Source is a material product of the purposeful human activity, it is a historical phenomenon caused to live by certain conditions, tasks, and goals. Therefore, it is essential to understand what the historical social reality in which it arose was. Any source, whether one is talking, written, physical, or oral sources cannot be interpreted outside the general cultural situation. The significance of oral or written information in traditional-archaic or modern societies is quite different. Sources are formed differently, and their importance is understood differently in the information analysis. The value of oral sources for historical records is the same as that of written sources, despite the differences in how they were formed.
Written Sources
Written ways of fixation sources are formed by recording or sketching material on some paper, stone, or another medium. They are physical evidence that documents events or objects observed by the authors. Written sources serve as evidence that thoughts are recorded at some time. They are an integral part of history, and they are studied very closely and carefully because they allow one to learn more about the physical objects of a particular era. Information contained in written sources is perceived as truthful and reliable.
Oral Sources
Oral sources have traditionally been perceived as less credible because they are stories only passed on verbally from one person to another. They “are not written in black and white being considered without foundation” due to the culture (Niane 24). This peculiarity makes society distrust oral sources and considers them less worthy than written sources. However, it is the oral presents an opportunity for cultural dialogue and explanation of what happened in the past. According to Niane, oral sources are “as rich as that found in societies which use writing” (UNESCO 11). This assumption is correct because it reflects the reality that can be conveyed by languages that are not written. The cultural conditions of African communities are diverse and fascinating, and sometimes only oral sources provide an opportunity to appreciate all their beauty.
The Confrontation between the Written and the Oral
There is currently a movement against oral transmission of information due to the developing world and technology. Niane believes that because of this, “schools are losing their power” and can no longer carry on the function of teaching (UNESCO 12). He thinks that griots are the link between society and the preservation of Africa’s cultural traditions, and moving away from oral sources is a move backward, not forward. The historical value of oral sources is presented by Niane and seen as more necessary than written. However, in the context of the rationality of using oral and written sources, it is necessary to have something in between, not a deification of only one type.
Oral sources can be just as reliable as written sources – they claim the same historical truth as any other. A language is an essential communication tool, and it allows “diversity to flourish” (UNESCO 12). Solidarity with this view becomes an essential rule of thumb when conducting historical examinations of the reality of African culture but the written sources (especially in the form of drawings) stand with them. For history, written sources may seem more important, although they may also be insufficiently accurate and, moreover, spurious. Oral sources are valuable to the historical record because they allow one to learn about events from different social backgrounds. Therefore, each source should be taken separately without disparaging the value of the other.
Conclusion
Thus, the assumption that one source is more valuable than another is true in the context of each case. Comparing oral and written evidence is interesting; they present the same information differently broadening the overall view of events or objects. However, one should seek the golden mean and adhere to the rule about the versatility of the information field that falls under study. Only in this way can complete information about the history and its sociocultural features be obtained, and the source format will not play a critical role.
Works Cited
Niane, Djibril Tamsir. Sundiata An Epic Of Old Mali. Translated by G. D. Pickett, Pearson Education Limited, 2006.
UNESCO. “An Ear for the Past. Interview with Djibril Tamsir Niane”. History of Peoples Recasting the Past, no. 8, 2009, pp. 11-12.