What is Folklore?

What is Folklore? Image

Folklore is the study of human creativity within specific cultural and social contexts. Folklorists use ethnographic methods to study tradition. Folklorists study material culture, festivity, music, narratives, verbal art, rituals, foodways, and other expressive forms. Folklore is consistently being created and recreated in new situations. Folklorists investigate how traditions adapt to changes in technology and intersect with popular and elite cultures. Folklorists form connections with communities to assist with the preservation of cultural heritage. Folklorists consider not only how folklore creates, maintains, and expresses senses of identity but also how it communicates social difference, tensions, and resistance. Folklorists work with communities to identify traditions and support their efforts in cultural sustainability.