Primal religion: origins, characteristics, and cultural significance

¶ … Religion [...] place of orality in primal (or tribal) religions. Early religions were based on orality because there was no form of written communications. They were the precursors to modern day religions in many ways, and they can reveal a surprising number of commonalities with modern religions.

Religion is at least partly based on tradition, and in primal religion, these traditions were passed down orally, because there was no other way to ensure their continuance. In addition, this oral tradition added a dimension of participation for many of the members, including participation in rituals and religious ceremonies. In addition, many early tribes felt writing anything down, even religious practices, would threaten the traditions, and perhaps even kill them.

Speaking is much more versatile than writing, as well, it can convey meaning with subtle changes in voice or action, and so it can convey emotions far better than writing. It can even become a performance, adding interest to whatever is being conveyed. The speaker can also interject periods of silence to allow listeners to pray or think their own thoughts, which adds depth and spirituality to the entire performance. Many ancient tribes had special storytellers or "wise men" who were the religious leaders of the tribe and who passed down the oral lessons from one wise man to the next to keep them from disappearing. They also created many of the legends that became the folk tales and myths of the tribe, which were also handed down from generation to generation.

Memory is an important part of orality, because speech and memorizing tales and religious beliefs creates a more active and alert mind, and encourages mental alertness and understanding. Writing can wander, or there can be so much a person can lose themselves in it, and lose some of the importance of the folk tale, as well. Orality helped bring religion to all the people of a tribe, and helped each generation appreciate and understand the importance of the tales and rituals. Many tribes used these methods of delivery, in fact, before writing was invented; they were the only way of preserving these important religious messages. The rituals themselves created spirituality and understanding of the world around the people. This is illustrated by the Native Americans, who, for the most part, had an enduring relationship with the natural world, and included many natural icons in their religions. Their orality included tales about animals and places, and how the people interact with these things on a daily basis. Unfortunately, many of them were lost when the oral traditions were lost or forgotten. Many tribes try to keep these traditions alive today, to preserve the spiritual beliefs and culture of the people.