Folk Literature Research Articles

The Discourse of Power/The Power of Discourse

The Valley of Kashmir has a rich Folklore and folk literature is an integral part of Kashmiri Culture. Folkloristics maintains that the message conveyed through folklore may appear simple but it is intertwined with complexities. This paper attempts to study the folklore of Kashmir through an analysis of Kashmiri proverbs to uncover the simple/complex message transmitted through proverbs. The endeavour is to highlight how folklore is informed by Power relations and how the conception of Power interlaces the content, milieu and purpose of folklore. Michel Foucault traces the role of discourse underlying seemingly neutral context of speech, representation and knowledge. Along with Foucault’s concept of discourse, insights from feminist theory have also been employed to expose the discourse of patriarchy, religion and authority in Kashmiri folk literature. The study investigates the power structure inherent in the proverbs of Kashmir and attempts to unravel how discourse constructs unequal power relations. The attempt is to illustrate how power abuse is enacted, reproduced and legitimized.

Éilís Ní Dhuibhne’s Little Red and Other Stories and gerotranscendence on the page

Abstract Little Red and Other Stories is a collection of short stories that taps into many different dimensions of older women’s existence, exploring characters who are often bereft or in search of a more meaningful expression of their identity. Divided by physical and non-physical frontiers, gerontological challenges persist as much as the desire to live in spite of internal and external changes. The stories are shaped by mortality and by the subjective and imaginary discourses of culture, with the issues of autonomy, agency, intimacy and well-being remaining at their core. Little Red and Other Stories provides us with a multidirectional perspective on the aging process. It offers stories that see characters move towards a greater experience of agency and relational freedom. The internal interrogations and external interpellations present in the narratives are reinforced by the author’s use of metatextuality, bearing in mind her expertise in folk literature and mythology. She deliberately places her characters in unusual circumstances in order to convince her reader that if crossing of the real/fantastic worlds is possible, it is also possible to cross, or challenge, age definitions. If transgressions are possible on the page, we, too, have the capacity to create our own life-narratives and be agentic in our older age, a time conventionally seen as stagnant, limited and dominated by decline. Indeed, older people, mostly women in Ní Dhuibhne, have an extraordinary capacity to translate their experience into wisdom and possess the necessary stamina to rewrite their stories.

Dungan Folktales and Legends transed. by Kenneth J. Yin (review)

Reviewed by: Dungan Folktales and Legends transed. by Kenneth J. Yin Rostislav Berezkin Dungan Folktales and Legends. Translated and edited by Kenneth J. Yin. New York: Peter Lang, 2021. xviii + 426 pp. Cloth $113.25. Electronic $111.60. Dungan Folktales and Legends is an anthology, translated by Kenneth J. Yin from the Russian edition of 1977. The Dungans have a very complex cultural background, as they are Chinese-speaking Muslims (speaking northwestern dialects, close to Mandarin) who originally lived in Gansu and Shaanxi provinces and fled to Russian Central Asia after the failure of the Dungan Revolt (1862–1877) against the Qing Dynasty. Recognized as a separate ethnic group of Central Asia, the exact history of the Dungan's formation in the premodern period still remains not completely clear. There are several theories of their origins (including the origins of the "Dungan" name [Donggan in Pinyin], commonly used in Russian and several other languages).1 Now the Dungans live in Kyrgyzstan, southern Kazakhstan, and the northeastern area of Uzbekistan (formerly republics of the Soviet Union). This volume is the most comprehensive anthology of Dungan folk narratives, available now in English for the first time, and features masterly translations of the most outstanding and characteristic oral narratives collected in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan in the mid-twentieth century. The original Russian collection was compiled by the famous Russian sinologist Boris L. Riftin (1932–2012) and two Dungan scholars: Makhmud A. Khasanov and Ilʹias I. Iusupov.2 Riftin started to collect Dungan tales in the 1950s, when he traveled to Kyrgyzstan and worked there at the Dungan collective farm in Milyanfan to study the language and folklore of this people, related to his interest in spoken Chinese and Chinese folk literature in general. It was not the first folkloric expedition of Russian sinologists to the Dungans. The work on collection and studies of Dungan folklore by Russian scholars started around the turn of the twentieth century, during the imperial period, as noted in the preface to this collection of tales.3 The present collection contains seventy-eight folk stories divided into three parts: (1) wonder tales and animal tales; (2) novel-type tales, folk anecdotes, and adventure stories; and (3) legends, historical tales, and narratives. The preface introduces the major special features and cultural status of the Dungan tales. The volume also has several appendixes, a glossary, an index, the original notes to the texts in the Russian translation, and translator's notes aimed at an English-reading audience. [End Page 95] In the past, folk narratives played an extremely important role in Dungan culture, as most Dungans were illiterate: They usually did not study Chinese characters, but did speak a variety of Chinese. Stories were transmitted primarily in the oral mode, though some of them had written antecedents in Chinese literature.4 While living in Central Asia, the Dungans were exposed to the rich folklore of their neighbors and that resulted in their borrowing of numerous tale motifs. The influence of the historical reality of the Russian Empire is also discernible in several tales, for example, the common mention of contemporary Russian currency. The reader of the Dungan tales will be impressed by the fascinating amalgamation of Central Asian and Muslim elements with a variety of subjects and figures derived from Chinese folklore and vernacular narratives. Peri and devs, originating in Iranian and other Middle Eastern tales, appear in these texts along with dragons, magic foxes, diviners, and immortal-magicians typical of Chinese folklore and the vernacular narrative literature of the late imperial period. Many of these subjects also are present in Chinese folklore collected in the modern period. Several subjects of the tales included in this volume were obviously derived from Chinese dramas and novels, such as "Zhon Yu Boils the Sea" (based on the drama of the thirteenth century "Young Zhang Boils the Sea" 張生煮海; Li Haogu's 李好古 version is extant) and "Snake Girl" (similar to the story of the White Snake in Feng Menglong's 馮夢龍 [1571–1646] early seventeenth-century vernacular short story "Madam White Forever Confined under Thunder Peak Pagoda" [Bai niangzi yong zhen Leifeng ta 白娘子永鎮雷峰塔]). These, of course, underwent significant transformation through oral transmission. At the same...

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE OPPRESSOR AND THE OPPRESSED IN GOROGLU EPIC

The Koroglu Epic, one of the most important epics of Turkish folk literature, recounts the epic life of Koroglu, a legendary figure whose birth date and place are unknown. A poet and folk hero who lived in Bolu and Ankara in the sixteenth century. Koroglu is recognized by all aspects of Turkish and world literature. However, the sources of factual and accurate information about him are very limited. Although this situation diminishes our opinion of him, there are plenty of research opportunities because his saga is so widely circulated. Being a folk hero, the poet lived in Bolu, Turkey. Bolo Bey, who oppressed his people, opposed his father, and with his father's death at the hands of Bolo Bey, his hatred, anger and rebellion increased. Given that he lived around the 16th century and participated in the wars during the reign of the Ottoman Sultan Murad III, the history of the epic is very old. His conflict with Bolo Bey, a gentleman who oppresses his people, is instrumental in making him a folk hero. Koroglu, who could not find the justice he was looking for and did not want to remain silent against oppression, went to the mountains and became a bandit. In this case, it could be considered a kind of cruelty. Where in fact, on the contrary, he went to the mountains and challenged the government because he did not give in to persecution. The words harsh and oppressive are of Arabic origin and are used in the same sense in Turkish. Al Qasi means the oppressor, and the oppressed means the person who is persecuted by the oppressor and condemned to live under an unjust system. When our field of study is Koroğlu, questions such as what is cruel and oppressive or how is this situation assessed? In this study, we will study the revolution of the popular poet known as Koroglu against oppression, and the relationship between oppression, the oppressed, and the oppressed, within the framework of the Koroglu Epic

Folklore of Cervantes, Ilocos Sur: Content and Folk Literature Analyses

In the Philippines, a number of studies were conducted related to folklore and its cultural significance but few explored the content analyses of unpublished folk literature. In such context, this study invested its resources into collecting, compiling, analyzing, and translating the undocumented folklores of Cervantes, Ilocos Sur, Philippines. The study identified 12 literary pieces that were retold by or adopted from culture bearers. Interestingly, content analysis employing Formalism as an approach to literary criticism revealed that these literary pieces possess literary devices that surface their organic unity. Hence, the people of Cervantes preserve their folklores amidst technological and societal advancement and change.

Chabacano Legends: A Reflection of Zamboangueño’s Faith

The primary goal of this study is to recognize, examine, and comprehend the Zamboangueños' religious beliefs as they are portrayed in the Chabacano stories of Zamboanga City. The stories of fifteen (15) written legends taken from Teresita P. Semorlan's "Chabacano Legends" and Orlando B. Cuartocruz's "Zamboanga Chabacano Folk Literature" (1990) were analyzed using historical and sociological precedent (1984). According to the study's findings, there are seven different types of religious belief held by Zamboangueños, including historical and traditional religion, unwavering faith, common or human faith, strong faith, rooted faith, active faith, and belief in miracles or apparitions. To completely capture and comprehend the meaning and interpretation of various faiths, the researcher spoke with several locals. It was determined that Zamboangueños, irrespective of their religion, have unwavering confidence in God.

TRACES OF AHI-ORDER VALUES IN NASREDDIN HODJA ANECDOTES

13-15. centuries; It was a period when political, social, and economic turmoil and social conflicts were seen intensely in Anatolia. During this period, when the power struggles continued violently, the people of Anatolia retreated into their shells in despair and began to gather around the Turkmen dervishes. At this time when literary and cultural life was impoverished under the influence of foreign cultures, it was seen that Sufi movements and oral literature tradition had increased. The people, who could not know Arabic and Persian sources or could not access a limited number of Turkish works, tried to meet the need to read and listen to the folk literature goods that continued in their language and oral tradition, and the Seljuk society, which experienced a state of social collapse with what they learned from this, embraced the anecdotes of Nasreddin Hodja, which represented an important sage type of the period as a moral hub. In his anecdotes, there are solutions to every aspect of society that is flawed/disrupted. Articles about Nasreddin Hodja’s anocdotes were selected among many text publications by considering certain criteria. Here, rather than one of both the anecdotes belong to Nasreddin Hodja or not, more emphasis is placed on whether thet are told in the tradition of Nasreddin Hodja. This article is aimed to address the basic values of the Ethic organization from selected anecdotes of the teacher. Keywords: Ahi-Order, Nasreddin Hodja, Nasreddin Hodja Anecdote, 13-15th Centuries, Oral Culture, Principles of Ahi-Order.

Yemeni Folk Literature: An Investigation of the History of Oral Poetry

The present article examines Yemeni folk heritage history and the many cultural and historical influences on Yemeni folklore and folk poetry. It explains how folk literature is passed down from one generation to the next, how it plays a significant role in transmitting the experience of the nation, and how these genres are relevant to modern life based on studies of folk literature scholars like Walter J. Ong, William John Thoms, Hardy Campbell, Michael Zwettler, and James Wynbrandt. The two most captivating types of oral poetry are Zamil and Sung Poetry. This study introduces much-needed criteria for research on a nation’s varied legacy inherited from other cultures and countries. In order to adequately describe contemporary Yemeni folk literature, it is also helpful for readers to be acquainted with the nation’s past.

THE MYTHICAL AND MYSTICAL POSITION OF NUMBERS IN 13TH–15TH CENTURY TURKIC LANGUAGE POETRY

The article examines the mythical, mystical and mysterious meanings of the numbers included in people's religious-philosophical meetings. XIII–XV centuries Turkish poets' different views on numbers with a special meaning in their work are being refined. The hidden themes touched by the artists of the word, who reflect the literary and artistic principles of the period in their works, are refined by using numbers. The article clarifies the conclusions of our elders, owners of ideas and words in relation to certain events, with examples from oral literature. In the context we will talk about, in addition to studying the place and position of numbers in rational thinking, attention is paid to the investigation of the main factors that play a role in their creation. It is a fact that the thinkers who took refuge in folk wisdom and benefited from examples of oral literature from mythical meanings in their creations were always distinguished by their works. We can definitely say that the advantage of the genius wordsmiths of world literature over others was that they relied only on folk literature, mythology, and mastered it. From this point of view, the meanings of the numbers included in the work "Jumjumanama", translated by Fariduddin Attar and made with enough additions, are also investigated in the article.

Comparative Analysis of Russian and Turkish Proverbs that Involve the Concept of “Family”

Proverbs are an ancient and known part of folk literature. Wisdom, philosophy, ethical norms, experience and aesthetic ideals of the folk is seen in the proverbs. At the current stage of the development of linguistics, comparative analysis of proverbs in different languages has become increasingly important. This article compares Russian and Turkish proverbs that involve the concept of “family”. Proverbs about family make up a significant group in both languages. Concept of “family” plays an important role in social structure and reflects the collective mind of society. The aim of this study is to compare the semantic features of Russian and Turkish proverbs and to identify their common and national characteristics. During the comparative analysis of proverbs, we aimed to identify the links between the facts of different languages that reflect the common culture of their native speakers and the specific features inherent only to a particular cultural background. The relevance of the topic lies in the fact that for the first time the proverbs in Russian and Turkish languages with the component “family” are considered in terms of comparing their semantic characteristics. In the result of the comparison of 155 proverbs (81 Russian and 74 Turkish) involving the concept of “family”, common and national features as well as similarities and differences in their meanings were revealed. The data has been analyzed and presented in four charts.

Structural Analysis of a Tale from Kathmandu

Folk tales are part and parcel of human life because they have been told and retold in every human society from the time immemorium. Though its not clear when and how they have been an intrinsic part of human life. This is a treasure and specially the treasure of language which have been bestowed by our ancestors. Since the folk tales are part of the folk literature, they have drawn the attention of the folklorists. Folklorists have studied, analyzed, interpreted and researched on the different genres of folk literature and the folk tale is one of them. They are simple narrative. They are simple, short and having unique structure which enthrall listeners and also encourage the tellers to tell them again and again nevertheless even at our age of science and technology. Nepali society is multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and diverse in nature. They have their folktales to entertain and heal the psychological burden too. The present research tries to analyze the folktales of Kathmandu/Nepal from the structural approach. The present research claims that the structures of folktales are the main cause of bringing effects on both tellers and the listeners. This research will take help of the idea/theory developed by Vladimir Propp whose Morphology of Folktale will be the methodology to analyze the structure of the folktale.

A COMPARATIVE EXAMINATION ON GENRES OF FOLK LITERATURE IN ANATOLIAN AND AZERBAIJAN FIELDS

Turkey and Azerbaijan, with their deep ties in their roots, are two states, a nation that lives together with the same history, culture, epics, heroism, losses and victories. The cultural values shared by both states are quite similar. Folk literature products, which continue as a continuation of the oral tradition in Anatolia, where the Turks have settled, are composed of genres that are jointly created by societies and that reflect their unique tastes. Folk literature genres include epic, fairy tale, folk tale, legend, folk song, mania, lullaby, lament, riddle, rhyme, idiom and proverb, applause and confusion. The mentioned species are important products that make up societies and keep them together for generations. In this study, folk literature genres in both Anatolia and Azerbaijan will be discussed, and the literary and cultural ties between the two peoples will be tried to be determined by making a comparative analysis between genres as a method. The aim of this study is to examine both prose (epic, tale, folk tale, legend) and verse types (folk song, mania, lullaby, lament, riddle, rhyme, idiom and proverb) applause and confusion) by comparing them with examples. In this context, first literary genres will be mentioned and then the features between genres will be compared.

Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Yangtze River Basin: Its Spatial Distribution Characteristics and Influencing Factors

The intangible cultural heritage in the Yangtze River Basin is rich and complete, therefore revealing its spatial distribution characteristics and influencing factors can provide a scientific basis for the diversified cultural protection and inheritance in the Yangtze River Basin and the high-quality sustainable development of the region. This study sets a total of 1250 national intangible cultural heritage from the first batch to the fifth batch in 11 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions which the main stream of the Yangtze River flows through as the research object. The results are visually expressed using ArcGIS spatial analysis technology in combination with the geographic concentration index, nearest neighbor index, kernel density analysis, geographical detector, and the like, which are as follows: (1) The Yangtze River Basin is a highly concentrated area for all categories of intangible cultural heritage in China. There is little difference in the overall distribution of intangible cultural heritage in the eastern, central, and western parts, but it differs a lot between different provincial areas. (2) The overall and different types of intangible cultural heritage in the Yangtze River Basin shows differentiated agglomeration characteristics, with the overall distribution structure of the “six cores and one belt”; from the perspective of types, intangible cultural heritages of traditional craftsmanship, traditional drama, folklore, folk literature, and traditional dance have obvious agglomeration; intangible cultural heritages of traditional medicine and traditional fine arts have little agglomeration; intangible cultural heritages of traditional sports, entertainment, and acrobatics are sparsely distributed, and have the least agglomeration. (3) Human and social factors are the primary factors that affect the spatial and temporal distribution of intangible cultural heritage in the Yangtze River Basin, followed by natural geographical factors, and the policy environment.

RHETORICAL MOVES IN TEN PAPUAN FOLKLORES: A CORPUS-BASED GENRE ANALYSIS

ABSTRACT. This paper aims to examine the basic structure that builds the narrative of ten of the folklores in Papua using the genre approach within the field of English for Specific Purposes (ESP). The study focuses on the presence of the rhetorical moves in each of the story, which is hoped to show the stories’ main communicative purposes as well as their schematic structures. The study uses descriptive-qualitative approach, which analyses the data interpretatively by applying Swales’ (1990) genre theory, the Move-Structure theory and combining it with the narrative elements from Labov’s (1972) Narrative Structure theory. The findings indicate all ten stories share similar structures in general despite being written by different authors—each of them has the moves orientation, complications, resolution, and coda. However, in the move realization, each story has different steps and/or step cycles. These findings indicate that the ten stories share the same communicative purpose: giving information about how some things come to be, and that they belong to the same genre. It is hoped that this research adds to the literature of genre analysis in the perspective of linguistics as well as enriches the analysis of folk literature in Indonesia.

“New Humanist” Confucianism: A study of Mei Guangdi of the Xueheng group

Amidst the intellectual tides of the May Fourth Movement, Mei Guangdi (梅光迪, 1890–1945) believed that a “truly modern person” was someone who could maintain their intellectual independence and Confucian flexibility under immense cultural pressure. Because of this, Mei Guangdi took the advice of his mentor Irving Babbitt and supported the study and interpretation of the modernity within core Confucian philosophies to promote the Chinese national essence and absorb new knowledge. Mei Guangdi’s theoretical framework for “New Confucianism” included “exploring Europe’s cultural roots and its reasons for growth” rather than “ridiculously abandoning two thousand years of Chinese history.” With the aid of “folk literature,” he outlined a basic framework of modern cultural transition for “New Confucianism” and a “New Confucian Culture Movement.” In terms of core principles, Mei Guangdi emphasized the “eternal value of Confucianism” while offering new modern interpretations of “ritual.” The transformation of the “New Confucianism Movement” could be seen in how the concept of “gentleman” (junzi) affected societal transformation. More concretely, it influenced how new intellectuals understood citizenship, the responsibilities and roles of scholars, and the development of Confucianism. This article examines how Mei Guangdi used a holistic approach to Confucianism to create proposals for China’s modern cultural transition.

FIRIDUN BEY KOCHERLI-LITERATURE SCIENTIST, GREAT INTELLECT AND THE TEACHER

As for the main research method, this study is based on the qualitative approach. For this purpose, the method of in-depth interviews - with Georgian active internet users – has been conducted. The respondents are doctors, journalists as well as representatives of different academic fields, who possess media literacy skills. This year marks the 160th anniversary of the birth of the well-known literary scholar, publicist-writer, critic and translator Firidun Bey Ahmed Agha Oghlu Kocherli. He left his name in memory as a creator of the history of literary literature who had exceptional services in the history of public opinion of the Azerbaijani people, the author of "Gift to Children", a collector of folk literature, and a person who had an exceptional service in the formation of a great army of teachers. F. Kocherli was born on January 26, 1863 in the city of Shusha, the cultural capital of Azerbaijan and the home of poetry. The main period of his life, literary and pedagogical activity was connected with the Transcaucasian Teachers' Seminary, founded in 1876 in the city of Gori, Georgia, known as the Gori Teachers' Seminary.

Study on the Protection and Transmission of Oral Folk Literature of Oroqen People

Oral folk literature is an indispensable part of the intangible cultural heritage of the Oroqen people. In recent years, the protection and inheritance of Oroqen folk oral literature have achieved some results, but they are still facing challenges due to the extremely small population of this ethnic group and the dying of the ethnic language. This article focuses on the intangible cultural heritage of Oroqen folk oral literature and puts forward sustainable and specific suggestions on its protection and inheritance by summarizing useful experience and analyzing practical difficulties found in previous research on national mythology, folk songs and national rap.

ROLE OF ARTS AND LITERATURE IN PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT

The present research paper is a discussion on an essential area of human life. The personality and its development with art and literature is the focal point of discussion here. Art which includes five dimensions of skill is an integral part of human life. From ancient times man could never escape his life form literature and art. Art works for the inclusion of harmony, rhythm, balance, unity, proportion, love, compassion, sympathy, fluency, compatibility in human life. These qualities lead a man towards a better version of his personality. The area in which art, particularly literature, is most easily demonstrated as an investigatory technique per se is of course that of personality study. Characterization in the master pieces of literary works portrays virtues and follies before reader. The psychological study of human personality is determined by the action of man, but the betterment of these actions can be learnt through art and literature. A writer, painter or sculptor with their artistic impression create classics and leaves the reader, spectator, or art lover to identify and absorb the best rather suitable for one. The formation of personality begins with the birth of a man. It includes songs sung by mother, folk literature in form of mythologies like ‘Ramayana’ and ‘Mahabharata’ or heroic tales of country heroes told by grandparents, folk art forms like ‘mandana’ which is a reflection of cultural perspective of traditions and the whole process seems invisible but before the beginning of any education process lays the foundation of a personality. Man is a social animal and grows in the society. Therefore, the values, believes, experiences and expressions art and literature display belong to that society and reflects the culture of it but for sure makes a man able to transform into a useful human.

Two Theoretical Frameworks of Folklore Studies and Two Selected Tales from the Collection of the Assamese Folktales Entitled Burhi Aair Sadhu: A Discursive Analysis

Within the broad spectrum of critical theories in Folklore studies, the critical tenets of Historical materialism and Psychoanalysis are of great significance. With the appropriation of Historical materialism propounded by Engels and Marx and the Freudian psychoanalytical perspectives, there emerged two novel trends in Folklore studies. Marxist folklorists argue that the folk- the creator of the folklore mostly constitutes the working class. Therefore, the body of folk literature is the symbolic representation of the class struggle itself. On the other hand, the adherents of Freudian Psychoanalysis explicate the folktales as the symbolic expression(s) of the id’s repressed forbidden wishes and desires. The present paper intends to analyze two selected tales, namely Tejimola and Panesoi, from the collection of Assamese Folktales entitled Burhi Aair Sadhu, in the light of Historical materialism and Freudian psychoanalysis, respectively. The paper examines the theme and characters of two selected tales. Further, a close reading of both tales’ symbols and metaphors would inform the conceptual underpinnings of Historical materialism and Freudian psychoanalysis. This study also analyzes the element of fantasy in the selected tales.

EPIC CULTURE IN TURKMEN LITERATURE

Turkmens; with its rich oral cultural products, strong national ties and dynamic lifestyle, it forms an important part of the Turkish cultural circle. In various sources, there is information that the epic is composed of poetry or parable genres, with the mention that it is based on the literary reworking of prose genres such as tales, legends, and narrations, and that it is written as a mixture of verse and prose in literatures based on the Turkish language. In this respect, the concept of epic is considered as an important part of the literary heritage, social memory, written and oral tradition, although it is considered within the category of “parable” in folk literature in Turkmen culture. In this tradition, under the title of “dessan”, the concept of the term is quite broad compared to other traditions and Turkish literature, since many topics related to social life are covered besides the themes of heroism, love, religion, history and music. In this study, the nature of the concept of epic, which has an important place in the literary tradition of Turkmenistan, the performers, the musical instruments used, the schools of bahshilik and the ways of epic are emphasized.