Verba volant, scripta manent: as palavras e as vozes da literatura oral da Terra de Miranda

Abstract

Verba volant, scripta manent : The words and the voices of the oral literature of Terra de Miranda

Terra de Miranda is known for its own language, the Mirandese, and also for the richness of its traditions, with special importance of the so-called “Pauliteiros de Miranda”, without forgetting the music and popular literature. One of the myths associated with this wealth and this singularity is that these traditions are unique to this region. The Mirandum, for example, is one of the most structuring myths of its own identity. Its origin is not local; it is an oral tradition originating from England and known across regions, cultures, languages and eras. There are also traditional tales, which here are umbilically connected with the local language and geography, establishing inevitable connections with the universal literature of the oral tradition.
Therefore, in this article we aim to demonstrate how the roots of orality extend to a much wider territory, establishing connections that go beyond political, linguistic and cultural boundaries.