Bachama Folktales and the radio today

Abstract

Folktales in African societies act as repositories of moral, social, religious instructions as well as traditions primarily narrated by grandparents and parents through time This paper, using the functionalist theory, examines how Orature survives through its relationships with electronic mass media in the form of radio. To collect data, a survey questionnaire, three semi-structured interviews, and analysis of a radio program were employed. Sixty respondents (aged 20-50 years) provided responses to the questionnaire; the interviews were held with two community members alongside an acting director to gain their perspective of how radio has impacted the narration of traditional folktales. Findings indicate that Orature such as the Bachama(Bwatiye) Folktales are like fossils that refuse to die; rather they adapt and adjust, and still re-emerge as formidable means of entertainment and education. Narrators on radio put efforts to ensure that certain characteristics found in the primary orality are still maintained in the secondary narrations. There is a need to preserve oral traditions, as these oral traditions are gradually declining and the mass media provides an opportunity to reach to a wider range of audiences, which will promote preservation.