Folk music – back to our roots
Music has always been all around us – nothing that’s news, right? Although, as humans, we tend to take things as granted, including the culture in which we grew up. Generally, we don’t pay much attention to who our ancestors were and what their influence on our lives is. With this article, we’d like to push you towards discovering the cultural aspects of our past as a nation.
What can we call folklore?
Let’s put all the scientific terms and specific historical facts aside and think what folklore means to us, what its role is.
Usually, the first thought associated with folklore that comes to mind is the village. Village and its residents, folk costumes, simple folk tunes and lyrics, regional food and customs… Are these your associations, as well? If so, you’re on the right track!
You can easily say that folklore is like footprints of our culture’s history. It can help us understand who we are, why we are this way, even where our sense of humour comes from. It’s like a huge common DNA strand of our nation.
The roots
Reach out to the sources of what you and your family are made of. Every town, city and village is like an independent being, separate organism. Just like you and me. Each of them carries a slightly different history and has different heroes. You can observe the varieties now, the way they are expressed through museum expositions, cultural centres, and festivals.
All of them, though have a common point of origin – the countryside. Poor rural inhabitants, peasants, and later after the industrial revolution – labourers, they created and carried on their parent’s and grandparents’ traditions.
The people were passing on stories orally since most of them weren’t able to write. As we all know the easiest texts to learn by heart are the ones that rhyme. This way, a significant part of folk poetry and songwriting was created and survived until today.
The power of folk music
The secret of it is that folk music seems authentic and feels so straightforward. Simplicity is the key.
There are specific aspects of this genre that may differ from nation to nation. That is the way of singing, the choose of instruments and general background of the lyrics, which often depends on the nation’s mentality.
Although no matter what country the music comes from, folk will always pull almost the same string of sensitivity in each of us. Even thinking of it, I can already feel the incoming wave of sentiment and homesickness deep in my heart.
There are more and more new folk bands that keep appearing. Nothing surprising about that – as I mentioned before, it is a particular kind of music based on austerity. But I must admit – every new folklore-inspired band pleases my heart. Each of them is a sign of the need for getting to know who we are.
Let’s make folk last forever!
*we appreciate the partnership here that helps continue the mission of Ear to the Ground Music. As always, the views here do not necessarily reflect those of Ear to the Ground Music or it’s editors.
