1. oral literature or cultural expression transmitted by word of mouth rather than in written form; the body of stories, poems, songs, and traditions preserved through spoken language.
Usage: academic and literary term; often used in postcolonial and African studies

Examples

• African orature includes rich traditions of storytelling, proverbs, and epic poems passed down through generations.
• The scholar studied the orature of indigenous communities to understand their cultural values.
• Orature preserves knowledge and history in societies with strong oral traditions.
• Many cultures rely on orature as their primary means of transmitting cultural identity.
• The festival celebrated both written literature and orature from the region.
• Griots are traditional keepers of West African orature and historical memory.