Before our species developed the written language, knowledge was transferred orally. In many cultures, traditions were remembered by the religious leaders, but in some societies remembering the past was a chore given over to specialists. Other cultural knowledge was passed from parent to child in an effort to gain an economic advantage over those with similar skills, and to keep such practical know-how within the family. Of course, even after the written word came into usage, Oral Traditions were still commonplace, as with the West African griot or early ethnographers.