FOLKHEART PRESS HAS A NEW BLOG!

The FolkHeart Press blog has a new look!

The blog and the website have both been updated to include more folktale (folklore) related information.

To visit:
blog
website

Let us know what you think about the changes.

Happiness Folklore

What I love about folklore is the way with which it reflects society.Want to know what a particular culture thinks about something, check out its folklore. Remember: folklore is the lore of the folk, the everyday people who hold certain truths to be true.

Take for example Gretchen Rubin's recent Huffington Post blog about Happiness. The blog, 5 Tips For Happiness Reinforced By My Recent Family Vacation, is a list Rubin credits her family with creating.

This post is part a special project. Rubin is a writer working on The Happiness Project—an account of the year she spent test-driving every conceivable principle about how to be happy, from the wisdom of the ages to current scientific studies, from Aristotle to Ben Franklin to Martin Seligman. On her Happiness Project blog, she reports her daily adventures on her way to becoming happier.

The principles she references are, in fact, elements of folklore; societal interpretations about what happiness is and how it can be both achieved and experienced.

Happiness is subjective. It means something different to different cultures. So what does it mean to Rubin and the American society within which she lives?

Before we begin with Tip #1, notice here the American approach to happiness: vacation - the need to get out of the daily grind; to take a break from what is routine, etc.

So here's her first tip. What's yours?

Being on vacation reminded me of several things about happiness - the first being, remember to take a vacation! Especially given the technology these days, it's tempting to have a change of scenery and call it a vacation. But a vacation really means taking a break from work.

I was reminded of several other happiness principles, as well:

1. Fun is important to happiness. Is there such a thing as "fun for the whole family"? I think so, but I've learned that on vacation I need to make sure I make time for the things that I find fun - which in my case means reading. Sometimes I think, "Why am I just lying here, reading, on such a beautiful day? I should be going for a run/playing in the ocean/learning to play tennis." But it's a Secret of Adulthood - Just because something is fun for someone else doesn't mean it's fun for me. I love to read, and now I let myself read as much as I can get away with, given the realities of a family vacation. After all, I still do plenty of other things.
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Scholastic: Exploring Everyday Folklore

The beauty of folklore is that is created and preserved by folk, common folk. Everyday people like you and me are the makers and the keepers of these rich stories. We get to decide what's important enough to share with others or what's most poignant to recall in the course of someone's life.
Nice.
To that end Scholastic has put together a really great Teacher's Resource page for those who want to "teach" about folklore.
The site includes definitions and ideas for uncovering traditions that form the base of any aspect of folklore, including food lore and folk art.
It also discusses myths, folktales, and fairytales; breaking them down into understandable segments any teacher or parent can present to students.
So if you've got a few minutes to spare, check the site out. It's well laid out and informative!!!

Is Lubna Hussein a Folk Heroine?

A recent article in The Huffington Post notes that Lubna Hussein, a Sudanese female journalist who was arrested July 3 for wearing pants and is now standing trial, openly defied the court by wearing the very same outfit to trial that she was arrested for.

Her's is the story of a folk heroine. She is standing up against the odds for something she believes in. Her choice implies courage and integrity as well as equality for all.

Some day long after the trial is over people will be talking about what she did and why she did it.

Here, in part, is what she told Associate Press:

"This is not a case about me wearing pants," said Hussein, who works in the media department of the U.N. Mission in Sudan and contributes opinion pieces to a left-leaning Khartoum newspaper.

"This is a case about annulling the article that addresses women's dress code, under the title of indecent acts. This is my battle. This article is against the constitution and even against Islamic law itself," she said after the hearing."

The report also noted that:

"Women in the mostly Arabized and Muslim northern Sudan, particularly in the capital Khartoum, dress in traditional outfits that include a shawl over their head and shoulder. Western dress is uncommon."

I hope this folk heroine stays in the memory of fellow Sudanese women; that she and her efforts will be talked about by women everywhere as they explain freedom of dress to their children.

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True Love Cannote Be Forced

I recently read on Dawn.Com that the timeless archetypal aspects of an ancient Sindhi love story are capable of keeping the story always fresh. From generation to generation, its themes are renewed because love stories are of interest to everyone.

According to writer Asif Khan, this soulful folk tale "Popularised by the renowned Sufi poet Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai ...elucidates the essence of true love which is considered to be a crown of Sindh’s invaluable heritage."

The twist here - what makes the folk tale relevant - is that it is told in theatrical format. Specifically, it is a musical. Described by Khan as "feel good" it's ability to transcend format (going from oral tradition to dramatic presentation and still retain its beauty is a key to the folktale's inherent themes which the author also describes as "complex".

What love story isn't complex? Even so, for it to hold its shape like this speaks to its ability to represent something that is univeral; applicable to all of us regardless of our cultural origins.

This story reflects the traditions of a certain region of the world but all regions of the world experience: someone is rejected as a lover and decides to literally take physical possession of the loved one. We all know how that story line general ends. Death ensues and the love remains unrequited.

If you are interested in learning more about this particular folktale, here a few resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umar_Marvi
http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:6LSDluzUWg0J:www.mcomet.com/movie/Umer_Marvi-581552+Umer+Marvi&cd=8&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us.

Black bookstores, Hmong history & Imagination

Here's another round of folklore-related news and events happening across the country. Be sure to make room on your schedule to participate!

Book festival hosts Pulitzer Prize winner
Austin American-Statesman - Austin,TX,USA
Oliphant once owned a black bookstore on Nueces Street and helped start the
festival after her store, Folk Tales, closed in 1999.

Column: Answering "Where did the Hmong come from?"
Wausau Daily Herald - Wausau,WI,USA
For many centuries, the Hmong form of history was embedded in folktales,
myth and legend stories, funeral rituals and other religious ceremonies.

Quest for the imagination at Higgins Armory Museum
Milford Daily News - MA, USA
Higgins Curatorial Assistant Linda Woodland described the exhibit as a
family friendly "immersive installation" that "lets visitors jump around".

Charlotte's Library: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
When Minli exchanges one of her two coins for a goldfish, only to realize
that even a fish's mouth is one mouth to many for her family to feed, she
sets in motion a journey that will take her deep into the realm of her
father's stories. ... But when I decided that this was the story that I
wanted to write, I began to research and read as many Chinese folktale and
fairy tale books I could get my hands on.

Have a great Fourth of July weekend!

Obon Odori for the ancestors

Folk traditions span the globe. One of my favorite is coming up in July.
Obon Odori, which is celebrated around the world during the summer months is a
community outdoor dance that honors those who have passed, and return to earth once a year to enjoy the earthly pleasures. The dances are performed in two or more concentric circles with the dance instructors in the center. By having the instructors dance on the inside circles, everyone else can watch and follow the simple steps. Cultural dress is generally worn at this annual event. Many women and children wear kimonos and the men don their yukata and happi coats.

The uchiwa fan and round paper lanterns are the symbols of this festival as they both represent the full moon and the ‘light’ to guide those who have passed, back to the heavens after their visit.

In Sonoma County where I live the festival takes place at the Enmanji Temple in Sebastopol. Established 75 years ago, this Japanese Buddhist community combines Obon Odori with their annual community fundraiser. The result is a spectacular opportunity for temple members to welcome and greet the larger San Francisco Bay Area community.

This year marks their 55th Annual Enmanji Temple Teriyaki Barbecue and Bazaar. Held July 12, 10AM-5PM, the day's offerings include tasty bbq chicken, Taiko drum performances, Ikebani flower demonstrations and much more.

The Obon Odori segment starts July 14 with dance practices. Free to the public, the dance instructors (former professional Japanese dancers) provide instruction for three nights.

The lantern dance takes place 7-9 PM July 18.

All family activities take place on the temple grounds, at 1200 Gravenstein Hwy. South, Sebastopol.

For more information, call 707-823-2252.
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