Elder (administrative title)

The term Elder, or its equivalent in another language, is used in several countries and organizations to indicate a position of authority. This usage is usually derived from the notion that the oldest members of any given group are the wisest, and are thus the most qualified to rule, provide counsel or serve the said group in some other capacity. They often serve as oral repositories of their culture's traditional knowledge, morals, and values.[1][2]

  1. ^ Ikuenobe, Polycarp (2018). "Oral Tradition, Epistemic Dependence, and Knowledge in African Cultures" (PDF). Synthesis Philisophica. 33 (1): 23–40. doi:10.21464/SP33102. S2CID 195540414.
  2. ^ Brill de Ramírez, Susan Berry (2015). "The Historical and Literary Role of Folklore, Storytelling, and the Oral Tradition in Native American Literatures". In Madsen, Deborah L. (ed.). The Routledge Companion to Native American Literature. doi:10.4324/9781315777344. ISBN 978-1-317-69319-2.