gave essentially the same story with only differences in emphasis and perspective. Each account must be considered as a unique historical document for this event. Thus, the study showed there was an Indian oral tradition alive in Saskatchewan which is accessible and can be validated as historical evidence within its own frame of reference.<p>Suggestions were made for ways in which teachers could utilize this untapped resource without exploiting it.

The purpose of this study was to provide a model for teachers for the use of the oral tradition of the Indian in local history courses.<p>The study was based on two basic premises: that the Indian side of history is neglected in Canadian history books and school textbooks and that the Indian oral tradition is as valid an historical source as the traditional documentary evidence.<p>The Frog Lake Massacre, an incident during the Riel Rebellion in which eight white residents of Frog Lake were killed by some of the followers of Big Bear's band, was chosen to demonstrate this model. The Indian story of the Frog Lake Massacre has not been told in history books. Thus, it was proposed that the oral tradition for this event be traced, recorded and preserved for this study. Since the people involved in the Frog Lake Massacre fled from the area at the time of the troubles, three areas were chosen where it was suggested that there might be descendants of the people from the Frog Lake area. These were: Onion Lake Reserve and Poundmaker Reserve in Saskatchewan and Rocky Boy Reservation in Montana.<p>The selection of the Elders who could provide the information was left to the director of the Saskatchewan Indian Cultural Centre, Smith Atimoyoo, and the Chippewa-Cree Research team at Rocky Boy. These people have been involved in cultural retention programmes and have familiarity with the various Elders and their expertise. For the purpose of this study, one Elder was chosen from each area -- Mrs. PeeMee (Poundmaker), Mr. Four Souls (Rocky Boy), Mr. Francis Harper (Onion Lake).<p>After the initial contact was made through the intermediaries, the researcher was introduced and the intent of the research explained, a time and place was arranged for the taping of the tradition.<p>In preparation for the interviews, an extensive study was made of the literature on the oral tradition and in particular the oral tradition of the Cree. Further consultations with Smith Atimoyoo provided invaluable information on the position of the Elders and how someone should approach them when requesting their help.<p>Four Souls was taped in his home by members of the Chippewa-Cree Research team, Mrs. PeeMee was interviewed in the home of her grandson in Saskatoon. Mr. Francis Harper was recorded in a field near his grandson's farm on Onion Lake Reserve.<p>A search of the literature revealed very little work on the collection and preservation of the oral tradition on Native North Americans. Vansina, working in Africa, examined oral traditions and devised certain criteria for testing their validity as historical sources.<p>The collected stories met the criteria for reliability -- the right of the person to tell that story.<p>In applying Vansina's criteria -- the characteristics of the historian himself i.e. who he was, his acculturation level, reaction to the researcher; characteristics of the tradition i.e. origin, type and transmission; the cultural environment i.e. cultural value of the tradition, purpose and function; mnemonic devices -- it was revealed that each historian fulfilled the criteria in a similar fashion. The only difference appeared in the purpose for telling the story. The more traditional Mrs. PeeMee told her account simply to remember and let her grand-daughter relive it with her. Francis Harper and Four Souls expressed a desire to right some of the stories which they had heard and considered untrue.<p>The study revealed that there is a Cree oral tradition concerning the Frog Lake Massacre. Three people from three separate areas covering over 500 miles gave essentially the same story with only differences in emphasis and perspective. Each account must be considered as a unique historical document for this event. Thus, the study showed there was an Indian oral tradition alive in Saskatchewan which is accessible and can be validated as historical evidence within its own frame of reference.<p>Suggestions were made for ways in which teachers could utilize this untapped resource without exploiting it.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Johns Hopkins University, 1905. / Vita.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, 1989. / Bibliography: leaves 253-255.

Thesis (M.A.)--Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, 1989. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 133-135).

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.