GE CLST M71CW Lecture 6: Oral Histories

• School: UCLA
• Department: General Education Clusters
• Course: GE CLST M71CW
• Professor: Rensel, M.A.; Le Goff, A.G.; Panofsky, A.L.

Document Summary

Oral histories are considered evidence but not necessarily weighed as important as scientific evidence. Earlier there was a misconception that oral histories are not reliable. Every clan has their respective history that cannot be disregarded. In recent decades, archaeology has recognized that oral traditions contribute to our understanding of the past. It is not easy to weave together the science and the oral traditions but it can be done. The western beliefs holds that if something is not written down, it"s not reliable. Even written records undergo change and misinterpretations owing to translations. We see the perspective of an archaeologist and native americans with respect to corn. It led to an increase in population and consequential social reorganization. They acknowledged that corn was difficult to grow but did not incorporate the people into the equation. Corn farming changed the lives of people in the south west. Corn is a part of their identity.