Folktales for Environmental Conservation: From Oral Traditions to Ecological Wisdom

The oral tradition of any given community provides a rich source of information on its history, culture and indigenous knowledge that guide the people on local approaches towards handling various situations that may or may not be detrimental to human survival. This study explores the role of folktal...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:African studies (Johannesburg) Vol. 84; no. 1-2; pp. 68 - 87
Main Author: Abubakari, Hasiyatu
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Abingdon Routledge 03.04.2025
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects:
Activism
Anthropocentrism
Anthropology
Biodiversity
climate change
Community
Conservation
Cultural instruction
cultural philosophy
Decolonization
ecological deities
Education
Environmental education
Ethics
Folklore
Grass roots movement
Kusaal
Local knowledge
Mabia languages
Oral tradition
Preservation
Qualitative research
Resilience
Traditions
Ghana
ISSN:0002-0184, 1469-2872
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:The oral tradition of any given community provides a rich source of information on its history, culture and indigenous knowledge that guide the people on local approaches towards handling various situations that may or may not be detrimental to human survival. This study explores the role of folktales in advancing environmental conservation among the Kusaas of Ghana. Using frameworks such as literary anthropology and environmental ethics, it demonstrates how these oral literary narratives convey indigenous approaches to environmental education paying particular attention to biodiversity preservation and ecological balance. Employing qualitative methods, the study investigates folktales that were collected from six Kusaal-speaking districts in Ghana, exhibiting their potentials as tools for cultural education, eco-consciousness, and environmental activism. The stories mirror a blend of anthropocentrism, biocentrism and theocentrism, offering invaluable insights for community-based climate resilience strategies in Ghana and beyond. The research emphasises the relevance of decolonial approaches to environmental education that engage grassroots communities through culturally relevant mediums.
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ISSN:0002-0184
1469-2872
DOI:10.1080/00020184.2025.2523518