Folklore

Folk tale or folklore encompasses traditions common to that culture – oral traditions such as tales, proverbs, and jokes; material culture including traditional building styles and hand-made items; rituals and celebrations, folk dances, folk music, and initiation rites. Folklore is commonly classified as one of three types: material, verbal or customary lore. These categories include physical objects (material folklore), common sayings, expressions, stories and songs (verbal folklore), and beliefs and ways of doing things (customary folklore). There is also a fourth subgenre of children’s folklore and games, known as Childlore.

I was fortunate that folk tales featured in both sides of my family: Cicely Anderson and her sister Jean on my mother’s side; and William Rae, my grandfather. Tales from Galloway and Ireland by my grandmother Cicely. Tales from Ayrshire by William. Folklore passed down through the generations.

A family tale as told by Cicely: my Stewart ancestor in Ireland was returning home one evening when he encountered a Banshee. Knowing this spirit was an omen of death, when he returned home he kissed his wife and children a goodnight, and was found dead in the morning. The Rae family farmed along the coast of southern Ayrshire, and most of William’s tales were on the topics of farming superstitions, nature lore, tales of mermaids and sea monsters.

The Bard of Cumberland

I concentrate on the folklore of Cumbria and northern England, but explore some of my favourite Scottish folk tales as Land of Lore Films.