Folklore

1. What is folklore? Pay attention to the word’s components: folk and lore.

ANSWER:

a. The traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community, passed through

the generations by word of mouth.

b. Folklore refers to the tales people tell. Folklore is typically passed down by

word of mouth, rather than being written in books. Folklore has no author – it

just emerges from the culture and is carried forward by constant retelling.

2. Give some examples of folklore from Dominica and beyond:

ANSWERS:

a. Dominica – Jumbies

b. Transylvania – Vampires

c. Nigeria – Witches

d. Japan – Yokai

3. Why do you think all these figures exist?

ANSWERS:

a. To entertain.

b. To explain away things that no one understands.

c. To teach people what to do and what not to do.