THE POLITICS OF FOLKLORE, THE POLICY OF COLLECTING IT: MAJORITY FOLKLORE ON THE ROMA IN EARLY 20TH CENTURY FINLAND
Nineteenth century Romantic nationalism viewed the nation as one entity whose members shared a common language, folklore, customs and traditions. This view of nationalism inspired the collection of folklore which served as the cultural heritage of a society. Once collected and interpreted, folklore...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Ss Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje
2018-10-01
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| Series: | EtnoAntropoZum |
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| Online Access: | https://etno.pmf.ukim.mk/index.php/eaz/article/view/385 |
| _version_ | 1797435492593041408 |
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| author | Eija Stark |
| author_facet | Eija Stark |
| author_sort | Eija Stark |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Nineteenth century Romantic nationalism viewed the nation as one entity whose members shared a common language, folklore, customs and traditions. This view of nationalism inspired the collection of folklore which served as the cultural heritage of a society. Once collected and interpreted, folklore built a grand - although often exclusive, mean and racist - narrative of the past. This article examines the social boundaries between rural peasant commoners and the Roma in Finland in the early 20th century. Using folktales from rural Finns about the Roma, this article examines how elements of everyday communication laid bare notions of social hierarchies among citizens and, simultaneously, served as political tools. Because the policy of collecting folklore only targeted majority groups of people, that is, white peasants and small landholders, their views were considered most important and more valuable. By contrast, the Roma, as outcasts from rural communities and removed from the idea of nationhood, were underrated through the narration of tales, which directed ridicule and, at times, harsh bullying at them.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:47:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ebe0938d17a64ffd9791760752a0ad01 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1409-939X 1857-968X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:47:53Z |
| publishDate | 2018-10-01 |
| publisher | Ss Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje |
| record_format | Article |
| series | EtnoAntropoZum |
| spelling | doaj.art-ebe0938d17a64ffd9791760752a0ad012023-12-01T09:51:07ZengSs Cyril and Methodius University in SkopjeEtnoAntropoZum1409-939X1857-968X2018-10-01151510.37620/EAZ16150151sTHE POLITICS OF FOLKLORE, THE POLICY OF COLLECTING IT: MAJORITY FOLKLORE ON THE ROMA IN EARLY 20TH CENTURY FINLANDEija Stark0Department of Cultures, University of Helsinki Nineteenth century Romantic nationalism viewed the nation as one entity whose members shared a common language, folklore, customs and traditions. This view of nationalism inspired the collection of folklore which served as the cultural heritage of a society. Once collected and interpreted, folklore built a grand - although often exclusive, mean and racist - narrative of the past. This article examines the social boundaries between rural peasant commoners and the Roma in Finland in the early 20th century. Using folktales from rural Finns about the Roma, this article examines how elements of everyday communication laid bare notions of social hierarchies among citizens and, simultaneously, served as political tools. Because the policy of collecting folklore only targeted majority groups of people, that is, white peasants and small landholders, their views were considered most important and more valuable. By contrast, the Roma, as outcasts from rural communities and removed from the idea of nationhood, were underrated through the narration of tales, which directed ridicule and, at times, harsh bullying at them. https://etno.pmf.ukim.mk/index.php/eaz/article/view/385folktalessocial boundariespeasant societyRomarural livelihoodsbullying |
| spellingShingle | Eija Stark THE POLITICS OF FOLKLORE, THE POLICY OF COLLECTING IT: MAJORITY FOLKLORE ON THE ROMA IN EARLY 20TH CENTURY FINLAND EtnoAntropoZum folktales social boundaries peasant society Roma rural livelihoods bullying |
| title | THE POLITICS OF FOLKLORE, THE POLICY OF COLLECTING IT: MAJORITY FOLKLORE ON THE ROMA IN EARLY 20TH CENTURY FINLAND |
| title_full | THE POLITICS OF FOLKLORE, THE POLICY OF COLLECTING IT: MAJORITY FOLKLORE ON THE ROMA IN EARLY 20TH CENTURY FINLAND |
| title_fullStr | THE POLITICS OF FOLKLORE, THE POLICY OF COLLECTING IT: MAJORITY FOLKLORE ON THE ROMA IN EARLY 20TH CENTURY FINLAND |
| title_full_unstemmed | THE POLITICS OF FOLKLORE, THE POLICY OF COLLECTING IT: MAJORITY FOLKLORE ON THE ROMA IN EARLY 20TH CENTURY FINLAND |
| title_short | THE POLITICS OF FOLKLORE, THE POLICY OF COLLECTING IT: MAJORITY FOLKLORE ON THE ROMA IN EARLY 20TH CENTURY FINLAND |
| title_sort | politics of folklore the policy of collecting it majority folklore on the roma in early 20th century finland |
| topic | folktales social boundaries peasant society Roma rural livelihoods bullying |
| url | https://etno.pmf.ukim.mk/index.php/eaz/article/view/385 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT eijastark thepoliticsoffolklorethepolicyofcollectingitmajorityfolkloreontheromainearly20thcenturyfinland AT eijastark politicsoffolklorethepolicyofcollectingitmajorityfolkloreontheromainearly20thcenturyfinland |