Expanding the nature of oral history: Examples from the Namoha Battle, Qwa-Qwa, 1950

Abstract

Every family and every place has a history of its own, one that can contribute detailed knowledge to the study of wider historical themes. Every individual, in one way or the other, plays or has played a part in moulding a   society. Therefore, one cannot fully understand what really happened during a particular event if those people who witnessed that event and other related milestones are ignored. Oral history methodology provides the necessary tools to record the eyewitness accounts of a particular occurrence. This article looks closely at the nature of oral history, highlighting its definition, importance and how it relates to other forms of historical inquiry. Its value in the writing of history and what distinguishes it from other forms of historical enquiry are also dealt with. This article argues that another way of finding out about the past is to simply talk to people, collecting memories and
experiences of their own lives, of the people known to them and of the events they witnessed or in which they participated.