In West Bengal, India, a traditional caste community of artists, called "patuas", paint colorful scrolls to accompany songs which they sing to relate historic, current, religious, and cultural events to their audiences. These itinerant painter/singers are part of a long lineage that has passed the tradition down for generations. In this…

The Augusta Heritage Center of Davis and Elkins College (West Virginia) was established in 1973 as a community-sponsored workshop program and has continued since 1980 as a college affiliated, nonprofit organization. Rooted in local traditions, the center supports folk-related activities and sponsors in-state programs and research, primarily…

Author and illustrator of children's books Paul Brett Johnson draws on his Appalachian roots for inspiration. While growing up in Knott County, Kentucky, he was exposed to the oral tradition of Appalachian storytelling while listening to his grandfather tell fantastic tales. His use of humor, regional settings, and wise animals presented from a…

Folk culture is everyday culture. Since all students have a folk culture, a folklife unit is a good starting place for the study of personal, local, state, and national history, and by comparing similarities and differences, for the study of the folk traditions of others. The guide begins with an introduction to the field of folklife and the…