Abstract:
Folkloric studies have accelerated in the Philippines and South Africa because
the Academe acknowledged the urgency to collect, preserve, and publish the oral
traditions of indigenous communities. Oral traditions embody the history, values,
and world views of these indigenous cultures, which need to be preserved for
posterity. This paper discusses the relevance, gains, and challenges in conducting
folklore research in the Philippines and South Africa, which share similarities,
including their colonial pasts and number of indigenous communities. The paper
contemplates the relevance of folklore research outputs in different fields thereby
contributing to the discourse on the value of folklore research. This qualitative
study uses textual analysis to focus on insights related to folklore research, using
secondary data including journal articles, book publications, and textual
references. The study reveals that although there is extensive research in the field
of folklore in both countries, there remain gaps that need to be filled, such as the
collection, preservation, and recognition of representative folklore from other
regions and cultural communities. South Africa, for instance, has 12 official
languages, and the Philippines has 110 ethnolinguistic groups. There are still
languages and indigenous oral traditions that are developing, and folk literature
that needs to be recorded, preserved, and published. These oral traditions/folk
literature play an important role in revealing people’s cultural identities and
preserving heritage, which is imperative in nation-building. The findings
highlight the importance of continuing research about folklore and the need to
preserve indigenous knowledge systems When written down and published,
folklore becomes tangible and preserved for posterity, providing present and
future generations the opportunity to learn, understand, and appreciate their
cultural legacy
