Is fantasy just the next step of folklore? Folklore is often a core element of fantasy fiction. Rebecca Heidt, an LGBTQ+ writer of the fantasy fiction "Acceptance" series, talks to us about how she uses folklore in her writing, as well as anthropology, history, spirituality and nature. In episode 48, Rebecca chats with us about her award-winning series, and her research into world mythologies. We discuss various mythological elements like nymphs and fairies from Greek, Roman, and Norse beliefs. We explore the symbolism of elements such as the tree of life in different cultures and unique celebrations, such as Midsummer Day. This is the episode where fantasy and folklore collides. Don't miss it!

Find Rebecca here: https://www.rebeccaheidt.com/

Notes:

• 📚 Rebecca's Writing Journey
• She shared her writing process and inspiration for the series.
• How she incorporated folklore into her writings.
• 🌍 Exploring Folklore and Mythologies
• Rebecca highlighted the cultural and historical connections in her stories.
• Discussed how different cultures share similarities in their folklore.
• 🔍 Research Process
• Rebecca emphasized thorough research, including using a Swedish community for clarification.
• Mentioned delving into interesting rabbit holes during the research process.
• 🌺 Flora and Spring Symbolism
• Flora's role in charge of spring and the significance of flowers.
• Rebecca shared her passion for incorporating flora symbolism into her work.
• 📖 Acceptance Series and Folklore
• Explained that the series focuses on emotional and mental growth.
• Linked the series to unlocking personal growth through overcoming dissociation.
• 🌳 Tree of Life Symbolism
• Explored the presence of the Tree of Life in different cultures.
• Significance and symbolism of the Tree of Life worldwide.
• 🎬 Upcoming Projects
• Rebecca mentioned working on the next book, "Secrets of the Warrior."
• Script completion and preparations for filming in progress.

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Did you know there are over 400,000 Quinceañera's celebrated annually in the United States alone? In episode 47, Rachel V. González-Martin joins us to shed light on the evolution of Quinceañera over time and their connections to modern Latinx cultural values. Dr. Rachel Valentina González-Martin is an assistant professor of Mexican American and Latina/o studies at the University of Texas at Austin. She is the coeditor of Race and Cultural Practice in Popular Culture and Author of Quinceañera Style: Social Belonging and Latinx Consumer Identities. We chat about the societal impacts of Quinceañeras, with a focus on community building, family dynamics, and youth empowerment among Latina girls in the US. We also explore the historical origins of Quinceañeras and how it is a blend of European court customs with indigenous roots and modern influences like social media. This is a fascinating conversation that you do not want to miss!

Buy her book here:
Quinceañera Style: Social Belonging and Latinx Consumer Identities

Timestamps: 

• 03:08: Sharing personal experiences at a Quinceañera celebration.
• 04:55: Personal stories of Quinceañera experiences.
• 10:34: Marketing and dress transformation in Quinceañera celebrations.
• 13:38: Customization of Quinceañera events.
• 22:48: Contrasting planning needs across different generations and traditions.
• 23:40: Evolution of Quinceañera practices and cultural significance.
• 32:36: Significance of visual narratives and cultural transformations.
• 39:20: Creating a legacy through Quinceañera rituals for future generations.
• 49:30: Exploring historical arcs and personal stories in Quinceañera rituals.
• 59:29 Quinceañera and the church
• 01:05:01 The Church is in competition with popular culture
• 01:05:49 Male version of a Quinceañera

• •Focus on consumerism in Quinceanera celebration
• Impact of normalizing luxury in society
• 👗 **Traditional Quinceanera Dresses**
• Significance of dress customization
• Marketing strategies for quinceanera events
• Cultural symbolism of quinceanera attire
• 💬 **Communication and Storytelling**
• Sharing personal stories to connect with others
• Role of dress as a symbol in storytelling
• Importance of expressing personal preferences
• 🎉 **Celebration Planning**
• Community involvement in event planning
• Social curation of quinceanera events
• Emphasis on customization and individual preferences
• 🎂 **Symbolism of Cake in Folklore**
• Cake as a communication tool in cultural ceremonies
• Understanding the role of food in traditional events
• 📝 **Overall Message of the Book**
• Encouraging individuals to express their preferences
• Empowering girls to communicate their needs and desires

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Have you heard of the Aztec Legend of Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl? At the heart of this Mexican Legend from Aztec Mythology are two volcanoes overlooking Mexico City.  A legend sometimes referred to as the Romeo and Juliet of Central America, this legend tells of a princess and a warrior whose love burns bright, but because of unfortunate circumstances, die of grief and are turned into the beautiful snow capped mountains looming large over the city. In Fairy Tale Flip episode 5, Donna Lee Fields of Doorways to Learning and Vanessa Y Rogers of Fabric of Folklore dive into the history of the Aztecs, the legend, the language, spirituality, connection to nature and the different versions to understand the story's hidden meanings. Don't miss this one!

All Three options given for the month:
The Girl Who Trod on a Loaf: https://youtu.be/YPnH9cPK0eE

The Wild Swans: https://youtu.be/kPuz286p47g

The Legend of Popocatepetl & Iztaccíhuatl:  https://youtu.be/SNXLxggR5b8

Description of all THREEt: https://fabricoffolklore.com/?p=1087

The Vital Organs of Planet Earth Video

Correction: The word Popocatepetl is divided in 5 syllables: Po-po-ca-te-petl. (not 7 like Vanessa stated)

Music credit:
Celtic Impulse - Celtic · Kevin MacLeod

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When a language dies, why should we care? Don Kulick, a distinguished University Professor of Anthropology at Uppsala University and head of the ENGAGING VULNERABILITY research program talks to us in episode 46 about the death of languages. We delve into his book, A Death in the Rainforest: how a language and a way of life came to an end in Papua New Guinea, discusses his work in the tiny village of Gapun in New Guinea to document the death of the native language and why that matters. We explore the evolution of anthropological fieldwork from historical methods to current approaches, benefits of learning about other cultures, and the importance of documenting dying languages. You're going to love it!

His book:
A Death in the Rainforest: how a language and a way of life came to an end in Papua New Guinea

Notes:
•🌏 **Anthropology and Linguistics**
•Dr. Kulick’s journey into anthropology from linguistics.
•Interest in people who speak different languages.
•Multilingualism among groups in Papua New Guinea.
•Impact of language on worldview and self-presentation.
•👥 **Evolution of Anthropology**
•Comparison to Margaret Mead's fieldwork methods.
•Emphasis on understanding specific people and cultures.
•Benefits of learning about other cultures.
•💬 **Language Evolution in Papua New Guinea**
•Transition to speaking Tok Pisin from traditional languages.
•Tok Pisin as a pigeon language with English-based words.
•Challenges of understanding and communication.
•📖 **Language and Culture Preservation**
•Importance of documenting dying languages like Tie Up.
•Socialization of children through native languages.
•Observations on cultural differences and understanding.
•🤔 **Cultural Exchange and Understanding**
•Value of experiencing different cultures and languages.
•Encouragement to step out of personal bubbles for understanding.
•Appreciation of diversity and differences in people.
•🌍 **Global Community Engagement**
•Call for thoughts on experiencing different cultures.
•Importance of learning languages and diverse worldviews.
•Community engagement for broader conversations.

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What can we learn from Indian mythology? Sunita Pant Bansal, author of countless books of Indian mythology and children folk literature, helps us understand the life lessons mythology offers. In episode 45, author of best seller Krishna, The Management Guru and Everyday Gita, Sunita walks us through the concept of her newest book on boons and curses in Indian mythology. The discussion highlights how mythology stories carry life lessons on justice, karma, impermanence, and diversity in viewpoints. We also dive into the idea of equality among individuals, irrespective of cultural or physical differences. As an example, in Indian mythology, everyone has the power to give blessings or curses, and even powerful figures such as gods can suffer. We explore how global mythologies showcase commonalities amongst us all. Don't miss this one!

Links: 

Sunita’s Website: https://www.sunitapantbansal.com/

KRISHNA THE MANAGEMENT GURU (PB) https://amzn.eu/d/hMgIBju

EVERYDAY GITA: 365 DAYS OF WISDOM https://amzn.eu/d/cMxByiy

The Return of Vikram and Betaal https://amzn.eu/d/2zRdFGb

Ramayan The Journey of Ram https://amzn.eu/d/dPrPZPQ

Mahabharat The Rise and Fall of Heroes https://amzn.eu/d/840k539

Puranas - The origin of Gods and Goddesses https://amzn.eu/d/6C5vDTk

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Have you heard of the Dybbuk of Jewish folklore? It is a malicious possessing spirit most well-known in Yiddish Theater, Between Two Worlds. The play was written by S. Ansky in 1914, a playwright and enthographer. The tale centers on a young woman possessed by a dybbuk- that of her deceased lover. The play became a canonical work of both Hebrew and Yiddish theatre, being further translated and performed around the world. Dr. Morris M. Faierstein joins us in episode 44 to discuss his upcoming book The Dybbuk, Its Origins and History. In this fascinating episode we discuss possession, exorcism, reincarnation, mental illness, rituals for helping spirits move on to Gehenna (a temporary place of punishment), and more modern examples of alleged possession cases being debunked as frauds or diagnosed as mental illnesses. Don't miss it!

Pre-order book: Dybbuk, Its Origins and History- https://sunypress.edu/Books/T/The-Dybbuk

Academia Profile 

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Is Rumpelstiltskin morally good or is he evil? Why does he want the queen's baby? What does nature and the natural world have to do this fairy tale? If you have ever read a fairy tale and wondered if there was a hidden meaning, if it had a message you just weren't catching, this is the podcast for you. Fairy Tale Flip is a monthly collaboration between Doorways to Leaning and Fabric of Folklore to bring you a unique exploration of a different fairy tale each month. Each month, we have YOU, the audience, CHOOSE between three fairy tales, and this month for EPISODE 4 you choose Rumpelstiltskin. in this live episode we discussed the power of a name, the power of three, the history and the different versions found across the globe. This is such a fun episode, you wont want to miss it!

Notes:

• Some interpretations of him as a representation of nature 
• Rumpelstiltskin is one of the oldest narratives in Western literature
• There are different versions of the story all across the globe
• Discussion about storytelling techniques and engaging children
• Power of names and personalization
• Pattern of three in the story
• What Rumpelstiltskin actually means

Mentioned in the Episode:
Name of the Wind
Wizard of Earthsea
How to Fracture a Fairy Tale
Emma Wilby
Diane Stanley

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How does one go from slavery to equality? That is the question African Americans grappled with after their emancipation in 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation released Blacks from their enslavement, but they continued to experience inequality in all phases of American life —social, cultural, political, and economic. In episode 43, Dr. Ronald L. Sharps, Associate Dean of College of the Arts at Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ joins us to discuss his new book 'Black Folklorists in Pursuit of Equality-African American Identity and Cultural Politics, 1893–1943.' We talk about the folklore of African Americans After the Civil War and how they sought to solidify and create their identity by defining their own folklore. Through this pursuit of equality, African Americans developed movements to reveal in their rhetoric the soul of a race and a path toward civilization. 

Book: Black Folklorists in Pursuit of Equality-African American Identity and Cultural Politics, 1893–1943.

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Have you heard of The Hero with a Thousand Faces? What about the hero's journey? Joseph Campbell was an author, professor and global storyteller. A lecturer at Sarah Lawrence College in Yonkers, his work continues to have ripple effects across the globe today. His works, and influence in understanding mythology around the world, are the topic of today's incredible show. In episode 42, Bruce Boyce, the creator of “I Take my History with My Coffee” blog and podcast, joins us to discuss the influential American writer and his works on mythology and world religion, including, The Masks of God. Joseph Campbell's work has inspired and influenced generations, including filmmaker George Lucas in his framing of the Star Wars Trilogy.


I Take History With My Coffee: itakehistory.com

I Take History With My Coffee Podcast: www.podpage.com/i-take-history-with-my-coffee/

Here are some essays for blog related to folklore and myth:

Yule (itakehistory.com)

On A Midsummer's Night (itakehistory.com)

NOTES: 

• Bottom-up histories require research in documents like deeds and records.
• Military records and pension records are valuable for understanding social structures.
• Bruce Boyce recommends Joseph Campbell's four-volume set on world belief systems.
• Joseph Campbell's work highlights the shared humanity and different answers to life's questions.
• Joseph Campbell's writing is accessible to a wide range of readers.
• Filmmakers can benefit from Joseph Campbell's storytelling approach.
• Criticisms of Joseph Campbell's work need to be understood within the context of the time period.
• Joseph Campbell's daily routine involved extensive reading and teaching comparative literature.
• The structure of the Hero's Journey is outlined by Joseph Campbell.
• The Hero's Journey consists of different stages and trials.
• Stories are best told in a condensed and digestible format.
• Stories were a way of passing down knowledge in ancient cultures.
• Preservation of oral-based cultures is important.

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Have you ever wondered why humans are primed for stories? Once a story starts, its so hard to stop. In episode 41 Kendall Haven talks to us about the brain science behind why we are magnetically attracted to stories. His research, story coaching work, and two seminal books, STORY PROOF: The Science Behind the Startling Power of Story, and STORY SMART: Using the Science of Story to Persuade, Influence, Inspire, and Teach have revolutionized our understanding of stories—of the science of story, of the relationship between the human brain and story and of the power of story elements to transform communications.

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Links for Kendall Haven: 

Website: https://www.kendallhaven.com/index.htm

Books: https://www.kendallhaven.com/works.htm

Notes:

• Using stories as a communication method is more effective and memorable than other structures.
• Storyproof is a method that supports the idea that the human brain thinks in terms of stories.
• The brain automatically rearranges information to fit into a story structure.
• The structural elements of a story remain the same across different cultures.
• Story IQ is a way to understand and utilize the core elements of a story.
• The neuroscience of narrative, story tools, influencing beliefs, and creating story smart stories are discussed in the book.
• The goal is to tell stories naturally and effectively using the tools learned from neuroscience.
• Anticipating the audience's response and emotional engagement is key in storytelling.
• Stories are powerful communication tools that should be respected and used accordingly.

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