Rethinking African Indigenous Knowledge and its relevance in rural development: The case studies of ewondo folktales

Abstract

Folktales are sometimes seen as irrelevant in the context of contemporary development. Despite the general consensus on the artistic  merits of traditional stories and the role played by tradition in the linguistic and cultural continuity of indigenous people, they are hardly  used to improve man’s socio-cultural environment. The main objective of this paper is to show that development of the rural area is  impossible if it is not premised on their own historic-cultural conditions. In fact, the improvement of our traditional societies can never  progress socially on the basis of unrestrictedly borrowed cultures. This work lays its foundations on the hypothesis that, traditional and  popular culture can play a significant role in resolving local problems related to poverty, moral standards and education. To achieve the  set objectives, the study used empirical method which required a collection of oral tales narrated in some ethnic groups in Ewondo tribe.  Through direct questioning, we posed open-ended questions to our informants. The work concluded that the cultural heritage can be  used for the economic growth and development in the rural area.