We explain what folklore is and what its main characteristics are. Also, the types of folklore that exist and more.
What is folklore?
Folklore is the set of customs and traditions that belong to and identify a cultureIt is a flexible and broad concept that refers to the expression of cultural traditions that are transmitted from generation to generation, such as literature, art, history, myths, festivities, among others.
The word folklore It was designated by archaeologist William Thoms in 1846.to refer to what in England was called popular antiques. The term folklore comes from English folk, that means “people” and lore, that It means “knowledge.”
The term folklore refers to the knowledge of a population that is transmitted in different ways over time. Folklore is different for each nation, which is why it establishes an identity for each population.
See also: Popular culture
Features of folklore
Folklore is characterized by being:
- The set of traditional knowledge of a people.
- The identity of a nation that differentiates it from others.
- An anthropological reconstruction of culture, that is, social expressions, customs, beliefs and physical or material aspects, such as art.
- The unwritten science about diverse human cultures, passed down from generation to generation.
- A means of transmitting historical situations of a certain social group, which can be maintained for several generations, through art, literature, sculpture and music.
- Ancient, in the sense that it carries or maintains current ideas and events from the past.
- Empirical, that is, based on beliefs and experiences and not on logical or scientific arguments.
The science of folklore
Folklore as a science deals with the study of culture, based on three main concepts:
- The village. It consists of identifying the diversity of populations that make up the same nation, such as rural, peasant, indigenous people, urban, among others.
- The tradition. It consists of the ways of speaking, dressing, relating, beliefs and customs of each population that make up the same nation that, despite their differences, maintain common aspects that give it identity.
- The identity. It consists of the set of traits and customs that last from generation to generation and that allow a social group to be recognized as such, different from others. Like national songs, religious rites and festive dates.
Tradition and modernization
Folklore has the particularity of being a set of traditional customs, such as important historical events, dances, music, literature, myths and beliefs. However, With the advancement of technology and globalized life, folklore is forced to adopt new customs. that transcend fashions and become representative of the new organization of society, that is, its identity.
For example, a population that consumed certain traditional, locally produced foods decreased its production due to economic and trade changes that incorporated new food products that compete with traditional ones. As time passes, the consumption and production of traditional foods decreases in future generations.
Types of folklore
Folklore is classified into three main types:
- Material folklore. It refers to physical objects that identify a culture, such as crafts, works of art or architecture.
- Verbal folklore. It refers to sayings, expressions, songs, narrated stories or fables that are transmitted from generation to generation.
- Folklore by customs. It refers to the various habits, such as clothing, cooking, leisure activities and popular art, which are adopted because they have been practiced since ancient times, although they are not the most practical habits today.