A critical analysis of the use of the ICTs in the Documentation and Publication of Oral Traditions

Abstract

This research paper focuses on the documentation of oral traditions and making them available to the masses through utilization of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). This research looks at how ICTs can help in documentation and publication of oral traditions to the masses through designing and implementation of an Izaga Electronic Database which will be tested amongst linguistic students at a Zimbabwean university and selected IsiNdebele learners from the rural areas and around Bulawayo. This research uses modernism as its theoretical framework; it looks at the change from traditional ways of doing things where oral traditions were passed on from one person to another through oral communication, to the 21st century utilization of ICTs where oral traditions can be captured by one individual and broadcasted to masses. The research established that oral traditions can be documented and published to the masses through the usage of ICTs as an Izaga Electronic Database was implemented. The response from the evaluators was overwhelming therefore proving that the usage of ICTs can help in the documentation of oral traditions. The research therefore recommends that the government should come up with an IT policy which will promote teaching of computers in schools and subsidize prices for ICT products for school or student purchases. Local universities should also offer computational linguistics to improve in the development of ICT packages in local languages.