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WHAT IS FAMILY FOLKLORE?
In 1846, the word "folklore" was coined. Since then, it has come to mean many different things to many different people. Folklore can be described as a huge bubbling cauldron filled with many colored bubbles spanning topics from A to Z. Let's lift out the bubble of Family Folklore and explore its contents. During the course of these articles, you will be given the tools to help enhance your ability to be a family folklore keeper.
What is family folklore? Simply put, family folklore is anything that has to do with a family. It is concerned with the day to day living of a family. Furthermore, since most aspects of family folklore have some tenets of genealogy, each can be drawn upon to stimulate the other. Family folklore covers, but is not limited to, Dad's childhood journal of personal stories, Aunt Addie's quilts, Uncle John's marvelous carpentry work, mom's coveted recipes, Great-aunt Sallie's heirloom jewelry, and Cousin Josephine's family scrapbook and photo album.
Have mom's recipes been written down? No one likes to think of the death of a loved one, but death is not a respecter of persons or their recipes. Recipes need to be written down. Remember, recipes can be passed from generation to generation just like any family item. Old recipes often have marvelous tales attached to them, and can even be bound into a charming family cookbook. The Thirteen Colonies Cookbook, for example, has a collection of colonial family recipes, each with a delightful tale.
Great-aunt Sallie's heirloom jewelry should be documented with their stories attached to each piece. Perhaps one item was a gift from a Hungarian Gypsy Queen to Sallie's grandmother, for saving her life during World War II. These are important family stories. Death takes stories with it.
All families have stories, tall tales, favorite expressions and idioms unique to them. Some of these stories are passed down by word of mouth, others crudely written, while others may have been published. What story could be more important and cherished by children than how their parents met. And, everyone has a wedding story, no matter how simple. Family skeletons? If one digs deep enough, he will find one. Some family member should be responsible for gathering and preserving these wonderful tales.
How about Dad's journal? It may be filled to the brim with his childhood adventures, tall tales, personal ghost stories from his Boy Scout camping days, and true stories about various family members.
All families have traditions peculiar to them. They celebrate holidays in a particular way, and they have certain naming practices of infants. Families of Irish and Scottish descent are often very strict in naming their first-born boy and girl. A rule is a rule and it must be followed. One does not have to be a published author to document special family traditions and practices. If not documented they are often lost to that old enemy--time.
Some families adhere to specific burial practices. They may maintain a family burial ground or cemetery plot. Perhaps all family members are interred in a mausoleum. Burial traditions differ according to one's culture. As new generations appear, old burial creeds are likely to disappear if not documented by a family member. It is not difficult for an old family cemetery to be lost to new generations if its location is not preserved in writing.
Being involved in preserving one's family folklore is a fun and rewarding experience. Many interesting examples of family folklore can be found on the Internet.
Thanks to the success of Foxfire, individuals and families have become more aware of the importance of documenting the many areas of life within a family, a community and a culture.
Well, this sounds good, and I am really interested in documenting the folklore of my family. How do I get started?
Next week, Part II will explore how to begin with journaling.
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