Entre mémoire(s) et identité(s) : la littérature orale traditionnelle comme élément de patrimoine identitaire et potentialités thérapeutiques

Abstract

Human development and social heritage are largely based on various practices, expressions, traditions, knowledge, and techniques transmitted by communities from generation to generation: intangible heritage (UNESCO – Intangible Cultural Heritage, n.d.). Traditional and oral literature, as well as music and dances, rituals, and games, are examples of heritage that have been part of human daily life since time immemorial, serving a function within the group, and acting as a component of identity. As an intrinsic element of the social life of its bearers, all the performative acts in which they are expressed not only maintain a close relationship with human cognition, through the storage, processing, and representation of information in the brain, but also establish an important relationship with the emotional dimension, essential to affective bonds and memorization techniques, through mnemonic processes in which semantic and episodic memory are (inter)dependent. With the increase in average life expectancy, today’s society must address challenges unparalleled in other periods of human history, requiring a reconceptualization of policies, healthcare models, and social responses aimed at older adults. In response to this reality, several studies show that involving older adults in various cognitive stimulation programs can slow their decline and improve their quality of life. Among activity programs for older adults, reminiscence therapy (RT), which uses facilitative stimuli to evoke meaningful and personalized memories associated with participants’ past experiences, has shown effective results in improving the quality of life of older adults.
Based on the mnemonic processes involved in memorizing and reciting certain types of intangible heritage, we propose to consider the importance of their more frequent use in RT sessions with AI support, considering their interrelationship with the polyconcepts of memory and identity. We will also