THE DIVISIVE INFLUENCE OF TRADITION

By Joel Munemo

As our society grows and our earth increases in age one aspect remains: tradition. the  we grow as a society the more our ideologies, customs, ethics and morals. Wein a d that has become more inclusive, and has done away with traditions of old. We  a former conservative country like the United States of America has become one of the leading pioneers in liberal inclusive campaigns LGBTQ+.  the past ideologies would have never been accepted. This is an example of the evolution of tradition on a national scale. Tradition is ever evolving because of our human influences hence why we see that the change of traditions is always propagated by human influence.

Tradition is divisive in its nature. Many say that traditions are primitive customs and methods built on superstitions, serve no purpose besides giving people comfort. On the other side of the spectrum, you see individuals who say that tradition is a moral compass that develops lasting habitual behaviours, and serves a sense of purpose and belonging.

Tradition is a golden aspect of society and is an way for communities, individuals and tribes to express their ethics, morals and belief systems; just as Westville Boys’ High School has a designated area where matrics can only walk, this tradition asserts the notion that matrics are deserving of respect and are treated with that merit because they have been at the school for the longest and are the oldest. Traditions a crucial indicator of the historical essence and origins of a community or individual. The simple tradition of a school singing their hearts out for the badge that is carefully stitched on their blazers and metaphorically edged in their hearts; the tradition of the same uniform being worn by kids who range in differing physical appearances, races, ethnic origins, different backgrounds seeing those different kids be bonded together by one uniform is an amazing spectacle made possible  tradition.where similarities exist everywhere and the need to fit in and be like the majority fear of being a part of the minority  Individuality and personal independence in aspects like clothing style, aesthetic preferences, favourite foods etc. are all influenced by celebrity figures and the public majority but Tradition serves as a manner in which true individualism can be truly expressed. The simple act of habitually engaging in a certain act or custom that is not commonly promoted individualism and a feeling of  which is an admirable trait as it is not common in our current society.

Tradition can prove rather problematic when one realises that some traditions hinder the opportunity of evolving into a better community or individual. When one  residents of the village Bambali in Senegal and how they refuse to seek professional medical aid—rather  seek assistance from local traditional healers an issue arises. The Bambali chief, Saden Munanma said: “This is a sacred tradition our forefathers and parents used and we will continue to go to traditional healers for assistance and refuse to change for the convenience of outsiders.”  revealed through this statement is that the refusal to stop a tradition can lead to negative impacts on a community; Bambali suffers a lot of deaths every year due to their ignorant stance on the benefits of modern medical assistance. A picture is painted, when one realises that doing away with tradition and adopting modern, improved methods of doing things serves  better than holding on to outdated traditions  minimal benefits.

When all is said and done, one cannot disagree that the practice of tradition, be it negative or positive, has a massive influence on societal rules, laws, regulations, morals, ethics, practices and behaviours. Tradition is a staple in society as it is one of the few  that  constant in our ever changing and ever evolving world. Tradition is an integral aspect that shapes individuals and community identities. Tradition have evolved throughout history and in our current society they change everyday in turn influencing one’s way of life. Tradition is a core aspect of our lives that we should continue to practise, it impacts our lives daily as our customs and ways are shaped by tradition and are also changed by new traditions being formed.

As Marcus Garvey said: a people without knowledge of their past history, origins, culture [and most importantly tradition] is like a tree without roots.