In the final episode of Season 5 of The Folklore Podcast, released on December 31st, 2020, we are joined by Swedish folklorist Tommy Kuusela to discuss the unique divinatory ritual of the Year Walk, which traditionally took place on this date. We also cover some of the Swedish forest spirits which may be encountered whilst undertaking the walk.

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Folk song holds a vital place within everybody's culture. From political songs to work songs, lyrics record our feelings, our traditions and, of course, our stories across the ages. In the episode of the podcast, folk singers and writers Sandra Kerr and John Faulkner talk about their thoughts on the subject, developed over many years from their early careers being taught by such names as Lonnie Donegan and Peggy Seeger to university lecturing and 21st century performances. Plus, of course, we discuss the children's TV classic Bagpuss and its use of folk song and influence on culture even today - Sandra and John having written all the music and songs for this, as well as voicing Madeleine the Rag Doll and Gabriel the Toad.

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Due to listener demand, we are releasing audio only versions of the Folklore Podcast Book Club, which is originally made for YouTube.

In this episode of The Folklore Podcast Book Club, author and storyteller Tom Phillips discusses his book 'Forest Folk Tales for Children'.

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Mark Norman, the creator of The Folklore Podcast presents an investigation into the legend of the White Bird of the Oxenhams - a death portent said to be attached to a family in Devon which spanned many hundreds of years.

This episode was written by Tracey and Mark Norman.

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Japanese culture and folklore is very distinctive, but not always as dissimilar from our own as we might think in the West. Podcast creator and host Mark Norman is joined by bestselling author Natasha Pulley to discuss the culture represented in two of her books - The Watchmaker of Filigree Street and The Lost Future of Pepperharrow - and Japanese ritual and belief more generally.

The episode is closed by a track from musical guests Foxtails Brigade, who took the internet by storm recently with their unique video for the track 'My Favourite Things'.

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A free ghost story for Halloween. "The Diary of Mr Poynter" by MR James. Performed by Circle of Spears Productions.

Learn more about the performers at www.circleofspears.com

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Bestselling author Joanne Harris joins Mark Norman, the creator of The Folklore Podcast in a discussion of the importance of folklore, storytelling and her brand new book Orfeia - the third in a series of folklore-rich novellas constructed as reworkings of some of the Child Ballads. At the end of the episode, as a bonus feature, Joanne herself reads the first chapter of Orfeia.

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We talk to the Welsh Children's Laureate Eloise Williams and children's authors P.G. Bell and Matt Brown about a really important new project to bring out the first ever dual Welsh/English language reworking of 'The Mabinogion' aimed specifically at children.

The project, being realised through Unbound, will involve 11 of the best Welsh children's writers and will also include packages and teaching materials for schools.

Musical guest: Sharron Kraus

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Creator and host of The Folklore Podcast, Mark Norman, is joined by Carnegie shortlisted children's author Zana Fraillon, whose latest book 'The Lost Soul Atlas' deals with the folkloric trope of a passage through the afterlife. Zana also discusses her love of folklore generally and some of the Australian influences from her own culture in her writing.

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One year on from the phenomenally popular re-release of the classic Usborne book 'All About Ghosts', we return to the stable as Usborne reprint the equally iconic 'All About UFOs' from their World of the Unknown series.

Joining host Mark Norman to discuss the topic are TV impressionist and astronomer Jon Culshaw (who wrote the foreword for the new printing) and returning guest Dr David Clarke, who was the official spokes-person when the Ministry of Defence declassified many of their UFO documents at the National Archives.

Musical guest: Polly Preacher

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