The Historian

I love stories. Maybe this is mostly because I am a quiet person and don't talk much.

As Afrikans, we grew up in the tradition of story telling every evening before bed time. All children would sit around the open fire while an elder would relate stories of the past. These stories were about courage, cowardice, wisdom and tradition. This is what is called folklore, stories about our past told in story form and carried forward orally from generation to generation.

No Afrikan child born before 1990 was deprived of this valuable tradition. Modern people may not realise it but this tradition ensured every child had the knowledge of who they are as a people. Every child grew up fully knowing their history through this story telling. And because this history was narrated so expertly, almost every child could in turn relate these stories themselves with utmost accuracy.

Other than story telling, these night times were family time where all members of the family gather together for company. Supper had to be attended by all no matter what other pressing matters are there. This family bonding was critical and everyone understood this fact. This is why no one was allowed, young or old, to still be outside the family compound past sunset. And it was every parents' responsibility to narrate stories to the children where no grand parent was around. Grand parents were generally the practitioners of story telling.

As with everything else in Afrika, there are strong rules governing the story telling function. Like that folklore tales can only be related at night. Like that every story must carry with it an educational message for the young. Like that every child must understand that which is being relayed through the story. And that these stories must be remembered.

Traditionally, history has an orderly seniority of roles. Wise Ones, Poets, Musicians, Story-tellers and Historians.

Wise Ones

The highest role is the wise one, the medicine people. No ordinary person can become a medicine person. To become a healer, one must have the calling which only a select few receives. Let me at the outset make understand that a medicine person is not a witch doctor. There are different specialisations of medicine people, and none of them is a witch. A renegate medicine person can of course become a witch, in which case all healing powers disappears.

Poets and Praise Singers

African poetry has meaning and messages are carried through poetry. Just about anyone in society is a poet as Afrikans take pride in reciting poetry as a way of expressing feelings. Poetry is an ordinary skill done by just about anyone. Praise singers are poets of high standing with official recognition. Their status allows them the privilage of patronage to societal gatherings.

Musicians

Musicians are naturally entertainers, even though music is used from time to time as a vehicle relaying historical messages.

Story-tellers

Story-telling is a specialised skill developed over many many seasons. For others, it is a gift people are born with. Except for the gifted people, story-telling is reserved for the elderly people in society.

Historians

Historians are people whose sole job is to memorise events in society. A historian can assume one of the following specialisations: family, clan, tribal or national. A family historian is concerned with the lineage of the particular family. A clan historian is focused on the lineage and events of a clan. A tribal historian is tasked with memorising all events and lineage of a particular tribe. A national historian is a memory bank for the major events and royal lineage of a particular nation.

The above short descriptions are merely intended to give a glimpse of what role history and historians hold in society. It is by no means a full account of any of these areas, save that for another day.

I am a poet like many Afrikan people are. I am passionate about my heritage and I remember the stories I was told since I was a young boy. I take a keen interest in my history and that of the Afrikan continent.

Writing, fiction and non fiction, is not regarded as a specialty in Afrikan society. The written word has hidden meaning that requires the reader to decide what the writer meant. To Afrikans the message must always be clear and understandable. It is in this regard that oral communication is the only recognised form of expression. It is also a social form that forces people to relate to others. That is why the roles described above are so critical in our lives. They ensure that nothing is lost and all events are preserved for future generations. Oral communication is favoured over the written one also because of its significance in teaching children language. Children learn best by communicating and not by learning to write! Oral communication is a natural process that requires no logical interpretation once words can be understood.

I possess traits of a poet and that of a clan historian.

Nalane was inspired by this need to preserve our way of living as Afrikan people. It is a vehicle intended to document our way of doing things. Of course Nalane uses the written word, but I can only hope that its reach will be signficant.