The Folkloristic Dimension of Political Events

Abstract

The author precedes the presentation of connections between folklore and contemporary events of political character with a precise definition of the term “folklore”. Accepting the conception of Ludwik Stomma, she takes folklore to be a culture of isolation of consciousness that is a part of socially and historically varied cultures. The folkloric message as a traditional form of creation is, on the other hand, an effect of the creative activity of the participants and audience of the given event, making use of both direct and electronic means of transferring messages. As the first example, the author presents the ways of folkloric activity serving to tame the trauma resulting from a catastrophe (flooding) or a terrorist attack. Then, she draws attention to the folkloric context of contemporary demonstrations and strike actions conducted in the public space, which – due to their varied performance – take on the character of a “carnival of resistance” or showcase a bottom-up protest against decisions taken by the government and Parliament. This leads to the formation of not only a commonwealth of emotions, but also a community of information which can exert a significant influence on shaping society’s opinions.