So, you want to be a family folklore keeper, but don't know where to begin? Begin with yourself. Everyone likes to talk about themselves, but sooner or later, one has to branch out. After all, no one belongs to a family of one.
Journaling
A good place to begin with yourself is with a journal. A journal is preferred to a diary, because diaries are usually more of a private nature--things that one does not particularly want made public. A journal, on the other hand, is an account of day-to-day events, experiences, ideas, matters of current interest, and personal reflections kept regularly for private use, but not of a sensitive nature. Journaling can also be a journey, in that it documents one's flight from a dark inner turmoil to a life of clarity and completeness. A journal can be of Shaker simplicity, or mirror an interest in, say, illuminated letters.
Journals can be a rich source of family folklore. The content of all journals should be respected, and permission obtained from the owner for use in any family folklore project.
One does not have to be terribly meticulous in journaling, in fact some journal writers go as far as to encourage no thought to correct spelling or grammar. I would never encourage sloppiness of this magnitude in my own journaling nor would I encourage others to be so in their writing, however, impromptu journaling is not usually done with Merriam Webster's at fingertips.
That is not to say that some degree of care should not be given to one's entries.
What to Write
Writing in a journal is somewhat like taking a journey. In a journey one travels from one place to another, makes passage from point A to point B, spans age from youth to maturity, or travels through time. In each instance he is said to be journeying. In like manner, one can enjoy journeying through journaling, without engaging in journalism.
Begin where? Wherever you want. This is your journal. Do you like poetry? Pen it. Don't be concerned with meter, unless it comes naturally. What are your thoughts on the environment? The Alaska Pipeline? Gardening? How about your pet? Family vacation spots? Dreams? Dreams often provide a writer with an abundant flow of words and ideas. Do you remember that first date? Your high school graduation? How did your husband propose to you? Why did your
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.
