Ah'ani'nin Oral History

Abstract

In earlier times An'ani'nin lived together and in the winter months retold oral histories and stories, especially those which they wanted to impress upon the people as important to remember. Children were taught lessons through oral history. The youth also participated in ceremonies, learned the songs, lived as the Ah'ani'nin taught them and were told the importance of the way of the life of the An'ani'nin. This is how they kept a record of their ceremonies, cutlure, their kinship relations, their economy and governance. By practice and re-telling the history their culture was maintained. Stories were told as women worked, and in the evening when men were off hunting or at social or religious gatherings. In this thesis, I have collected stories about the Ah'ani'nin, stories of legends, history, the trickster stories and discussed how these stories in the past helped the Ah'ani'nin and how they can help the people today.