Publication

“'Em meses de inverneira, histórias à lareira”. Provérbios e dizeres enquanto transmissores de valores culturais e de identidade

Bibliographic Details
Summary:Oral tradition is still looked down upon by academia as it is not yet considered fit to be either object or subject of scientific scrutiny. In an attempt to change this state of affairs, this article aims to reflect upon the role of proverbs and sayings as keepers of cultural and national values. As such, it will look into the didactic nature of these two communicational phenomena as a commitment to the cultures that have produced them. Borrowing from Durkheim and Vasina, it will explore the contribution of this kind of anonymous productions to the creation and maintenance of a community’s collective memory. Next it will draw some parallels between Portuguese national proverbs and some European equivalents, so as to attest their ancient role as vehicles for the exchange of ideas. Finally, especial attention will be given to some recent projects, which aim to protect and pass on certain aspects of our heritage through oral tradition.
Subject:Collective memory Literatura oral Intangible heritage Memória colectiva Oral literature Património imaterial
Country:Portugal
Document type:journal article
Access type:Open
Associated institution:Carnets, Revista Electrónica de Estudos Franceses
Language:Portuguese
Origin:Carnets, Revista Electrónica de Estudos Franceses
Description
Summary:Oral tradition is still looked down upon by academia as it is not yet considered fit to be either object or subject of scientific scrutiny. In an attempt to change this state of affairs, this article aims to reflect upon the role of proverbs and sayings as keepers of cultural and national values. As such, it will look into the didactic nature of these two communicational phenomena as a commitment to the cultures that have produced them. Borrowing from Durkheim and Vasina, it will explore the contribution of this kind of anonymous productions to the creation and maintenance of a community’s collective memory. Next it will draw some parallels between Portuguese national proverbs and some European equivalents, so as to attest their ancient role as vehicles for the exchange of ideas. Finally, especial attention will be given to some recent projects, which aim to protect and pass on certain aspects of our heritage through oral tradition.