Continuity and Change in Traditional Folklore*

Abstract

Rumanian folklore is at present undergoing an intense process of transformation of its old and rich traditions. This is due to changes in the way of life, the conceptions and the culture of its creators. Some folklore has had to be abandoned as obsolete and some has become crystallised in fixed forms and is no longer productive. On the other hand, some old genres have acquired a new popularity and a large number of new songs and dances are enriching our folklore.The renewal of tradition is characterized by changes in the function and consequently in the very structure of the folk creations. New variants appear which acquire gradually an indpendent structure. The changes in the formation and structure not only affect isolated creations but whole categories, causing important modifications in the traditional system of the folklore genres, their interrelation and their artistic form.