"Not sure what "THE" oral tradition is."

Nor I, but it's a phrase the recurs in discussions. Also "in the tradition" but that might mean something quite different.

However, I think I have gleaned two things from the discussion so far. For there to be a "tradition" there must be a more than average degree of isolation, and "oral tradition" implies original composition within the isolated community followed by continuous aural/oral transmission. Simple really, and the answers to my original questions are "no" and "no."