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Age-old Wisdom
The name of my community is Rock Hill; it is naturally blessed by God with numerous rocks all over the land. I have been privileged to learn from traditional leaders about the significance of my community’s name. From the days of our forefathers, this land struggled to earn its daily bread, many people didn’t have jobs or means to feed their families, but God being God, blessed us with the knowledge of putting our natural commodity into use. Our people begin to burst rocks, and sell them to earn a living. This God-given wisdom is still benefiting my community in the present.
During Founder’s Day, we welcome the new people that moved into the community by giving them a tour around the community, then at night we all will sit at the bonfire and the elders tell us about our community origin. The elder who transferred this knowledge to me orally is uneducated formally, but very resourceful with knowledge of our land.
My community uses the following methods to pass on knowledge: storytelling, hands-on, and written methods. Below I will explain some types of knowledge that have been passed on within my community.
In my community, knowledge of the past is handed down through the teaching of palm oil production, which was done in the past by older people in bushes, but now people in my community produce oil so that they earn their living. The young people are being taught how to make many things from the palm tree. For instance, palm wine, benches for sitting, brooms, mats, fishing nets, and baskets. This was one of the skills that our elders in those days did to earn a living and it is passed down from generation to generation.
In my community, people learn by seeing what the elders do; for example, the sewing of country clothes, which was done by our forefathers, was learned by others. Nowadays, it is used as a means of putting food on the table for some of our parents.
And finally, in my community, people burst rocks to survive. This is the most essential thing because my ancestors during those days burst rocks, and sold them as a source of life.
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Penneliah S. Victor is a 15-year-old from Liberia who is passionate about art.