FOLKLORE AND ITS EFFECT TO CONSERVATION

Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales, stories, tall tales and customs. It is often used in passing messages, education purposes, and for entertainment with the objective of sensitization. The art of folktales was often passed from generation to generation. 

Folktales have played a critical role in environmental conservation. Expressions such the haunted forests, dark forests, cursed forests among the many names given to scare off people were used to discourage people from visiting the forests and cutting trees. In these haunted forests, there lived evil creatures. We often hear of monstrous creatures, cursed animals among others. All these were a way of discouraging people from entering the forests.  

Illegal hunting was also discouraged. In folktales, hunting in some forests was discouraged. We often hear of remarks like cursed animals with reference that; if one consumes a cursed meat then he/she is definitely cursed. As such, people often kept away from hunting some creatures which in turn ended up conserving them. 

Comparison in folktales is also used. The hare is often regarded as the naughty one, the tortoise as the wise one, the jackal as the sly one, and the lion as the King of the jungle among others. All this comparison was to show the balance in nature. These folktales often taught on diversity in nature and how they depend on each other. An imbalance often lead to distortion in nature.

It is evident that conservation awareness was practiced times before, a clear indication that our fore fathers did practice conservation. Let us borrow a leaf from our wise men, let us also promote conservation.