literature

According to Ruth Finnegan ( I970 ) defines Oral literature as an unwritten literature and that it depends on the performer who formulate each in words on specific occasion and help each on actualizes.

According to Sidore Okpewho ( I992 ) defines Oral literature as a creative text that appeals to our imagination such as plays, stories and songs.He suggesting that since literature can simplest be refered as a creative text that appeals to our imagination, oral literature is therefore literature that is delivered by the word of mouth.

Generally Oral literature refers to the type of literature which transmitted by the word of mouth. Oral literature consist with folktale, legend, songs, poem, proverb, tongue twister and traditional ceremonial activities and other way of imperting group knowledges and skills to the young.

According to Bronislaw Malinowskis and Radcliffe Brown ( I9 ), Functionist Theory suggested that functionists hold a specific out root of a function which a oral narrative is expected to perform. Functionist stress on the view that any cultural activity must have a utilitarian values on its people. Functionists see the societies as the stable entity populated by various cultural activities.

According to Esidole Eupeuo Functionist Theory contents that functionism emerged as a method of studying the life and culture of a societies by examining the functions or roles performed by anything practical in the society as well as the way in which this functions help to ensure the survival of society.

Generally the theory state that orature is an aid to un understanding social organism, cultural thought and creative activity. The art is seen to have clear social purpose and is entended to record, to preserve and dismets the social norms of the contentment and continues survival of the social system.

By applying functionist theory to the oral literature of my community, i a m drawing examples from narratives, proverbs, riddles and songs.

Narratives is the prose that are account people events and place that may be factual or fiction.Every society tell the stories, this stories are of different types and there have different socio-cultural significance.These stories accounts are principally handed down from person to person and generation to generation through word of mouth. Narratives are categories into different types these are namely,

i: Myths, These are the stories which show the origin of phenomena that is life, death and relationship between man and supernatural power.

For example, in Kimakonde

Enzi ja tangu pakanapwawije jinguo ja kuwala vanu, vanu vawala chihi makakamba la milandi baada ya kupita jisiku johe vanu unkuanza kuwala jinguo.Kumbe jinguo jitokene na kuyeja makakamba la milandi.

in English

A long the time had no clothes of wearing people, people had weared upper layer of trees after long period ago people were started to wearing clothes. Therefore clothes it is originated from upper layer of the trees.

This is explaining the relationship between clothes and tree, and the society understand that clothes is the source of trees.

 ii: Legends, This are the stories about heros or heroines of certain community. It can help sometimes that the whole community performed the heroines events. Also it involves extra ordinary ability of the person. The issues which happen to the legend is believed is true and usually there are indicator showing that things happen in the way of their are narrated.

For example in Kimakonde.

Enzi ja tangu papwawije na munu yumo anavele na nguvu johe. Siku limo anivawalala vahimba vanne vachisumbuwa namene pachijiji pachiikala. Munu aneyo avele na uwezo wa kudivila upepo, akale anelyo nang'e inyumba adenga kwa lisiku limo basi.

in English

Once upons the time had a man, who had many power. One day he killed four lions which destable the village who was lived.he was ability to defend air not only that but also house was built for one day only.

This is motivating the societies to perform different activities thus why these activities are easy or difficult to perform.The societies were concentrated into various social and economic activities.

iii: Human Tales, These are stories in which main character is human being the main purpose is to educate the young.

For example in Kimakonde

Enzi ja tangu papwawije mwana yumo analimwike namene, mwana aneyo anavaheshimu vakulu na vavana vavake kulingana na tabia yake aila yanavele nayo vanu vohe vanampenda

in English

A log the time had some child who had proper behaviour, those child was respecting old people and his children. According to his behaviour which he had many people were loved

This is educating the young about the having good behaviour in the society because it leads may people to love you.

iv: Tricksters, These are stories that involves the small animals is treated the big animals

For example in Kimakonde

Enzi ja tangu usungura na nchehe vavele munu na somoye, masomo avano nkuanzisha biashara ya kuuchuuza vahomba. Lisiku limo baada ya kuhila vahomba vavachichuuza usunguru unkunyahulila nchehe amwing'e jihela johe akapindule vahomba baada ya kumwinga jihela jihela usungula anitukuta najo johe ndo maana tangiya lisiku lisiku anelyo mpaka nelo usungu na nchehe munu haduwi wake.

in English

 Once upon the time hair and hyena were friends. Those friends were introduced the bossiness of selling fishes. One day after finished fishes which were selling, hair said that hyena gave me  all some money i want to buy another fishes. After giving money hair received some money then was separated that means for these day up to day hair and hyena are enemy.

This is caution the society that bad moral it's source of misunderstanding between people or group of people to other.

v: Fables, These are stories in which animal character emirate or represent the behaviour of true of human being.

For example in Kimakonde.

Enzi ja tangu papwawije uhimba yumo, uhimba aneyo kila lisiku avakwinya chini vavake na kuvakaripila bahi vanyama vohe vakachimpenda .

A log the time had angry man, Everyday that man was fought others and gave voice up.Therefore all people are dislike those man.

This is educating the society on how improper behaviour is the source of losing loveness in the communities.

vi: Explanatory, These are the stories that explain why something is the way it is.

For example in Kimakonde.

Enzi ja tangu uhimba na nchehe vale munu na someye. Siku limo nchehe nkuyadika lishati langa uhimba ukuwala kuing'ole, pauite nkuva chihi akannudishijije lishati lyake. Ndomana mpaka nelo ai uhimba na nchehe munu na hadui wake

In English.

Long time ago lion and hyena were friends. One day hyena was borrowed lion's shirt in order to wear during the ceremony, after come back to the ceremony he fail to release shirt. That means after that day up to day lion and hyena are enemy.

This is warning the society that if you are borrowing something to the someone please give on time because if you late to give out other day you can not borrowing and you may inter into conflict.

vii: Dilemma, These are storiees that live the listern with two or more to takes, they not be the reasonable conclusion to

For example in Kimakonde

Enzi ja tangu papwawije nchehe yumo vanankumbwile ing'ole nang'e

na vavana vake wakalibila eneo linavele ing'ole nkukoja uhimba chaamuwite nchehe nkutukuta baada ya kuhwika mbali nkubaki waliuja avafuate vavana vake au avaleki

In English

Once upon the time was hyena invited some ceremony to her sons. When it near to the place which had ceremony she seen lion. Something which she done was running after coming very far he asked herself she come back to take her sons or she proceed running.

This is educating society that if you have twice choice please make sure do your something which you think on time.

2: Proverb is the short saying of wisdom and general usage ( Akiranga & Odango )

For example in Kimakonde

Akele kila chinolima dhahabu.

In English

When the deal is so good think twice

This is educating the society that so every good things is lovely but others is and dislike.

3: Riddles, are the word puzzle in which an object or situation is referred to is an usual

figurative term and one is express to discover in literary what is propose

For example in Kimakonde.

Anakumbila namene, jibu lyake nnevi

in English

He drinks like hell, the answer is drinker

This is advising that drinking is not best thing to do in our society because it leads to

 lose man power.

4: Songs,is the short poem or set of words set to music or meant to be sung. Song it's categorized into different types like war songs, lullabies children songs, birth songs, wedding songs, bear party songs, political songs, love songs, funeral songs, as well as circumsition songs. The following is the example of circumsition song.

Circumsition songs, Those are the songs which performed during the season or ceremony of circumsition.

For example in Kimakonde.

Mwanangu wa kuchilume wepo baba wa nundu

Mwanzangu wa kuchimahe wepo mama wa nundu

Vaheshimu vazee vako, majilai vako, na vavako

Lilinde umwene, ulinde uutu wako.

In English.

My young son your a father of tomorrow

My young daughter your a mother of tomorrow

Obey your elders, your neighbours and your a fellows

Protect yourself, protect your personality.

This is teaching the young sons and young daughters to become a real father and mother of tomorrow.