Indigenous Languages and Oral Traditions’ Preservation.

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Hi steemians, it's a privilege to participate in this contest organised by our delectable lady boss, @goodybest.

As we all know, language is one of the means by which people communicate with each other. Language can be in the form of spoken or written words. While oral tradition is the passing down of stories or history (which could be of cultural heritage) by word of mouth from one generation to another.

My indigenous language is Oro. Oro is a subgroup amongst the Ibibio/Efik tribes of Akwa Ibom and Cross River States of Nigeria respectively. They can be found in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.

Oro is not a popular dialect spoken in my country, or is Ibiobio/Efik amongst the three most popular languages spoken in my country. But it is the 4th largest tribe and dialect spoken in my country, Nigeria.

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Asking if my children speak the language. Yes, a little of it from my first child, while they can both understand every word spoken to them in Oro or Efik respectively. I believe by the time they both clock ages of 5 years and above, they'll be able to speak better. I'm saying that with confidence because I'm one of the advocates of "going back to the roots," teaching and speaking our local languages with our children.

My country's tradition and culture range from:

1. Greetings

2. Respect for elders: Every society values respect. Therefore, parents and family members encourage the younger ones to preserve it by practising it.

3. Festivals e.g yam festivals: Many societies celebrate different types of festivals. Celebrating and the display of the tradition of such a society in the festival is a way of showcasing and preserving society's tradition.

4. Display of masquerades e.g ekpo masquerades

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1. Farming has been the bedrock of African societies. Hence, Nigeria.

2. Kingship. Every community/society has kings ruling over them.

3. Worship of deities and sacrifice to the gods. Despite the dominance of Christianity and other civilised worship systems, people still engage in cultural worship of the African Traditional Religion (ATR).

Preserving of African Tradition/history was and is still imbedded in oral tradition, legends, eyewitness accounts, artefacts, myth and folklore. Recently, it has been translated into written materials such as textbooks, journals, magazines etc, then pictures, videos/tapes etc. Then, very recently, social media.

Every language in the world has its own cultural ingenuity and uniqueness. Though they're different, they communicate the feelings and thoughts of people.

I'm inviting: @atimisaac, @ogechukwu-martha and @aspiya