Fabric of Folklore

What if you are reading fairy tales all wrong? What if the witch is actually the good guy? In episode 38, we're talking Donna Lee Fields, a teacher-trainer and speaker in the international educational circuit with a passion for looking deeper into the underlying messages in fairy tales. The Witch as the Hero of Fairy Tales was the title of her doctoral thesis.  We talked about fairy tales and...

Fairy Tale Flip (Episode #2) is a monthly collaboration with Donna Fields from Scaffolding Magic about diving deeper into fairy tales. Fairy tales feel simple. And we love them because we all just want a happily ever after. The Singing Bone fairy tale, however, is a dark story about a boar, two poor brothers and a princess with no agency. It is from the 1700's  Grimm Brothers' Fairytale...

Ever wonder where the idea behind the Christmas tree came from and what a tree in your house has to do with the birth of Jesus? Did you know that some Christmas traditions today can be traced back to ancient Rome? James Cooper, a Christmas fan and expert from the UK who runs whychristmas.com, one […] The post Episode 37: The History Behind the Christmas Tree and other Christmas Traditions with Jam...

What do you value and why? Values play a significant role in a community’s culture. The stories a community or a group of people imparts transmits cultural values, ethics, and moral lessons. In episode 36 Josh Porthouse (Porter), the host and executive producer of Transacting Values talks to us about his award-winning podcast that showcases […] The post Episode 36: Values, Value Systems and Druids...

Calling All Crafters or Want-to-be Crafters!! In episode 34 we explored a beautiful, modern way folk arts, especially the fiber crafts, are being practiced today. Our guests, Jen Simonic and Masey Kaplan, are the founders of Loose Ends Project. Loose Ends Project is a non-profit which aims to ease grief, create community, and inspire generosity […] The post Episode 35: Loose Ends Project and The P...

Do you know the history beyond the famous “first Thanksgiving” feast of 1621? Our guest, Melanie Kirkpatrick, author of Thanksgiving: The Holiday at the Heart of the American Experience, spoke to us about this uniquely American holiday in episode 34. In our conversation, we discuss the heart of the tradition and what this holiday represents […] The post Episode 34: The History of Thanksgiving, Ame...

Are fairytales only for children? Our guest Jack Zipes argues that folktales and fairytales are not designed purely for the amusement of children but contain serious social and political implications. Dr. Zipes, a retired Professor from the University of Minnesota is known for his lectures on German literature, critical theory, German Jewish culture, children’s literature, […] The post Episode 33:...

What do you know about Asian mythological characters? In episode 32, we spoke with Fairlane Raymundo the author of Aswang, the first graphic novel NFT inspired by Asian mythology and literature. Fairlane Raymundo is a Filipino-born, Californian resident who besides being an author, is also an illustrator, scriptwriter, and marketer with a YouTube Channel, Asian […] The post Episode 32: All about A...

What do you know about Halloween? Halloween is one of the most popular holidays in America, and yet its origins are misunderstood. Lisa Morton, the author of the book Trick or Treat: The History of Halloween, a six-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award®, and also a world-class Halloween and paranormal expert, attempts to clarify […] The post Episode 31: Unmasking the Mysteries of Halloween: A Deep...

Did you know there is a spooky side to plants? Nina Veteto is a long time forager, explorer, plant lover and artist who lives in the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. She explores and forages special places, explains the folklore of plants, and inspires her followers to learn more about the botany of […] The post Episode 30: Folklore of Plants: Uncovering the Spooky Secrets of Porta...

What ghost story has haunted you since you heard it? This spooky show with Tok Thompson, professor at University of Southern California, is part of our Halloween/ October series- all about ghosts and ghost stories and why they haunt us. Dr. Thompson teaches folklore and mythology, including a course called Ghost Stories: Throughout Time and […] The post Episode 29: Ghost Stories Throughout Time, a...

Have you ever heard of the Curse of Juilia Brown, the voodoo priestess who supposedly destroyed a small Louisiana town. Join us as we step into the world of the eerie and infamous legends of the American South. Our guest, and fellow podcaster, Brandon Schexnayder helps us unravel the dark and creepy history of The […] The post Episode 28: Eerie Tales with Southern Gothic host Brandon Schexnayder a...

Episode 27: Blues Music, the African American Experience and Folklore Forget what you think you know about Blues Music and join us as we speak with award-winning Independent Filmmaker and radio journalist Lamont Jack Pearley who explains what blues music is and isn’t. Pearley is founder of the African American Folklorist Magazine and Podcast and […] The post Episode 27: Blues Music, the African Am...

Do you have a favorite folk band? We might just have your new favorite that you didn’t even know was missing in your life? In episode 26 we speak with Liz Pearson, vocalist for the folk band Chalk Horse Music with songs inspired by local stories, legends and places. Stephen Thomas from Folkroom Records says […] The post Episode 26: Chalk Horse Music and the Folklore Behind Their Folk Music appeare...

Did you know the Mahabharata is the longest epic poem ever written? At 100,000 verses, it is about 10 times the length of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey combined. The Bhagavad Gita, a section of the epic, is considered one of the most important Hindu scriptures. Our guest, Parag Shan is an author on the Mahabharata, […] The post Episode 25: All About the Mahabharata and Reconnecting with One’s Roots ap...

Episode 24: Dr. Patrick McNamara and The Neuroscience of Religious Belief Did you know that religious belief and experiences have a profound effect on our brains? In this unique episode we speak with neuroscientist Patrick McNamara on how folklore affects our brains? We discuss how the brain processes and interprets religion, as well as mythology, […] The post Episode 24: Dr. Patrick McNamara and...

Did you know Lithuania was one of the last countries of the Baltic region to convert to Christianity from paganism. This makes its folk stories, and folklore one of the most exciting to folklorists and ethnographers because their tales, traditions, rituals and customs are the most closely aligned to the Baltic states’ ancient pagan practices. […] The post Episode 23 Dr. Francis Young and Lithuania...

Have you ever heard of folklore being used in therapy sessions? In episode 22, Ben Stimpson, a therapist, lecturer, student, and spiritual director uses a new effective therapeutic practice that combines storytelling, and personal narrative to get at the heart of clients’ challenges. He walks us through how it works and why it’s effective. We […] The post Ep 22 All About Folktales in Therapy and C...

Do you believe in creatures that live at the edge of our reality? In this episode, we discuss fearsome critters both wonderful and terrifying. Strange beasts found in the Maine wilderness and told of by European settlers, the Abenaki or “first people”, and loggers as well of others. Christopher Packard, author of Mythical Creatures of […] The post Ep 21. All About Mythical Creatures of Maine appea...

Have you heard of climate migration? Whether or not you have, it is having a major impact on traditional cultures. Maida Owens, a cultural anthropologist and Folklife Program Director specializing in Louisiana traditional cultures, in this incredibly important conversation, speaks to us about how the Louisiana Folklore Society is supporting local efforts to sustain traditional […] The post Ep 20....

Episode 19 All About Death midwifery, and Ghanian folklore. You have probably heard of the Anansi folktales from Ghana, but have you heard the term death midwife? Our amazing guest, Ashley Oppon, who joined us on episode 19 talked to us about both. She is a Shamanic Practitioner, Death Midwife, an oncology RN at Sankofa […] The post Episode 19: All About Death midwifery, and Ghanian folklore appea...

Aesop’s Fables are primarily read to children in today’s world, these famous stories, which have stood the test of time, were originally told amongst adults. In episode 18, Dr. Laura Gibbs, retired mythology and folklore professor from the University of Oklahoma, explores Aesop beyond Greece and Rome and guides us through the back and forth […] The post Episode 18: Aesop’s Fables with Dr. Laura Gi...

Did you know Juneteenth is the first federal holiday created in nearly 40 years? The last being the creation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. But what is it all about? Who celebrates it? What will the celebrations look like? Ed Cotham, the author of Juneteenth: The Story Behind the Celebration, and a prizewinning historical […] The post Ep 17 Ed Cotham – All About Juneteenth appeared first on Fabric...

Have you heard of Slender Man or the kiss of death legend? In episode #16, Dr. Andrea Kitta, professor and folklorist at East Carolina University explores ways in which disease is more than a medical issue, but also social issue. She does this using folklore and legends surrounding contagion and contamination. In this exciting and […] The post Ep 16: Dr Andrea Kitta, The kiss of death and other me...

Norma Elia Cantu- Lost Matachines There are very few sacred dances shared by both Hispanics and Native Americans, but Los Matachines is one of them. This dance-drama is performed across multiple continents and has been an ongoing tradition for centuries. In this episode, Dr. Norma Elia Cantu, a folklorist and distinguished professor of Humanities in […] The post Ep 15 Norma Elia Cantu appeared fir...