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Emie Cuevas wrote:I think both traditions and data have their place, but they both need to be verified. I always remember the following story as an example:

In cooking Thanksgiving dinner, a man noticed that his wife cut the ends of the ham.
He asked her why, and she said: "it's how her mum always cooked it."
A short time later visiting her parents he innocently asked her Mum, why do you cut off the ends of the ham? Mum Replied "it's how her mum always cooked it."
Luckily a short time later they just happened to visit his wives grandmother. Hoping to finally find out why he asked granny the same question.
She said, "I had to, my pan was too small for the ham to fit!"

As I say, verify the tradition is valid before following it blindly.

lol, a cute anecdote. I agree we should not follow tradition blindly.

-- October 10th, 2017, 3:24 pm --

Christina Rose wrote:

gali wrote:

Christina Rose wrote:
I agree that using the atlatl to prevent construction was the most suitable idea. I wonder if Tom was just being stubborn when he continued to insist they leave it with Bob-Bob.

I don't think he was just being stubborn. I think he truly believes it is better to leave it with Bob-Bob.

I'm sure you're right ? In a real life situation, it wouldn't be an easy decision to make, regardless of whether or not Myra's argument made sense.

Indeed, it wouldn't be an easy decision to make.

Many traditions have been eroded hence should be used with great caution. However much of the modern data is now well researched hence more trusted and can be proven

I think that legends matter more because they hold a community together in order to teach the next generation. It is always great to have facts to back up these stories and beliefs, but it is not necessary. There are many sayings and beliefs that Western society has which makes our country unique.

I think legends mean more because it was like holding on to the legacy of a family. Data can do almost anything now a days. You can find almost anything on the computer anymore. Something as important as tradition, legend can hold on to forever if you do it just right.

Good points, guys!

I've been thinking about this question, but I haven't reached a conclusion. Traditions are part of our identity, but data can help the future generations to know about the traditions. If we do not appreciate our traditions and they fade away, then we will have no data in the future. To be or not to be. This is the dilemma!

Kalin Adi wrote:I've been thinking about this question, but I haven't reached a conclusion. Traditions are part of our identity, but data can help the future generations to know about the traditions. If we do not appreciate our traditions and they fade away, then we will have no data in the future. To be or not to be. This is the dilemma!

And a mighty dilemma it is!

Kalin Adi wrote:I've been thinking about this question, but I haven't reached a conclusion. Traditions are part of our identity, but data can help the future generations to know about the traditions. If we do not appreciate our traditions and they fade away, then we will have no data in the future. To be or not to be. This is the dilemma!

Data can be based on traditional happenings and findings.

Lie most others, I agree that both are important. While legends are extremely important, the data is necessary for the context and understanding of those legends.

Kalin Adi wrote:I've been thinking about this question, but I haven't reached a conclusion. Traditions are part of our identity, but data can help the future generations to know about the traditions. If we do not appreciate our traditions and they fade away, then we will have no data in the future. To be or not to be. This is the dilemma!

I agree that we need to try to preserve our traditions, but at the same time, I wonder if the "strongest" traditions will survive on their own regardless.

I believe traditions will survive if families pound into their children's heads about the importance of keeping those traditions alive.

Amagine wrote:I believe traditions will survive if families pound into their children's heads about the importance of keeping those traditions alive.

I agree. Also, if the parents keep the traditions, the kids most likely will follow their example.

I think the best thing would be to find a balance between the two. Completely ignoring the importance of the other can be unwise.

Job Njoroge wrote:Data and legends should work to complement each other since the legends have reasons backing them some sound others not

I agree. I think that it matters what we are doing with them. Legends contain data, but that is not their primary reason for existing. Legends are meant to tell us something more than "just the facts ma'am." There is a reason people told stories and legends and sometimes those stories etc. were true, but not in a journalistic, literal sense. This is especially true of ancient peoples. The purpose of telling a story wasn't just to give facts, like we would today in a newspaper, it was to challenge other points of view, or to speak out against bad behavior, or for ease of memory. All these things could impact the details, the order. The way it was told was also a hint about how we are meant to understand the facts. So, in combining them with facts we arrive at even more valuable information than we would otherwise have. Sorry to sound a little pedantic! I LOVE this kind of discussion, so it brings out that side of me.

jwalker73 wrote:Both are important and sometimes the evidence to support a legend's true existence has been buried so deep it has just not been discovered yet.

I could not agree more! This is why we need a good medium between the two.