The Value of Folklore and Its Legacy

 

  

  National folklore is rarely part of our everyday lives, especially if we're talking about younger generations and city life, and as far as I noticed, some countries give it more importance than others. Romania, for example, tends to be one of these countries, although perhaps not many people are in touch with this part of our national culture. These days Bucharest is hosting an International Folklore Festival in Park Cismigiu, in the city center. The highest amount of participation, however, came still from Romania, featuring Turkish and Hungarian national minorities, plus foreign participation from Bulgaria, Serbia and Latvia. In spite of bad weather, I decided to take a look around and see what is going on. And that gave me some food for thought.

       

     What can we describe as folklore? Traditional music, dances, poems and legends sometimes belonging to anonymous authors, handmade objects and artefacts which are products of long and minutious work, and homemade food. They are not landmarks of modernity, but of ancient tradition, passed on from generation to generation. And the fact that during the event people still took an active interest in it, both Romanians and foreign tourists, made me believe that people do not lose touch with the past, no matter how modern their lives actually are. 

       

      And also, the part related to song and dance gave me a pleasant surprise. Numerous artistic assemblies of children and adults from all parts of the country have performed in front of the audience, and their performances were great - joy, simplicity, and a love for folklore. Now, I must admit I generally don't listen to folkloric music, and my knowledge of traditional Romanian dances is pretty basic. I've been a city girl all my life, and not even my grandparents were based in the country-side. However, leaving my own knowledge and abilities aside, I still appreciate folklore not as a consumer, although I love to buy traditional artefacts, all full of colour and different between themselves, according to the region they come from.  But my appreciation is especially for what folklore represents for people: a tradition which is still alive, even for the youngest generations, and which still keeps us in touch with our ancient culture.

    I believe folklore is something we should at least be aware of, no matter where we're from, and also if we don't perform it or consume it often. It does shape a country's national identity, and it will always be a part of who we are as a nation.

     

Sing Your Way into Europe!

  What else could we talk about today, other than the song contest we all love to hate? Indeed, every year we declare we hate it, or in the happiest of cases, that we don't understand the whys and hows of one result instead of another, and that next year we won't be watching it again. But we can't help it, next year comes, and here we are: watching Eurovision again. 
  Why do we like it, deep down? I think it is, first of all, a patriotic thing: most probably everyone would like to see their country win. And apart from that, whatever generates controversy also generates fervent debates, and that can prove itself constructive sometimes. In theory, it should be all about music - after all, it is a "song contest". But, as I recently heard some people say, it's hardly just about music. Apart from everyone's likes and dislikes related to the songs and the shows put on by each performer, the other issues always come up. Is the voting fair, or based on geopolitical affinities?  What about the views on various current affairs related to the country in question? Is it the controversial character who attracts attention and votes? 
  During the past couple of years (with a huge thanks to modern technology and social media), I was able to comment on Eurovision in real time with numerous friends and aquaintances all over Europe. And, no matter what happens, no matter what is being discussed, and what is the personal view of each person, this manifestation does bring us together. That we agree or disagree, it doesn't matter: it makes us interact. About this year's edition, some would say it was an expression of freedom and human rights, some would say it was simply the attraction of the controversial, some would say we should just listen to the song without looking at the lady.... or gentleman.... or whatever. Myself, I belong to the second and third categories. But that is just me.
  Who knows what next year will bring? But I bet that even the most disappointed of this year's viewers will be watching again. I think we want to be surprised, entertained, and participate in heated debates with our friends.