Appalachian Culture

197 Pages·2007·6.78 MB·English

`
SOCONENT PESOS!!
NC 011 862
SD 182 102
Mullen*, Patrick B.: Place, Linna Funk
AUTHOR
Collecting Folklore and Folklife in Obio.
TITLE
.
Ohio State Otiv., Columbus.
INSTITUT/OW
Office of Education (DREW), Washington, D.C. Ethnic
:AKINS AGENCY
Heritage Studies Brar.ch,
?BB DATE
78
197p.; For a related document, see RC 011 863.
NOTE
MFOI1PCOS Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
*Blacky; Cultural Awareness: *Cultural Background;
DESCRIPTORS
Cultural Environment; Cultural Factors: Data
Collectitt; 'Descriptive Writing: Ethnic Groups;
Family Environment: *Folk Culture; Folklore Books;
Humor; Language Arts: *Mexican Americans; Minority.
Groups; Narration: Proverbs: Rural Population:
*Social History: Teacher Education: Teaching
Methods
Appalachian Culture: *Cultural Contributionsthnic
IDENTIFIERS
Heritage Studies Program Act: Folklcre CollectiOn;
*ohio
ABSTRACT
While many people think of folklore as part of the
folklore has a such
culture of rural, isolated, uneducated people,
be found among all
broader definition -nd can encompass all areas and
ghost
people. Folklore tradition cam include school fight songs,
and family
storiesv cialdrents games, ethnic jokes, jump rope rhymes
All of
recipes, as well as quiltitg techniques, ballads, or tales.
illustrated in this lengthy
these types of folklore are discussed and
collecting folklorl and
manual. Although designed specifically for
4
4
folklife in Oh5o, the manual would be of interest tc anyone
devoted to
interested in American folklore. The first portion is
to
folklore collection and discusses the equipment needed, ways
be collected, and
approach people, kinds of folklore that might
collection project
interview techniques. A chapter on how to set up a
t circumstances
describes field techniques, release forms, notations
analysis. Two
surrounding each interview, transcription methods and
good places to begin
chapters suggest the family and children as
_
available. Much
collection because of the rich quantity of material
already collected by both high
of the manual is devoted to folklore
collection includes chapters on the
school and college students. This
occupations, the general
folklore of teenage and college students,
African-Americans, and
population, rural and Appalachian people,
Americans and
other ethnic groups, including the Mexican
Italian-Americans. (DS)
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Reproductions supplied by MPS are the best that can be
made
fres the original document.
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.51
'Collecting Folklore and Folklife in Ohio
by.
21,
Patrick B. Mullen
and
Linna.Funk Place
Summer Institute on the Folklore and Traditions of
MexLcan-Americans, Black: and Appalachian People
Ohio State University, 1978
Ethnic Heritage Studies Program
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
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2
NOTE TO THE READER
Persons interested in Ohio folklore might want to join the
Membership dues (as of Spring, 1978) are
Ohio Folklore Society.
$4.00 a year which includes a subscription to the isartiLll of the
Annual meetings are held in the Spring at
Ohio Folklore Society.
should send their dues
Those wishing to joi/
various locations.
Folklore Society, 3567
to Hank Arbaugh, Secretary-Treasurer, Ohio
in
Medina Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43224; or contact the Society
University, Columbus,
care of the Department of English, Ohio State
Ohio, 43210.
For information on current folklore activities in the state
(festivals, school programs, etc.) write Timothy Lloyd, Director,
Traditional Arts Program, Ohio Foundation on the Arts, 630 South
Third Street, Columbuss, Ohio 43206.
produced
A long-playing record of Ohio folk music is being
by the Ohio Folklife Group, c/O Department of English, Ohio State
The record contains fiddle
University, Columbus, Ohio, 43210.
dance tunes, banjo pieces, spirituals, string band music, and un-
accompanied ballads gleaned from Library of Congress field re-
cordings made in Ohio in the 1930's and 1940's.
3
List of StUdent Collectors.
have been omitted or
Names of collectors and informants
However, we wish to give
changed to protect their anonymity.
collectOrs vhose efforts made
credit to the following student
this manual possible:
Suzie Keasey
Emily Abramowitz
Timothy Lloyd
Belinda Bailey
Barbara McNaughton
Melanie Beck
Rick.IMArrison
David Bertram
Lynell Morr
Jean Black
Kathleen Myers
Holly Boone
Tina Myers
Comilla Bowens
Cstrol Odenwalder
Dorothy Branscom
Karen O'Quin
Mike Brian
Alan Panke
Lynn Buchan
-Dudley Radcliff
Gloria Caprino
Walt Ramseyer
Joanne Captain
Denise Remy
Nancy Catalaao
Deborah Reynolds
Bill Coleman
Richard Rose
Linda Davd.s
Katherine Seiek
Abbe Feder
Nedra Stimpfle
Thomas Fraelich
Kristie Taube
Joan Gibson
Leslie Tilton
Marsha Gutgsell
John Waibel
Kristine Hatas
Ann Wangler
Beverly Hawkins
Lora Whitby
Amy Hyler
Barbara Williams
Ellen Jones
Thomas Williams
Cristina Karmas
4
COLLECTING FOLKLORE AND FOLKLIFE IN OHIO
INTRODUCTION
In the
Ohio is a state rich in many folk cultural heritages.
settled,
northern part of the state many European ethnic groups have
In
bringing their folk costumes, dances, music and lore with them.
folk
the southern part of the state there is a strong Appalachian
culture with a continuous tradition stretching back to the early
Migration
mountain settlers from England, Ireland. and Scotland.
from Kentucky and West Virginia has brought Appalachian culture in-
Migrating from the south since before
to Ohio's cities as well.
the Civil War, blacks have maintained Afro-American expressive
Folklore also
areas.
itturban
culture in the state, especially
exists among the mainstream culture. in Ohio, among occupational
and even
groups, among children, college students, the elderly,
among the educated and affluent.
The folklore students at Ohio State University are always
amazed at how much folklore they find-in their own families and
This is usually because they have a miscon-
from their friends.
Most people think of folklore as
ception about what folklore is.
something from rural, isolated, uneducated people which is dying
A folklorist has a much broader definition of it and finds
out.
Oral traditions con-
folklore in all areas and among all people.
tinue to serve important functions for people today, and as long
viable part of our
as this is true, folklore will continue to be a
0
culture.
Another misconception aboutlolklore is that it is always
Folklore can be
negative or untrue. ("Oh, that's just folklore.")
true or false and is often a combination of both.
In one sense folklore can be thought of as the traditional
Proverbs contain concepts that we accept as
wisdom of the people.
"A penny saved is a penny earned."
fundamental to our way of life.
A folk recipe passed down from mother to daughter means a great
5
The knowledge of tradi-
tradition.
Aeal within the family sense of
farmers in Ohio, and some
tional barn building was important to
Studying them can tell
traditional barns still stand in the state.
pat-
earlier way of life, suggest migration
us something about an
Folklife is positive and
heritage.
terns, and give us a sense of
delving
The study of folk cultures means
continues to be positive.
into the past and also observing the present.
studying, folklove is
Ultimately, the most important result of
Folklore reflects the values and be-
people.
an understanding of
underlying social attitudes and
liefs of our cultures; it indicates
for
This is why folklore is an important source
behavior patterns.
anthropr.dogy, sociology, and psychology.
the behavioral sciEmces:
things, about our cul-
Through our flklore, we unconsciously reveal
Children's games, for instance, reveal patterns
ture and society.
part of our overall
of aggression and comi)etition which are a
American society.
humanities---modern lan-
Folklore is also of interest to the
literature and so forth---because
guages, English, comparative
These
ballads, tales.
folklore is also literature, folk poetry,
what
beauty of their-composition and for
can be studied for the
they tell us about the creative process.
professors.
But folklore is not the property of university
The purpose
of the people.
It comes from the people and is a part
in folklore and folklife
of this manual is to stimulate interest
You do not have to have an academic
the state.
among all people in
The folklore is
background to be a good collector of folklore.
tell you something
accessible, it is all around you, and it can
across
about yourself, your neighbor, and about the man or woman
Adults can
from your own.
town whose culture differs widelk
The elderly will find it a
collect folklore in their spare time.
School children can become
Fascinating way to spend leisure time.
things they know
excited about a project which relates directly to
firsthand.
6
Since this book emphasizes folklore as a product of people,
it is organized and oriente4 toward folk groups and communities
Instead of dividing the
rather than toward the items of folklore.
took into the various genres of folklore (proverbs, riddles, songs,
crafts, cookingo`dance, etc.), it is divided into some of the groups
in Ohio who have strong traditions, but an attempt has been made to
Collect-
give examples of every genre of folklore in the process.
ing experiences will be different for each individual, but examples
of the authors' and their students' experiences are given in the
Since
hope that some basic methods and techniques will appear.
the manual is not item-oriented as much information as"possible
is given about individual tradition bearers and the culture from
The manual attempts to be.a book of Ohio folk-
which they come.
lore and folk cultures as well as a collecting guide.
7
Introduction
Selected Bibliography
Eddy, Mary O., Ballads and Son $ from Ohio, 1939.
Halpert, Florence, "BellingAn Ohio Custom," Journal of
American Folklore, 61 (1948), 211-212.
Laubenfels, Jean, Ethnic Studies Annotated Bibliography.,
Ohio Education Association, Columbus, 1971.
Laubenfels, Jean, Ohio Folklore Annotated Bibliography, Ohio
Education Association, Columbus, 1972.
Mumaw, John R., "Mennonite Folklore," Pennsylvania Folklifet
11 (1960), 38-40.
"Ohio Folklore," Midwest Folklore, 3 (1953), 5-57.
Porter,Daniel R., "Folk Humor in Ohio," Journal of the Ohio
Folklore Society, 3 (1968), 3-18.
Winkelman, Donald M., ed., Buckeyes and Buckshot, Bowling
Green, 1971.
a
8
CHAPTER I
I.
SOME ADVICE ON COLLECT/NG
It --rder to c.ollect folklore and folklife efficiently and
Before you
effectively, you must prepare yourself in advance.
basic problems.
set foot out of the house, you have to consider some
It is not ab-
First of all, what sort of equipment'will you need?
solutely essential to have a tape recorder, but it is certainly ad-
The availability of small inexpensive cassette recorders
visable.
today makes them a valuable tool in the folklorist's field equip-
They are unobtrusive and easy to operate, and cassettes-are
ment.
available at discount stores and drugstores even in remote areas.
(Superstitions,
It is possible to collect short items of folklore
proverbs, short rhymes, etc.) by writing them down exactly as
they are told, and you should carry a notebook and pencil with
(tales, legends, songstetc.)
you at all times; but for longer items
told with-
it is almost impossible to get them exactly as they are
out slowing down the natural pace of delivery.
Some unique individuals can remember everything in an inter-
certainly the
view even hours later, and a photographic memory is
ability?
ideal way of collecting; but how many of us have this
means of accurately taking down
Thus, the tape recorder is the best
Many
items of folklore, but the recorder must be used with care.
.
people freeze up at the sight of a microphone and become so con-
relate folk-
scious of being recorded that they cannot relax and
When you meet en informant for the first time, do
lore freely.
established rapport and
not attempt to record him until you have
Then be sute to ask his or her permission
a relaxed atmosphere.
all;
With some people you may not need to record at
to record.
they have
they may not have many traditional items, or the ones
In that case, there is no need
may be short enough to write down.
to take the recorder out.
n
9
Picture*
collection.
Photographs are also a valuable part of a
detailg
relating a tale reveal
of a storyteller in the middle of
facial expressions.and
of his or her style of delivpry such as
To fully
a singer or musician.
The same is
true1464
gestures.
Photographs are essen-
understand crafts and material folk culture,
indicate tradi-
For instance, pictures are the best way to
tial.
Besides taking photographs of
tional quilt patterns and colors.
show various stages in the
the finished product, you should also
If you are interested in folk
process of crafts and folk art.
construction detail as
architectures you should have close-ups of
Professional folk-
design.
well as shots which show the overall
obtain the sharpest image for
lorists prefer 35 mm. equipment to
do not wish to
possible duplication and publishing, but if you
photographic equipment, inexpensive
invest large sums of money in
Photography manuals are
field work.
cameras will suffice for your
film, lenses,
widely available for moreiinformation on earner/so
and techniques.
consideration, there
After giving the problem of equipment
of:preparation which must be done before
are still other areas
What kinds of items of
What are you looking for?
you set out.
One way to find general answers
folklore can you expect to find?
background reading before you
to these questions is to do some
We recommend that you read some
venture out into the field.
yourself with the
general textbooks on folklore to familiarize
Two re-
in America.
broad kinds of folklore in cral circulation
Brunvand's The Study of Ameri-
cent books for this purpose are Jan
Dorson's Folk-
(second edition, 1978) and Richard M.
can Folklore
1972.. Other general textbooks
lore and Folklife: An Introduction,
These
bibliography at the end of this chapter.
are listed in the
well as general
books contain examples of folklore and folklife as
approathes to the study of folklore.
advisable to read about
Besides general reading, it is also
This would
interested.
the specific area or group in which you are