what is a folklore

Folklore is the whole of oral traditions shared by a particular group of people, culture, or subculture. It includes tales, myths, legends, proverbs, poems, jokes, and other oral traditions. Folklore also encompasses customary lore, taking actions for folk beliefs, and the forms and rituals of celebrations such as Christmas, weddings, folk dances, and initiation rites. Each one of these, either singly or in combination, is considered a folklore artifact or traditional cultural expression. Folklore is not something one can typically gain from a formal school curriculum or study in the fine arts. Instead, these traditions are passed along informally from one individual to another, either through verbal instruction or demonstration. Folklore is our cultural DNA, and it includes the art, stories, knowledge, and practices of a people. It is a central, everyday part of life and how we make sense of the world today, and it is at the heart of communication about who we are. Folklore can define a populations values, beliefs, and preferred way of life with its literary themes. Folklore was passed down from earlier generations, who told the stories verbally. Each generation would then tell their children, and these stories became part of a culture's tradition.