What is Tradition
                     What is Tradition?
James Bolte
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Tradition as described by Alice Horner is passing of the custom or thought process 
from one generation to another. It also refers the process of passing down of these 
things to another generation.
Tradition in Latin language means “something handed over”. Let us examine the origin 
of this concept of tradition in European world. This notion of tradition can be 
understood in only those historical settings where people were aware of change. 
Tradition was understood as cultural features which were to be preserved, and passed 
on to the next generation. In societies which experienced almost zero change, 
tradition played a main role. It was passed to the next generation as inheritance. 
Tradition for them was means of earning livelihood and provided people with identity 
and status. In societies which experienced change tradition was much more important 
for them.
 Negative Valuation of Tradition
 Europe underwent an era of enlightenment in the eighteenth century. Science and 
Industrialisation was the theme of this change. This change valued tradition 
negatively. Tradition was seen as hindrance for the development of society. It was 
considered carrier of backwardness and superstition. Customs, games and beliefs 
among rural lower classes were considered representation of earlier forms of 
society.
 Change From Negative Valuation of Tradition
 Negative valuation of tradition was challenged by two crises. The first crisis was 
during the middle of the 19th century. After Europe felt enlightenment, science 
painted Christian religion as a feudal tradition. Christianity was considered obstacle 
in the progress of science and society. The irony was in the fact that Christianity was 
the main thrust behind key social values like eagalitarianism, democracy, care for 
vulnerable sections and universal justice.
The second crisis that brought changes in the perspective how traditions were seen 
was the view point of certain anthropologists about the conquered people. They 
thought that customs of the conquered people were of equal or better than the so 
called civilized world. There was growing appreciation for arts and crafts of the 
colonized people.
Scientists and others began to look for and want to preserve these threatened ways of 
life. They started to value their aesthetic and functional values.
Guilt of Changing the Whole World in Homogeneous Direction
The European world expanded whole of Africa and Asian countries. European 
countries made colonies which served as markets for the factory made goods of the 
European powers. Manufactured goods replaced handmade traditional utensils as 
they could easily grab the market for being cheap. The skills of the native people were 
in danger. 
Few upper middle class Euro-Americans stressed on the need to preserve such a 
tradition. Techniques and materials such as basketry were seen as carriers of culture. 
Terms like “imperialist nostalgia” were coined to convey the regret of having destroyed 
the culture of native people and moving the world towards more homogeneous world.
Tradition and Modernity
Many people perceives tradition as opposite to modernity. But traditions are 
continuously created in the presence of modernity. The new phenomena are often 
quickly assumed to be age old tradition. Traditions are created during modernity. For 
an instance it was in 1970 that women were first admitted in Kings College, 
Cambridge. After few years the students began to assume that this is an age old 
tradition. Tradition for sure is not the opposite of modernity, it grows with modernity 
and strengthens modernity.
Values of Traditions
Europeans always looked to identify and collect many of the ingenious technological 
items and beautiful products of the native people right from the beginning. During the 
agricultural and industrial revolutions of 18th and 19th century in many European 
nations the local and rural cultures and tradition became the matter of inspiration and 
source of identity in many European nations. Value of traditions was also reflected in 
the fact that professions in folklore and archaeology gained importance. Folklore and 
archaeology are seen as collectors of tradition. Having traditions and a culture became 
indispensable for nations. French-Canadians of Quebec felt that their traditions were 
threatened so they thought to preserve their traditions by making museums and 
labelling.
Tradition as a Reservoir
Tradition as a reservoir is concept where tradition is seen as a source of identity which 
is defined historically. It is also considered a source of a sense of safety and feeling of 
specialness. There are certain problem with tradition as a reservoir. For an instance 
Native Americans have traditions like playing gambling, marry multiple spouses and 
practising local medicine. Does the real world allow for such traditions and let you live 
like a Native American.
The reservoir of traditions is never stagnant or static. It keeps on growing with 
activities and is filled by the creation of traditions. It cannot sense whether the 
traditions have been modified or newly added or whether it is old or new. But the 
reservoir of traditions knows that people are living strongly with the traditions and 
traditions themselves are strong. You can easily witness the struggle of native people 
to save their tradition in this world growing fast towards a homogenized world. Let it 
be Canadian Arctic fight for their language or the protest against Danification of 
Greenland.
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