Importance of Elders Within a Culture & Community
Elders Experiences Build Culture:
Elders were once children. As they grew up they experienced and made things that shaped traditions and events within a culture. These traditions were passed down generation to generation slowly changing with the times but keeping core values that the elders created.
Past Generations in Present Day:
As traditions change with each generation, there can often be differences that either generation doesn't understand about the other or didn't have during their time period. For example, Our great-great-grandparents would send long heartfelt letters as opposed to how we just send abbreviated text messages. But oftentimes the differences learn from each other while continuing to build around common traditional concepts.
When Elders Go The Culture Can Go With Them:
The Elders of a culture are the main segue to the original cultural traditions. If those traditions are not passed down to future generations then often times those traditions fade away as the elders grow older and pass away. As elders die the culture could possibly die with them.