Showing posts with label #FolkloreThursday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #FolkloreThursday. Show all posts

Thursday, August 5, 2021

Parachutes and Petticoats - Exploring a peculiar NL legend with folklorist Nicole Penney #FolkloreThursday

Parachute Petticoats
By Nicole Penney

Do you know the store of the girl whose life was saved by her dress?  

As the tale goes, a young girl fell from a very high cliff but was not injured. She couldn’t remember anything about the fall, but it was generally accepted that the wind was so high that it gathered under her dress and parachuted her safely to the beach… some 200 feet below! 

The Baroness Bomburst floating back to earth in the 1968 film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang




In the version relayed to me, the girl is named Janis aka Jane/Janay Phillips and the event took place around 1935 in Bonavista, between Spillar’s Cove and Cable John Cove.  

Upon researching the details of this account, I discovered many more examples of life-saving dresses. As it turns out, the “parachute petticoat” is a well-used media trope. In Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, Alice’s dress puffs out, allowing her to drift, unharmed, down the rabbit-hole. There’s also the Baroness Bomburst floating back to earth with the help of her petticoat in another Disney film, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The so-called parachute petticoat has been utilized over and over in TV and movies, especially cartoons. 

Interestingly, it seems the trope may stem from reality. There are numerous historical accounts of dresses, particularly hoop dresses, saving lives. According to The News and Observer, a Raleigh, North Carolina newspaper, a woman by the name of Mrs. Louisa Biggs Station Yates was travelling on the Mississippi River when the steamer caught fire. Mrs. Yates jumped into the water and was saved by her hoop skirt, “which was fashionable in those days.” 

The book Bridging Saint John Harbour by Harold E. Wright includes a story from Saint John, New Brunswick about a Victorian woman who threw herself in the dark waters of the Reversing Falls, a series of rapids in the Saint John River. She was saved from certain doom when her “her hoop skirt acting as a parachute.” 

The following event occurred in Munfordville, Kentucky and was compiled by Edith Bastin as part of the Polston/Poston Family Index. According to Bastin, Nancy Josephine 'Josie' Harrod Edwards aka Granny Edwards, often told her grand-daughter about the adventurous stories of her life. In one such story, Granny Edwards and Grandpap Edwards were walking to Munfordville from their Rowletts home and as they walked across the Green River via the railroad trestle at Munfordville, they heard a train coming. Grandpap climbed over the edge and held tight to the railroad cross-ties for the train to pass. While Granny was holding the cross-ties, the train was rumbling overhead and she lost her grip. As she fell to the ground, her big hoop skirt ballooned out and let her down easy. The hoop skirt again acted as a parachute!
 
There’s also Mary Kingsley, an English ethnographer, scientific writer, and explorer whose travels throughout West Africa and criticism of missionaries helped shape European perceptions of African cultures and British imperialism.  On more than one occasion she fell into a game trap, a deep pit dug by hunters to catch unwary animals, and found that her skirts saved her legs by snagging on the sharp spikes of ebony. Not quite a parachute petticoat, but a life-saving dress nonetheless.  

The account of Ms. Janis Philips, isn’t even the only parachute petticoat story found in Newfoundland and Labrador.  A letter from Franklin Arbuckle dated May 29, 1945, published In the St. John’s Telegraph, recounts the story of “Lover’s Leap”, a cliff located between Ship Cove and Blow Me Down.  

According to residents, in 1864 a young couple, Charles Dawe and Brigitte (Biddy) Warford, were leaning on a wooden rail on the eastern gulch in Daniels Hole as they had their goodnight kiss. Suddenly, the rail gave way and the two fell more than 60 feet to the beach below. Brigitte survived with light injuries, but Charles was seriously injured. 


According to local residents, the area known as Lovers Leap, near Patrick’s Pier, in the community of Blow Me Down on the Port de Grave Peninsula, was the inspiration behind Frank Arbuckle’s painting, “True Lovers Leap, Newfoundland,”



Gerald W. Andrews states in “Heritage of a Newfoundland Outport: The story of Port de Grave, 

“It was surmised that both were saved from instant death by the fact that Biddy was wearing a hoop skirt which acted as a parachute to slow their descent, and it hooked in to a ledge before their final impact.” 

Brigitte carried her love to safety, Charles recovered and they went on to marry. It was later discovered that the rail had been sawed.  Apparently Brigitte’s family disapproved of the relationship and her brother, Azariah, came under suspicion. However, it would never be proven. 

Alice falling down the rabbit hole in Disney’s Alice in Wonderland (1951)


If you’re questioning the veracity of these stories, you’re not alone. I mean, the stories sounds plausible enough but can a dress really save a life or is this the stuff of legend? To answer that, we need to look at what exactly a legend is. 

According to folklorist Elliott Oring, “legends are considered narratives which focus on a single episode, an episode which is presented as miraculous, uncanny, bizarre or something embarrassing.” Our parachute petticoats definitely have the miraculous, uncanny and bizarre going for them. Also, legends are set in an historical time and often makes reference to real people and places. Life-saving dresses cover this aspect of legend as well. Moreover, the structure of a legend by its very nature makes the question of its “truth” subjective. Legends often depict the improbable within the world of the possible and force us to negotiate the truth of these episodes. The dress stories leave us to ponder not only the limitations of gravity but also petticoat aerodynamics. 

Sadly, it seems our parachute petticoats might be too good to be true. Upon closer examination, the stories are likely an example of migratory legend. That’s not to say a dress couldn’t save a life, but these tales have all the hallmarks of a legend. But as far a legend goes, the truth of the story isn’t really that important anyway. Legends are told because they are interesting, entertaining and amazing stories that require the audience to examine their worldview. Legends are valuable folk narrative because they not only entertainment us, but require us to question our sense of the normal, the boundaries of nature, and conceptions of fate, destiny and coincidence. 

But there’s so many newspaper accounts of this actually happening. How could the parachute petticoat be a legend if the story was documented in the media? This is actually another characteristic of legend. Many urban legends have been reported on in the media as though they were true. Take for example the century-old legend of the alligators that supposedly infest the sewers of New York City. 

Having made the news repeatedly over the years, it was first reported in a 1907 article that described a worker in Kearny, a New Jersey town about 12 miles from Midtown Manhattan, who was bitten by a small gator while he cleaned out a sewer. The media often legitimises a legend by reporting on it and by doing so, helps transmit it. 





It’s said that journalists came from St. John’s to interview the Jane Phillips and her mother for the papers. I suspect this story is a local legend but would love to find evidence that it actually occurred. If you’ve heard this story before, please feel free to reach out! 

Nicole R. Penney 
Archival Assistant 
Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA) 


Thursday, September 5, 2019

Living Heritage Podcast Ep156 Fairies, fetches, and blasts


Have you always wanted to know what a fairy blast is? Do you head to the woods with bread in your pockets? Listen to this podcast to learn more about fairy traditions in Newfoundland. Dale and Terra listen to audio clips of local fairy stories, and discuss the beliefs surrounding the fairies in Newfoundland. Tune in to hear about personal fairy accounts, stories of those who were fairy led, and learn how you can avoid fairies in the woods. If you have a fairy story let us know at livingheritagepodcast@gmail.com





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The Living Heritage Podcast is about people who are engaged in the heritage and culture sector, from museum professionals and archivists, to tradition bearers and craftspeople - all those who keep history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HeritageNL and CHMR Radio. Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

Thursday, January 24, 2019

Living Heritage Podcast Ep143 Roadside memorials, anniversaries and conferences with Holly Everett. #FolkloreThursday

Terra Barrett and Holly Everett.
In this episode, Holly Everett discusses her research on roadside memorials, grave markers, memorial assemblages, and culinary tourism as well as the 50th anniversary of Memorial University's Department of Folklore, and the upcoming Folklore Studies Association of Canada conference. Dr. Holly Everett is an Associate Professor in the Department of Folklore at Memorial University, cross-listed with the School of Music’s Ethnomusicology program. She is the author of Roadside Crosses in Contemporary Memorial Culture (2002), as well as articles in Contemporary Legend, Cuizine, Ethnologies, Folklore, the Folklore Historian, the Journal of American Folklore, MusiCultures, and Popular Music and Society. Holly is also the current Head of the Department of Folklore at Memorial and the President of the Folklore Studies Association of Canada.

Download MP3


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The Living Heritage Podcast is about people who are engaged in the heritage and culture sector, from museum professionals and archivists, to tradition bearers and craftspeople - all those who keep history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HFNL and CHMR Radio. Past episodes are hosted on Libsyn, and you can subscribe via iTunes, or Stitcher. Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

Thursday, January 3, 2019

Living Heritage Podcast Ep142 Fairy Door Tours


In this episode, Tina White and her daughter Samantha Gaulton talk about their St. John's-based business, Fairy Door Tours, the importance of getting outside, and mischievous Newfoundland fairies. Tina is a graphic designer and digital media specialist by day. Struck by a creative spark three years ago, and a desire to share and spread her love of nature to others – Fairy Door Tours was born. She believes the idea was gifted to her by the Fairies, to help connect children and families to nature, and breath life into our fading belief in Fairies. Tina recently trained with the Association of Forest & Nature Therapy Guides & Programs – and will soon be offering guided Forest Bathing Walks as well. Samantha has a background in Marketing & Multimedia. She is a lead guide for Fairy Door Tours and special events, such as wand making, enchanted tea parties, private group tours and birthday parties. You can learn more about Fairy Door Tours on their website, or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Download MP3


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The Living Heritage Podcast is about people who are engaged in the heritage and culture sector, from museum professionals and archivists, to tradition bearers and craftspeople - all those who keep history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HFNL and CHMR Radio. Past episodes are hosted on Libsyn, and you can subscribe via iTunes, or Stitcher. Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

Thursday, December 27, 2018

Living Heritage Podcast Ep141 Cemeteries with Denise Mahoney

Denise Mahoney, City of Mississauga.
Photo by Jason Spencer.
Photo courtesy of: https://www.mississauga.com/photogallery/6311476/
Denise Mahoney is the Manager, Cemeteries & Operational Services, and Program Manager, Cemetery Legislation and Compliance for the City of Mississauga, Ontario. She has over 20 years experience managing municipal cemeteries, and the promotion of heritage resources connected to cemeteries and cenotaphs. In this episode, Denise discusses her family’s connection to Fishot Island, her interest in cemeteries, her position as a heritage coordinator and a cemetery manager with the City of Mississauga, cemetery records and mapping, and the preservation and education of cemeteries.

Download MP3

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The Living Heritage Podcast is about people who are engaged in the heritage and culture sector, from museum professionals and archivists, to tradition bearers and craftspeople - all those who keep history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HFNL and CHMR Radio. Past episodes are hosted on Libsyn, and you can subscribe via iTunes, or Stitcher. Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Living Heritage Podcast Ep140 Community Engagement in Canada’s History with Joanna Dawson

Joanna Dawson, Canada's National History Society.
Photo courtesy of: https://www.canadashistory.ca/about-us/staff-listing


Joanna Dawson is the Community Engagement Coordinator with Canada’s History, the official magazine of Canada's National History Society. It is published six times a year and aims to foster greater popular interest in Canadian history, illuminating the people, places, and events that unite us as Canadians. A Newfoundlander/Winnipegger, Joanna joined Canada’s History in 2011 after obtaining her MA in Public History from Western University. In this episode, Joanna discusses her interest and degree in public history, her work with Canada’s National History Society including the Governor General History Awards, Historical Thinking Summer Institute, and Heritage Fairs. You can check out Canada’s History’s website for more information.

Download MP3


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The Living Heritage Podcast is about people who are engaged in the heritage and culture sector, from museum professionals and archivists, to tradition bearers and craftspeople - all those who keep history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HFNL and CHMR Radio. Past episodes are hosted on Libsyn, and you can subscribe via iTunes, or Stitcher. Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

Thursday, November 15, 2018

Living Heritage Podcast Ep135 When Folklore Meets Pop Culture




What do Superman, Santa Claus, and Krampus all have in common? They're some of the research interests of Dr. Daniel Peretti, a new faculty member with Memorial University’s Folklore Department. Dr. Peretti grew up in Algonac, Michigan and studied film at Grand Valley State University in Michigan. He went to Indiana University to study Folklore and began studying holiday celebrations and history. He moved onto researching mythology and and narrative, and focused his dissertation on Greek mythology in the United States, which included a lot of popular culture. In this episode, Dr. Peretti talks about his book, Superman in Myth and Folklore, and his newest project on the history and folklore of Santa Claus.


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The Living Heritage Podcast is about people who are engaged in the heritage and culture sector, from museum professionals and archivists, to tradition bearers and craftspeople - all those who keep history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HFNL and CHMR Radio. Past episodes are hosted on Libsyn, and you can subscribe via iTunes, or Stitcher. Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Living Heritage Podcast Ep134 Maritime History Archive



Heather Wareham began working as an archivist at the Maritime History Archive in 1977, and has served as the director for many years. Her research interest is Newfoundland Maritime History, especially marine disasters, women in the fishery, and resettled communities. Heather is also a founding member of the Association of Newfoundland and Labrador Archives. In 2013 she received the President’s Award for Exemplary Service. In this episode, Heather talks about the Archive's Digital Exhibits, stories of women in the fishery, and current research projects being done at the Archive.

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The Living Heritage Podcast is about people who are engaged in the heritage and culture sector, from museum professionals and archivists, to tradition bearers and craftspeople - all those who keep history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HFNL and CHMR Radio. Past episodes are hosted on Libsyn, and you can subscribe via iTunes, or Stitcher. Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

Thursday, July 27, 2017

#Folklorethursday Great Balls of Fire and the Goats of New Perlican


I recently scanned a booklet titled "Ghost Stories and Legends" that was produced by the Lower Trinity South Development Association. Because of our recent work on The Goats of New Perlican the following story peaked our interest:

Great Balls of Fire 

One evening as Mr. Ryan was returning home from New Perlican with a sac of flour for his mother, he stopped on Spicer's Lungers between Turk's Cove and New Perlican to allow his goats to take a drink. Out of the corner of their eye the goats noticed a small light, almost like a ball of fire, approach from out of nowhere. Leo soon realized what had caused the goats to become restless. He saw this light as it came closer and got smaller when it neared him. The fire ball crossed the road and suddenly disappeared out of sight. The two goats began to run and when they reached home they were shivering with fear. It has been said that this ball of fire is a spirit who watches over the people of the community. It is not known whether the spirit is good or bad. 

~Kelly

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Barbary Pirates, Sallee Rovers, and the Legend of Turk's Gut. #FolkloreThursday



The community of Marysvale, Conception Bay, was originally known as Turk's Gut. The exact origin of the name is lost in the mists of time. But many legends have sprung up over the centuries to account for it, and most of them agree on the name being linked to the seventeenth-century history of piracy in the waters of Conception Bay. One of the earliest and shortest accounts comes to us from the Most Rev. Michael Francis Howley, in his “Newfoundland Name-Lore” column in the Newfoundland Quarterly, March, 1907. He writes,

Near Brigus we have Turk's Gut. In explaining the name of St. Barbes, I mentioned that in early days our seas were infested by pirates from Barbary. These terrible corsairs, who did much damage around our coasts, were called by the old English settlers by the generic name of Turks, and the names above mentioned record the memory of some adventure, or landing by them in these harbours.

By 1949, the legend had expanded slightly. In that year’s Christmas Annual, writer LEF English noted,

The Sallee Rovers... were supposed to have their lairs on the Barbary Coast in Africa. The vessels were partly manned by Turks, but many renegade French and English took service with these organized robbers. Some of their ships operated in Newfoundland waters as shown by the records. We see then that pirates actually did visit Newfoundland and that the possibility of treasure trove on lonely headlands or in sheltered bays is after all not so remote. There still exist some relics of those old sea rovers, for instance the name Turk's Gut near Brigus recalls a legend that the Sallee raiders once had there a quiet rendezvous. Spanish doubloons and pieces of eight still hold a fascination, and there is no doubt that he who goes treasure hunting in Newfoundland will find at least enough hair raising stories to reward his efforts, and maybe, maybe, will uncover the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Writer and publisher PJ Wakeham expanded the story for inclusion in his New Land Magazine in 1962, and again in 1968. Wakeham spins a bloodthirsty yarn, likely based more on his own imagination than on historical fact. In his version the pirate not only gains a name, Isstovatison, but also gains a captive, Madame LaBlonc, the wife of a French naval officer. Isstovatison’s ship is wrecked, a treasure is recovered and buried, and the ship’s cannons are used to fortify the pirate’s lair. All is well till Admiral LaBlonc sails to Newfoundland to save his wife from the Turk’s clutches:

Realizing that his end was at hand, the infuriated pirate turned and thrust a heavy cutlass into the breast of Madame LaBlonc, and putting a loaded pistol to his own head, he blew his brains out before he could be restrained. When Admiral LaBlonc entered the pirate’s hide-out, he found his wife badly wounded and beside her body lay the crumpled body of the Pirate of Turk’s Gut. Despite the best of medical care, Madame LaBlonc died that afternoon onboard her husband’s ship just as the shadows of night were closing in over Conception Bay.

Do you know a different version of the legend of Turk's Gut? I'd love to hear from you if you do! Email me at ich@heritagefoundation.ca or comment below!

- Dale Jarvis

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Living Heritage Podcast Ep065 On the Trail of the Wild Men


Emily Hope is an artist, researcher, and founder of the Wild Man Appreciation Society, a civil society and personal museum dedicated to the promotion and preservation of tales of the Wild Man. Emily was born and raised in Aurora, Ontario, and college-educated at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Columbia, where she earned a BFA in 2012. Emily lives in Kamloops with her husband, Cory, and their daughter, Molly. During the week you can find her at the Kamloops Art Gallery where she works as the Education and Public Programs Director.

We chat about about the origins of the Wild Man Appreciation Society, Emily’s work as an artist and collector, the origins of the Wild Man archetype and pre-Lenten masking traditions, Black Peter, Santa, the interplay between pagan faiths and Christianity, her research on traditions in Romania and wild man parade and house-visiting traditions there, gender roles and cross-dressing in masking customs, photography and curating exhibits on Wild Men, and her visit to Newfoundland to better understand mummering traditions, and similarities between the festivities in Romania and Newfoundland traditions.

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Living Heritage Podcast Ep057 The Wren Boys of Dingle



Aoife Granville is from Dingle, Co. Kerry (Ireland). A flute player, fiddler and traditional singer, she completed a PhD thesis in 2012 entitled at University College Cork entitled "We never died a winter yet" The Sráid Eoin Wrenboys of Dingle: Music, Community and Identity. Aoife has held lectureship posts in Music at UCC and Newcastle University (UK) and is currently working at the Folklore department at UCC. She has released two solo albums to date and is working on an Arts Council of Ireland funded project on traditional songs of The Schools Collection (Irish Folklore Commission) at present.

In this podcast, we talk about Dingle, growing up within a musical tradition, fife and drum groups, calendar customs, the routes taken by wren groups on St. Stephen’s day, parades, disguises, traditional tunes, straw hats, and the evolution of wren traditions in Ireland and Newfoundland!

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Call for Memories - Salvation Army in Elliston


Salvation Army Citadel, Elliston, 1960.  Source: Community Memories Virtual Museum, Subsistence of Early Outport Newfoundlanders, Tourism Elliston Inc. album, 203.
Do you have memories about the Salvation Army in Elliston, NL? The Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador (HFNL) is looking for stories, photos, and memories and wants to talk to you.

Collected stories will be made available through Memorial University’s Digital Archives Initiative, which is a free, public website where the HFNL stores the photos, videos, and interviews it collects. Researchers are currently looking to talk to locals about their memories of the Salvation Army in Elliston, NL. We are also interested in any photographs of Salvation Army events such as weddings, and citadel suppers.

The Salvation Army began in London England in 1865, and arrived in Elliston in 1887 with the first officer assigned in 1894. We are looking for anyone connected to Elliston’s Salvation Army’s citadel including soldiers, officers, captains, and majors who may have served in the area. From recollections of the church’s social events such as weddings, garden parties, and citadel suppers to regular services, if you have been involved with the Salvation Army in Elliston we would love to hear from you.

The oral history project is part of HFNL’s ongoing Intangible Cultural Heritage program. The program works to safeguard the living heritage of the province for present and future generations everywhere, as a vital part of the identities of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, and as a valuable collection of unique knowledge and customs.

If you would like more information, are interested in being interviewed for the project, or have photos of citadel events please contact Historic Places Researcher Terra Barrett at (709)739-1892 ext. 5 or terra@heritagefoundation.ca.
Salvation Army Captain standing on Lodge Hill, Elliston, 1940.  Source: Community Memories Virtual Museum, Subsistence of Early Outport Newfoundlanders, Tourism Elliston Inc. album, 28.
~Terra Barrett

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Sources for diverse Canadian folklore and folktales, for #FolkloreThursday.



There was a request on Twitter this morning for some diverse resources on Canadian folktales and folklore. It's a bit of a tall order, given the incredible diversity of ethnocultural communities in Canada, but here goes.

A good place to start, for children's literature anyway, is the Aboriginal authors & illustrators page curated by the University of Saskatchewan library.  And if you are in Toronto, check out the AMAZING Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books.

In terms of printed book collections, a couple of my favourites sources to check out would be (in no particular order):
If you like audio collections, check out the StorySave project by Storytellers of Canada - Conteurs du Canada, a very important project working to preserve the voices of storytelling elders from a wide variety of Canadian communities, everything from Chinese stories and stories in Irish, to tales from the Omushkigo and Kainai people.

Heritage NL undertook a project called "Tales from Afar: Old Stories from New Residents" which you can download for free!

And, because I love Newfoundland folklore so much, every folklorist/storyteller/book lover needs to own Peg Bearskin, printed by the fabulous Running The Goat Books and Broadsides. Tell Marnie I sent you!

This list is pretty Atlantic coast heavy, and I'm sure there a lot more resources out there specific to Francophone and Indigenous communities. Comments and suggestions welcome!

And if you are in the mood to listen to a Canadian folktale, sit back with a cup of tea and let my favourite storyteller Alice Lannon tell you the story of Open, Open, Green House

- Dale Jarvis

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Living Heritage Podcast Ep006 Public Folklore with Jillian Gould



Jillian Gould is an assistant professor in the Department of Folklore at Memorial University. In the public sector she was a museum educator in New York City, and has worked with museums and archives in Toronto, Ottawa, and St. John's. On this episode, Dale Jarvis talks with Jillian about egg rolls and egg creams, fish and chips, public programming and festivals, and the public folklore program at Memorial University.


Thursday, June 18, 2015

Introducing a new folklore hashtag: #FolkloreThursday



The Twitterati/Blogatrixes @WillowCWinsham and @DeeDeeChainey have started up a new hashtag for those of us that love folklore and mythology: #FolkloreThursday, and an attendant Twitter account, appropriately enough, named @FolkloreThurs. As Willow notes on her blog:
During the last year of writing here at The Witch, the Weird, and The Wonderful, I've noticed two things. One is the never-ending supply of fascinating tales and intriguing images out there to share. The other is how many fabulous like-minded folks there are about, with fabulous blog posts and tales just waiting to be shared.
So, if you have something appropriately fabulous and folkloristic to share on social media, tag it with #FolkloreThursday each week, and join in the conversation.

- Dale Jarvis