Final answer:
Events in early African history were primarily preserved through oral tradition, with Griots and other official oral historians recounting histories and maintaining cultural identity. While states like Egypt and Ethiopia used written records, many other societies honored their histories through spoken narratives and shared memories. Option a is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
Throughout most of early African history, events were primarily preserved through oral tradition. This method of keeping history alive relied on the memorization and verbal sharing of narratives, myths, and cultural practices. African societies had official oral historians, such as Griots in Ancient Mali and Songhai, who recited historical accounts, often accompanied by music. In agricultural societies with powerful states such as Egypt and Ethiopia, writing was used for keeping track of taxes, achievements, laws, and communication among officials. In many non-agricultural or stateless societies, people transmitted knowledge and history without writing, through direct communication, myths, and shared memories, considering it more relevant for living successful lives and preserving cultural identity.
Furthermore, oral traditions have often served better for people who do not live in agricultural societies or under state authority, as written history was not as essential in those contexts. For instance, Arab communities and early Jewish and Christian societies also heavily relied on oral recitation before anything was written down. This form of historical preservation was not limited to Africa but was a common feature across different cultures where writing was either not developed or not widespread.
Historians today recognize oral traditions as valuable sources of history, despite the tendency of earlier scholars to discount non-written sources. Oral histories offer insights into preliterate societies that we cannot get from writing alone, and they allow us to understand how these communities viewed themselves and their world. The correct option for how early African events were most often kept in people's memory is 'a. oral tradition.'