Chapter 4: Folk and Popular Culture

1. Chapter 4: Folk and Popular Culture The Cultural Landscape: An Introduction to Human Geography

2. Culture beginnings… • Habit – a repetitive act that a particular individualperforms. • Custom – a repetitive act that a particular group performs

3. Material Culture • Two basic categories: folk and popular culture • Folk culture • Traditionally practiced by small, isolated, homogeneous groups in rural areas • Popular culture • Characterized by large, heterogeneous groups of people who share common habits despite differences in other personal characteristics • Geographers are interested in two aspects of culture: • Where cultures are located in space • How cultures interact with the environment

4. Where Do Cultures Originate? • Folk culture = originators usually unknown • Popular culture = hearth FROM more developed countries (MDCs) • People in MDCs=disposable income & leisure time…

5. Hip-Hop Map Figure 4-3

6. Where Do Cultures Diffuse? • 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 &Technology

7. Distribution of Amish Figure 4-4

8. Iroquois Lacrosse Figure 4-5

9. Why Is Folk Culture Clustered? • Folk culture = close connection to the environment • Most* folk cultures are rural and agricultural • Clothing is often tied to environmental conditions • Example: Wooden clogs in the Netherlands • Folk cultures can ignore environmental conditions

10. Why Is Folk Culture Clustered? • Food preferences and the environment • Food preferences are adapted to the environment • Example: In Asia, rice is grown in milder, wetter environments whereas wheat is grown in colder, drier environments • Food taboos may be especially strong • People avoid certain foods because of negative associations with that food • Terroir = the sum effects of the local environment on a particular food item (LIKE CHEESE OR WINE)

11. Istanbul Vegetable Garden Figure 4-6

12. Swine Stock Figure 4-8

13. Taboo? • - defined as: • a restriction on behavior imposed by a social custom. • COMMON TABOO ITEMS • FOODS, RELATIONSHIPS, LANGUAGE, OBSCENITY, ETC.. • RESEARCH- TABOO’S

14. Why Is Folk Culture Clustered? • Folk housing and the environment • Housing = a reflection of cultural heritage, current fashion, function, and the physical environment • most common building materials = wood &brick • Minor differences in the environment can produce very different house styles

15. Hearths of House Types Figure 4-12

16. U.S. House Types (1945–1990) Figure 4-16

17. House Types in Four Western Chinese Communities Figure 4-9

18. Why Is Popular Culture Widely Distributed?

19. Convergence of Cultural Landscapes: • The widespread distribution of businesses and products creates distinctive landscape stamps around the world. • What are examples of businesses that can be found around the world?

20. Brazil, the McCalabresa is a hamburger-sized slab of pepperoni on a bun. Quebecois McDonald's patrons can get McPoutine. Greece, burgers in pita bread with yogurt sauce, tomato, lettuce & onions Greek Mac. Israelis get to enjoy McShawarma and McCabe. Japan Tamago Double Mac—two beef patties, pepper sauce, bacon. and a poached egg. Pakistanis McChutney Burger and Poland's McKielbasa.”

21. Diffusion of popular housing, clothing, and food • Popular culture varies more in time than place • Food customs: consumption of large quantities of snack foods and alcohol • Clothing styles: reflect occupation rather than environment • Housing: reflects fashion trends since the 1940’s in the United States

22. Consumption of Canadian Whiskey and Tequila Figure 4-14

23. Electronic diffusion of popular culture • Watching television • The most popular leisure activity in MDCs • Diffusion from the United States to the rest of the world = 50 years • The Internet • Diffusion from the United States to the rest of the world = 10 years

24. Diffusion of TV Figure 4-18

25. Diffusion of Facebook Figure 4-21

26. We are now active!!!! • Please find EXAMPLES of how the world imitates American culture. • It is OK if you find adaptations like the TAMAGO Double Mac but make sure it something we can connect to our culture. • Think music, foods, clothing, entertainment, etc. • After you locate, discuss the cultural influences of the place that IMPACTED the change. • Think religion, class structure or caste, government, etc. • BE ABLE TO DISCUSS YOUR FINDINGS

27. Why Does Popular Culture Cause Problems?

28. Threats to folk culture • Loss of traditional values • Media imperialism • Satellites • Limit government control of information

29. Environmental impact of popular culture • Modifying nature • Golf courses • Uniform landscapes • Negative impacts • Increased demand for natural resources • Pollution