History and Citizenship

Unit 2.ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF HISTORICAL SOURCES

Oral Traditions

Activity 2.1

1. Sing the Rwanda National Anthem. 

2. Explain what it tells you about our country

Our National Anthem is very melodious. It encourages us to be united and to develop our country. However, those who have hearing impairment cannot hear the sweet melody of our National Anthem. 

A speech delivered by a leader during a public forum is likely to be interpreted differently. Some people may exaggerate it while others may ignore some important details of the speech. Consequently, the people will have different interpretations of the same speech.

It is clear from the above examples that whatever is said verbally has advantages and disadvantages. 

Advantages of oral traditions

(i) Oral traditions give first-hand information since it is given by people who were present at an event. 

(ii) Information obtained from oral traditions is cheap to use since the speaker may not require payments for the information given. 

(iii) It helps the information seeker to ask questions in order to understand something better.

 (iv) This source is clearer and reliable when both people involved speak the same language.

 (v) Oral traditions keep the mind alert because it requires the receiver to be attentive for easy memorisation. 

(vi) It is readily available since it is sourced from people. 

(vii) It may be the only source of History where there is no written source for some period in the society

Disadvantages of oral traditions

(i) Information can easily be forgotten. This may affect its accuracy.

 (ii) The information can be distorted in the process of being passed on from one person to another

(iii) There may exist language barriers. 

(iv) It is not convenient to people who have hearing impairment. 

(v) There could be lack of chronology in the narration.

 (vi) If one dies without giving information, it may mark its end.

 (vii) The informer may be biased. He or she may tell the successes and not the failures. People who belong to the same clans, families or societies tend to promote their own traditions. They sometimes undermine those of others. This affects the truth of the information. 

(viii) It is time consuming since many people like telling long and irrelevant stories. 

Archaeolog

Activity 2.2 

Go to a corner of your school or home compound. Dig a hole that has the following measurements: 

• Length 2 feet 

• Width 1 foot 

• Depth 1 foot 

(a)  Name the tools that you have used. 

(b)  Mention what you dug out apart from soil.

 (c)  State the challenges you encountered while digging

Archaeologists dig deep into the earth to look for the fossils. They use different tools and equipment to do their work. It is obvious that they face challenges during the whole process. Eventually, they come up with information that is useful in the study of History.

Advantages of archaeology 

(i) Archaeology gives information about the past which we have no written records of.

 (ii) It tells about the life, culture and evolution of technology of the ancient people.

 (iii) Information obtained from archaeology is reliable because it is backed by evidence. 

(iv) It is the only source that has helped in discovering pre-history in different parts of the world. A good example is the discovery of the origin of man. 

(v) Archaeology assists historians to understand the past in relation to the present life. Archaeological sites, artefacts, food remains and other records facilitate this process. 

Disadvantages of archaeology

(i) This source of information may not be very accurate especially in the dating of fossils. 

(ii) Digging into the ground need patience and tenacity. 

(iii) It is an expensive source because it requires expensive equipment for digging and dating. 

(iv) Archaeology requires specialists. Archaeologists are very few in our country.

 (v) Sometimes, it is very difficult to trace where one can find fossils. 

(vi) Different archaelogists tend to interpret historical artefacts in their own ways. This may result into biases.

 (vii) There is limited financial investment in archaelogical studies.

Linguistics

Linguistics is the study and analysis of a language. It is the study of significant consonants, vowels, tones and grammar patterns of a language to determine the evolution, development and  similarity or similarities with other languages. A person who studies linguistics is called a linguist.

The study of linguistics is one of the many ways through which people can learn more about the history of people who speak a particular language. 

Advantages of linguistic study

(i) The study of linguistics may be easier and cheaper since there is no payment for the study of languages spoken. 

(ii) It tells the origin, migration and settlement patterns of people. 

(iii) This source of information is not easily destroyed since it cannot die but can be moderated.

 (iv) Linguistics study is reliable since it uses scientific approaches of practised observation of the language. 

(iv) Through linguistics, we are able to determine the migration, origin, and patterns of people. 

(v) Linguistics has helped to classify people of Africa into various language groups. For example, the Bantu and the Nilotes. Identifying languages in Africa for example, Kinyarwanda has been made easy through the study of linguistics. 

(vi)  Today, it is possible to know when languages, currently being spoken, came into existence and how they have developed.

Disadvantages of linguistic study

(i) Linguistic experts are very few. Classification of languages is complicated. 

(ii) Linguistics requires people who understand many languages. Therefore, it may be limited by language barrier.

 (iii) Translation of languages distorts the meaning of some words. Sometimes it interferes with the original language. 

(iv) Old words may not be fully understood (for example in ibyirugo and ubwiru).

Anthropology 

1. Write the name of your Cell. 

2. State some changes that have taken place in your Cell in the past few years.

Over a period of time, many changes take place. The changes could be in terms of people’s beliefs, relationships and customs. It is also possible that some people might have moved into or out of your Cell. 

Anthropologists sometimes have to go to the communities they are interested in studying. They live and mingle with them during the study. It is only then that they can come up with reliable information about those communities.

Advantages of anthropology

(i) There are many anthropologists to help trace historical facts. 

(ii) Anthropology helps to explain the settlement and growth of different people. 

(iii) It explains some issues, especially where certain societies have not changed much in recent times. 

(iv) Through the study of anthropology we get to understand people’s traditional ways of life.

Disadvantages of anthropology

(i) It is difficult to understand how and why people think the way they do. 

(ii) This source of historical information is time consuming since it involves staying with people in order to understand their culture.

(iii) Facts from anthropology are not conclusive enough to justify historical evidence. These facts do not stand the test of time.

 (iv) The anthropologists may have racial and cultural differences hence failing to understand another society. 

(v) Anthropological hypothesis may be taken as historical truth (for example Hamite and Bantu migration) which may have negative consequences. 

Written Sources

1. Describe how you can spend RWF 7,000. Remember to write a list of things you would buy, indicating their prices.

 2. Explain why you would prefer a written list of what you need instead of cramming them.

Advantages of written sources

(i) Information in written sources is easy to communicate because many people can read and write. 

(ii) Since it is not easy to change what is written, these sources of information are more accurate than oral sources. 

(iii) Written sources of History, when compared to archaelogy, are relatively cheaper. 

(iv) Translation into different languages that different people can understand is easy, enabling this source to be usable by many people. 

(v) These sources can be stored for a long time. They therefore offer a more permanent record about human events if kept well. This can be done through use of digitisation and ICT

 (vi) If proper updates are done, written sources can provide a good chronology of events. 

(vii) A wider population through the use of media, library and internet. 

Disadvantages of written sources

 (i) It may be difficult to authenticate ananymous documents.

 (ii) Some textbooks are written in languages that are difficult to understand. 

(iii) They cannot be used by illiterate people.

 (iv) Most written sources tend to wear out and get destroyed over time. 

(v) It may be difficult to analyse critically multiple documents 

(vi) They are not appropriate for the visually impaired.