Folk And Popular Culture: Case Studies Amish, Hutterite .

Distance Decay- thediminishing importanceand eventualdisappearance of aphenomenon withincreasing distance fromits origin.Time-SpaceCompression- thereduction in the time ittakes to diffusesomething to a distantplace as a result ofimprovedcommunication andtransportation systems

Origin of folk and popular cultures Folk culture hearth area; originators areusually unknown Popular culture hearth area comes frommore developed countries (MDCs) People in MDCs have disposable income andleisure time that allow for these innovations

Diffusion of folk and popular culture Folk culture diffuses slowly, primarily throughmigration, and at a small scale Example: Diffusion of Amish culture Popular culture diffuses rapidly, viahierarchical diffusion, and over a large scale Example: Sports

Influence of the physical environment Folk culture close connection to theenvironment Most folk cultures are rural and agricultural Clothing is often tied to environmental conditions Example: Wooden clogs in the Netherlands Folk cultures cant ignore environmental conditions

Influence of the physical environment Food preferences and the environment Food preferences are adapted to the environment Example: In Asia, rice is grown in milder, wetterenvironments whereas wheat is grown in colder, drierenvironments Food taboos may be especially strong People avoid certain foods because of negativeassociations with that food Terroir the sum effects of the local environmenton a particular food item

Influence of the physical environment Folk housing and the environment Housing a reflection of cultural heritage, currentfashion, function, and the physical environmentTwo most common building materials wood andbrickMinor differences in the environment can producevery different house styles

Although the Iroquois have neverwon the world championship theyhave the satisfaction of hearingtheir national anthem and flag flyalongside those of otherparticipants

Anabaptists split from the Catholic ChurchOther Anabaptists are the Amish andMennonites. But there are some importantdifferences among these groups today.

Unlike the Amish,Hutterites readilyaccept technologiesthat help them intheir agriculturalpursuits. However, they doNOT accept TV,camera, or cellphone technology.

AmishChildren traditionallydress as their parents do.Horse drawn wagons arethe favored form oftransportation.Technology is frownedupon and discouraged.Farmers use traditionaltechniques. HutteritesLive in colonies. (100)Colony is responsible forraising children.Are in favor of usingtechnology in theiragricultural pursuits.

A Gift From the Sea- Whaling and whales are central to Makah culture.For the Makah Tribe, whale hunting imposes a purpose and a disciplinewhich benefits their entire community.

The Makah hunted whales for 1500 years.They used traditional hunting canoes andharpoons.In an 1855 treaty with the United States,they were guaranteed the right to huntwhale in the Pacific Ocean.

As more whales were hunted and killed,(high demand for whale oil) hunts wouldtake the Makah further away from theshoreline.In the 1920s they decided to stop thewhale hunt.Then, the Gray Whale was put on theEndangered Species List.

Let’s flash back to 1998 There was no one alive among the Makahs whohad ever gone whaling, but they had heardstories and songs about it all their lives. Like their ancestors, they would paddle out in acedar canoe and strike first with a harpoon. But in a departure from tradition, they will use arifle to kill the whale and at least two motorizedboats to tow it home.

“Whaling and whales have remainedcentral to Makah culture. They are in oursongs, our dances, our designs, and ourbasketry. Our social structure is based ontraditional whaling families. The conduct ofa whale hunt requires rituals andceremonies which are deeply spiritual.Whale hunting imposes a purpose and adiscipline which we believe will benefit ourentire community.” Makah Elder, 2005

Dave Matthews Band established a hearth(a place of origin) in 1991Hierarchal diffusion of DMB throughcollege towns in the USADMB played 200 nights a year in collegetowns throughout the American Southwestin 1992.Their fan base grew at an incredible rate.

http://www.reverb.org/index.phpReverb helps bands set up “green” toursThey also set up eco-villages to helpencourage fans to practice eco-friendlytechniques.

HAVE WE LOST OUR SENSEOF PLACE? Geographer Edward Relph coined theterm “placelessness” to describe the lossof uniqueness of place in the culturallandscape to the point that one place lookslike the next.

Origin of folk and popular music Folk music characteristics Tells a story or recounts important life events oractivitiesIs personal in nature Popular music characteristics Written by individuals for the purpose of selling to alarge audienceHighly technical

Much of the Elvis adoration lies inthe east. What are some culturalinfluences that contribute to this“fault line” in the geography ofpopular culture.

Hip-hop is fascinating becausesongs can gain worldwide attentionby discussing local areas!

Diffusion of folk and popular culture Folk culture diffuses slowly, primarily through migration, and at a small scale Example: Diffusion of Amish culture Popular culture diffuses rapidly, via hierarchical diffusion, and over a large scale Example: Sports