Exploring Folk and Popular Culture: Origins & Distribution

1. Chapter 4 Key Issue 1 Where are Folk and Popular Leisure Activities Distributed?

2. Big Question • What is the difference between folk and popular culture? What are the similarities and differences between the origin, diffusion, and distribution of these two types of culture. Give examples to support your answer.

3. Key Terms • Culture • Habits • Customs • Folk Culture • Popular Culture • Hearth

4. Introducing Folk and Popular Culture • Culture – Material traits, customary beliefs, and social forms that make up the distinct traditions of group of people • The material traits is what is discussed in this chapter • To understand this, we have to look at a group’s material customs

5. Introducing Folk and Popular Culture • Habits are repetitive acts that an individual performs but customs are repetitive acts that a group performs (such as wearing jeans to church) • These customs are what’s known as a groups material traits or material customs • Material customs are not just confined to clothing but also food, shelter, and leisure activities (arts and recreation)

6. Introducing Folk and Popular Culture • Geographers divided culture into two groups (as we will throughout this chapter): • Folk Culture – traditionally practiced by small, similar groups living in isolated rural areas • Popular Culture – found in large, mixed societies that share certain habits despite differences in other personal characteristics

7. Introducing Folk and Popular Culture • Folk and Popular Culture differ in their process of origin, diffusion (spreads), and distribution • Folk culture changes very little and spreads slowly over time but popular culture can change quickly and spread very rapidly (especially with the internet and social media) • Popular culture is becoming more dominant, is affected by higher incomes, and is also less sustainable on the physical environment

8. Origin, Diffusion, and Distribution of Folk and Popular Culture • Popular culture is more widely distributed than is folk culture • Physical factors have little effect on the distribution of popular culture but do affect folk culture • Distribution of pop culture is influenced heavily by people’s ability to purchase the material elements (internet, fashion, Big Macs) • Origin and diffusion are two factors tat help explain the different spatial distribution of popular and folk cultures

9. Origin, Diffusion, and Distribution of Folk and Popular Culture • Origin: • Culture originates at a hearth and folk culture usually has anonymous, traditional hearths and may even have multiple ones. • Popular culture is usually traceable to a particular person or corporation (usually from developed countries)

10. Origin, Diffusion, and Distribution of Folk and Popular Culture • Diffusion: • Folk culture is transmitted slowly from one location to another , primarily from relocation diffusion (migration) • Popular culture spreads rapidly through hierarchical diffusion from hearths by modern communication

11. Geographic Differences Between Folk and Popular Culture • Folk culture typically is a much smaller region than popular culture and a lot of this has to do with the isolation of the group • Limited connections with others prevent folk culture from spreading and unexpected contact with other groups can be disruptive to that culture

12. Origin and Diffusion of Folk and Popular Music • Music is a big part of folk and popular culture and can be used to illustrate the differences in the origin, diffusion, and distribution of folk and pop culture • Folk Music • Usually originate anonymously and are transmitted orally • Can be modified by new generations but usually discuss events from daily life that are familiar to most people in the culture • Folk music travels with migrants as part of diffusion of folk culture • Local festivals are great way to find local folk music

13. Origin and Diffusion of Folk and Popular Music • Popular Music • Typically written by an individual with the intention of being sold to or performed in front of a large crowd • Originated around 1900 with the creation of the music hall in the UK and the vaudeville in the U.S. • The diffusion of American and British music came about with soldiers from World War II

14. Origin and Diffusion of Folk and Popular Sports • Sports is another way to look at the diffusion of folk and pop culture • Most sports began as isolate folk customs and were diffused like other folk culture, through migration • The world’s most popular sport, football (soccer), is a perfect example of this…starting in England with the kicking of a Danish soldier’s head or an inflated cow’s bladder into the neighboring village’s central square

15. Origin and Diffusion of Folk and Popular Sports • This eventually became a worldwide sport when the British imperialized much of the known world and brought football with them • The Olympics is also a way for sports to gain worldwide recognition and diffusion • Some examples of sports that are still preferred to some cultures but are beginning to diffuse like soccer are Cricket, Ice Hockey, Wushu, Baseball, Austrailian Rules Football, Rugby, and Lacrosse

16. Origin and Diffusion of Folk and Popular Sports • Sports are very much a part of popular culture today but are rooted in folk culture. • This is reflective of material culture as we move further into the 21st century

17. Big Question & Key Terms • What is the difference between folk and popular culture? What are the similarities and differences between the origin, diffusion, and distribution of these two types of culture. Give examples to support your answer. • Culture • Habits • Customs • Folk Culture • Popular Culture • Hearth